You give Southasian journalists the chance they deserve

Hello reader,

Towards the end of last week, we advertised vacancies for two editorial positions on the Himal team – an Associate Editor and an Assistant Editor. Since then, by my rough reckoning, we’ve received on average three or four applications every hour. That already puts the size of the application pool in the many hundreds – and that’s with more than a week still to go before the date when we start reviewing applications.

To say that we are overwhelmed is an understatement. Watching the torrent, I’m led to think: either we’re doing something right at Himal to attract this much talent, or the state of the media in Southasia is so dire that tons of good journalists are struggling to find newsrooms worthy of what they can do. Or, very likely, both!

I’m inclined to believe in the “both” possibility, but also to steer away from self-congratulation. No matter how you look at it, the bigger picture here is anything but pretty. Yes, I believe in the work Himal does, and I know lots of good journalists do too. That said, Himal has a long way to go, and we have our own struggles to survive and grow. Plus we’re tiny – a team of ten people, scrabbling together the resources to add one or two more – while the crisis of the media in Southasia is immense. Adding a couple more editors to the Himal team is a drop in the ocean.

But drops make oceans, and this is the way we start fighting back: a few more jobs, a few more investigations, a few more years doing truly uncompromised, independent journalism. Then a few more, and a few more, and a few more. It’s the same with our supporters: winning a few at a time, but then a few more, and then a few more – and, slowly, the numbers add up to make a difference. Whoever we end up hiring to join the Himal team, as a Himal Patron you have a hand in giving them the opportunity. We wouldn’t be where we are today without you, and we won’t get to where we’re going without you either.

I’ll be back with my next letter to you in April, but until then don’t hesitate to write in (just hit reply): to ask questions, share suggestions, or just to say hi. To everyone celebrating: Eid Mubarak!

All best
Roman

Southasia Mixtape