How do I read my daily newspaper?
Posted : May 29, 2004 at 6:26 pm [IST]
Over the years, the newspapers have changed totally in weight (about 30 pages and some time up to 50 pages), in contents as well as in layout. The size is now also standardized to global standard. Further, with competition they are more colouful too. As the best part, it is available just for Rs.1.50. For a whole month, I pay only Rs.54 that is just slightly more than one US dollar. I do not think a newspaper will be so cheap anywhere in the world. The executive editors claim to have regular dialogue with cross section of their readers. Perhaps the contents are evolving to suit the consumers’ requirements. I came know of page 3 that is about the celebrities of the city. As I was told, one can pay and get any thing published in newspaper today. So I can not change them single-handedly. There will be no effect of my writing to them giving my problems and my suggestions. My letter will get into waste paper basket and e-mail will get deleted. Instead, I decided myself to find a way out to face the menace of the newspaper that I want to read every day without fail. On any day if the newspaper is not there, because of the mistake of my newspaper vendor or because of a national holiday, I feel really miserable
I am a person of limited interests. But there may be some who may get benefited from my experiences, if he is also aggrieved about the weight he is to handle daily. The newspaper comes with number of additional supplements almost for five days a week along with a permanent metro section every day. On week ends, many more additional supplements, such as classified advertisements, matrimonial, a magazine section, etc. are there. Local marketing attachments are further inserted by the delivery boy.
How I deal with the newspaper? I glance through the front page that sometimes gives briefs about some major features covered inside. I remove and throw the sports pages (4 pages gone), as I hardly understand anything of that. I was never a sports enthusiast. However, sometimes I look at the score details of some cricket match. Thereafter, I take a minute for looking at city supplement, particularly so to see special TV programmes of the day and then throw it away (4-6pages gone). I do not have any interest in education supplement appearing generally on Mondays and Job opportunity on Tuesday. But I glance through once to know the types of new courses and jobs the younger generation is getting into. I throw the supplements away in less than a minute. I tear of the pages that are totally covered with ads. In next 3-4 minutes I complete most of the news features, as I go through only the headlines. What is there in details of murders, rapes, and kidnappings once the men behind them are the rulers of the land? I take some time in business page, as there are some times some news of the business professionals that provides a ‘feel good’ experience. I then come to editorial page that I generally keep for a serious reading in afternoon after my after lunch siesta. Is it the not right approach for a retired person? I would have loved, if the contents were really good providing some good reading material for an hour or so. But what can I do, if it is not there?
- Indra
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