Behind the News: Voices from Goa's Press

off-beat and far-from-the-beaten-track stories, has published a vast amount on issues that concern rural Goa, archaeology and the av

te possibility. A few Konkani protagonists casually discussing the issue felt that a medium was sorely needed to project the asp

er its editor Evagrio Jorge learnt a few bitter truths. The Herald - in its new English-language

idea. The way out was a 'pad-iatra ' (or, long march across Goa on foot) through the villages of the then union territory. At a follow-up meeting, the individuals involved formed a Trust -

Dr F M Rebello, Advocate Antonio Lobo, and Gustav Clovis Costa. Mathany Sal

s and corners of Goa. There were some 70-odd volunteers, which included a few

e were occasions too when - language being a sensitive issue in Goa - they were insulted. But they had decided not to retaliate in any way. A person spat on a youn

im burst into tears, as partici

eers had managed to collect around Rs 250,000, a tidy sum considering that this wa

ng machinery and recruiting the staff. When the Novem Goem first hit the stands in 1980, many naturally had great expectations t

e, nay it was even below average. This is perhaps understandably because the publication could not engage a big team of repo

lopments. The paper served to forge a relationship and bridge the gap between the old Roman Konkani writers and those who had just started writing in the Devnagri s

the poor quality of writing in most Roman script periodicals. I myself recall contributing to a column Aichim Don Utram (Toda

ni boroi, Konknint

ite Konkani, Admin

gan coined by one

, gained currenc

onkani

of the avowed objectives for which the Trust had launched the paper. Many may be skeptical about the contribution of this small paper to these two great and important causes.

its management had to face several strug

inery subsequently gave several problems. How a newspaper cannot survive without infusion of frequent doses of capital was best exemplified here. Advertising revenue was very low, though there were phases when its staff pooled their efforts to

the paper was meagre, and the staff even led a morcha to the Secretariat, alleging shabb

0 readers, who religiously read the daily. However, the poor coverage towards the end saw its readership go

float. But tiatrists were largely not among them as they showed apathy towards it vis-a-vis advertisements of

. On the 10th of any month, it was not unusual for the management to announce they would give some advance on the salary. For one thing, the salary was being delayed; over and above, to be tol

ied standards then in force for minimum wages to be paid to journalists - but they accepted graci

d sacrifices were really something to think about. After the paper closed, they should have received their dues from what came in

yet to be giv

ime in June 1988. And a novel experiment to offer a pe