While people are writing obituaries of printed books, e-books are already facing stiff competition from gadgets that display similar content. But I am brave enough to continue to be a reader of paperbooks. They are also, certainly, in the list of things I need in life.

Having said this, I admit I love devices that display news content. And I would like these devices to become cheaper to reach the hands of millions of fellow Indians… not because I want newspapers to be dead. [I know India is the second largest newspaper market, as authenticated by the World Association of Newspapers.]

As a matter of fact, I want the digital media to be the new face of journalism. They call it ‘New Media’. I say it is The Media, a notion I emphasized while speaking at a discussion organized by the India Policy Foundation, in New Delhi recently.

Many other speakers though seemed reluctant to digest that the advent of digital media has started a new revolution in journalism. But I am happy that the World Editors Forum at its meeting in Hyderabad dittoed that the digital media has indeed transformed journalists into media entrepreneurs.

The traditional form of journalism is of no use today. It is sick. It is in fact killing news and burying views. Useless contents, dearth of jobs and insecurity prevalent in this sulking medium are forcing both the youth and the experienced to set up their independent media. It is time we understand this, sooner the better. We don’t need Radia Media today.

The journalistic tools are much better in the digital medium. They are cheaper too. And they would take a huge jump with the advertising world sharing its budget with them, which scenario is starting to happen.

I personally know many people who have very timely realized the inevitable and are putting a lot of blood, sweat and tears into their work. And what about those who believe that the ‘new media’ should exercise self-control or there should be a mechanism to control them! Well, we have arrived. And we have arrived not to be tamed, gagged or sold.

It indeed takes a lot of work to be an independent journalist because it entails working really hard on every aspect. “Here, one is the reporter, the promoter and the businessman,”says Rafat Ali, the founder of paidcontent.org. His views gain credence in the light of similar statements from Frederic Filloux, editor of Schibsted International, France, and Oliver Creiche, CEO, Six Apart, the US, that online media is the best form of entrepreneurial journalism where one can make money with little investment, and where one can talk about a common man.

You in the meantime make sure that digital media do not become extensions of the (dying) print media of the big media houses. I assure their politics will  not be allowed to succeed.

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You may also like to read: Where would Delhi’s 20,000 something journalists turn to? …

In Indian media organisations there is no one to turn to for redressal of grievances. Trade unions are dead in almost all newspapers. Majority of magazines and news channels do not even issue appointment letters. And more and more journalists are being pushed into contracts where they just have their duties and no rights.

Worst … hundreds of thousands of stringers and part-timers across this South Asian nation do not have any proper designations. Their names do not figure in their company’s muster roll and they are paid just few hundred rupees… yes, not even 10 Dollars. MORE…