Writer should know his reader: Jacob Thomas

KOZHIKODE: Just like the KYC (Know Your Customer) and KYP (Know Your Passenger) norms there is a need for a KYR (Know Your Reader) for writers in this multidimensional digital age, VACB director Jacob Thomas has said. Addressing a media seminar on ‘Writing Reading, Society’ on the first death anniversary of Deepika reporter P. Jibin, who died in a flash flood near Pathangayam, he said in the age of social media, readers had become writers and were more knowledgeable.

“Writing and reading are the two main things which separate humans from the rest of the living beings, and that’s why it finds a prominent space in the culture. It has gone through many evolutions in the past and now attained a new form where the readers can also put their share of view,” he said. Referring to the recent issues related to freedom of writing, he said everyone had the freedom to write according to his will, however, the mission of his writing should be for the good of the society.

He added that journalists in Kerala were acting as the real watchdogs of society and that’s why even the minor human right issues were getting more publicity in the state, which was indeed a positive thing. A documentary Jibin Oru Orma also showed. Calicut Press Club president presided over the function. Jibin’s colleagues and friends shared their memories.