Newspapers can make an intellectual society: The Kashmir Horizon sets the precedence

Media is an industry with a social commitment. It is an industry in which information is the product that is circulated neatly and objectively. In the present world of today, it plays the role of bridging not only people, cultures, and communities but also hopes and aspirations. It is acting as a vehicle of education and extension, and an instrument of social change and social justice; a watchdog and a social corrective. Because of its reach and impact, it is sensitizing people about the crucial role they can play in stepping up the pace of all kinds of developments and changes. Newspaper is an offshoot of media which plays a significant role in nation building. It contributes to social and political image building and serves both tradition and modernity; continuity and change, historical process and contemporary situations and analyses and projects linkages between idea and event and also pushes for change with a hope. It acts as a mirror to the happenings and records and makes history and serves as a spokesman of public. It highlights all issues of life and satisfies all kinds of readers. It definitely shapes the public opinion and serves as a sort of platform for them to express their opinions and grievances. It doesn’t only awaken people socially and politically but also makes them to be with the tide of new economical trends which emerge from time to time. There is no doubt that a newspaper plays a great role in the termation of public opinion and acts as a regulator and reflector of the same, interacting between the people and different organizations ,parties and forums and in between the government and the people. Hence, if the character of newspaper is healthy, the democratic system would be more transparent and all thoughts, arguments and opinions shall be got accommodated without any second idea. A newspaper does not only highlight social and political issues but also works to generate thoughtful and positive debate and pushes a society towards intellectual growth which ensures a better human resource for a society to progress and bring honours.It is true that a newspaper ushers intellectual growth by accommodating articles opinions, viewpoints on different issues and themes and leaves up to the readers to judge and form an opinion.
The Kashmir Horizon is definitely acting as a catalytic agent in the moulding and reforming process. The Newspaper and its Chief Editor, editors, correspondents and other staff deserves appreciation for depicting facts boldly and covering events with the sense to serve this society and cultivate it into an intellectual society. It is expected that that it would persist with its pursuit of exploring talented and capable lot within this society about whom we shall feel proud of and who shall take this society towards glorification and heights of success.
The Kashmir Horizon, a regional and local newspaper established / introduced before 12 years on 18th of May 2008 has made laudable efforts not only by bringing social awareness but also has toiled hard to prepare this society of Kashmir for intellectual growth. The paper is an institution with local resource material and its strength is its own home talent and it has not bowed before Martian talent. Its writers, reporters, and contributors are local and the issues which it raises are local too. It is purely local and writes for local people and society. It has done praiseworthy service by encouraging talent of the valley and it has brought to mind of everybody that this nation is not barren but is fertile with creativity. The paper has touched success for it has remained fair, unprejudiced, impartial and honest in giving treatment to the coverage of news and happenings here. It has not tried to mess about and distort the views and reports so far. The well – organized and disciplined family of this paper has been invariably in regular and close contact with the people and thereby has earned a name for presenting actual and true information. As a result of this, the paper has become more influential and effective in the valley and more importantly, its News update App keeps everybody aware about the happenings around and round the clock. Its online edition is read daily by the people in Jammu and Kashmir as well as in the country. The paper is doing social service through its written material on the one hand and on the other it burnishes and brings forward the creative talent of the valley. The Kashmir Horizon has emerged as a vibrant institution and is a platform to express ideas. It shakes the minds of people and has been providing platform to everyone irrespective of caste, color and creed. The paper has proved that Kashmiris have the talent and capability to achieve extra-ordinary feats. And has established the fact that there is hope for that if Kashmiris are not the best, they can become the best. The duty of a newspaper is to uplift the human mind and this is achievable for a paper by providing space for the ideas of everyone. The Kashmir Horizon is definitely acting as a catalytic agent in the moulding and reforming process. The Newspaper and its Chief Editor, editors, correspondents and other staff deserves appreciation for depicting facts boldly and covering events with the sense to serve this society and cultivate it into an intellectual society. It is expected that that it would persist with its pursuit of exploring talented and capable lot within this society about whom we shall feel proud of and who shall take this society towards glorification and heights of success.
(The author is Director Academics at J&K Board Of School Education.Views are his own, [email protected] )