Not everyone succeeds at plucking up the courage to raise a voice against wrongs, and what is special about those who do is that they speak not only for themselves, but also for their fellow citizens who do not have a voice. They free the mindsets that have been shackled by social, cultural, economic and political constraints, and by doing so, they contribute to propelling society forward.
However, that is an arduous task that calls for collective endeavours based on judicious arguments, and disseminating critical and constructive ideas in order to initiate a discourse among the public is one of the first steps of that process. A number of parties including rights activists, social workers, artists, academics and writers have taken on the responsibility of nurturing the society with such ideas. However, an oft forgotten segment are newspaper columnists, who receive relatively less attention despite columns being a staple part of mainstream journalism.
Our editorial today comes as one of our most thought provoking columnists, a columnist duo to be precise, publish their 50th column in The Morning today. Niresh Eliatamby and Dr. Nicholas Ruwan Dias started writing for the Business Section of The Sunday Morning in 2020 and then, when The Morning was launched in late January 2021, switched over to the daily edition. Their contribution has enriched our newspaper and enlightened many readers.
Going back to the beginning, the term columnist became popular in the early 1900s. However, the concept of columns came into existence much before, and it became a part of mainstream journalism through print media, such as newspapers and magazines, thus making it an integral part of a newspaper. In fact, in addition to editorials, it is the columns that discussed the underlying stories behind the breaking news.
Writing good columns, or being a successful columnist, requires a multitude of skills, some of which can only be developed by years of experiences and/or being a learned person in more than one field. It is such skills that equip the columnists with the ability to convince the readers that there is always something more behind the run-off-the-mill media reports, and that they can and need to be something more than mere readers. Essentially, columnists’ duty is one of the few jobs that involve reminding the public of their civic responsibility. Many things the columnists choose to write about are things that already exist, and the readers, therefore, already have an opinion about them. A well-worded and well-structured column can guide the public to rethink their opinions and conclusions.
In this day and age, it is not difficult to find all sorts of journalists in all sorts of media, be it print or electronic media, and electronic media is becoming more popular and faster when it comes to reporting news. The electronic media can share news almost instantly, and some have gone on to assume that it is the death of print media, especially newspapers. However, newspapers still stand tall and strong, as they maintain an unmatchable and unbeatable balance, integrity and quality, which is mainly driven by news, editorials, features and columns.
One of the cardinal duties of any media institution is to give its followers accurate and balanced information. While breaking news focuses more on presenting facts while maintaining the accuracy part, it is the columns and editorials that convey the opinions and establish the balance the society requires.
How a society handles its facts and opinions even-handedly has a great deal to do with how it flourishes, as facts can serve no purpose unless and until opinions decide what to do with those facts. And, well-worded opinions, which make up a perfect column, are the most thought-provoking part of any newspaper, irrespective of the basis or topic. In fact, news raises awareness among the people, but they seldom inspire the people. What inspires the people is the interpretation of what is happening, which is more or less the duty of a column.
After all, good deeds are born of good intentions, and every deed is a result of an opinion. Columns are what tells the readers to look more closely at their own opinions. So let us celebrate columnists, for what they bring to the table, or in this case, the newspaper.Celebrating columnists
17 May 2021
Celebrating columnists
17 May 2021
Not everyone succeeds at plucking up the courage to raise a voice against wrongs, and what is special about those who do is that they speak not only for themselves, but also for their fellow citizens who do not have a voice. They free the mindsets that have been shackled by social, cultural, economic and political constraints, and by doing so, they contribute to propelling society forward.
However, that is an arduous task that calls for collective endeavours based on judicious arguments, and disseminating critical and constructive ideas in order to initiate a discourse among the public is one of the first steps of that process. A number of parties including rights activists, social workers, artists, academics and writers have taken on the responsibility of nurturing the society with such ideas. However, an oft forgotten segment are newspaper columnists, who receive relatively less attention despite columns being a staple part of mainstream journalism.
