Print is not dying yet...Long live print

published in Best Media Info 

https://bestmediainfo.com/2021/06/alternative-view-print-is-not-going-anywhere-yet/

Alternative view: Print is not going anywhere yet

Contrary to what some people may like to believe, the print media still holds relevance among the masses as a source of credible information and it is in the interest of us all for the industry to stay afloat

My day starts with reading the newspaper. Yes I am old school, maybe because I started my career with a daily newspaper. Whenever I see headlines that suggest ‘Is print going to die?’ it really pains me. 

The newspaper still holds relevance among the common people as there is a different trust factor. They still believe if something is in print, it is authentic; it can’t be fake — unlike on social media, which still lacks that trust factor.

There is a reason behind this. Newspapers don’t have to run after daily TRPs, they are not in the daily competition to be the first ones to announce any breaking news at breakneck speed. They get enough time to cross-check facts. I can say this as I have seen for years how things are on the ground. Editors have to be extra careful, because once it’s gone for print, it’s gone; it can’t change. A mistake ends with an apology the next day. On very rare occasions, emergency calls are made and changes are done at the press on the last few copies left to be printed.

https://bestmediainfo.com/2021/06/alternative-view-print-is-not-going-anywhere-yet/

In 2020, when Covid started spreading, it took a toll on the circulation of newspapers as people had initial doubts about newspapers being possible carriers of the virus. But thankfully, PDFs of English and regional language newspapers were circulated at that time. There was so much of fake news doing rounds on social media that people just wanted to be sure about the real truth and were looking for an authentic source. In those crucial hours, those newspapers PDFs gave a sense of relief.

After the lockdowns were over, newspapers were slowly back on track— even during the second wave — as people were no more scared to hold their favourite newspaper with their morning cuppa. The pleasant sound of newspapers dropping at doorsteps every morning was back again.

Magazines are also a pillar of the print media. I know many Bengali women who wait for Durga Puja special annual issues from Anandabazar Patrika and other media houses. Similarly Nobo Kollol, Desh, Anandolok have a huge readership. Malayala Manorama magazine in Kerala has an unbeatable fan base. A lot of other women-centric magazines such as Femina, Elle, Sakhi, Sananda are very popular among women and widely circulated, and revenue-earners too. These magazines create a different world for women, especially for homemakers, away from their mundane routine.

English magazines too have their own popularity. I remember during my initial days as a journalist, I used to buy two national magazines, alternately, to learn the art of feature writing. When I got the opportunity to work with a Northeast-focused magazine, I realised it was quite popular in metros such as Delhi and Mumbai too when I attended press meets and events. Magazines such as India Today, Outlook, The Week and Frontline are big names in the urban areas. Fresh names have been added over the years.

The masses are still in love with newspapers. Once when my car was sent for servicing, I took an auto-rickshaw to pick my son from school. The auto stand is just outside our campus gate. I saw most of the auto drivers reading newspapers while waiting for their turn for passengers. On the way to school, my auto driver told me how by reading newspapers he gets to know what is happening everywhere —it helps to kill time too. He leaves no page unread.

When we have to travel, we book a taxi from a nearby travel agency. There is one particular driver who is quite interesting. When he comes to pick us, we are happy because he talks so much that we don’t have to worry about our one-and-half-hour journey to the airport. Once I went to Mumbai alone, we asked him to drop and pick me from the airport. When I returned, we were stuck in jam and it took me nearly three hours to reach home. But I was not bored, all thanks to him. He spoke to me on a variety of topics, and he spoke logic. He had an opinion of his own. When I asked him about his education, he said he didn’t get the opportunity to study much, but he reads newspapers a lot. I asked him why newspaper when nowadays one gets everything on the phone, he answered the newspaper has a different charm. He said it’s easy on the eyes too. Reading something for long on the mobile causes burning and itching in the eyes.

In fact if we check facts and figures, we will find that newspapers still have huge circulation. The more if we go into the rural belts, regional newspaper circulation is hard to beat. The purpose of newspapers is not just to circulate news but to earn revenue too. If circulation is robust, then they will automatically get ads. In such a scenario, why would media houses down their shutters?

Newspaper is mass media and is definitely still attracting the masses and leaders alike. Even today during Parliament and Assembly discussions, members wave copies of newspapers to prove their point and not mobile phones. So the newspaper is not going anywhere soon. It’s here to stay, and that’s good news for a newspaper reader like me.  

