Behind the News: Voices from Goas Press

Behind the News: Voices from Goa's Press, by

Various
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Title: Behind the News: Voices from Goa's Press
Author: Various
Release Date: March 9, 2004 [eBook #11523]
Language: English
Character set encoding: US-ASCII
***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BEHIND THE NEWS: VOICES FROM GOA'S PRESS***
Copyright (C) 2003 by the individual authors

Behind The News: Voices From Goa's Press
Copyleft, 2003. May be copied provided entire text is kept intact, and credit is given to all who have contributed to this work. While every attempt has been made to maintain accuracy, we would appreciate inaccuracies being pointed out. Feedback may be sent to [email protected]
This book was collaboratively written between August 2003 and October 2003, through Goajourno, a cyber network of journalists and former journalists who have worked in Goa.
Copyleft 2003. Writers of the respective individual chapters retain their right to be identified as the authors of their work.
This is work-in-progress. and currently is in draft stage. Version 0.10 (draft release).
First e-version: October 10, 2003 (draft)

This e-book was created using Lyx, a free software product that was created by volunteers and which is freely sharable. We say a thank you to those whose work on this and other Free Software makes our work feasible and more practicable today.
Table of Contents

Chapter 1
Sixties' stories: Free Goa's first elections
Chapter 2
Goan journalism: Views from near and far
Chapter 3
West Coast Times : A dream ruined
Chapter 4
Novem Goem: The Roof Caves In
Chapter 5
The Herald of A New Ethos
Chapter 6
oHERALDo: an untold chapter
Chapter 7
The banyan tree: working under Rajan
Chapter 8
Rural Goa, unheard, unsung...
Chapter 9
A year apart... journalism and leaving home
Chapter 10
Growing up with the Herald...
Chapter 11
In black & white... newsdesk nuggets
Chapter 12
The proof of it all...
Chapter 13
Birth pangs at Sant Inez
Chapter 14
An era of free sheeters
Chapter 15
Journalism in Goa: An outsider looks in
Chapter 16
An accidental Bhailo
Chapter 17
Why Konkani failed its readers...
Chapter 18
Romi Konkani, hanging on a cliff
Chapter 19
Comrades in crime: Police reporting
Chapter 20
Of sports... and sports journalism
Chapter 21
From journalist... to publisher

Introduction
If you believe in miracles, here is a small one. An e-book, written collaboratively by over a dozen-and-half journalists, many with amazing stories to tell. Their willingness to do so, says something.
For one, it indicates a generosity to convert memories into history, which would otherwise have been consigned to the dustbin of amnesia. This is particularly true, as the media seldom writes critically about themselves in Goa. More importantly, it also suggests that there are many in Goa who have a story, and are willing to narrate it. If only they're given a chance. As mediapersons, we need to ask ourselves why these stories are not allowed (or encouraged) to surface in the first place. It's impossible to believe that there is such a drought of ideas and issues in Goa, and the general lack of debate in the media would make it seem.
October 10, 2003 marks the 20th anniversary of the Herald's English-language edition. Many of us journalists who contributed here are no longer, or perhaps never were, associated with that daily newspaper. But, the launch of this product undeniably opened up avenues for a generation of journalists in the state. In addition, it rewrote the rules of journalism for all of us here, for better or worse. Hence the choice of this date for the first release of this book.
What is being said along these e-pages refers to critical times in the history of post-1961 Goa. Needless to say, views voiced here stem from personal experiences, oftentimes are subjective, and likely to generate even more debate. But personal viewpoints are also important, in that these help to complete our understanding of particular events, episodes, and individuals. It is no coincidence perhaps that this series of essays is critical of some held up as icons of Goa's journalism over the past four decades. You might feel the criticism is unfair; but other versions do need to be heard.
This is, of course, not the last word on the subject. Nor does it claim to be a comprehensive account -- what got included depended on who was willing to write their 'story' when the call for chapters went out.
This unusual work is humbly devoted to those who are not, or cannot, be with us, as we go down the corridors of time and look at the past decades. Journalists whom Goa has produced, but perhaps were never adequately recognised over the years. Like the innovative Ivan Fera, who died young along with the promise of immense talent and many bylines in journals like The Illustrated Weekly.