NEW DELHI: The launch event of Blitz India in Mumbai was, no doubt, spectacular but it was preceded by a few questions in some quarters. The weekly newspaper not only answered these to everyone’s satisfaction but also made them support and applaud the concept behind its inception. A document released on the occasion, coupled with an evocative speech by Editor-inChief Deepak Dwivedi, explained the core philosophy of India’s first weekly chronicle of development news and the inspiration behind its title and ethos.
It’s undeniable that the overwhelming response that Blitz India received in Mumbai was partially due to the nostalgia the city attaches to Blitz of the first few decades postIndependence and its legendary editor RK Karanjia. The concept paper elucidates how Blitz India is there to carry forward the mission started by the doyen of journalism. It also details the requirement of the present times to practice constructive journalism – that acts as a catalyst in the development process of the country. We reproduce below the excerpts of the concept paper released in Mumbai and the mission statement that was made public at the launch of Blitz India in New Delhi on February 5 this year. A few quotes from the Editor-in Chef’s speech have also been incorporated.
CORE PHILOSOPHY
Amid the diminishing relevance of the present-day media, engrossed in negativity and system-bashing, Blitz India is a bold attempt at constructive journalism. The news weekly gives sustained coverage to the ideas, policies, programmes and activities that deal with the improvement of the life of people. It provides a fair, accurate and contextualised picture of today’s India, and the world, without hyping the negative. In sum, Blitz India attempts to go beyond the current media practices and carve a niche for itself in development journalism.
Over the past few years, India has embarked upon the path of all-round development with new-age policies, new socio-economic goals and new agendas. The India of the 21st century has given rise to a new kind of politics and a new governance agenda, with a view to shaping up a new nation. Blitz India aims to act as a catalyst in this transformational process and lend momentum to it. It will contribute towards ‘building a new nation’, as proclaimed in its tagline.
Blitz India accords utmost sanctity to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) formulated by 193 member states of the United Nations. While the Government is working ceaselessly to achieve these goals, we believe that media too must play a key role in the process. Blitz India has taken the lead by providing an effective platform to channelise all efforts towards SDG implementation.
THE INSPIRATION
The core inspiration behind Blitz India is legendary journalist Rustom Khurshedji Karanjia, the Founder-Editor of Blitz. We remain committed to upholding the ethos of journalism propounded by the genius. The iconic Blitz was famous for its bold stance on matters of national interest. The fierce campaigns that it launched, and for which it also ran into controversies at times, were always targeted against maladministration, social ills and corruption. The overall objective of the weekly tabloid was to improve the system, and to bring about a positive change in society. Blitz India takes off from there.
While the Government remains committed to transforming India into a major global power, we believe that media must act as facilitator in the process. Blitz India will do this in all earnest. We fully subscribe to the media right to ‘freedom of speech’, but we also add quality, value and ethics to it. Blitz India aims to spread positivity by focusing on whatever is in national interest. At the same time, we affirm that we greatly cherish the ethos of journalism, as practiced by our inspiration, the legendary Karanjia. ‘Presenting truth with courage’ remains our motto and Blitz India will never shy away from exposing forces inimical to the development process of the country.
