Chitra Subramaniam | The News Minute | December 24, 2014 | 1.17 pm IST
Raju Narisetti is a Senior Vice-President, Strategy, for News Corporation, New York. Widely recognized as the “digital veteran” in the news space, he has held several senior editorial and management positions in The Wall Street Journal (Editor Europe and United States Managing Editor of the WSJ Digital Network and Deputy Managing Editor of the WSJ). He was a Managing Editor of The Washington Post, the first outsider to be hired for that position.
In 2008 Narisetti was the founding editor of Mint India's only Berliner format business newspaper and its web site (www.livemint.com) that was launched by him on 1 February 2007 for HT Media Ltd, which is also the publisher of Hindustan Times New, and is headquartered in New Delhi.
He is now mooting a Journalist Rescue Fund for reporters trapped either in war zones or in their countries. “Journalists are routinely persecuted and prosecuted in countries where there is not just stability but also a democracy,” he said, sharing his thoughts on the fund with Chitra Subramaniam, Editor- in - Chief of The News Minute. Excerpts:
The fund you are proposing is very innovative and you have written about how you came to think about it. Can you share some initial reactions to your proposal?
There has been an overwhelmingly positive response in the journalism community about the idea. The challenge will be to find enough financial support for the idea since even a pilot of sorts will take significant resources.
Pic- Raju Narisetti
The return on investment for the philanthropist would be goodwill and nothing more. Do such organisations exist in countries outside of the United States?
It is more than goodwill. I think everyone who believes in free societies, democracy and the power of information—both individuals or foundations—to transform societies should care about protecting journalists. The Scholar Rescue Fund has shown in very concrete ways the value of such an effort and there is potential to think of such efforts helping artists, for example, who too are often prosecuted and persecuted.
You have mentioned countries in the Middle East where journalists need protection and safe passage. What about journalists within countries – how could this fund protect their work?
There are several global organizations including the World Association of Newspapers, the Committee to Protect Journalists and International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) which have resources and tools to help journalists in countries where practicing journalism can be risky. This fund will focus on those who are at highest risk—potentially losing their lives—in pursuit of journalism.
There is a wide-spread misunderstanding that journalists need protection only in times of war. What are your comments on this?
Wars focus the world’s attention on such dangers. But journalists are routinely prosecuted and persecuted and harmed in countries where there is not just stability but also a democracy. Russia is a great example of this in recent years where journalists were routinely killed for doing their job.
Could Reporters Without Borders be a natural partner?
The Journalist Rescue Fund is designed to work with partners, be it other journalism organizations or newsrooms or universities. But all these well-meaning groups and institutions have broader goals and the Fund’s aim is to really create a structure around sustained effort in helping journalists who are under severe threat.
I see rather immediately how many governments would oppose such a fund. How would journalists work around it?
The Scholar Rescue Fund has shown that it is possible to operate and achieve goals even within some of the most challenging countries. There will always be opposition to casting a light on unjust persecution but it is possible for an international effort to be effective.
Considering that the corpus of funds raised will not be limitless, who will decide on the degree of danger and evacuation of journalists?
Part of the effort will go toward creating such ground-rules. I think there are enough lessons from other efforts to create a way to vet potential “applicants.”
Journalists in some countries need more help than in others and that in itself could harm the cause. How do you propose to work around it?
You would be surprised at how widespread this problem is. There is clearly an ebb and flow linked to geopolitical events so the capacity to absorb a surge with the right global partnerships and linkages is critical.
How will you ensure that the fund remains agile and alert in a responsible manner?
By making sure organizations with great track records, such the Scholar Rescue Fund administrator, Institute of International Education (which by the way has administered the Fulbright Fellowships for decades), and the ICFJ are actively involved and managing the effort.
Read more about the proposed fund here
Report on journalists killed worldwide, with the Middle East being the most dangerous region in 2014