Transforming Newsroom

The Newsrooms world over are witnessing revolutionary transformation with Artificial Intelligence and Robotics gradually replacing manpower. The Indian newsrooms too are slowly but steadily trying to catch up with the best in the world. While serious efforts have been made in advanced countries to study and analyse this unprecedented technological transformation, Dr. Pramod Kumar’s book, ‘The Future Newsroom’ is perhaps among the first such attempts back home to understand this phenomenon, which is fast changing the face of the print, electronic and digital media.

‘The Future Newsroom’ is a significant research work because it has been done by a working journalist. I appreciate it more because I know how seriously the author has gathered data for this study. As we divide history into two parts—BC (Before Christ) and AD (Anno Domini) we divide journalism also into two parts—BG (Before Google) and AG (After Google). After Google some good things happened, but, unfortunately, research in majority academic institutions has been replaced by Google Search. But Pramod genuinely gathered data from working journalists, conducted interviews with experienced journalists and organised Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) involving eminent journalists. I am associated with media and media teaching for over three decades now but I never saw a writer organising FGDs for his study. Pramod did it very seriously. That is why the findings of his research are very close to reality. A look at the lengthy bibliography indicates how hundreds of books have been studied for this work. Even then what distinguishes this book from others is that it is based on the high volume of primary data.

I am the first adjunct professor of Makhanlal Chaturvedi Rashtriya Patrakarita Vishwavidyalaya, Bhopal. I know the input given by an industry person is unparalleled in media education. Most pass outs from media institutes generally complain that when they join the media industry, they find whatever they learnt at the institute useless. It happens because there is a gross disconnect between the newsroom and the syllabus of media institutes. Unfortunately, the media students are today taught by those who are unaware of the ground reality or have no industry exposure. This book fills the gap to a great extent as it is based on the facts and has been written by an experienced person from the industry.

Today, we have the Dental Council of India, Nursing Council of India and Medical Council of India for regulating the medical profession and deciding the medical curriculum. Similarly, there is the Bar Council of India to regulate the legal profession and frame the curriculum for future advocates. Such bodies insist on some benchmarks and standardisation for their respective professions. But in media, there are no such benchmarks and standardisation. Anybody can start a media school offering certificates. There is no mechanism to monitor what is taught there and how much fee is charged. No advocate can start legal practice without the licence from Bar Council of India and no medical profession can start practice without registration with the Medical Council of India. But there is no monitoring agency for the media in our country. Also, there is no mechanism in Indian media houses to ensure continuous education or skill development of working journalists. Even fellowship or scholarships are not encouraged. I remember when I was selected for the prestigious Prem Bhatia Scholarship, I went to my editor to share this achievement. As I offered the sweet, he asked me whether I was going to be married. I said, “No, sir, I am selected for Prem Bhatia scholarship”. His first reaction was “for how many days you will be on leave”? His prime concern was if I go on leave, the beat that I cover would be affected. It is because of this mindset that most working journalists do not get the opportunity to sharpen their skills or specialise in new areas. However, it does not happen in foreign countries. They motivate their staffers to opt for scholarships and fellowships. The media houses where the journalists are employed are basically the real beneficiaries of this specialisation or skill development. Hence, we need to promote it in the mainstream media today. I am happy that ‘Organiser’ (where he works) motivated Pramod for this study.

The journalists of my generation started the journey in media with the manual typewriter. In those days, no matter one did not have any degree or diploma in journalism, but one was supposed to know typing. After manual typewriters, we shifted to computers and then experienced how the internet transformed the entire functioning in the newsroom. I still remember that before the entry of mobile phones we were provided with pagers, which were nothing but a revolution in communication. After that, we got bulky walky-talky manufactured by Motorola. In December 2000, we a group of journalists went to Andaman & Nicobar Islands to watch the Millennium sunrise. Sadhvi Uma Bharati was the Union Tourism Minister then. We used to send news from that place through a satellite phone. When there was a mid-air collision in Charakhi Dadri (Haryana), there was a PCO booth near a village. At midnight, we around 20 journalists lined up to file the stories. We have experienced how difficult it was to send a story from the spot. But, today a single device (smartphone) offers all services on a single click. We do not even require to type the story. We speak and it is instantly typed in the desired language. The big news channels like NDTV have shifted to MoJo (Mobile Journalism). They have even started a separate vertical channel, HOP, for mobile phone users.

Today, there are talks of integrated newsroom and convergence. In this challenging scenario, ‘The Future Newsroom’ by Dr. Pramod Kumar is a window which helps one to peep into what has already started and what is going to happen in the next two decades. Since the book is based on deeper study and facts, it provides a roadmap for the media houses also how to prepare themselves for the coming challenges in the newsroom. It warns the present generation of journalists to change themselves according to the changing technology and aspiration of the readers or be ready to be shunted out. The data gathered for this book indicate that a higher number of posts and jobs in the media may vanish in the coming years and the preferences of the readers or audience are also fast-changing.

Another interesting part of this book is that the author has visualised how the Indian Newsroom may take shape in 2040. Amidst the arguments that print will die soon, this study claims that print will not die for at least two more decades and it may appear in a paperless format.

We have progressed from the age of information to conversation within a short span. The emphasis of global media is no more on reach but engagement. The challenge is no more about attracting viewership but retaining them as attention spans are getting reduced to seconds. How this massive technological transformation is impacting the media in a multi-cultural, multi-linguistic and socio-economically diverse rainbow nation such as India is being keenly watched the world over. ‘The Future Newsroom’ by Dr. Pramod Kumar seeks to expose the limitations, explore the potential and establish the capability and credibility of Indian media for the benefit of scholars, academics and professionals alike. An essential read for the working journalists, media planners, media students and faculty members of media institutions.