Impact of COVID-19 on journalists deliberated
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, December 02 2020:
An online meeting of South Asia Media Solidarity Network (SAMSN) on the topic, 'Organising and Issues for South Asia Media amid COVID-19' organised by The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) was held today.
Longjam Arishrona, the joint secretary of All Manipur Working Journalist Union (AMWJU) attended the meeting as a representative of Indian Journalist Union (IJU) .
In the first session of the meeting, the leaders of the unions affiliated to IFJ presented country reports on the current status of media and the unions.
For India, Sabina Indrajit secretary general of IJU presented the report and highlighted the effects of Covid on Indian journalists.
The second session of the meeting mainly discussed on the topic, 'COVID's Gender Divide - Impact on women journalists in South Asia' .
Sabina stated that the ongoing pandemic has affected the journalists manifold especially the women journalists and appealed to bridge the gender divide gap.
In the third session of the meeting, it discussed how to mobilize the online media and shared the experiences of Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka.
In the last session, it discussed how the media will fight against COVID-19 and stressed on the action to be taken up by various unions and shared their views about the outcome of 2020 UTU pilot projects.
The hardships faced by the media due to COVID-19 were discussed such as when journalists test positive, illegal termination, from their respective jobs, no personal security, deduction of pay, Govt's biased attitude towards the journalists, discrimination of women and so on.
Citing the inconveniences faced by the Indian journalists, Geetartha Pathak president of IJU stated the salary of the Indian journalists is comparatively low with respect to other countries.
Only 10-15 print media houses fully implement the wage board and though it is implemented, deduction of salary is still done in many media firms and the problem of downsizing still persists in the country, she added.
Journalists are being threatened and arrested if they write about the issue of COVID-19 against the Government and stated that IJU is trying its best to deal with the issues by the journalists.
Demonstrations, sit in protests, online campaigns etc have been staged against the arrest of journalists and deduction of salary.
The Government has announced certain packages in relation to COVID however the media has been being excluded in these packages.
Therefore it is high time to pressurise the Government regarding the problems faced by the journalists, she further stated.
Around 63 journalists from South Asian countries attended today's meeting.