Lessons in Journalism

The story of Pothan Joseph is the story of India's nationalist press and the historic role it played before today's apolitical corporate pop-press took over. Joseph's daily column "Over a Cup of Tea" was legendary. He gave solid grounding to three major dailies ??" Hindustan Times, The Indian Express and Deccan Herald. He was also the first to demand that journalism be recognized as a learned calling. He paid heavily for taking that position. Joseph's extraordinary career highlights the importance of professionalism, scholarship, and basic values. These are lessons here that override present-day commercialism, for neither commodification nor the internet can invalidate journalism's basic values. That is what makes this biography relevant to today's journalists and students alike. About T.J.S.George has achieved distinction internationally as a professional author and biographer. His books includes Krishna Menon (1964), Lee Kuan Yew's Singapore (1973), The Life & Times of Nargis (1994) and MS A Life in Music (2004). He is the founder-editor of Asiaweek (Hong Kong) and is also actively involved as a journalist in The New Indian Express. He lives in Bangalore.