Alternative view: Print is not going anywhere yet

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Think Positive: Make A Difference in Life 

Kakoli Thakur

Think Positive: Make a difference in life 

How Covid changed the life of an ‘Aam Aadmi’

 https://bestmediainfo.com/2021/05/how-covid-changed-the-life-of-an-aam-admi/

Published in BestMediaInfo

How Covid changed the life of an ‘Aam Aadmi’

After a tough 2020 and hoping for a better 2021, we are all back to square one – the ravaging coronavirus in a stronger and deadlier avatar, the same old lockdowns, work for and from home, fear, uncertainty and again hoping that this too shall pass

Life has taken a 360-degree turn ever since Covid struck us. Now, everything revolves around the virus — yet again. Till Covid entered our lives, our mantra was to be positive always. But now ‘positive’ is the most dreaded word.

The moment we open our eyes in the morning, the first thing we do is check our society WhatsApp group to see if there is any new case. Ever since the cases have been surging recklessly all over, a sense of fear has dawned — at least in our campus — and people do not go out unnecessarily — the only bright thing in an otherwise gloomy atmosphere.

Until Holi, the atmosphere was like — where is Covid? And people celebrated the festival of colours as if there is no tomorrow. And now the virus is doing tandav all over — and in multiple and stronger strains. Some people partied too early and celebrated victory over Covid, and just because of those foolish few, we all are suffering, locked inside our homes once again.

Just two weeks before Holi, we went home 2,000 kms away from Delhi. Things were much better then. There was a semblance of normalcy. We just needed to be patient. Had people waited another year to celebrate their favourite festival, maybe things wouldn’t have turned so bad.

We just can’t blame Holi. Just look at the gatherings at election rallies; as if Covid had bid adieu. But we are not allowed to speak or write on that. In a digital India, election campaigning could have been easily done virtually as the internet has reached Bharat (rural India) too. Or even better had the local and state elections been postponed by at least a year.Some leaders even claimed that cases in their states were going down, making a fool of themselves and even the aam janata, who otherwise seem to know everything.

Religious gatherings made things worse. Don’t understand why we Indians become blind when it comes to religion. If we believe God is everywhere, why can’t we pray inside our four walls till things get back to normal?

Another topic of discussion has come into our lives: whether to take the vaccine jab or not, and if yes, which one to take — Covishield or Covaxin or wait for Sputnik? And ever since the government has announced that every adult is eligible to take the vaccine, the enthusiasm has only increased. As if we will all get our boondh of amrit. But folks, don’t forget you will still have to follow Covid-appropriate behaviour even after taking the vaccine. Else, even if you might be shielded a bit, you will be the carrier and infect people around who are yet to get be vaccinated.

A new trend that is emerging on social media is a selfie after taking the jab with the hasthag #vaccinated. Nice to see that people are taking it seriously. But in a hugely populated country like ours, it will take time and patience to vaccinate one and all. We tried twice but the crowd was scary. There have been instances of people getting infected at the vaccine centre itself, and we didn’t want to be among them. And seeing very old people standing in long queues, we felt that we can wait as they need it more than us.

Now that a lockdown is being imposed phase-wise all over India again, an atmosphere of panic is gradually sinking in. There are queues in grocery shops to buy essentials and stock up, lest we die of hunger. If there is less space in the kitchen, then our living room has become a mini-grocery shop with all sorts of food items stocked. The unwritten rule is leave the things as it is for the first 12 hours, then sanitise each and everything in case the virus dares to stay even after so many hours in May’s scorching heat.

Our hunger pangs have also increased in the lockdown, and we tend to have too many meals throughout the day — breakfast, brunch, lunch, early evening snack, mid-evening snack, dinner, midnight snack and more the better.

Having helpers at home was a normal thing during pre-Covid days but now we have to manage everything on our own, including brushing our cooking skills like last year. Good for us, at least some exercise after all the overeating we do throughout the day. But don’t forget to help the helpers who are dependent on us. We can all become mini-chefs and try our hands in our retirement days if the virus lets us live.

