WORKSHOP ON CONFLICT REPORTING

An international workshop on “How To Be Impartial While Reporting Conflict” for the working journalists from Thailand was held in New Delhi. The Thai journalists interacted with their Indian counterparts and asked about the reporting of the minority’s affairs in the media. They also enquired about the various international rules and regulations and guidelines pertaining to media reporting especially about the minority affairs. Mr. Shakeel Hasan Shamsi, Senior Producer Sahara Urdu Media provided important information about the Muslim media to the three groups of journalists from Thailand. He told them that although the Muslims in India are spread wide and far across and speak a variety of languages, however, they are emotionally attached with Urdu. He further disclosed that Urdu media is nowhere behind the other media in reporting current affairs, politics, international issues, sports etc. At the same time it is busy raising the social, cultural and educational issues of the Muslims in India. Simultaneously, to cater to the Muslims – which forms a huge chunk of the readership/audience – it carries the Qur’ān, Hadith, Hamd, Na’t etc as well which are not generally found in the media of other languages. Mr. Shakeel Hasan Shamsi replying to a question regarding the future of Radio in India lamented that due to strict governmental control the masses are losing interest in it, however, the FM radio has provided a new lease of life to the otherwise dying medium. Chief Editor of Nai Duniya Shahid Siddqui revealed that on an average the national media has more or less become unbiased, nonetheless, while reporting Muslim issues it is still far behind the principles of objectivity.