Freedom of the press?
Journalists are regarded vanguard of ethical norms; not only in identifying social evils by their pens, they also play their role in the promotion of public good and establishment of positive attitude, while unfolding darker sides of the society. But the sacred profession of journalism now abounds with such people who only cherish their being journalists rather than doing their part. This was not the case in the past.

Given the lack of any ideological and behavioural movement, they don't value any ethics that could be defined as the principles by which we determine the truth or false of any action. That's why we witness such discrepancies regularly where the contemporary journalist submits news against a particular person on his newspaper owner's advice and he will report favourably for the accused, if the advice is reversed in two or three days later. He does so; firstly, out of job insecurity; and secondly, she/he may lack any ethics at all. These are situations conducive for revolutions; in that, when a certain class defines ethics narrowly based on its own interests. 

Revolutions aside, every business has to have its code of ethics essential to its very survival. But in our community and the profession, the survival instincts defy even these business ethics. A newspaper changes its policy overnight with the grant or cancellation of advertisement quota by the government in power. So turn the journalist's loyalties for or against a particular government. It's because he is associated with the newspaper's so-called policy rather his conscience.

Since there is no code and principles of journalism are operative, the working journalists are always bent upon to save their jobs even if they have to stifle their own rights. For example, during the last one year;

• Two so-called national newspapers laid-off almost 225 of their employees.
• Four national newspapers have not been paying their employees on time for the last many years, or not paying at all.
• Only 15 percent of newspaper workers are getting salaries according to the National Wage Board Award.
• A big publication house extracts 10 hours daily work out of its employees despite the fact that the job contract clearly marks 5 hours of daily work.
• The newspapers' establishments, without explaining the cause, can dismiss any worker at any time.
• Many newspaper workers are shunted out of their jobs without getting their due arrears.

• Freedom of the press is not perceived in danger when journalists are constantly kicked out of their jobs: it will happen only when the advertisement quota of a newspaper is stopped!
• When a newspaper owner is demanded to pay taxes, it turns into a question of freedom of expression. But journalists' wages have nothing to do with it!
• When a newspaper owner is arrested on allegations of earning unfair livelihoods, it's told that journalism is being suppressed. While the same owner does not pay arrears to his employees and no concern for repression is invoked!
• When a newspaper owner is deprived of a privilege like an air ticket it's taken as injustice to the journalists, while bullet firing at a news reporter is not taken into account!

Recently, two crime reporters were tortured; another's house was hurled with firearms to receive only silence of our journalist community.

Lafafa journalism (Envelope journalism) and black mailing tactics have been attached to certain journalists' names, yet we never come across demands to check them and to purge such elements from the community. They have entered just to fulfil their ambitions with whatever means at their hands. Many joined only when they got no jobs elsewhere. They are publicly proud to boast of their vanity against the police and other offices. When we demand representative organisations of the journalists to tackle the issue, we are given no answers because of the presence of such people in the higher ranks. When these organisations are asked to push working journalists' rights, they set it aside saying that it's a political issue and that they are not political parties. But whenever interests of the newspaper owners are threatened, we find them encamped in the protest rallies. All this is suffice to show the absurdity of any freedom of the press. This freedom or any other truth has to be complemented with principles. It's required that we elect such representatives who take heed to workers rather than the newspaper owners. It's also imperative that we should cease to elect our representatives merely on the basis of personal friendships.

If we do not elect our representatives who are concerned with the fundamental issues of journalists, we shall also be exploited by the newspaper owners' organisations. Owners have their organisations like CPNE and APNS. Let them solve their own problems, for they are business men and only profit guides their principles and codes.

We shall have to establish our own code of conduct.