Fake forwards are doing the rounds all over social media yet again. Every second person starts giving advice on how to boost immunity, what to do and what not to do. And we the obedient people are tempted to follow them too often. Ayurveda is ruling again as home remedies to boost immunity are flying thick and fast — garlic, lemon, amla (Indian gooseberry), turmeric, ginger, chyawanprash and what not. At least in our home, we take them all as a regular ritual depending on availability.

Mask is another debatable point. Initially it was advised that only medical professionals need to wear masks. Then it became essential for all to wear masks. And now it’s safe only if we wear a double mask. The best part is we don’t have to apply make-up as the mask comes to our rescue. For some it has also become a fashion statement but don’t forget the safety factor.

Now it seems no family will be left untouched by Covid. Recently, my brother-in-law tested positive in Guwahati. A doctor friend of ours arranged a bed in a hospital. As we could not go, my mother-in-law called 108 for ambulance but it was not available, so she tried for private ones and they demanded Rs 5,000 to drop him to hospital and Rs 5,000 for PPE kit. This is just a single instance; there is black marketing all over in the whole health structure till the cremation ground.  Guess in these uncertain times, some people are forgetting there is a law of karma. Karma is smiling, saying “As you sow, so shall you reap”. 

But everything is not that bad as there are lot of good Samaritans all over serving people selflessly.

Fortunately my brother-in-law had mild symptoms and he remained in home isolation. By God’s grace, he is fit and fine now. Yes God’s grace is the only silver lining in the cloud in these uncertain times.

Even if it’s a conspiracy as many articles doing rounds say, till there is a supreme power above us, we should not lose hope and just keep our fingers crossed and pray that things will be back to normal like before — and not the new normal we are going through.

 

How Covid changed the life of an ‘Aam Aadmi’

A different kind of Durga Puja in 2020, all thanks to Corona

Published in Best Media Info

A different kind of Durga Puja in 2020, all thanks to Corona

The pandemic has forced most of us to remain indoors and limit the festivities, but no virus has the ability to dampen a Bengali’s Durga Puja spirit. So what if there are a few pandals? A Bengali can celebrate Durga Puja from anywhere —  even from homes!

  https://bestmediainfo.com/2020/10/a-different-kind-of-durga-puja-in-2020-all-thanks-to-corona/

Kakoli Thakur | Delhi | October 22, 2020

Durga Puja is an emotion for a Bengali which only a Bengali can understand. But this year, an invisible virus has entered our lives, forcing us to adjust to a new way of life — ‘the new normal’ of maintaining social distance and wearing masks.

So what are we missing out this year?

To start with, puja shopping starts a month ago or even more for some. This time as it was not safe to visit crowded markets, most of the shopping was done online; at least the sensible ones did so. So we already missed the craze of puja crowds in markets, trying out dozens of clothes in trial rooms. Though some disturbing pictures are doing the rounds where people are seen crowding markets for last-minute puja shopping even amid the corona threat.

Before puja days, we all ask each other “kota holo”, (how many dresses this year?) and fashion is one of the main topics of discussion. This year we can’t do that in our puja pandal but we can always video call our friends and relatives and show off our new dresses.

We will miss eating bhog, especially khichuri-labra in community pandals. Yes we can make it at home but we will miss for sure that taste and the wonderful community feeling.

The late risers will miss the Ashtami puspanjali as in most pandals, only limited people will be allowed, so first-come, first-served basis will apply mostly. So the late comers, this year you don’t have the chance to request the purohit (again and again) to do another round of puspanjali!

Witnessing and experiencing puja rituals sitting in front of Ma Durga give us goose bumps. This year, most pandals will live stream those moments. So at least something is better than nothing, the perks of having internet.

Puja evenings mean eating out and having all kinds of food — rolls, biryani, chop, cutlet and what not. This year, there are no food stalls in pandals. But you can always put on your chef’s hat and fulfil those food cravings.

Cultural programmes are a major attraction during puja, staying at the pandal till the wee hours and indulging in a lot of adda (chit-chat). This year due to restrictions, we have to behave like early birds. But nobody can stop us from playing antakshri at home and dance to the dhak beats, chanting “Durga Mai Ki Jai”.

Pandal hopping will take a backseat as it’s no use traveling the whole city to each and every pandal as most won’t allow any sort of crowds. But at night, you can try to visit one or two nearby pandals and have Ma’s darshan.

