With hawkers shying away, Editors sell newspapers
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, September 07, 2013:
Editors of the leading newspapers published from Imphal created history on Saturday morning by selling their newspaper copies in the streets of Imphal city.
As the hawkers have refused to carry and distribute newspapers to the public following threats from a faction of a UG group, some editors and senior journalists started selling newspapers in the streets of Imphal since Saturday morning.
However, this could not meet the peoples' demand and so newspaper readers in Manipur have to glue to computers for news while surfing internet.
Readers have no other option but to update themselves with the daily happenings across the state through internet.
However, those addicted newspapers readers with no access to electronic gadgets are braving to come to the newspaper offices to get their dose of the dailies.
Since September 1, there have been hiccups in the working of the media houses at Imphal as a faction of a UG group continues to threaten journalists and newspaper hawkers to halt their duties irked by the non-publication of their press release.
The media houses did not entertain that particular press note as All Manipur Working Journalists' Union (AMWJU) considers it to be a statement that completely lacks legitimacy and violates the code of ethics.
Not bowing down to the threats, media houses have not halt publication of newspapers after they resumed work two days ago, but newspapers have not been reaching the public.
On September 5, International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) urged the Government of Manipur and the security agencies of Indian government to ensure secured working conditions for the journalists in Manipur.
"We call on the State government in Manipur and the security agencies of the Indian government deployed in the state, to respond to the urgent calls from All Manipur Working Journalists Union (AWMJU) that conditions be secured for safeguarding journalists, rights and the public right to know," the press communiqu� of International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) had stated.
It may also be noted here that Chairman of Press Council of India (PCI) Justice (retired) Markandey Katju had written to Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh to ensure the free working of the media in Manipur.