NEW DELHI: In a special ongoing training workshop organised by the Jagran group of newspapers proposed news channel, Channel 7, the consensus was clearly in favour of more authentic reportage backed by a razor sharp analysis of news.
Well known personalities from various walks of society such as Dr Sanjaya Baru, media advisor to the Prime Minister; former police commissioner Arun Bhagat, noted media personality Madhu Trehan, MPs Sachin Pilot and Navjot Singh Sidhu in their special address stressed on the need for news channels to act as credible guiding forces for the viewers.
Highlighting the importance of organising a training session, Jagran TV director Siddhartha Gupta said, “With a slew of television channels around media professionals are churned out at an unbelievable speed. Unlike a decade ago, the media scene, especially that of television has become exceedingly cut throat. Quality training is as important to the continued growth of the television industry as development funding, production investment and marketing.”
Finer details of television journalism will be imparted by experts to the team of Channel 7 at this forum. Most importantly though, this workshop is not about learning what or how “television news is done,” but about how Channel 7 aims to do it. The “learning workshop” is at present going on.
In the course of the next few days, the workshop will focus on coverage related to law and media by minister of state of science and tech and lawyer Kapil Sibal, international coverage by Saeed Naqvi and right wing Journalism by former deputy editor of India Today Swapan Dasgupta.
To provide a snapshot of some of the opinions expressed during the course of the discussions so far:
DR Sanjaya Baru: Television journalism should move beyond mere news reporting to in-depth analysis of news. Todays journalists should become the flag bearers of change and bring about a transformation in journalism.
Arun Bhagat: News channels need to be more sensitive in their reportage and should present the facts in a new format. Reporting must not be restricted to only crime related stories and all stories ought to be thoroughly investigated.
Madhu Trehan: News anchors need to be more persistent while following a story idea. Sensitivity should reflect in coverage especially in news related to accidents and other calamities.
Sachin Pilot: Television in India has not yet reached a mature stage. The youth of this country has always bought about change and has the potential to do so even in the television industry.
Channel 7 will be launched in March and is being distributed by Jagran TV Pvt. Limited.
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