“Cartoons add special value to newspapers. That is why, despite advances in photography and animation technologies, cartoons still command their own place in newspapers,’’ M.A. Ponnappa, chairman, Karnataka Media Academy, said in Bidar on Monday. He was speaking at a media dialogue about “Cartoons in newspapers as a form of expression,” organised by the academy, the Information Department and the Karnataka Union of Working Journalists at the Rang Mandir.
“Cartoons have ever-lasting impact on the minds of readers. They are such effective communicators that in a few lines, they describe the most important event of the day. However, cartoonists are yet to get their due,” he said. He gave examples of how some cartoons praised in one society are misunderstood or even rubbished in others. He asked professionals working in all sections of the newspaper to work together on a story, taking along the cartoonist.
S.V. Padmanabha, senior news cartoonist and president of Karnataka Cartoonists Association, spoke of his experiences in several newspapers. “`For me, cartoon is poetry in lines. It packs great meaning in a few lines,” he said.
An ideal cartoon should conceal more than it reveals and it should give new meanings every time someone looks at it, he said. He asked youngsters to aspire to be cartoonists as there are several new avenues of appointment nowadays, apart from newspapers. “Now there are news websites, web magazines, corporate company portals and online educational tools. All these use cartoons,” he said.
Sudhir Kumar Reddy, Superintendent of Police, felt cartoonists were creative people with exceptional courage. They comment on politics, corruption and other sensitive issues and twist it to give it a witty look. That calls for integrity and bravery, he said. He expressed concern that cartoons were not getting the space they were getting in earlier times. We as readers, should demand them back and ask the editors to restore the space they deserve, he said.
S. Shankarappa, secretary of the academy, said the workshops and seminars organised on varied subjects in many districts had received positive response. In several places, they threw up suggestions for leaders to follow up, he said.
Anurag Tewari, Deputy Commissioner, inaugurated the event by drawing a flag on a drawing sheet. Mr. Padmanabha completed the picture and drew a caricature of a journalist carrying the national flag.
Malappa Adasare, academy member, congratulated Quaza Alioddin (Ali Baba) and Babu Wali (Ningappa) for being selected for the Media cademy award for 2015. Senior journalists Shivasharanappa Wali, Gandharva Sena, Mallikarjun Biradar and others spoke.
