Elderly to turn citizen journalists

The hasty media coverage of the recent spate of attacks on senior citizens in their homes has once again portrayed the elderly in a one-dimensional light — as helpless and vulnerable. But a visit to the ongoing citizen journalism workshop for senior citizens at St Andrew’s College, Bandra, shows that many of them are more than capable of helping themselves and others.

In an initiative of the JM Foundation for Excellence in Journalism, nearly 400 citizen journalists have been trained across seven cities over the past two years. The three-day workshop, which started on Friday and is being attended by 35 participants above the age of 60, will cover topics such as consumer rights, police laws, Right to Information and Lokpal. Speakers will include prominent names like D Sivanandhan, Kalpana Sharma and Amol Gupte.

Shishir Joshi, senior journalist and co-founder of JM Foundation, said, “In a regular workshop, the younger lot doesn’t have much patience with the kind of concerns that senior citizens bring up. But the elderly are not afraid to ask questions. Today, they’ve brought up issues ranging from the problem of hawkers, garbage to expensive water sold at multiplexes.”

For Swatantra Radhakrishnan, 63, former director, media and communication, Press Information Bureau, the programme has given her an opportunity to reconnect with her first love — journalism. “Senior citizens make for ideal citizen journalists since they have retired from active work life and have more time than the younger generation.”

Also attending the workshop is Nicky Cardozo, 72, a former professor at Tata Institute of Social Sciences and grassroots activist. An optimistic Cardozo said, “As citizens, we are not united. But things are changing. The media is slowly sacrificing sensationalism for inspirational stories and that is where we can contribute.”