The practice of free speech is as much a responsibility as a skill. There is a discipline involved, as is visible in the print media – in which the writer’s work has to pass scrutiny at many levels before it makes it to the published page. Even the sensation seeking tabloids are answerable, not just to the readers but also the courts – as such they have to ensure the necessary balance and overall objectivity. There is an eco-system that is created in which the attitude and approach of a newspaper impacts upon the livelihoods of many. The objective is to inform and educate – influence is only a byproduct, as against the social media focus on becoming an ‘influencer’ for the associated financial gain and fame.
Garhwal Post has walked this fine line for the past twenty-five years and more. With its base in Dehradun, it has evolved outwards on the city’s cosmopolitan ethos. With the coming into existence of Uttarakhand, it has identified with the aspirations and culture of Devbhoomi. Every year that it completes in the service of society is an accomplishment, as it does so in the face of the innumerable challenges of being an independent newspaper that gives emphasis to the social and community aspects of life; highlights the achievements of not just organisations and political groupings, but also individuals. It particularly seeks to give voice to those with a unique understanding and experience of life in their particular domains and specialisations.
As the newspaper moves into another year of publication, our greetings and gratitude again to readers, subscribers, contributors and, not least, advertisers. Stay with us in the continuing adventure, and exploration of the collective consciousness of a very special part of the universe.
