On February 28, 2024 Mumbai-based senior journalist Satish Nandgaonkar who worked with ‘The Hindustan Times’ died of a heart attack while on duty. Nandgaonkar was just 52 years of age. His age, along with decades of journalistic experience, put him in the category of a ‘senior journalist’.
A few more years and he would have celebrated his 60th birthday, and perhaps his silver jubilee in the profession. He would have then been regarded as a ‘veteran journalist’. Popular, helpful and ever smiling, as his fellow journalists remember him, Nandgaonkar would have probably dismissed the tag with a shy smile.
However, the tragic way he died, reportedly due to work-related stress as his family and friends have said, has revealed the dark side of how many ‘senior journalists’ are treated in the newsroom. Ironically, these journalists are still considered to be the lucky ones, as they still have a job, a fixed salary, and at least one ‘Press ID’. Those working with ‘big brand’ mainstream media can also access officials, ministers, corporates, sportspeople, and places they need to visit for their work.
Today, many senior journalists have found themselves being ‘retired’, or made to quit, by much younger ‘bosses’ and media owners’ unemployed, without accreditation, and without much support from the fraternity.
On Wednesday, March 13, at a memorial held to remember Nandgaonkar, the Mumbai Press Club stated that its investigation revealed that the senior journalist had “experienced significant stress due to bullying and insults inflicted upon him by the HT Mumbai Editor”.
Nandgaonkar’s wife Anjali Ambekar , who also spoke at the memorial meeting, issued a written appeal seeking justice for her husband. The debates that have followed this tragic death of a senior journalist, are likely to escalate in the times to come.
According to T. N. Raghunatha, a Mumbai-based veteran journalist, the face of journalism has changed completely. Seniors are often laid by the wayside as the media seas churn. “Like it happened in the late 1980s when there was agitation about the contract system, there needs to be an agitation about the working conditions too,” Raghunatha said.
He recalled the case of a Maharashtra based stringer whose contract was not renewed around the time his daughter was getting married. The senior journalist died, perhaps due to stress, even before he could witness his child’s wedding. “It was very tragic, and it can happen to anyone,” recalled Raghunatha.
The Citizen spoke to scores of senior journalists a.k.a veteran journalists, who recalled how age has been one of the challenges of their professional lives now. These men and women have covered wars, riots, political milestones, human rights stories, natural calamities, in India and abroad, but many now find themselves isolated, without regular sources of income and without healthcare security that a job, or a government accreditation brings with it.
According to journalist and theatre practitioner Rathin Das, “veterans in journalism face multiple problems. Though many veterans have bridged the technological gap in the last two decades, there is an ideological gap too.”
The basic principle of journalism, said Das, is to don an “adversarial role, the raison d'etre” and this is being challenged by the new generation that he feels “find the veterans foolish or uninformed on this score”.
“Veterans are sought after for their experience, but they are NOT offered salaries commensurate with their work. Thus, only those veterans in dire need of money get hired, though at ridiculously low rates,” Das said, “veterans who had large exposure in the media for decades have to compromise their self esteem to stay in circulation. As a result, many of them settle for writing on their favourite topics for free, in publications or websites run by former colleagues and friends or even juniors. I did that on several occasions for a website run by a former junior.”
According to Delhi-based journalist Sujata Madhok, who also leads the Delhi Union of Journalists, “the biggest challenge many veteran journalists face is sheer survival. Too many have few resources left. No one gets a pension of more than a couple of thousand rupees, if that. Provident funds run out. Those who have been lucky enough to buy a flat or house during their working years at least do not have to worry about paying rent. Some retire to their ancestral villages where there may be an old house or a piece of land. Others become dependent on their children for all their needs.”
She added that veterans often get sidelined professionally at 58 years when they retire and “some are re-hired by their old office at a lower salary. They are grateful to have any employment at all. Many have to fall back on freelancing but it is hard to make money as a freelancer. Often it is humiliating to have to hawk your stories and deal with people who are years younger and do not respect you or value your work”.
The ground reality is that there are few jobs for journalists over 50, especially jobs as reporters. Hirings now happens more based on networking and ‘connections’, and job advertisements offer ‘senior sounding posts’ but seek those with just a few years of experience. “There are no jobs for older journalists. In the past experience was valued but this is no longer the case,” said many seniors The Citizen spoke to.
