Original Message ----- From: "Cecil Pinto" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Cc: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Monday, July 01, 2002 8:17 AM Subject: 4 Questions for Margaret Mascarenhas
<1) Ms. Mascarenhas says the Editor has no right to censor a columnist's writing. I strongly disagree. A part of the Editor's job is to give direction to the newspaper's identity. This can be done only by censoring and editing as required. The Editor is better qualified than the columnist in predicting the far reaching consequences of any written material. The Editor also has a responsibilty to his readers and his publishers to stick to certain norms. For example if you had to explicitly describe a sexual act, or incite youth to violence - would the Editor not be justified in censoring, or even rejecting, such objectionable material? It is a family newspaper and he will be held responsible. Even the topmost columnists in the world have to go through some editing / censorship process. Why should Ms. Mascarenhas think that she is an exception?> You are wrong about this for several reasons: (a) there is no reason to presume that the editor is better qualified in "predicting" anything. The editor is not an omnicient being just because he/she carries a title. And in any case, the editorial function is not one of prophesy. Moreover, in the specific case of GT, the current editor has had NO prior editorial experience. (I, on the other hand, cut my teeth as the youngest city editor first in Caracas and then in Mumbai in the eighties, and feel I have some degree of qualification in determining what is or is not publishable.) (b) I repeat: an editor may discontinue the columnist, but not censor the column, once the columnist has been engaged to write a regular column. This is standard editorial practice around the world, and I am no exception.(c) The editor is ONLY, as I already said in Censuring the Censors, supposed to intercede in the event something the columnist writes puts the paper at legal risk (slander, plagiarism, libel, obscenity,etc). However, this was not the reason the Duck and Cover column was pulled; the reason given was that the GT did not endorse my views. The entire purpose of having opinion columnists is to present alternative views. Otherwise the paper becomes sectarian, and this is not the purpose of a newspaper. And let's be real: do you think a new editor with no experience would be better at "predicting far-reaching consequences" than Vinod Mehta at Outlook, or even Rajan Narayan at Herald, both of which printed the disputed column, and both of which have a much higher readership than GT? <2) Letters to the Editor are routinely edited all over the world for the sake of clarity and brevity. I do not know what 'law' Ms. Mascarenhas refers to.> Most people are unaware of their rights regarding letters. Letters are fall into the legal category of documents, as such they are protected by law, if they are hard copy, and physically signed by the author. If you don't know this, perhaps it is because you are not a lawyer? I suggest that you consult for a legal opinion on this, if you are suspicious of my claim that letters are documents. <3) Ms. Mascarenhas objects to Gomantak Times giving CM Parrikar a regular front column to place his views before the public. What's wrong with that? Just because he is in power should he be denied his right to be heard? > Opinion columns are supposed to appear on the op ed page of any serious newspaper, not on the front page. The front page is for front page reportage. If GT is just a sectarian tabloid, then let them openly present themselves as such, and not call themselves a newspaper. <Would Ms. Mascarenhas have objected if the leader of the Opposition had been given such an opportunity? > Yes, if it were on the front page, instead of the opinion/editorial pages, and there were no counter views published. <If Mr. Pratapsinh Rane wants a weekly column I am sure Gomantak Times will oblige.> What makes you so sure about that? <If the readership of Gomantak Times would like to see his column every week on the front page what is Ms. Mascarenhas' problem?> And what, precisely, makes you an expert on what the readership wants? Have you conducted a poll? Has GT? <A publisher and editor has to deal with issues like improving circulation, readership etc. - > GT already has the lowest circulation in Goa. It is doubtful that by turning it into a BJP mouthpiece they will retain their secular readers.The only reason I wrote for them is because, under the previous ownership and editorship, they were gutsy and independent. <4) Ms. Mascarenhas chooses to post her war cry against censorship on GoaNet. Is she aware that GoaNet has a filter in place that automatically rejects posts which have any 'adult' words? Does she know that GoaCom, whoearlier claimed they only hosted GoaNet, now admit that they maintain this'adult' word filter and refuse to disclose what words are deemed unfit by them? Does she know that the Internet (unlike a printed publication) is all about freedom and GoaNet's filtering policy is the antithesis of all this? Will she use her masterful language to question this stupid censorship on GoaNet or will she just abide by the rules? It makes no sense to complain that Gomantak Times censors - stuff and accept the fact GoaNet does.> First of all, Goanet is not a newspaper, but a privately owned e-list. Secondly, even newspapers control obscene language, which can be prosecuted by law. Thirdly, this is the second time you have tried to mix up your Goanet issue with my issue with GT and journalistic censorship in general. These are totally separate issues and should be discussed separately. I am not "at war" with GT; I'm not asking the public to boycott them, take out a morcha, or lynch Khandeparkar for being incompetent. I am simply taking a stand on my own, and opening the subject up for discussion. And, by the way, that was a lot more than 4 questions, and most of them clearly defined in my earlier submission. =============== This email was cleaned by emailStripper, available for free from http://www.papercut.biz/emailStripper.htm =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-W-E-B---S-I-T-E-=-=-= To Subscribe/Unsubscribe from GoaNet | http://www.goacom.com/goanet =================================================================== For (un)subscribing or for help, Contact: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Dont want so many e=mails? Join GoaNet-Digest instead ! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Help support non-commercial projects in Goa by advertizing!! * * * * Your ad here !!