Wearing mask is compulsory, so a no make-up look will also do. Especially, lipstick would be of no use. So ladies, don’t dig a hole in your pocket on make-up. But I am sure as it is Puja time, most of you will put full make-up, even below the mask.

Kola kuli (hugging each other) on Dashami gives us a warm feeling after bidding an emotional adieu to Ma Durga. This year we have to say Shubho Bijoya only with a nomoskar. But we will definitely say “Ashche bochor abar hobe” (Ma Durga will visit us next year as well), with the hope that everything will be back to normal in the next Puja and we Bengalies will again go crazy, asking “Pujor koto din baki re” (How many days left for Puja) — months before the actual date.

 

A different kind of Durga Puja in 2020, all thanks to Corona

 

 

Commentary: Do consumers really care about brands when bare essential is top priority?

https://bestmediainfo.com/2020/04/commentary-do-consumers-really-care-about-brands-when-bare-essential-is-top-priority/

Commentary: Do consumers really care about brands when bare essential is top priority? 

As consumers scramble to get their supply of daily essentials, it remains to be seen if they look for their preferred brands or just manage with whatever they can lay their hands on

Kakoli Thakur | April 13, 2020

In this hour of a global health crisis, when the Covid-19 threat has spread to every corner of the world, it is interesting to observe how relevant brands are to a consumer whose primary concern is now getting hold of his supply of daily essentials.

As mandated by the government, though grocery shops and pharmacies are open during the 21-day lockdown—which many states have extended till April 30—essential items are vanishing off the shelves either due to the non-availability or panic buying. The result: scarcity of items of daily use, forget your favourite brand.

Sample this. Suppose a consumer prefers Dettol hand wash over any other brand. But what happens when he goes to a nearby shop to get one and the shopkeeper informs him that only Savlon and some other brand is available. What will the consumer do? He will obviously buy whatever is available instead of thinking about his preference, knowing the importance of hand wash to keep the coronavirus at bay.

Again, there has been a lot of debate regarding the use of hand sanitiser in the absence of soap and water. Awareness ads and videos in different mediums say only sanitiser with at least 60% alcohol content should be used. Knowing the urgency, people are even hoarding sanitisers at home as they are not sure how long the lockdown will last. As such, branded ones are flying off shelves and people are buying whatever they are getting their hands on — even local products offered by fly-by-night operators. Though it’s specified on the bottles that there is 60% alcohol, what is the guarantee about it?

Some people argue that washing hands with soap and water is enough and also doubt the efficacy of hand sanitisers. Lifebuoy even went to the extent of creating an ad, showing a doctor saying, “Not only Lifebuoy, whatever hand wash or soap or hand sanitiser is handy, wash and clean your hand to save yourself from coronavirus”.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlFhlJ2WHTc

Veterans and old-timers are saying the world has never faced such a crisis ever since World War-II. In fact, during World War II, only countries in war zones were affected but Covid-19 has spared no one and forced a global shutdown. So in this hour, food is the most essential thing anyone would need — branded or non-branded.

If a consumer visits a shop to buy Aashirvaad Atta, for example, and the shopkeeper says only some other brand or a local variant is available, that person will not return empty handed. Because the foremost thought in his mind would be choosing between staying hungry and getting something, at least.

For students staying away from home and bachelors who don’t know how to cook, the anytime favourite is Maggi instant noodles. So at the onset of this crisis, such people, and even families, hoarded Maggi packets — even in cartons. Three weeks into the lockdown, when home stocks have started drying out, people are buying whatever they are getting —it could be either Yippee or some other Maggi lookalike as it’s easy to make for whom cooking is an alien concept. The thought behind this is, obviously, getting an instant snack.

As positive cases increase every hour and people are scared to even step out of home, they are not even thinking of buying anything beyond essential — leave aside anything luxurious. Food takeaways are available but are people really getting what they want?

When a KFC fan called an outlet in a posh Delhi locality in the evening, he was told they were done for the day and nothing was left. So that person had to skip his evening snack that day. This is just an instance.

A lot of brands are delivering essentials at the doorstep — with a waiting time extending up to even days in some cases such as Bigbasket as one NCR resident pointed out — but even they can supply till stocks are available. But what about places where such deliveries are not available? In remote pockets? In unauthorised colonies in big cities? Or even in posh high-rises where delivery boys are not allowed in?

