Journalism is called the fourth pillar of the state, but a bitter question still demands an answer: on what support do the journalists of small towns—who keep this pillar strong—stand themselves?
The journalists who, from morning till night, raise their pens against public issues, the incompetence of government institutions, corruption, insecurity, inflation, health, education, electricity, water, and the lack of basic facilities—who will raise a pen regarding their own problems? Those who turn the pain of others into news—when will their own pain become news?
This question is directed not only at the government, but also at the Information Department, media organizations, press clubs, journalistic unions, and all those leaders who claim at every forum to be champions of journalists’ rights.
The Protector of Others’ Rights, Deprived of His Own A journalist from a small or large city is caught in a strange paradox. He raises his voice for the basic rights of the public, but remains deprived of basic rights himself. He reports on the lack of facilities in government hospitals, but when he falls ill himself, he lacks the resources to cover expensive medical treatments.
He reports on the public’s struggles against inflation, but running his own household on a limited income is difficult for him. He publishes news about unemployed youth, but many journalists themselves face uncertain employment. The most heartbreaking situation arises when a journalist falls into prolonged illness. When treatment costs millions of rupees and income is limited or non-existent, the journalist is left with only two paths: either endure the illness or stretch out a hand in front of others.
Does a person who has served society for years deserve this helplessness in times of sickness?
Why Is Recommendation Needed Even for Medical Treatment? Welfare packages, financial assistance, health cards, and other facilities are announced for journalists from time to time. But the real question is: what is the accessibility of these facilities for the ordinary journalist?
If a journalist has to knock on the doors of government aid, connections, or influential people to obtain financial assistance for treatment, then it is only natural to question the usefulness of the welfare system. The Information Department should establish a clear, transparent, and permanent medical support system in which a journalist’s illness is looked at based on necessity rather than political affiliation, position, or connections.
A journalist’s life is not any less valuable just because he is a reporter in a small town rather than a bureau chief for a major media house.
The Invisible Discrimination An imperceptible discrimination also exists in the journalistic world. When the issue of a well-known journalist from a big city arises, journalistic organizations immediately become active. Statements are issued, meetings are held, social media campaigns are run, and authorities are contacted.
However, when a journalist from a small town faces illness, a financial crisis, threats, or any other serious problem, that same leadership is often seen silent. This cold indifference is breeding a sense of deprivation among journalists in small towns.
If journalism is truly a brotherhood, then why is there a distinction between big and small within this brotherhood? Will a journalist’s importance be determined by the size of his city, or by his pen and character?
The Role of Press Clubs and Unions A press club is not just a building, a few chairs, an office, or annual elections. A press club is actually a collective platform for journalists. Its primary purpose should be the resolution of journalists’ problems, the protection of their rights, and standing by them in difficult times.
However, journalists ask: what practical role are press clubs playing in solving their basic problems? Is there a permanent medical fund for a sick journalist? Is there a system for immediate assistance for the family of an accident victim? Is there any insurance or welfare scheme for journalists at the district level? If the answer to these questions is in the negative, then we must seriously consider the role of press clubs.
Journalistic unions are also considered guardians of journalists’ rights. But sometimes the impression is created that the ordinary journalist is remembered only on election days. Contacts, promises, and claims are made to win votes, but after success, that same ordinary journalist is left alone again.
A union’s real strength is not its office, but its members. If a member is sick, facing financial difficulties, trapped in a legal problem, or facing danger, the union has a responsibility to stand with him. Merely meetings, resolutions, press releases, and the division of positions cannot be a substitute for the welfare of journalists.
Leaders at the central and provincial levels must also ponder this situation. Leadership does not mean merely giving speeches or making demands of the government, but also looking after the weak and neglected segments within one’s own ranks.
If a senior journalist, after decades of journalism, struggles for treatment during illness; if a local reporter cannot pay his children’s school fees; if a journalist travels miles for a news story despite having no travel expenses—this is not just an individual’s problem, but a question for the entire journalistic community. The silence of journalistic leadership also becomes a kind of answer, and this answer is extremely disappointing for journalists in small institutions.
The Government Must Provide a System, Not Just Announcements The Government of Sindh and the Information Department must formulate a comprehensive welfare policy for journalists, prioritizing journalists in small towns and rural areas in particular.
The following steps should be taken for journalists:
- Free or subsidized medical treatment facilities
- A permanent medical fund
- Health insurance
- Immediate financial assistance in case of accidents
- Educational scholarships for journalists’ children
- Housing facilities
- Professional training
- Support for modern journalistic equipment
- Regular financial assistance for needy journalists
All of this will not be a favor to anyone; it will be part of the state’s responsibility toward the very sector that the state itself declares as the fourth pillar of the democratic system.
Media Houses Are Not Absolved Either Blaming only the government is not enough. Major media organizations must also do justice to their local correspondents. For years, many local correspondents provide news, pictures, videos, and information for an organization, yet they have no permanent salary, no medical facilities, and no social security.
This situation must change. Media organizations must formulate a system of basic financial and medical protection for their representatives. If work is taken from a journalist on a permanent basis, their rights must also be recognized.
Journalists Want Rights, Not Charity Journalists in small towns do not want anyone’s sympathy or temporary charity. They want their rights. They want a system where, in the case of illness, they do not have to go to an influential person for recommendations. They want an institution where their voice is heard when they lodge a complaint. They want a journalistic organization that represents every member, not just its office-bearers. They want leadership that steps beyond the boundaries of big cities to reach journalists working in tehsils, districts, and remote areas.
A Silent Pen Cannot Keep Writing for Long It would be dangerous to assume that a journalist will keep working under all circumstances. A journalist is a human being too. He has a family, children, illnesses, and financial needs. If a journalist continues to work despite continuous economic pressure and illness, a time comes when his pen tires out. And when the pen tires, many of society’s voices fall silent.
Therefore, instead of treating the problems of small-town journalists as a personal matter, they must be understood as an issue of journalism, democracy, and social justice.
Final Questions
- A question to the government: The journalist who brings the public’s issues to the corridors of power—who will listen to his voice?
- A question to the Information Department: When will the actual benefit of welfare facilities allocated for journalists reach the most deserving journalist at the grassroots level?
- A question to press clubs: When will a practical welfare system be established for members in times of illness and difficulty?
- A question to journalistic unions: Is the ordinary journalist meant only to cast votes, or are his rights also included in the leadership’s priorities?
- And a question to journalistic leaders: Until when will journalists sitting outside the major cities await your attention?
The time has come to move beyond statements and claims and take practical steps. Ignoring journalists in small towns and small organizations actually weakens the foundation of journalism. The pen that becomes the voice of every oppressed person in society cannot be left alone to face illness, hunger, and helplessness.
Journalists in small towns are not seekers of concessions; they simply want the system for which they day and night play their part to stand by them in their time of need.
PAK SOUCH MEDIA GROUP
Daily Pak Souch Newspaper Sukkur – Daily Pak Special Newspaper Karachi – Daily Pak Today Newspaper Karachi – Daily Pak Jazbo Newspaper Sukkur
Head Office : Ayub Gate Shaikh Muhalla Near Rabbania Masjid Sukkur
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