Terrorism, too, is a development issue

Rahat Bano interviews Sunetra Sen Narayan, co-ordinator of a diploma course in development journalism.

What makes a good development journalist?

First, you should understand the issue and be able to ask pertinent questions. Second, you should simplify the issue for your readers/viewers. Third, you should be able to put the story in a presentable format that would make sense to the reader and that would make him leave the lifestyle section (of the newspaper/magazine) and read your story.

The challenge is to be good. If you are good, you can make space for a development-based story. A newspaper cannot survive without serious stuff. Every story can have a development angle. For instance, in a fashion show story, you can add two-three paragraphs on the artisans manufacturing the clothes and their issues. If the article is well written, it will sell.

This requires the usual journalistic skills. You should be curious as well as have compassion and empathy to feel for the people you are writing about. Show the issue through their eyes, without letting your biases creep in.

What are the newest development issues?

The environment is becoming more important, and terrorism, too, because if you dig deep, it’s related to under-development.

The ups and downs of the work?

If your work is socially relevant, it can be fulfilling. On the downside, development stories are difficult to sell even to editors.

Author: HT Horizons

Date: 16th Dec., 2009

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