As a young school going student, one learns that the Press is the fourth pillar of democracy. But a young naïve mind, can never really grasp the weight of this statement and usually all is forgotten just as quickly as it was learned. Growing up typically through teenage years and like many young adults, reading the newspaper was never really a priority for me. There were always other exciting things to do than be bothered about the state of affairs around oneself. The politicians and older generation could occupy themselves with that. Perhaps out of the blue, controversial stories would once in a way catch one’s eye besides the entertainment and sports sections. Then came the television news, and even the little newspaper reading habits took a nose dive.
But as I evolved as a person and in the capacity of my profession as a teacher, I have come to realise that these few pages, is the single best textbook one could ever have. Besides it gets updated every single day. In a state like Goa, it is affordable and usually accessible to most, sometimes even free. And most importantly, it can be the defining point between being literate and what it truly means to be educated. In fact, the newspaper is as good as a teacher, that covers every and any topic in the world. Therefore, the quality of the newspaper counts in shaping the quality of the society. I find this quality in The Goan. Period.
Picking up this particular newspaper couple of years back, by chance, has been one of the better decisions and habit that has stuck around for many years down the line. I appreciate that it does not have too many advertisements nor tabloid type news and as a result, reading the newspaper becomes a seamless experience for me. The format and reporting of news is crisp. Whatever I want to read as a priority, stands out and I don’t have to necessarily decide what to skip every now and then. Saves much of my time on a daily basis.
There are days that I am unable to read everything as I would like to or missed reading the newspaper altogether. But one thing I definitely glance at is the Editorial. Going through the Editorials, especially when I have missed being in touch with the news, by default points out to me the news not to be missed. It is like a conversation with a friend who shares his personal opinion in the most objective perspective.
Every newspaper has an obligation to the public and every journalist a code of ethics to follow. It should never allow itself to be misused as a channel to promote nor degrade any person, political entity or activity, events and happenings that cross the boundaries of these obligations and ethics. The power of the pen is first to inform rather than influence, stating facts objectively and leaving it to the discernment of the reader to draw their own judgments and conclusions. The daily reporting of The Goan reflects this characteristic in their content.
I love that the newspaper actually in fact engages with its readers. Every now and then I find articles invited and written by people from various backgrounds to share their thoughts. The diversity of such articles in fact adds to the flavour of reading. Besides, it caters to Goans scattered all over the globe tying together Goans through their Global Goan section.
Writing these words down has made me realise that The Goan has been such an integral part of my daily life. I think its high time I give credit to the rock-solid teamwork that is behind these pages. I truly wish the best for The Goan, and may it continue for many more decades where it reaches an iconic status among other newspapers. I am certain that their readers will only grow in numbers and that anyone who lives here, visits or really wants to learn about our marvelous State will pick this newspaper that is truly Goan as reflected in its very name, The Goan.
