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Panel Discussion: Patriotism vs. Journalism
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Nimitt Dixit
12:20
Welcome to our live blog! Join us today as we follow the the 2nd edition of the #MediaRumble panel discussion where , Ajai Shukla, Maria Ressa, Nitin Gokhale and Suhasini Haidar discuss patriotism and the role of journalists in the modern patriotic environment
12:22
Shiv Aroor, Newscaster at India Today, will be moderating today's session
12:26
Nitin Gokhale has been a multimedia reporter since 1983. He has recently made a transition from being a full-time journalist to becoming an author, media trainer and researcher.
He has authored four books on military, conflicts and wars. He also makes documentaries and is a regular visiting faculty at top defence institutions in the country.
Maria A. Ressa is a Filipino-American journalist and author who is best known for co-founding Rappler as its chief executive officer. She previously spent nearly two decades working as a lead investigative reporter in Southeast Asia for CNN
12:28
Ajai Shukla is an Indian journalist and a retired Colonel of Indian Army. He writes articles on defence policy, production and acquisition and currently works as consulting editor with Business Standard. He earlier worked with DD News and NDTV.
12:30
Suhasini Haidar is a professional Indian print and television journalist, anchor with a career spanning 20+ years.
The panelists are now on the dias are we will begin shortly!
2:18
Shiv Aroop introduces the topic 'Patriotism vs Journalism'  emphasising the timeliness of the topic.
Referencing  news stories like NRC and Rafael, Aroor, highlights the clash between nationalism, patriotism and journalistic roles.
2:19
2:23
Aroor asks Haidar whether there been any recent instance where there has been a collusion between the idea of Patriotism vs Journalism in her experience.
2:24
Haidar: "I feel the debate should be titled Patriotism v Nationalism and not Patriotism vs Journalism."
2:25
Haidar acknowledges that every journalist faces this dilemma these days but maintains that for a journalist, stories must come first.
2:27
The Patriotism v Nationalism debate is a topical one and is explained well in this video
2:30
Differing slightly, Ressa explains that journalists are patriots. Technology has the power to manipulate and empower people to take dialogue, she adds.
2:31
"Technology and power shapes the decision making on part of politicians and people alike", she adds.
2:33
Aroor interjects to congratulate Ressa on her organisation Rappler's win against the Government of Philippines in the Court of Appeal in the Phillippines.
2:35
Ajai Shukla says that all who write stories today about any topic are in some way anti-nationalist. We're allowing someone else to dictate us. All of us have the right to choose our own paths. The idea of a particular set of viewpoints is not nationalism, he adds.
2:37
Answering Aroor's question on his personal experience on reporting about 'taboo' topics like Rafael, Shukla states that journalists are usually anti-establishment.
2:38
Should the debate be Nationalism v. Patriotism instead of Nationalism v. Journalism?
Yes (100% | 1 vote)
 
No (0% | 0 votes)
 
Does not matter (0% | 0 votes)
 
Total Votes: 1
2:39
Gokhale is asked by his experience with anti-government reporting and the label of anti-nationalism that comes with it.
2:41
Talking about the Kargil Conflict that on which he was reporting for Outlook, he said he was said to stop and wait until the war was over. Despite the story being worked on for a whole year, the government wanted it to be discontinued due to elections, he recalls.
2:42
"There is this thin line editors choose and I had to walk on the thin line. The militants, the government, the citizens want certain things to not be told", he adds.
2:43
However, Gokhale firmly enforces the view that journalists shouldn't bother too much about these labels and highlights the need of a good editor to back up journalists.
2:46
Aroor directs the debate back to Haidar to discuss whether the government's clampdown on stories and high pressure of journalists has affected her work.
"Some stories need to be shut down. But one bad anchor does something wrong and then whole media house is targeted as wrong", she answers.
2:48
Moving to Ressa, Aroor points out that there are incidents when media stood up against a certain government policy and it has been targeted as anti-national policy.
"This is not new. During Iraq War The Hindu criticised US press for supporting War. Even then, it was a stand that we took which was not popular but the important one", he adds.
2:49
Ressa is asked about her experiences with government pressure.
2:50
She answers" There are global issues where countries nationalism falls aside."
2:52
Talking about her company Rappler, Ressa adds that Government took what they saw on social media against Rappler instead of investigating what the real issue was. The social media trial against Rappler affected them more than any legal battle that followed.
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