Though journalism is junior to
literature in terms of age they move hand in hand. They depend on
each other in terms of format as well as a little bit of content.
Such dependence can be compared to neighbourhood living when
neighbours living together owe a lot to mutual exchange.
Journalism deals mainly with
information which is supposed to be factual in nature. The legendary
proverb says "facts are sacred, opinion is free". It
justifies the importance of information which we expect to get from
the practice of journalism. On the contrary, literature goes for
elaboration of the human lives entangled with subtle niceties which
are deliberately transformed into art form. When journalism paves the
foundation of history with factual information, literature delves
into the depth of human relationships.
When journalism tries to capture a time
or a situation on the basis of factual information, literature goes
to explore the factors as well as sensibilities leading to the levels
of perceptions and understandings. For understanding Mahatma Gandhi,
newspapers can be of immense help so far as information details are
concerned. But understanding Gandhi in literary format must have to
be different. Literature accommodates imagination while journalism
puts no entry to the artifice to it at the expense of factual
information. But ironically this contrast has failed to go against
the good impact of live-in condition of journalism and literature.
Today's print journalism stands greatly on the story telling
techniques of literature. Print journalism has been tablodized
conveying multi colours.
About the Author-
Dr. Baidyanath Bhattacharyya is
teaching journalism for about three decades. Author of five books in
journalism, mass communication and guest editor of a reputed online
media journal, Dr. Bhattacharyya is considered one of the experts in
journalism education.
