Social Media vs the Newsroom
In present day Kashmir, two platforms are building two types of narratives parallel to each other. One is the fast, raw, emotional universe of Instagram reels, YouTube shorts, Facebook posts and X threads. And the second, the cautious, verified, structured space of mainstream newsrooms. The story is not about which one is right, but why they look and feel so different- and what that gap means for public understanding.
For many years, the newsroom was the main source of information for a common Kashmiri. Be it the English dailies like Greater Kashmir or the Urdu dailies like Srinagar Times or the news bulletins of All India Radio or Doordarshan. A reader used to rely completely on these prime sources for news updates. He would receive news mostly about elections, encounters, official visits, and weather updates. The readers had no other alternative. The readers would be fed what the state and the mainstream media produced. Curated, constrained and authenticated, this version carried authority.
The Gen-Z’s digital world;
The social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter etc - more so, after the introduction of 4G - have revolutionised the media world. They work on their own terms - social media privileges feeling over form, speed over structure, and emotion over facts. Youth prefer social media to stay updated. The legacy media news that is published the following day is a relic for Gen-Z. They want intimate and immediate updates. It caters to their charged emotional selves. For them reality is in the vibe. Enjoying barbeques on the banks of Dal Lakes, sipping coffee at the cafes and sharing the heady feeling on insta is the discourse they want. Who has won the elections in Bihar, doesn’t matter.
Kashmir feels alive, emotional and immediate on social media as per the Gen-Z. On one hand you see beautiful snowbound mountains in the background and the Gen-Z guys enjoying the bike ride on the foreshore road. On the other hand, a patient in need of O -ve blood at the SMHS hospital and hundreds rushing to donate it. Following day, youth rushing to rescue tourists from the highway closure after they appealed for a help on a Facebook post that went viral. Then posing with the happy tourists and sharing the images on insta is the reality that a Kashmir youth is happy to live with. The image of Kashmir on social media is the real Kashmir as per the youth. It mirrors their daily anxieties, joys, frustrations, and aspirations far better than a clipped newspaper report ever could.
The Other Generation’s Reliable Legacy Media
But for the other generation that are in the later stages of life, the social media is a shallow world. It is unreliable and unfiltered. Trivial issues get viral. A cow stolen by unknown thieves or someone’s ATM card is lost becomes the topmost news of the day. Likes, views and comments decide the authenticity of the matter. Kinetic reels and unfiltered livestreams rule the roost. Algorithms reward the sensationalism. Outrage travels faster than nuance. Misinformation spreads like fire. So, for the older generation, Kashmir as portrayed by newsrooms depicts real issues that have broader implications. For example, the country’s relations with America or Russia, or the historical background of Indus Water Treaty. Professionals are hired to offer expert opinions on key sectors like health and education. Every tom, dick and harry can’t pass on his judgement. Emotions are moderated. Sensationalism is avoided and stories are backed by reporters working at the ground level. It is also the version that remains on record, archived, cited, and referenced long after viral posts disappear.
Conclusion:
So, Kashmir feels sensitive, passionate and immediate on social media while as in the legacy media though it feels reserved but measured and more sensible. Reality lies somewhere in between the two streams that flow sometimes parallel & other times opposite to each other, but neither of them can exist alone. Both need to compliment each other.
Post Script
Legacy media needs to exploit the space of social media. Like many media houses have opened official social media accounts to reach out to public. The most readout newspaper in the valley-Greater Kashmir has been the pioneer in this regard. Their initiatives like GKTV, and GKSC are examples to let people stay connected with the mainstream media.
Peer Asif Manzoor, participant GKSC.
