Article | The Triangle Of Newspapers, Readers & Climate Change | Dr (Ms) Sharad Singh | Central Chronicle

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The Triangle Of Newspapers, Readers & Climate Change
           -    Dr (Ms) Sharad Singh
Writer, Author & Social Activist
Blogger - "Climate Diary Of Dr (Ms) Sharad Singh"

*Our country has a very old relation with newspapers. The country's first newspaper was published on January 29, 1780 whose name was "Bengal Gazette". That is why Indian Newspaper Day is celebrated on 29 January. Even though the Bengal Gazette was in English, but with time, newspapers started being published in Indian regional languages as well. Newspapers expanded and the variety and topicality of their subjects increased. Where there used to be news on the efforts to get freedom before independence, now there is news on the latest burning problem like climate change. Today newspapers are brought to almost every household. Whether it is in English or regional language, but every literate person is interested in reading newspaper. Now it is to be seen that what is the limit of his interest? So let's look at the triangle of newspapers, readers and climate change.*

Indian Newspaper Day, which is celebrated every year on 29 th January. Indian Newspaper Day commemorates the birth of the first Indian Newspaper on January 29, 1780. The 'Hickey's Bengal Gazette', which was also known as the 'Calcutta General Advertiser', was the first weekly newspaper. Hicky's "Bengal Gazette" was the first English-language newspaper published on the Indian subcontinent. It was founded in Calcutta, capital of British India at the time, by Irishman James Augustus Hicky in 1779. The front page news stories are written in British English. James Augustus Hicky is known as the father of Indian journalism. Hicky’s Bengal Gazette was known for its sarcastic and provocative writing style. Unlike many newspapers of its time, the newspaper discussed taboo topics and proto-class consciousness, arguing for the rights of the poor and the right to taxation with representation. It was strongly anti-war and anti-colonial and routinely ridiculed East India Company leadership for their expansionist and imperialist objectives. Readers knowing the English language used to read it with great interest. Then gradually newspapers started being published in Indian languages.
"Udant Martand" was the first Hindi language newspaper published in India. Started on 30 May 1826, from Calcutta, the weekly newspaper was published every Tuesday by Pt. Jugal Kishore Shukla. Before this, "Samachar Darpan" was a Bengali weekly newspaper published by the Baptist Missionary Society and published on 23 May 1818 from the Baptist Mission Press at Serampore in the first half of the 19th century. It is considered to be the first Indian-language newspaper. After this, Rajyasamacharam or Rajya Samacharam was the first Malayalam journal published in Kerala.Its first issue came out in June 1847. Hermann Gundert, the editor of the journal, was a religious propagator from the Basel Evangelical Mission society. Rajyasamacharam started publication from Illikkunnu, Thalassery, in the Kannur district of Kerala. It was published as eight cyclostyled sheets in demy octavo size produced from a litho press. Thus the publication of newspapers in English and Indian languages increased and their readership also increased.
Newspapers fulfilled their responsibility seriously from the beginning. Along with literacy, the readership of newspapers also increased. Some newspapers were prepared the reading material considering the interests of the readers, while some newspapers were prepared the readership according to the reading material. But all the newspapers had a common mission to keep the readers updated about all kinds of problems and the news so that the readers can be aware. The content of the newspaper is decided according to this thinking. In it, pages and columns are kept on all subjects ranging from latest events to politics, market, sports, society, education etc. Ever since the problem of climate change has come before us in the form of a serious crisis, since then one article about climate change and environmental crisis is given daily in every newspaper. It is a different matter that many readers keep the newspaper aside only after reading the content of their interest. Many readers who are interested in sports or political news miss out on climate crisis news and articles. That is, if newspapers take subscription money, they also fulfill their responsibility, while the readers who pay subscription money, instead of getting complete knowledge, they are left reading the material of their interest. This can only be called carelessness of the readers towards their knowledge and money.
Recently I was talking to a friend about climate change. I discussed about the ongoing world conferences on climate change and their results. He was listening to me reluctantly. He asked me, almost bored, where were these conferences held? Now when will such a convention be held in our Sagar city? Hearing that, I banged my head. I asked him that does the newspaper come to your house. He told proudly that yes, two newspapers come, one in Hindi and one in English. I asked him whether you read those newspapers or not? So, showing his busyness, he said that I do not have enough time to read the whole newspaper. I can read only some important news with a cursory glance. Now you tell me, what can be expected of awareness from such a reader, who is not a reader in the true sense, but only a buyer of the newspaper?
At least it is our responsibility to be aware of our environment and our climate. Reading news and articles related to these is as important as reading sports, politics or economic news, because everything else in life rests on the environment and climate. If the air is pure then there will be no respiratory diseases. If trees and forests remain, there will be no erosion of land. If the climate remains in normal condition, there will be no drought. There will be no excessive rain either. There will be no problem of drinking water, nor will you have to leave the village and go to the city to work as a labourer. The crop will be good. When the crop is good, there will be supply of food grains due to which inflation will not increase. There will be development in every area of life. In this way, if seen seriously, climate change is a subject about which it is necessary for every citizen to be aware. It is important for everyone to know about the measures that can be taken to prevent the deadly consequences of climate change. There is no need to wander anywhere to know all this, all this material is present in the newspapers everyday.
So, celebrating Indian Newspaper Day on January 29, we have to understand the equation of newspapers, readers and climate change and become an aware reader and a aware citizen to prevent climate change.
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(29.01.2023)
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