Journalist and human rights activist John Dayal said it was a question of survival now, “Both as a person, and as a journalist. We are now in our mid or late Seventies. We are from an era before 7th Pay commission / Wage Board or Contract salaries.We have been eating into the capital of our meagre savings, supplemented by the occasional earning as freelancers.
“The freelancer basket has shrunk radically, first by the death by suicide or massacre of many small and medium newspapers during the covid crisis and even earlier, and second by the glut in the numbers of free lancers because of the large scale sackings in the same period as newspapers and magazines tightened the belt, got rid of senior and mid rung professionals and made do with younger, lower paid, staff. The so-called boom in social media, YouTube channels does not help more than a few, and the too in Hindi and some regions languages.”
Dealing with this has been hard, said Dayal, “there is a sense of helplessness. I know many who face issues of mental health, frustration, and a sense of impending doom. People do ask me for “openings’. Freelance itself does not pay well. Even if the better off or more generous wire groups pay Rs 5,000 for an article, the invitation comes once in two months or so.”
Journalist Shobhana Jain, who is also the President of Indian Women’s Press Corps, said that each era of journalists has always had challenges but “at the moment there is a lot of turbulence. Market forces are a thing, they were not so powerful during our times. The newspaper space is shrinking and electronic media has a lot of ‘other’ news… freedom of media is a challenge and all of these come together to create circumstances that make me and my generation rethink joining the media.”
Not that ‘rejoining the media is much of an option for senior journalists. “Conditions of the veterans are not too good for sure. There are so many names of those whose opinion and views are still relevant are not being heard, or read. The scope of writing is limited. Many veterans want opportunities where they can write what they want, else they wait,” Jain said.
She stressed that “journalists are a community without pension, social security and policy makers should think about how the community that has worked so earnestly needs to be given some spaces where they do not feel the need to worry about financial issues. I want to be optimistic and think that there is some light at the end of the tunnel.
R. Prasannan, Resident Editor The Week, New Delhi, who has been with the magazine since its launch in 1982, said the biggest challenge facing senior journalists is keeping up with fast-changing technology. “I often feel I am unable to keep pace with the changing technological tools available for information gathering, as also for information dissemination. I am trying my best to keep pace, by seeking to learn from youngsters, and also seeking their help to get things done,” Prasannan said.
He added that he did not feel sidelined, “on the contrary, I think I am given enough respect and regard that I deserve (often more than what I deserve), by most youngsters who know me. They also help me in tackling the new tools of the trade.”
However, he too agreed that age has been a factor in hiring, and firing of journalists today. “That is bound to happen in a competitive market. Seniors naturally seek higher salaries, and employers would prefer youngsters who are willing to work for lesser pay for the same kind of work.”
As for accreditations, Prasannan said “they do face problems now these days, especially in getting gallery passes to Parliament; accreditation norms too have been made restrictive. Access to sources in government has become too restrictive these days, but then that is something faced by veterans and youngsters.”
The ‘age’ issue is not new, explained columnist Anand K. Sahay, “my sense is that it has always been difficult for people who look for fresh employment once they are 40+.” he recalled that his seniors joined and stayed in employment, mostly at one place till they retired, urusaly around 58 years of age. In journalism, “there was no security of work” Sahay said.
However, experienced journalists, and those who specialised in a subject, were often retained at work occasionally by some legacy newspapers. “The Hindu was known for this occasionally. You weren't told that ‘you have reached a certain age and you can go’”. The so-called ‘golden handshake’ offered to those being told to resign in the face of impending retrenchment came much later he recalled.
The lack of security only increased with the introduction of the ‘contract’ system of employment which the media organisations took to, instead of hiring under the older wage board rules. Now contracts are the norm, and there are more ‘media houses’ than there are readers, said some veterans.
The scene was different in the ‘dark ages’ age as Dayal put it, “in my case in 1969 as an apprentice. News Desk and news bureau were small, there two English and two hindi news agencies and a small clutch of newspapers and magazines. It was difficult to get in, but once in, it was about as secure as a government cadre, much lower paid, but with no politicians who would boss over you. Seniors knew their job, and were gentle and kind mentors.”
Today, veteran journalists find themselves more vulnerable than ever as the process of getting accreditations, CGHS benefits etc has gotten tougher for them. “I have lost my accreditation to the vagaries of the government. With it has gone the CGHS health net. There are no benefits, medical or otherwise, in the Parliament media gallery cards other than seeing the proceedings, meeting officials and MPs and being current with the news and background fuses, especially the political noises.