So manufacturing and distribution of essentials is more crucial at this hour at a time when staying safe, and alive, has become the top priority and people are not even thinking about brand preferences. 

Commentary: Do consumers really care about brands when bare essential is top priority?

'The good old days of Doordarshan'

https://bestmediainfo.com/2019/09/the-good-old-days-of-doordarshan/

The good old days of Doordarshan!

A nostalgic look at the days when TV was synonymous with the national broadcaster and when good content ruled the air waves

Kakoli Thakur | Delhi | September 18, 2019

Last Sunday, good old Doordarshan turned 60. When I came across this news, I became nostalgic and went down memory lane. I recalled how important DD was to us back then in the ’80s when there was no DTH or cable or OTT players or Internet. Filled with nostalgia, I could not stop myself from writing this small piece as a tribute and celebrate 60 years of our national channel.

Doordarshan, which began as an experiment on September 15, 1959, and became a service in 1965, turned 60 on September 15, 2019.

Those were the days of no cable and DD was the only channel as a mode of entertainment.

I remember, during the early DD days, we didn’t even have a television and only one or two houses in our neighbourhood had the luxury of buying a TV set. We as children were allowed to visit our neighbours only on weekends to watch our favourite programmes. Before that, television was only part of our social study books.

Gradually, more and more houses started making television a part of their drawing rooms, a thing to show off in those days. But I am only talking about black and white television. Having a colour TV set was a super luxury and only a few could afford it. Samosa and mithai treat was given to neighbours to announce the good news of a TV set — as if a newborn had arrived in the house. That was a time when television united families in their drawing rooms. 

In the initial days, at 5 pm, a striped screen appeared as one would switch on the set and patiently wait for the channel to go live. It was not a 24-hour channel then and broadcast was limited to the evening hours. Slowly, the famous DD tune would play along as the logo rotated from a hazy background and appeared on screen as people cheered and clapped. We often used to hum along the soothing music.

Over time, the broadcast timings got extended to morning and afternoon hours and years later, Doordarshan got a sibling in DD Metro.

Ramanand Sagar’s Ramayan was a craze those days. On Sunday mornings, when the show aired, the roads had a deserted look. People followed it religiously and the elderly people even showed agarbatti and diya to the television when the title song played every Sunday. People wanted to touch the feet of Arun Govil and Deepika Chikhalia, who played Ram and Sita, whenever they were seen in public. 

BR Chopra’s Mahabharat was another popular show those days. We all came to know about the story and characters of the epic better through the show.

The daily evening Samachar was a must watch for all as it was time to get information about city, state, country and the world. The news and anchors both were simple and sober unlike today when noise rules. Those were the days when anchors Salma Sultan, Geetanjali Aiyer, Komal.G.B.Singh, Neethi Ravindran, Rini Simon Khanna, Sarla Maheshwari, Minu and Shammi Narang were household names.

Chitrahaar was another popular programme on DD National, featuring song clips from Bollywood films. It was aired twice a week and I remember we studied extra hours so that we were allowed to have a glimpse of the Bollywood world.

We eagerly waited for Sunday evenings as a movie was aired every week. No one cared if it was an old movie or a recent one; we watched them all. Sometimes electricity played the spoilsport but we as children took that opportunity to play outside and the moment power came back, we shouted in chorus, and sometimes got scolded for that, but those were fun days.  

Other popular shows were Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi, Rajni, Karamchand, Dekh Bhai Dekh, Malgudi Days, Surabhi and the list is endless. Who can forget the first daily soap operas Hum Log and Buniyaad? And Bharat Ek Khoj, the 53-episode Indian historical drama based on the book The Discovery of India (1946) by Jawaharlal Nehru? And, of course, the evergreen Duck Tales, Tom and Jerry and Mowgli!

Programmes such as Krishi Darshan were boring for us as kids but for adults, it was information and we could not even giggle about it.

Today’s ‘the’ Shah Rukh Khan became a household name with the serial Fauji and we as teenagers blushed watching him on television and it was a topic of hot discussion in school.

Then came the turn of the mega dramas such as Shanti and Swabhiman that had real good content, unlike today’s daily soaps that are stretched beyond imagination. 

Today, there is no dearth of 24-hour channels but none can match the charm of DD days and only people of that generation can relate to it.  

The good old days of Doordarshan!