FN: Frederick Noronha’s blog

Just received the March 2007 issue of CRITIQUE (’A review of Indian journalism’) edited by my long-time-friend-whom-I’ve -never-met Alok Tiwari of Nagpur.

This issue has a striking cover depicting a prominent Indian editor of the ’seventies and ‘eighties, Shamlal. “There was no editor like him, and there would never be another one in the same league. Shamlal’s demise leaves the heavily de-intellectualised journalistic world (in India) much poorer.”

The cover story is on Page 10, and also includes tributes on Page 12 to 17. It is titled “Death of an Editor”. Says the intro to this article: “When the editor Sham Lal died many journalist also saw their own death in that process. They realized that the newspapers for which they give their working lives have no use for them the moment they step out of their working premises.”

Writes Vinod Mehta, another editor whose work I admire: “What is the difference between the (Indian) editor of the 1970s and 2007? Simple yet profound. The 1970s editor clocked in at 10 and clocked out at 6.30. He read voraciously, talked to like-minded friends and scholars, furiously debated issues, checked and re-checked information for veracity and poured out the distilled wisdom onto the Edit Page. He did not make speeches at seminars, anchor TV shows, visit cocktail parties, take part in book discussions, judge fashion shows, wear sharp clothes. The editor was not yet a celebrity. He was neither seen nor heard. He was just read….”

Other articles from this issue:

* Shame on the Indian media
* Seven media workers killed in Lanka
* Avoid cross fire, RSF tells Indian journos
* SEBI no to Independent’s higher stake in Jagran
* Editor’s guild condemns ULFA
* Three Iranian journos on way to India held
* Blackstone group gets stake in Eenadu
* IFJ skcampaign to free Lankan journalist
* ‘Editorial side must remain independent’ — Die Zelt deputy editor
* South Asia Free Media Assn for relaxed visa regime
* Caltas Fitness acquires Cinemaya
* Press Commission set up for India
* TOI: the most exciting media brand
* Booming economy (but) poor business journalism: Superficial coverage abounds as ‘pink’ papers step in.
* In Mumbai (Bombay), India’s financial and media capital, the Hindustan Times has launched its financial journal Mint, while Metro Now is a joint venture between former rivals Bennett, Coleman and Co and HT Media Limited.
* The business of it all.
* Censorship is state control of private life: But Indian art tradition treats sex with respect.
* First person: The bank robber who met literary deadlines Peter Wayne on Jean Genet’s Thief’s Journal
* Mere news gets stale: Independent turns a viewspaper.
* Indian politician George Fernandes spikes Bofors.

For subscription and other details: critiquejr@hotmail.com critiquejr@yahoo.com

See cover of the latest issue:
http://flickr.com/photos/fn-goa/487912874/

Filmmaker: Fewer Than 1,000 Wild Tigers Left in India a story which links some of my interests, past and present, together… environment and documentary film.

In his new film on India’s tiger crisis, conservation filmmaker Krishnendu Bose argues that there may be less than 1,000 wild tigers remaining in India.

Called “Tiger: The Death Chronicles,” the 63 minute film in
English had its premier today at the India International Centre
Auditorium in New Delhi.

“Basically it’s a film to share the truth with the people of the
country,” Bose told ENS in an interview. “I’ve realized [while shooting
that there are] a lot of things even I didn’t know as a filmmaker, as a
person involved with conservation.”

technorati tags:docuwallahs2, film, documentary, tigers, india

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Cajetan Rego from Tivim in Goa recently announced: “I would like to share my thoughts with you regarding the upcoming elections in Goa. Please read my blog http://thegoan.blogspot.com. I request you to leave your comments on the blog even if they are against my opinions. Kindly forward this link to your friends if you agree with my opinions.”

Interesting. Looks like a rather unabashed piece of pro-BJP propaganda! Sorry for being so blunt. But the effort here seems to be to say “things were fine under the BJP, rotten under the Congress… and the BJP it is that will restore Goa’s golden era.” Of course, Congress rule is rotten and corrupt. But is the Number Two nationwide party qualitatively different, or does it offer scope for optimism?

technorati tags:goa, blog, politics, pre-poll

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My comp’s desktop is a mess currently. So many tools open, trying to do so many jobs… at the same time… but there’s a reason for it…. There’s the Xsane scanning software opened. Two browsers (Firefox and Flock aka The Social Browser. The latter is something that makes blogging a very easy task). There’s Sound Juicer, the music-playing software of my GNU/Linux Ubuntu distro. And the usual other things… Evolution for email, a Nautilus file-browser, another Wikipedia page, a dozen or so bookmarked to read via Whizz RSS the intersting Inter-Press Service stories coming in from the region I still unrepentingly prefer to refer to as the Third World.

Information-clutter, here we come!

That’s at one level. At another level, it’s very exciting to hear the unexpected sounds emerging from Colin ‘Bassman’ D’Cruz’s The Brown Indian Band: Fusion Lounge. Got tempted trying it out, then got immediately inspired to scan the image, and blog it instantly… without delaying for another day. On a relaxed Sunday afternoon, it’s some mellifluous sounds emerging from the speakers of my GNU/Linux-driven comp. The sitar mixes with the guitar, almost flawlessly. There’s the tabla too. And much more that misses my untrained ear. East meets West, as interpreted through the eyes of a hard-core Goan (even if Colin and his many groups haven’t got the deserved respect from the home-state of their origins).

Colin is a great guy, a nice musician (maybe these ajectives should be reversed…) The number of bands he permuted and combined in his career took him to the (now Coke-owned) Limca Book of Indian records –he’s been part of five to six dozen bands when one last read.

Now, it’s a fusion venture. (It was a pleasure to encounter his last experiment, decked in Latino flavours and called (Obligato), quite some years back, when I was writing for the Herald). This time around, with names like Bhupali Blues, Bhairavi Bounce, Chandra Funk and Todi Trip… Colin gives us his new serving. This guy never gives up. More than that, he knows how to keep striving to make his work visible. Including online. As an independent — musician, journalist, or whatever… — that isn’t always easy. Thanks Colin for keeping me informed about your ventures, for sending me updates… and apologies for the looooong delay in taking note of it! Here’s wishing you well.

technorati tags:goa, music, fusionmusic, india, indian, indianmusic, musicfromindia, goan

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