A reporter in a war zone. , Photo credit: Getty Images / iStock
bIn times when TV journalism had not invaded our drawing rooms, media persons were easy to recognise, especially on daily beat assignments, as they were mostly scantily clad. The popular, representative image of journalists, especially city reporters, consists of casual kurta-pyjamas and a cloth bag over the shoulder, implying that journalists are not fashion-conscious at work; They are only writing what they are writing.
But wearing one wrong can be embarrassing. How does a reporter decide what to wear to work? On any given day, the city reporter’s preferred choice is easy and comfortable wear for enhanced mobility. However, not all assignments are pre-planned – a reporter may be suddenly asked to visit a crime scene, a slum area or talk to a high profile person. And clothes are your armor: how you are addressed depends on how you dress.
When I started my career as a reporter three decades ago, there were occasions when I regretted my day to day outfit, which I had chosen unknowingly. In the 1980s, there was a terrorist attack inside a Kali Puja pandal in South Delhi’s Chittaranjan Park. The next morning, which was a festival day, I went to office in a bright, new salwar-kameez. The chief reporter suggested that I speak to one of the families that lost most of their members in the shooting, as I speak Bengali fluently.
I clearly remember the street that led to the house. It was packed with mourners and I had to go through the crowd. But I stopped midway. It was the color of the time that impressed me so much. Everyone around me was dressed in white or cool colors. I was like a fish out of water in my festive colours. It was not considered appropriate to go ahead. I didn’t want to attract attention and went with the photographer. We couldn’t miss a story either, so we went to the hospital where the two surviving family members were admitted.
On another occasion, I went to the office for the night shift after attending a friend’s engagement ceremony. The reporter posted on night duty mostly has to keep an eye on crime incidents and file press releases. But as luck would have it, riots broke out in Old Delhi just before midnight. I reached the spot. The police, the mob and curious onlookers spilled out into the narrow streets. The power supply was cut off and potholed streets were doused with water from water cannons, a standard practice to pacify the crowd. It was a chaotic scene in the dark and I cursed myself for wearing a saree to work.
In 1997, after a morning meeting, I was asked to meet a party member of Lalu Prasad’s newly formed Rashtriya Janata Dal in the aftermath of the fodder scam. I waited for him in a room in Bihar Bhawan. When he walked into the room his gaze immediately made me uneasy. I was wearing jeans and T-shirt. They scanned me from head to toe and asked if I was married. Nervous, I backed away, but not before asking her to mind her manners and language. Thankfully, the bureau chief supported me in my decision to return.
It is important for field reporters to dress modestly and comfortably. A reporter can be insightful, sympathetic, or articulate in any outfit, but how they are dressed shouldn’t be the first thing people notice about them. What journalists wear depends on their role. Newsroom styles may have changed over the years, but versatility remains key. On most occasions, reporters need to mingle. And yet there are days, as I’ve learned, when you get caught unawares.
soma.basu@thehindu.co.in