post of Deputy
Chief Reporter. To some of us, this trend -- of using
designations as carrots or baits, and apparently handed
out in a manner far from fair -- was demoralising,
specially since we had run the show when nobody was
around. Personally, one was never comfortable with
mainstream reporting. My biggest 'weakness' was
politics, or rather, a healthy skepticism about it. I
always hated politics, more so the superficial level at
which it gets reported in newspapers. Unfortunately,
politics has long been the mainstay for our newspapers.
This lopsided stress on politics in the media,
especially in the Goan media, has not only undermined
other genuine and more critical issues, but also given
undue encouragement to petty politics and crooks.

One always wanted to focus on the more real issues of
the people. But routine stories prevented devoting time
to such a venture. Special stories of such a nature
would usually imply going out of Panaji to the
villages. Pressure of covering routine events prevented
me to leave Panaji to chase these stories. Instead we
had to cover some insignificant press conference of
politician X or Y, or somebody else.

There were other beats like the police and courts,
which had to be covered on daily basis. There was no
appreciation for special or exclusive stories done, but
missing of a routine story was taken note of,
how-so-ever insignificant it may be. Leave aside
incentives on exclusive stories but working in the Goa
press can also mean that even travel bill were not
reimbursed. This was a general trend in most of the
newspapers. All this resulted into many a Panaji-based
reporter turning into mere stenographers, ready for the
next round of dictation. There seems to be unanimity
amongst the desk staff and reporters that whatever
words are uttered by a minister constitute the gospel
truth, and that is the hot news worthy of wide
coverage. This has resulted in ministers getting
unwarranted prominent displays on front pages for the
various announcements they make, but which more often
than not never see the light of the day. I recollect a
practice one reporter was engaged in. He would arrive
at the Secretariat late afternoon, and would visit
ministerial cabins to hunt for stories. There would be
literally a begging for stories. Some ministers used to
oblige, and needless to say, the story would get a
prominent position in the next day's edition. The
entire spectrum of Goa-based ne