Bhagalpur: A national conclave of web journalists opened in Bhagalpur on Saturday with senior media figures and politicians urging digital reporters to prioritise credibility over speed and clicks as online journalism expands its influence.
The Web Media Summit and seventh foundation day of the Web Journalists Association of India (WJAI) was inaugurated at Anand Utsav Palace by the former Union minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey, the former vice-chancellor of Makhanlal Chaturvedi National University of Journalism and Communication, Prof Sanjay Dwivedi, and the News18 group editor Brajesh Kumar Singh, alongside other media professionals.
Speaking at the inaugural session, Choubey described web media as “the backbone of democracy”, saying its strength lay in its pro-people approach and fearlessness. Journalists, he said, must remain conscious of their responsibility to the nation, society and truth.
Dwivedi highlighted the dual challenge facing digital journalism. While speed was the medium’s greatest advantage, he said, credibility remained its defining identity. “Facts, balance and sensitivity are the three pillars that strengthen web journalism,” he told the gathering.
Singh echoed the emphasis on accuracy, warning against the race to break news. “In the digital age, the competition should not be to deliver the news first, but to deliver it most accurately,” he said, adding that trust mattered more than traffic.
The WJAI’s national president, Anand Kaushal, said the organisation aimed to unite web journalists and support them through training, protection and recognition. “Web media today is taking on new responsibilities as the fourth pillar of democracy,” he said, welcoming delegates from across the country. He and the association’s national general secretary, Dr Amit Ranjan, honoured guests with traditional Anga stoles and mementoes.
Among those attending the inaugural session were the Pirpainti MLA Murari Paswan, the Bhagalpur MLA Rohit Pandey, the former deputy mayor Dr Preeti Shekhar and the BJP leader Pawan Paswan.
Technical sessions later in the day focused on the practical challenges of digital journalism. Kumar Jitendra Jyoti, head of Amar Ujala in Bihar and Jharkhand, told participants that search engines scrutinised online content even more closely than readers assessed print newspapers. He urged journalists to focus on reliable, high-quality reporting rather than being swept up in the pace of social media.
Braj Mohan Singh, editor of News18 Bihar-Jharkhand, spoke about the sector’s move into the mainstream and the need to win wider public trust. Manoj Malayanil, input editor at News18, discussed news selection, while Praveen Jha of Punjab Kesari Digital outlined emerging web media technologies.
An open session later in the day gave journalists a platform to speak candidly about security, recognition and organisational strength. Contributors included Chandrachur Goswami of West Bengal, Mithilesh Mishra, Chandan Kumar, Surbhit Dutt, Ganpat Aryan, Santosh Jha and Anupama Kaushal. The discussion was moderated by the WJAI national secretary Madhup Mani Pikku.
Closing the first day, Ranjan thanked participants and said the strong turnout demonstrated the growing confidence of the sector. The conclave concluded with a resolution to make web journalism “more powerful, credible and people-oriented”.
