Some Soul Searching

Today's mainstream media constantly bombards us with data. But with commercialism and advertising revenues to take care of, the news hole is becoming smaller while the ad space is ever increasing. This is simply a matter of survival. But unfortunately, real issues concerning society are sidelined and the true journalistic ideal of truth above all else is first casualty in this tussle.

As a result of this, we increasingly find newspapers refusing to take a stand on important issues or doing so very reluctantly and with trepidation fearing a backlash from advertisers and or government. On the other side of the spectrum we see newspapers that exist for sensationalising issues. These newspapers and their journalists survive on this method. And across this spectrum are those who do not think twice to publish where the money exists. As a result it is easy today to buy news space in many mainstream newspapers.

Renowned Indian photojournalist and Magnum member, Raghu Rai is said to have stated that photojournalism in India is dead. Where does this leave true journalism? Hardcore journalists are increasingly frustrated by the state of affairs in the mainstream media.

It is simply not true what media barons and baronesses try to tell us, that readers want a quick, light read. That we need to fill papers with the escapades of Page 3 celebrities because that’s what readers want. That today’s youth, brought up on a staple diet of MTV videos do not care to read serious stuff.

Atma Deep seeks to break from the shackles of commercialism binding mainstream media. Atma (soul) and Deep (lamp) is dedicated to shedding light on the soul of issues that matter. The guiding principle is to go beyond the news, digging below the superficial crust, into the soul of the issue.

Atma Deep is not interested in reporting news. There are many news papers and magazines already doing a good job at that. In stead, using strong visuals with insightful text, Atma Deep will try to get to the soul – the ‘why’, ‘how’ and ‘what next’ of an event or issue.

Atma Deep is more that a magazine. It is a movement towards social justice and equality in our world today. If you believe in this mission, we invite you to join us.

If you wish to join in this mission or fund this endeavour, please contact Gasper D'Souza at gasperd@gmail.com Together, we can burn the lamp to bring light to the soul of society.