Profile of Readers: Age Group between 25 – 45 years.

Majority of subscribers are professionals, doctors, lawyers, teachers, lecturers, businesspersons, self-employed entrepreneurs, Government employees, institutions and youths.

Comments on The VoiceofSikkim from readers: (Based on a survey conducted in the month of December 2005) I find The VoiceofSikkim ‘new’ – refreshingly new and different. – Bank Clerk, 32 years

A standard newspaper compatible to the national dailies – Government Official, 47 years

I want to read The VoiceofSikkim because your paper gives more coverage than the other local dailies and with more colored photographs. – Teacher, 29 years

Extensive coverage encompassing all sections of news. It is the common mans online newspaper. – Doctor, 25 years
A Journey Begun

On behalf of The VoiceofSikkim I extend warmest greetings to all our valued readers. It is an immense honor for us to share with you our journey towards publishing The VoiceofSikkim and the hopes and vision we wish to realize through this humble endeavor.

It will only be right for us to begin by first acknowledging that The VoiceofSikkim has been made possible by the grace and love of our Creator. It was by prayer that we started this journey and we believe it is through prayer and faith that our journey will be sustained.

The idea of an “alternative and unbiased” newspaper has been on my mind for a number of years now. The possibilities of such an idea becoming real became prophetically clear when a few  Sikkimese came together to form a non-profit Foundation called the VoiceofSikkim for Indigenous Affairs and JustPeace. Empowered by our deep conviction, commitment and consciousness to contribute towards the building and transformation of our society, the  VoiceofSikkim Foundation came to a realization that perhaps one way of contributing towards the process of transformation would be through a people-centered alternative newspaper that transcends all forms of “isms” prevailing in Sikkimese society.

Many may wonder why the need for another English daily paper when there are already four respectable well established newspapers providing commendable service in  Sikkim. We are of the humble opinion that increase of newspapers will only strengthen the voices of the people and will provide readers with greater access to information and knowledge to make informed decisions. Furthermore, we hold a perspective that articulates a yearning for a newspaper that consciously stands for social change and JustPeace. It is from this standing point that we are launching The VoiceofSikkim.

In a nutshell I wish to share the hopes, values and principles of The VoiceofSikkim.

The VoiceofSikkim is a people-oriented alternative newspaper with the intent to elevate the standard of journalism and its ethical values in Sikkim. It emerged out of the well-recognized concept that “qualitative and investigative” journalism is the core of a free press, essential in contributing an informed public in making conscious decisions on issues that affect all spheres of life. The VoiceofSikkim is conceived on the historical realities of the Sikkimese people and is persuaded to willfully and critically allow itself to be guided by the wisdom and experiences of the people.

The VoiceofSikkim newspaper is free of any governmental or personal influence, and is NOT associated or related to any vested political party or political faction or commercial media interests. The VoiceofSikkim will remain independent and will strive to be a catalyst in the democratization process and will sustain its editorial independence while encouraging and strengthening the expressed free will of the people.

Principle Statement

The VoiceofSikkim acknowledges and respects the power of public opinion as an effective element of democracy with inherent responsibilities towards constructing vital formulation of policies and decision making processes. Therefore, the VoiceofSikkim endeavors to breed critical consciousness and mobilize public opinion into taking social and political actions that will usher in an era of sustainable Democracy, Transformation and JustPeace.

With a “new lens” the VoiceofSikkim strives to present a perspective that is free, balanced, fair and insightful; and will center on reporting the “truth” while providing fact-based analysis founded on a paradigm of “process-based reporting” that is “qualitative and investigative” in nature. By grounding itself in “process-based reporting,” the VoiceofSikkim will make every effort to communicate meaningful intentions of human endeavors; and hopes to contribute to the development of an informed public by sensitively and respectfully exploring complexities rather than the simplicities of human experiences.

Since all issues relating to the existence of a people are important, the VoiceofSikkim will undertake in creating democratic and civil space to facilitate varying opinions, particularly of the marginal and silenced voices.

Objectivity of truth can be attained when all subjective positions, opinions and perspectives are presented through public expression in a fair manner. For this reason, the VoiceofSikkim will labor towards bringing for public dialogue all possible ideas and perspective on issues that are vital for the growth of the people.

Recognizing that there is in every issue a view and the other point of view, the VoiceofSikkim is persuaded to maintain a balanced and impartial coverage. Founding itself on the ethics of dialogue, it will strive to promote meaningful and respectful dialogue by maintaining its independence.

The VoiceofSikkim asserts the imperative need for its journalists to establish itself on investigative reportage. It will through a participatory manner in an attitude of mutual respect, maximize effective communication by dialectically relating all the issues it reports with its intended audience. The VoiceofSikkim embraces a philosophical and factual approach that informs, convinces and nurtures public opinion.

The VoiceofSikkim, to promote common understanding and responsibility will present thought-provoking perspectives with the intention to encourage the public to engage in dialogue and appreciate issues that are often misinterpreted, ignored or brushed aside. In being a communicator of issues, the VoiceofSikkim endeavors to support empowering processes whereby people themselves develop new and relevant ideas to the issues of concern.

The VoiceofSikkim with credibility and comprehensiveness will prioritize reportage according to their news-worthiness and public concerns; not their acceptability to the convenience of politics.

The VoiceofSikkim will endeavor in communicating the undeniable need for Sikkimese to determine free and informed choices, create political openness, strengthen democracy, and struggle for JustPeace. It implies being an upholder of freedom, a sentinel of democratic values and principles, the beacon of justice and the voice of the people.

Guiding Ethics and Values for the VoiceofSikkim

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The VoiceofSikkim comes to work together because it believes in a common vision that unites and inspires the nurturing for a just and democratic society while maintaining utmost transparency and accountability in all its activities.
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The VoiceofSikkim will be humanity-driven, historically and culturally sensitive and will engage in its activities with a human face.
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The VoiceofSikkim seeks processes that empower individuals and communities to be respectful and compassionate while engaging with the process of human transformation.
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The VoiceofSikkim will be peoples oriented and demands a praxis of dialogue with new ways of listening, hearing and reporting which requires its journalists to be communicators and not commentators.
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The VoiceofSikkim takes responsibility to be ethical and to always try its best to do what is right.
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The VoiceofSikkim endeavors to serve and be responsible to the people and is conscious of the responsibility to be truthful and honest and will maintain confidentiality to protect its sources and respect people’s right to privacy.
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The VoiceofSikkim strives to tell the truth and to provide accurate information which has been verified and authenticated.
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The VoiceofSikkim will not exaggerate news to sensationalize its Headlines for commercial interest. Furthermore, The VoiceofSikkim will retain the right to with-hold articles or letters that are not duly sanctioned by the rightful signatories; and will NOT publish any information that may have negative consequences on the society as a whole.
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The VoiceofSikkim while having its own standing and opinions on issues will however not confuse or mix them up with facts on issues that are presented in news reports. The independent opinions and positions of The VoiceofSikkim will be clearly indicated as editorials, commentaries and reviews if and when published.
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It is the moral responsibility of The VoiceofSikkim to report the facts to the people so that the information may empower them to exercise their individual and collective conscience.

Finally, the people – which is you – is most essential to The VoiceofSikkim. Without the people The VoiceofSikkim is rendered irrelevant. Therefore all of us here at The VoiceofSikkim, reaches out to you seeking your support, critical and constructive suggestions and your prayers so that together we may humbly contribute towards the building of a dignified, righteous and compassionate society.

Sanjay Agarwal (Editor)

puspasanjay@yahoo.co.in / voiceofsikkim@yahoo.co.in
On behalf of all us at
The VoiceofSikkim