Palak payal
It is 2nd October and we are celebrating Gandhi Jayanti in our country.The contribution of Gandhi ji in nation building is immense. He contributed as a politician, public figure,as a common man and also as a journalist in uniting the Indians by inducing a sense of patriotism in them. Today as a student of journalism,we will analyse the role of Mahatma Gandhi as a journalist and what was his views for this profession and it’s influence.
When we talk about Gandhi,we majorly think of him as a patriotic who struggled for India’s independence and persuaded the people of India to fight against exploitation during British Raj.But we rarely think about him as a journalist. Mahatma Gandhi was a journalist who believed in ethical journalism and for him it was a position of great responsibility.He used his journalism to advocate for causes such as Indian independence, equality, human rights, and social reform. He used the press to propagate his ideas of non-coperation, Satyagraha etc.He used to say that journalism should serve the people and not instill fear and hatred in them.Gandhi’s writings were intended to provoke thought and inspire action in a peaceful and constructive manner.
Gandhiji once said,” The press is called the fourth estate. It is definitely a power but to misuse that power is criminal. I am a journalist myself and would appeal to fellow journalists to realize their responsibility and to carry on their work with no idea other than that of upholding the truth.”
Gandhi published newspapers in South Africa and India, including Indian Opinion, Young India, Navajivan, and Harijan. In Indian opinion he had expressed his views on journalism and its practice.
His views on advertisement as part of newspaper or journal-
Mahatma Gandhi had a critical view of advertisements in journalism and newspapers. He believed that advertisements could lead to the commercialization of the press, potentially compromising journalistic integrity. Gandhi was concerned that newspapers relying heavily on advertisements might prioritize the interests of advertisers over the truth and public welfare, leading to biased or sensationalized reporting.
In his publication Young India, Gandhi often emphasized the need for newspapers to be free from dependence on advertising revenue, so they could maintain editorial independence and uphold moral and ethical journalism. For him, newspapers should serve the public good rather than profit-driven motives, and the excessive influence of advertisements could distort that purpose.
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