Our editorial today comes as one of our most thought provoking columnists, a columnist duo to be precise, publish their 50th column in The Morning today. Niresh Eliatamby and Dr. Nicholas Ruwan Dias started writing for the Business Section of The Sunday Morning in 2020 and then, when The Morning was launched in late January 2021, switched over to the daily edition. Their contribution has enriched our newspaper and enlightened many readers.
Going back to the beginning, the term columnist became popular in the early 1900s. However, the concept of columns came into existence much before, and it became a part of mainstream journalism through print media, such as newspapers and magazines, thus making it an integral part of a newspaper. In fact, in addition to editorials, it is the columns that discussed the underlying stories behind the breaking news.
Writing good columns, or being a successful columnist, requires a multitude of skills, some of which can only be developed by years of experiences and/or being a learned person in more than one field. It is such skills that equip the columnists with the ability to convince the readers that there is always something more behind the run-off-the-mill media reports, and that they can and need to be something more than mere readers. Essentially, columnists’ duty is one of the few jobs that involve reminding the public of their civic responsibility. Many things the columnists choose to write about are things that already exist, and the readers, therefore, already have an opinion about them. A well-worded and well-structured column can guide the public to rethink their opinions and conclusions.
In this day and age, it is not difficult to find all sorts of journalists in all sorts of media, be it print or electronic media, and electronic media is becoming more popular and faster when it comes to reporting news. The electronic media can share news almost instantly, and some have gone on to assume that it is the death of print media, especially newspapers. However, newspapers still stand tall and strong, as they maintain an unmatchable and unbeatable balance, integrity and quality, which is mainly driven by news, editorials, features and columns.
One of the cardinal duties of any media institution is to give its followers accurate and balanced information. While breaking news focuses more on presenting facts while maintaining the accuracy part, it is the columns and editorials that convey the opinions and establish the balance the society requires.
How a society handles its facts and opinions even-handedly has a great deal to do with how it flourishes, as facts can serve no purpose unless and until opinions decide what to do with those facts. And, well-worded opinions, which make up a perfect column, are the most thought-provoking part of any newspaper, irrespective of the basis or topic. In fact, news raises awareness among the people, but they seldom inspire the people. What inspires the people is the interpretation of what is happening, which is more or less the duty of a column.
After all, good deeds are born of good intentions, and every deed is a result of an opinion. Columns are what tells the readers to look more closely at their own opinions. So let us celebrate columnists, for what they bring to the table, or in this case, the newspaper.Kapruka
Discover Kapruka, the leading online shopping platform in Sri Lanka, where you can conveniently send Gifts and Flowers to your loved ones for any event. Explore a wide range of popular Shopping Categories on Kapruka, including Toys, Groceries, Electronics, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Automobile, Mother and Baby Products, Clothing, and Fashion. Additionally, Kapruka offers unique online services like Money Remittance, Astrology, Medicine Delivery, and access to over 700 Top Brands. Also If you’re interested in selling with Kapruka, Partner Central by Kapruka is the best solution to start with. Moreover, through Kapruka Global Shop, you can also enjoy the convenience of purchasing products from renowned platforms like Amazon and eBay and have them delivered to Sri Lanka.Send love straight to their heart this Valentine's with our thoughtful gifts!
Discover Kapruka, the leading online shopping platform in Sri Lanka, where you can conveniently send Gifts and Flowers to your loved ones for any event. Explore a wide range of popular Shopping Categories on Kapruka, including Toys, Groceries, Electronics, Birthday Cakes, Fruits, Chocolates, Automobile, Mother and Baby Products, Clothing, and Fashion. Additionally, Kapruka offers unique online services like Money Remittance, Astrology, Medicine Delivery, and access to over 700 Top Brands. Also If you’re interested in selling with Kapruka, Partner Central by Kapruka is the best solution to start with. Moreover, through Kapruka Global Shop, you can also enjoy the convenience of purchasing products from renowned platforms like Amazon and eBay and have them delivered to Sri Lanka.Send love straight to their heart this Valentine's with our thoughtful gifts!