Louise Roug, Global News Editor of Mashable, a leading US-based online news portal, was in Hyderabad recently to interact with city-based journalists at a workshop on ‘New Media Journalism’. With her vast experience in journalism, Louise spoke about the major issues concerning journalists and journalistic practices across the globe.
In a candid talk with Metro India, she explained the importance of experimenting with new ideas in dissemination of news. Louise worked for Los Angeles Times for almost a decade covering political developments in the Middle East including in Iraq, Lebanon, Gaza and Syria. She has Pulitzer Prize (2007), Overseas Press Club Award (2007), Times Editorial Award for Beat Reporting (2006) among other awards to her credit.
What were the global trends and challenges for reporting and journalism when you started your career?
I started my career in professional journalism in the
year 2004 with Los Angeles Times and was posted at
Baghdad. The challenges were almost same as they are today, however, the threat to the lives of journalists was more. Reporting in conflict-ridden areas is obviously full of challenges for a journalist. During my stay in Baghdad, I was provided with language interpreters to help me communicate with the local populace. I feel taking the interpreters at their word was the biggest challenge. But I started my global interaction experiences from Bosnia in 1994 when a war was going on there.
How do you see Indian media?
It seems to me that Indian media is more of opinion-based like the UK media. In US, most of the media houses can be termed as free media, in my view. Also, most of the Indian media houses don’t have foreign bureaus.
What kind of transformation does Indian media needs in your view?
I think training in digital media tools within news rooms is needed in India. Also, there is a need for continuous training for the journalists. Though most of the newspaper and television channels are on social media these days, they need more training.
What do Indian journalists need to do for global presence?
Continuous experimentation is very important. Creating space on the social media, blogs and various other tools is also necessary. Journalists should take inspiration from people across the globe.
Any suggestions to young journalists?
People have become very smart. Even politicians are active on the social networking sites. Journalists should also have their presence on social media. You should be smarter than politicians. However, newspapers will not disappear despite a surge in popularity of social networking websites and new media.
What were the global trends and challenges for reporting and journalism when you started your career?
I started my career in professional journalism in the
year 2004 with Los Angeles Times and was posted at
Baghdad. The challenges were almost same as they are today, however, the threat to the lives of journalists was more. Reporting in conflict-ridden areas is obviously full of challenges for a journalist. During my stay in Baghdad, I was provided with language interpreters to help me communicate with the local populace. I feel taking the interpreters at their word was the biggest challenge. But I started my global interaction experiences from Bosnia in 1994 when a war was going on there.
How do you see Indian media?
It seems to me that Indian media is more of opinion-based like the UK media. In US, most of the media houses can be termed as free media, in my view. Also, most of the Indian media houses don’t have foreign bureaus.
What kind of transformation does Indian media needs in your view?
I think training in digital media tools within news rooms is needed in India. Also, there is a need for continuous training for the journalists. Though most of the newspaper and television channels are on social media these days, they need more training.
What do Indian journalists need to do for global presence?
Continuous experimentation is very important. Creating space on the social media, blogs and various other tools is also necessary. Journalists should take inspiration from people across the globe.
Any suggestions to young journalists?
People have become very smart. Even politicians are active on the social networking sites. Journalists should also have their presence on social media. You should be smarter than politicians. However, newspapers will not disappear despite a surge in popularity of social networking websites and new media.
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