Urdu journalism should embrace digital media to survive and flourish: Experts

The experts opined that to ensure that Urdu journalism flourishes, two responsibilities have to be fulfilled. "First, Urdu has to be preserved as a literary language. The second is to preserve Urdu journalism which is in the oral tradition. If the two are confused with each other then there will be a problem," said former BJP MP and journalist Swapan Dasgupta, reports ETV Bharat's Soumya Das.

Hyderabad: With the large requirement of infrastructure, staff, and dependence on advertisement revenue in newspapers and print media, Urdu journalism can survive and flourish if it embraces the digital medium, senior journalists said on Sunday. The issue was discussed on the first day of the three Day International Conference on the completion of 200 years of Urdu journalism at the Maulana Azad National Urdu University.

Delivering the keynote address, veteran Urdu journalist Hasan Kamaal said that the overwhelming requirement of funding, infrastructure, staff, and especially dependence on advertisement for revenue even for running a small-time Urdu newspaper often acts as a hindrance to entrepreneurs seeking to start Urdu newspapers.

"Even to run a small-time Urdu newspaper, at least Rs 1 crore is required every year," said Kamaal. Pointing out that newspapers depend on advertising for revenue, he said that Urdu newspapers don't get sufficient advertisements from private organizations which results in "excessive dependence" on advertisements provided by the Government.

Kamaal argued that as a solution to the issue, the Urdu media should embrace the digital medium where large-scale funding and infrastructure are not required. However, former BJP MP and journalist Swapan Dasgupta said that the condition of Urdu newspapers is not so encouraging in West Bengal where Urdu newspapers are struggling for survival in the state capital Kolkata.

"Despite the first Urdu, Hindi, and Persian newspapers starting in Kolkata, today there are a handful of Urdu newspapers are struggling to survive in the cury. This is because when the newspapers were set up, Kolkata was the capital of British India but now it has lapsed into a city that is struggling to retain its metro status," said Dasgupta.

He also said that to ensure that Urdu journalism flourishes, two responsibilities have to be fulfilled. "First, Urdu has to be preserved as a literary language. The second is to preserve Urdu journalism which is in the oral tradition. If the two are confused with each other then there will be a problem, "said Dasgupta.

Speaking at the event, senior journalist and Director General of IIMC Delhi said that with digital media Indian languages and newspapers are being read in several other countries adding that with the digital medium on can actually listen and understand a language without being able to read it. "Now we have the power of the voice and the vernacular. Our newspapers are being read across the globe and digital media played a key role in it," he added.