After many years I have had the opportunity to talk to the former editor of the Amrit Prabhat Shri K B Mathur the other day on WhatsApp, who lives near Toronto in Canada with his son. In my life I have worked with three editors, the first one was Shri S K Bose of Northern India Patrika of Allahabad. My stint with him was very brief nearly three months. He was a gem of a man- well-read and punctilious to the core. It was he who was instrumental in sending me to Shri Mathur, who apart from being a good and laborious journalist, has always been a thorough gentleman. My third editor was the late Shri Prabhash Joshi, who was full of bluff and bluster but very fair. He was abstemious and spartan in his personal life but more dedicated to the profession and the proprietor than to the working class. This is my personal viewpoint about him, which does not mean that others would agree with it.
Returning to Shri K B Mathur, I can say with all the emphasis at my command that journalists working under him enjoyed unfettered freedom, bordering on anarchy during his editorship. He was dispassionate to power and the pelf but very patronising to journalists. Some of the journalists, who subscribed to certain political affiliations, used the newspaper for the furtherance of their own interests. Shri Mathur knew it well but even then, did not prevent them from misusing the rostrum of the newspaper. While putting across the standpoint of the proprietors Shri Mathur saw to it that the welfare of the workers was not jettisoned.
Those who have been associated with any trade union movement know well that Dainik Jagran of Uttar Pradesh is the most exploitative and abominable newspaper regarding working conditions. It was the first newspaper to black out news associated with trade unions but on the other hand, there used to be separate columns in the Amrit Prabhat for labour news. Journalists working for the Dainik Jagran used to impose self-censorship as per the whims of its owner, but it was unheard of in the Amrit Prabhat. Some people ascribe this licentious freedom to the closure of the newspaper.
Shri K B Mathur is in his early eighties yet touchwood! He is hale and hearty to his age. I wish him to write his memoirs for the benefit of the journalists of the new generation before print journalism writes its own epitaph in a few years’ time. It is fast paving the way for digital journalism. Labour laws and wage boards will become the things of the past but old values of journalism will always be cherished. We were taught that the ‘intro’ was the most significant part of the news, which should contain as far as possible five Ws- ‘what, where, when, which and why’ and one ‘H’ i.e. ‘How’ but now this principle has almost been given go by the new breed of journalists. Hopefully, Artificial Intelligence (AI) will provide a new definition of journalism. However, the halo of journalist K B Mathur will never fade. I wish him a long, healthy, and happy life regardless of the place he lives.
Journalists like K B Mathur will Always Remain Relevant
feel free to email us [email protected]
-
No Disrespect is Intended to ‘Your Honour’
Parmanand Pandey, , Miscellaneous, 0
On 23rd February, two incidents have happened in two different courts of Delhi. One relates to the Supreme Court...
-
Yogi Deserves Praise for Restoring Rule of Law
Parmanand Pandey, , Miscellaneous, 0
One often wonders and marvels at the will and commitment of UP Chief Minister Yogi Aditynath to maintaining a...
-
Ms Bachchan’s Speech Exemplifies her Reprobate Nature
Parmanand Pandey, , Miscellaneous, 0
Ms Jaya Bachchan’s speech yesterday i.e on 14th of September 2020 on the floor of the Rajya Sabha was...
-
Mamata must avoid becoming the Chief Minister
Parmanand Pandey, , Miscellaneous, 0
It is expected that in all likelihoods Mamata Banerjee will again be elected the leader of the TMC Vidhayak...
-
Why Ms Kanimozhi is Fighting for English?
Parmanand Pandey, , Miscellaneous, 0
Is it not ridiculous that Ms Kanimozhi, otherwise a very sensible and well-educated politician is fighting for an alien...
-
Country Remembers NETA JI, Whose Heart Throbbed for India
Parmanand Pandey, , Miscellaneous, 0
By Parmanand Pandey This is 125th birth anniversary year of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose and even after more than...
-
Pension is Deferred Wage, not a Charity
Parmanand Pandey, , Miscellaneous, 0
The pension of the private sector employees will shoot up under the Employees’ Pension Scheme (EPS), thanks to...
-
S.C. Puts Rafale Controversy to Rest
Parmanand Pandey, , Miscellaneous, 0
Parmanand Pandey Rafale Fighter Jets deal case, decided by the Supreme Court, on 14th December, the last working day...
Categories
Recent Posts
Recent Comments
- נערות ליווי on Arun Shouri’s Latest Tome is Worthless Through and Through
- Jeromeuters on Padma Vibhushan to late Radhey Shyam Khemka: A Well-Deserved Tribute to a Saintly Editor
- Robertweple2145 on Digitalisation of Currency will Revolutionise the Money Circulation
- Victornem45678 on Live-Streaming is the Best Substitute To Open Court Hearing
- Isacwaync on Kudos to ‘Voice of Lucknow’ and its Editor for Protecting the jobs and Salaries of Journalists
Archives
- November 2023
- October 2023
- September 2023
- August 2023
- July 2023
- June 2023
- May 2023
- April 2023
- March 2023
- February 2023
- January 2023
- December 2022
- November 2022
- October 2022
- August 2022
- July 2022
- June 2022
- May 2022
- March 2022
- February 2022
- January 2022
- December 2021
- November 2021
- October 2021
- September 2021
- August 2021
- July 2021
- June 2021
- May 2021
- April 2021
- March 2021
- February 2021
- January 2021
- December 2020
- October 2020
- September 2020
- August 2020
- July 2020
- June 2020
- May 2020
- April 2020
- March 2020
- January 2020
- December 2019
- October 2019
- June 2019
- May 2019
- April 2019
- March 2019
- February 2019
- January 2019
- December 2018
- November 2018
- August 2018
- July 2018
- June 2018
- April 2018
- March 2018
- February 2018
- January 2018
- December 2017
- November 2017
- October 2017
- September 2017
- August 2017
- July 2017
- June 2017
- May 2017
- April 2017
- March 2017
- February 2017
- January 2017
- December 2016
- November 2016
- May 2016
- December 2014
- November 2014
- October 2014
- September 2014
- August 2014
- July 2014
- June 2014
- May 2014
- April 2014
- March 2014
- July 2013
- May 2013
- April 2013
- March 2013
- July 2012
- June 2012
- March 2012
- February 2012
- September 2011
- July 2011
- June 2011
- May 2011
- April 2011
- March 2011
- February 2011
- June 2010
- March 2010
- January 2010
- October 2009
- September 2009
- July 2009
- May 2009
- April 2009
- December 2008
- September 2008
- August 2008