Why another new daily newspaper in the crowd of hundreds of newspapers? For two consecutive years from 2020, the media of Bangladesh has been devastated by the terrible impact of Covid. Circulation and advertisement of the country's newspapers have almost decreased halved. As a result, many established newspapers could not pay salaries properly. Trimming of the staff did not last defense. Professional journalism has been in jeopardy. This noble profession has become obsessed with yellow journalism. Online news portals have been born from home to home like a mushroom. Instead of true and fact-based news, fake news, and rumors have become widespread. As a result, readers' confidence, trust, and faith in the journalism profession have been lost.
Critics of the media say that in the past dishonest people would hide information, journalists would find it and publish it for the public good. But now journalists hide information themselves. People are finding information themselves and publishing it on social media to know and understand the real news. In many cases, it can be seen that social media news is gaining importance in the media. This is why the journalism of this country is facing difficult and multidimensional challenges.
We have seen, in post-Covid time at least four big-budget newspapers have entered the market. But in a very short time, they fell into a terrible disaster. Trimming of the staff was not enough to survive. For this reason, many journalists and workers lives have been endangered. Who is responsible for this failure? Leadership, economic recession, or investment crisis?
We know, covid has made the whole world in a crisis! For this reason the media of Bangladesh has suffered as much damage as it has not fallen in any other country in the world! Who is responsible for this? Is the tragic end of the media due to lack of professionalism?
Since a long time ago, two trends have emerged in journalism in Bangladesh. One is professional journalism, the other is gang journalism. Journalists are also involved in various criminal activities including yellow journalism, extortion in the name of journalism, flattery, and usurpation. Newspaper reports are changed for money.
We have seen from various studies that some reporters spend ten times more than their monthly salary. Where do they get the extra money? People have many questions and curiosity about it. Many people become the owners of huge wealth overnight by writing their names in journalism! How is this possible? Common people have many questions about it. But where is the end?
Critics of the media say that the media has suffered the most due to the lack of government patronage. Is it really so? Or the media fails to meet the demands of its readers? Media advertisement has gone to social media. Advertisers have turned away from mass media because of the idea of more publicity for less. In such a situation, everyone is asking how much a new newspaper will be accepted by the readers.
Knowing the risk, we have ventured to publish a new newspaper on a larger scale. Because we want to do good journalism. We want to say no to yellow journalism. Say yes to honest and objective journalism. We don't want to flatter of any party. It is not our goal to implement anyone's agenda. We have no political ambition either. Out of responsibility towards the country and society, we have come together as a group of professional journalists holding the ideals and spirit of the Liberation War. We want to bring back professionalism in journalism. We want to remove factionalism from journalism.
We want to promise the readers, that we will call white as white and black as black. We will not refrain from publishing objective news for fear of the eyes of the powerful men or groups. We wish to present our readers with a non-communal, science-minded modern newspaper that will be helpful in building a knowledge-based contemporary society.
We know, taking this challenge is not easy at all. There are thorns lying around us, conspiracy are no less. If you step on the path, the thorn will pierce. We want to move on by removing that thorn. We all want to cross that critical path with courage and devotion, being stimulated by youth.
We have seen that some people in this country break the journey of others by cutting their noses. They do not hesitate to harm the country to protect their interests. We want to unmask these anti-national people.
We are not the puppets of the hands of powerful men or groups, we want to help the neglected. We want to say like Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the world is divided into two parts. The exploiter and the exploited. We are for the exploited.
We want to lay the hands of compassion on the shoulders of neglected, abused, oppressed, depressed, and endangered people. We want to say to them we are with you! Don't be afraid of the dark; After darkness comes light as usual. The light will come.
I would like to express my sincere thanks to those who have always provided me with strength, courage, motivation, advice and support in my journey. Otherwise, my dream would not have come true. I am grateful to the Most Merciful Creator.
I express my gratitude and best wishes to our readers, advertisers, Dhaka Newspaper Hawkers Association, Dhaka Newspaper Welfare Association, Bangladesh Newspaper Agents Association, Newspaper Distributors Association, agents and hawkers all over the country.
Author: Editor, Khaborer Kagoj