“I was among those in the Freelance / Long and Distinguished Service Category who lost their accreditation when the current regime set up an accreditation committee which seems to have focussed on dissidents and critics among the seniors, or so it would seem. For those with old age health issues like diabetes, and sudden onset of kidney failure, this could mean the difference between life and death.”
According to A. J. Philip, a Delhi-based a senior journalist who continues to be active in the field, “this is the only profession where a beginner who is in his mid-20s is given a two or three year contract. At 40 he burns out. Many are not able to get a job after that. I have spent 50 years in the profession. My pension is Rs 1,520 per month. When I started getting it, it was sufficient for my medicines. Now my medicine expenditure alone is about Rs 10,000.
“I do not get any of the benefits mentioned. Fortunately, my wife is a former insurance executive getting a pension and medical insurance facilities. I get writing assignments which also fetch some money. When I joined the profession, we were given a pay scale and we looked forward to getting promotions and retiring from there.”
Journalists have lost credibility today, Philip said, adding that “there are some journalists who retain their credibility but they are few and far between. I continue my journalism in the mould I am familiar with. I do not want any favours from anyone and I work accordingly.
“Senior journalists are not allowed to write articles in newspapers. Editors see them in a poor light. A retired professor or officer who runs a think tank or NGO is preferred to a retired journalist when seeking an opinion.”
Saraswati Chakravarty, one of the pioneering photo journalists, who has in the recent past won lifetime achievement awards, says while age is a challenge for her physically demanding role her mental agility is still top notch. “Though mentally I’m strong and fit, physically I need to be selective in choosing an assignment, due to my age. I can't risk my life at the cost of a picture. I prefer and choose to cover seminars, conferences, interviews etc. instead of rallies, protests and demonstrations.”
She said she has seen veteran journalists being celebrated and honoured for their vast experience. “In western countries, they give importance to capabilities and professionalism, instead of age. In India it is vice versa.Once you have crossed the age of 50, you are considered incapable of handling your equipment efficiently. In India there is a specific retirement age and at times, even before that, a journalist is sometimes offered VRS, which is not the case in Western countries. They hire workers, as long as they are able to work efficiently.”
“When I joined the profession, there were no women photojournalists.Before I entered, there was Mrs. Homai Vyarawala, who worked during the prime ministership of pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. From the time of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, I was the lone woman photojournalist, in the field, and from the year 1982, was accredited to the PIB. Govt. Of India, for a long time.”
“Seniors with their vast experience and knowledge, have certain expectations from their employers, which are not met. “Publications get youngsters to do the same job (especially when there's so much unemployment) , on contract basis, on a much lower remuneration.
“Before the pandemic, I had applied for jobs in a few publications and was quite disheartened by the monthly retainer and perks they offered, not the least considering my professional experience and expertise. Survival as job opportunities are very limited nowadays.”
According to journalist Neelam Jena, who writes in Hindi, said she now keeps busy and earns by “writing here and there occasionally” but has the support of her working children, “experience is not considered as an asset these days particularly in electronic media”.
Age she said is a major factor in hiring, and firing of journalists today, as “legwork has overtaken mind work. It was [once] entirely different. We used to work hard to get noticed by seniors.”
Many changes in the accreditation system have happened under the aegis of the current government, recalled the senior. “I don't know what the term veteran indicates. The first time I came across this was in reference to the US Army where the veteran was a retired person. I thought it was a come down in my life to be called a veteran,” Sahay said.
“However, with age you need access to healthcare. You can’t afford expensive private hospitals. It is the law of life that old must give way to new, but they should say ‘fine, you are no longer accredited but we will give you one for a category for those who have worked as an accredited correspondent for some years’. Keep the CGHS/ state government health card channel open,” Sahay, who writes often, but pro bono, said.
Around the year 2000, seniors began feeling threatened as jobs were being offered to younger journalists, recalled Raghunatha. “Earlier loyalty was a factor. Then there came a stage when management decided ‘loyalty is bullshit, people are staying back because they are not getting jobs’. As a result a lot of movement happened. They stopped recognising older people even for top jobs. Marketing became the name of the game in journalism. All this chaploosi (flattering those in power) was not there earlier,” recalled Raghunatha.
He added that “now after a certain age journalists are not getting respect”, recalling an instant of a senior journalist being asked to appear for a written test even though he had a vast body of work, “you are not taken at face value. Pay offered is not equal to the experience. People accept because something is better than nothing.”