Digital Media Journalists Forum formed at Guwahati Press Club

Guwahati: The Digital Media Journalists Forum was formed during a special meeting of digital journalists aimed at discussing the safety and future of digital news. Former Bureau Chief of the Hindu and Founder cum Editor-in-Chief of NEzine.com Sushanta Talukdar presided over the meeting. Former Guwahati Bureau Chief of The Telegraph and Founder and Editor-in-Chief of News Files Pranab Bora and senior journalist Bedabrat Bora also attended.

The meeting discussed issues and concerns of digital journalists ranging from registration of digital media houses to self regulation, as well as recognition of digital journalists and the addition of certain written guidelines apart from existing journalistic ethics and protocol. The meeting also agreed to provide in-depth training to digital journalists and provide legal support to its members as and when required. It further resolved to create a forum to further convene meetings and prepare draft bylaws for the organization and guidelines for member groups.

Nabajyoti Kalita set the agenda for a meeting of journalists in Guwahati, and ETV Bharat's Assam Bureau Chief Nayan Jyoti Bhuyan explained the agenda to discuss safety and security of digital journalists. Senior and new journalists placed their views along with opinions from observers. Editor in chief of community news media Assam Times Babul Gogoi made a detailed presentation on 'Safety & Security, Registration & Recognition and Self Regulation of Digital Journalism' where he outlined recent incidents about public threats to digital journalism from constitutional office bearers, police and mob atrocities, and appealed for formation of a forum to continue discussion about it and form a digital journalism organisation which can register digital media houses and approve accreditation of digital journalists—also provide legal aid as required.

 Sky News Senior Journalist Khagen Kalita and Dipankar Deba Mishra presented their views on the forum. As President, 22 member office bearers, executive members, and advisors of a journalists’ association christened Digital Media Journalists Forum were formed.

The following journalists constitute the Digital Media Forum:

Advisors: Sushanta Talukdar, Pranab Bora, Khagen Kalita, Dipankar Deba Sharma
President: Bedabrat Bora 
Executive President: Nayan Jyoti Bhuyan
Vice Presidents: Babul Gogoi, Dipak Barman, Pranjit Das, Sangeeta Saikia
General Secretary: Nabajyoti Kalita
Secretaries: Ajizur Rahman Hazarika, Dhurva Jyoti Dhanantari, Arup Kalita, Pranjal Sarma 
Executive Members: Nanda Kirati Dewan, Shah Alam, Bhavesh Medhi, Mintu Sarma, Hirak Kashyap, Pubali Sarma and all the journalists present in the meeting were designated members of the forum. The Digital Media Journalists Forum will reach out to all digital media platforms, social media news channels, pages, news websites and portals of the state to form a digital media organisation in Assam.