A matter of trust
Hari Jaisingh

With this edition, The Tribune opens a window in Delhi and the National Capital Region. The motivation is simple: to carry forward the tradition of 121 years of value-based and clean journalism in the service of the people.

It has been a long and arduous march for us—from Lahore to Shimla, Ambala and Chandigarh during turbulent years and facing exciting challenges. We not only survived the bloody months of Partition but also geared up our setup and successfully met every problem. This has been possible because our readers accept us as a credible institution.

The Tribune is unique. It has a distinct personality of its own. It is deeply rooted in the tradition and yet is forward looking in pursuit of service, information and scientific temperament. It reflects the hopes and aspirations of hundreds of thousands of its enlightened readers. No wonder, it is an integral part of their way of life as well as thinking. We value this bond and discharge our duty and responsibility as a custodian of the people's trust.

We don't treat the newspaper as a product. For us it is a live medium of communication and social commitment. We follow high standards of independent and fearless journalism. Facts are sacred. Ideas and opinions are free, but they have to pass the test of logic and not be malicious or biased.

It was on February 2, 1881, that the seeds of The Tribune were sown by Sardar Dyal Singh Majithia, a great visionary. The institution has marched ahead because it is run by a Trust which has always had persons of eminence wedded to liberalism and secularism. The Tribune Trust is not influenced by any political or business interest. This has made all the difference in forging an enduring trust with our readers.

We have grown from strength to strength not because of any marketing strategy but because of our credibility in the presentation of news and views. Our sister publications—Punjabi Tribune and Dainik Tribune—are also a major source of strength. We are now exploring new frontiers so that we reach out to a larger segment of the country's population.

More than three years ago, we launched the Internet edition of The Tribune. Going by the response from overseas readers, it is a roaring success. We launched our printing venture at Bathinda last year to serve our readers better.

We are very clear about our goals and commitments. We do not believe in gimmicks. We have neither the means nor resources to engage in market-oriented competition in negativism. Our sole purpose is to provide the readers with objective and credible news backed by a rich fare in views and ideas.

We act as a watchdog of public interests. We believe that democracy flourishes best when the thinking class, that of journalists included, leads the people correctly and puts truth—unbiased truth—before the nation. Democracy is, after all, an edifice founded on values, morality and ethics and it cannot be left to be managed by manipulators and operators.

Our strength is our credibility and our endeavour is to live up to the reputation built over more than a century as a liberal, fair, fearless and independent newspaper.