SHILLONG, Oct 6: During ‘The Conclave 2024’, Patricia Mukhim, editor of the Shillong Times, delivered a poignant address addressing the media’s portrayal of the Northeast region, highlighting the challenges and stereotypes that hinder a genuine understanding of its diverse cultures.
“We live in a very different stratosphere in the Northeast; we are least understood. Many people will understand Assam partly, but beyond that, we are all stereotyped,” Mukhim remarked, emphasizing the region’s struggle to gain meaningful recognition.
Echoing the concerns of Manipur MP Angomcha Bimol Akoijam, Mukhim stated, “Northeast is seen through schizophrenic eyes,” underscoring the need for a more nuanced perspective. She pointed to the ongoing crisis in Manipur, noting, “Manipur has been burning for over a year now, and the country doesn’t care. The Prime Minister Narendra Modi doesn’t care; he goes all around the world trying to make world peace. But internally, the country is burning.”
Mukhim further highlighted the pressing issues in the Northeast, particularly the instability caused by conflicts in neighboring Bangladesh. “We, the states bordering Bangladesh, are facing the plunge, but who cares? It’s not been discussed in the mainstream media,” she lamented, criticizing the lack of ongoing attention to the region’s challenges, especially since violence erupted in Manipur on May 3, 2023.
Addressing the media’s portrayal of the Northeast, she criticized the perception of the region as merely an “extension of the country,” rejecting terms like “Asthalakshmi.” “We have different cultures, and it is not that important to just romanticize us, romanticize our women, or romanticize the matrilineal society. We have very specific problems in every state,” she asserted.
Mukhim pointed out alarming statistics regarding poverty in Meghalaya, stating, “Today, it was pointed out that Meghalaya is just above Bihar in terms of poverty and development. NITI Aayog reported this many years ago; today, if you come to Meghalaya, it will be over 37% of its people living below the poverty line. But again, who really cares?”
She also questioned the accountability of the central government concerning funds allocated to the region, criticizing the lack of governance. “The central government continues to pump money into that region, but all its politicians, and that’s it. That is governance. But is that really governance? Why is the central government, which is the funding agency, not holding the governments in the Northeast accountable?” Mukhim asked.
Discussing the challenges faced by local media, she noted, “We don’t have a revenue model in media. We all depend largely on advertisements, and in our region, in Meghalaya, where we don’t have corporate houses or too many companies, we depend on government advertisements. We are punished if we write anything against government stories; we lose advertisements.”
Mukhim expressed concerns about the future of legacy media, suggesting, “I was introduced coming from the legacy media; very soon from print media, we will become a once-upon-a-time media as people will forget us because everyone is holding a mobile phone and watching for breaking news.”
She also raised questions about the mental health impacts of the constant barrage of breaking news on the younger generation, asking, “Who has tried to assess the mental health problem that this constant breaking news is causing, especially to the younger generation?”
Critiquing the quality of information available in digital media, she stated, “We from the legacy media have to do a lot of fact-checking. Do the YouTubers do that? Do the digital media do that? No, they are there to create conflicts.”
In a candid reflection on media representation, Mukhim acknowledged, “I really don’t like the word mainstream news. We report only from urban centers of the state; I admit this as being an editor; we haven’t done enough to give voice to the rural areas of this country.”
As the Conclave 2024 unfolded, Mukhim’s insights illuminated the pressing need for a more authentic and comprehensive portrayal of the Northeast in national media, calling for greater attention to the region’s unique challenges and diverse voices.