Of Journalism and Journalists…

I am writing this mainly because of what I discovered lately.
This is in actuality, an ode to that bunch of people who convey, communicate and express themselves on paper(newspapers/magazines) and in the process become so essential a part of our lives.
The newspaper forms a very important part of my daily life-so much so that, after my spectacles, that is the thing I reach out for(yes…even before brushing my teeth).I really like reading the paper not because it helps us know what’s actually happening around us, but mainly because it acts as a forum for talented people to express themselves.
“No man can live isolated and he needs to have healthy relationships with his society for his survival and happiness”
We just read the news and leave it there ,but think of the work that has gone behind the accumulation of the news,arrangement,content,style,clarity and why even to coin the eye-catching title and decide on the placement of the story on paper!It’s an enormous responsibility to be a journalist.Do we ever bother to think of those people who convey news,interesting titbits,juicy gossip,fun happenings?
Leave alone reporting ,read the many articles where people communicate their thoughts,opinions and emotions. When one of them read similar to what you actually have been thinking/feeling recently, oh the happiness that arises just can’t be put to words. Also some articles are written just like how you like,or how you wanted to write-again the thrill is beyond description.But do we ever really go tell the journalist, “Hey I thought like you too about this and that.I really like your stuff!” When they take pains to communicate,shouldn’t we bother to go tell them how much of a difference their work makes to us?
Living in a world where filmstars,sports heroes and politicians are given demi-god status, (or god status-considering the ‘star’ temples arising these days) shouldn’t the journalists who give us the basic social news-a prime necessity for human survival be given importance too?
They are humans too and would like people to respond,communicate and tell them where they go right and where they go wrong.Imagine having a conversation for long with a person who would just sit mute and expressionless?Wouldn’t you get tired?So just imagine what a selfless group of people the journalists are-they keep talking to us and we never tell them if they are interesting,boring,irritating or funny!
Shouldn’t we then begin to tell them?Why do we have to keep expecting people to come and appreciate us for our trendy clothes and new hair-style when we don’t even bother to thank the people who actually give us a link to the external world?
I guess it is high time we go and reach out to journalist.You could always mail them through their newspaper/magazine offices.What’s wrong?Don’t we always like to be praised?Why not for a change give some and see?You see the sweet words said are more sweeter than those received!
And let me begin thanking and yes…you all better follow suit!You could actually add your thanksgiving here…

THE HINDU (newspaper)
Sudhish Kamath-for all his khewl and awesome writing,for his play with words.For all that he’s written.is writing and will write!
Nirmal Shekar-for his poetry-in-prose ‘comments’,excellent style
Shonali Muthalaly-amazing descriptions,unimaginable vocabulary,adjectives!!!
Ramya Kannan-for that soul-stirring piece on ‘The Kumbakonam Tragedy’
V.Gangadhar-for his simple and brilliant writing.
Pradeep Sebastian-for loving books the very way I do and describing them beautifully.
Karthik Subramaniam,Prince Frederick,Shalini Umachandran,Prasanna Sreenivasan(the previous two especially for their article on fake bands!),T.Krithika Reddy,S.R.Ashok Kumar,S.Manikandan(for his story with Sudhish Kamath on the Stephanie case),Akhila Seetharaman-for all the great stuff you write
Marien Mathews-for all the interesting food reviews
Gowri Ramnarayan-for all her stuff
Shashi Tharoor-for that article about a very cold American winter where his friend gave some food to a starving homeless person on Christmas eve.
Sreedhar Pillai-for ALL that he writes about films.
Chitra Mahesh and Malathi Rangarajan-for their reviews.

Gokulam(I grew up reading it!)
Anuradha Khati Rajeevan-For her ‘Undir’ stories
J.vasanthan-The Jayabalan stories

Tinkle
Tantri the mantra
Shikari Shamboo
Ramu and Shyamu

Sportstar
Vijay Lokapally
S.Dinakar

And all those not mentioned here due to lack of time,I’ll continue in my Part II.