Annie Zaidi | Photo: Vijay
Manipal: Annie Zaidi, currently working with ‘Tehelka’ has in the past worked with organisations like Midday, Times of India and Frontline. She was in Manipal recently to participate in the Blogging ‘un-conference’ at the Manipal Media Students’ Convention (MMSC) where she spoke about ‘Journalism and Blogging’. Excerpts from an interview with her.
Q. How would you define journalism? You have worked as a reporter, editor and also as a page designer- which one out of these do you prefer the most?
A. Journalism according to me is a combination of holding a mirror to the society, showing them what they are and challenging its notions.
I would prefer reporting simply because I will miss writing if I don’t do it for too long a time. I think it is also important to do a little bit of desk job from time to time just to know that they have limitations too and if they have one page, it is just one page; if reporters ask for extra word space then it cannot be created. So just to understand their point, it is good to go back sometimes but I could never do without reporting for too long.
Q. As someone who has written poetry, short stories and reports, which one would you say is most satisfying?
A. I would say non-fiction is the most satisfying because when I report something and it touches even one person or has an impact even in the most minimal way I feel that as a human being I have not failed completely.
Poetry is my safety valve. Poetry has died in mainstream consciousness and something marginal is marginalised even further because of the concept of giving people what they want. I don’t want to write about what they want. I write about what needs to be written.
Q. Out of all the work you have done as a journalist till date, which is/are your favourite piece of journalism?
A. I would say there are three such pieces of Journalism. One such report was that I did on female foeticide. It made me stand back and examine things and it totally shook me. In that respect it was very important to me.
The second would be a story I did on accessibility around the city of Mumbai; about how difficult it is for any disabled person to travel around the city. I sat on a wheel chair and with a photographer I went around and the only transport I could use was Taxis that too only because the driver was kind enough to help me.
The third was the one that I did on human scavengers or the people who lift shit for a living. Even that was very moving.
Q. If you had a choice, what is one thing that you would like to change about today’s Journalism?
A. The one thing that I would change is the concept of giving people what they want. I am not supposed to give them what they want and I am not here to make things easier for them. People confuse clarity with making things easier. I can’t make up their minds for them.
Q. What is your take on Online journalism and Citizen journalism?
A. These are just forms of journalism. Possibilities are good. They provide immediacy but all those who write must also be careful and follow the basic rules like verification and presenting sufficient view points. As long as one is responsible, I guess it would be fine.
Q. Your take on those who are losing faith in present day journalism would be…
A. Try doing without them.
Q. What would you say about your experience as a part of MMSC?
A. I like the fact that it is different. The concept is new and evolving and what has been attempted does not only keep in mind the new trends but thinking beyond them.
Q. What message would you leave for all aspiring Journalists? Would you like to come back to Manipal?
A. I would love to come back.
I would advice all the aspiring journalists to think for themselves. There is this small game I play and I would ask the students to try it too- pick up a word and slowly go about demolishing every assumption and myth around the word. This will teach you to enter all kinds of situations with an open mind. It will teach you to not just persuade but also remain open to being persuaded because only by opening ones’ mind will it be easier for one grow.
Sub-edited by Ruchika Sharma |
