Imagine a newspaper without an editorial.
Well, you don’t have to imagine much because the Kolkata and Lucknow editions of The Times Of India have stopped their Edit Page. Instead what they have done is to give some not-so-useful articles in those pages saying that this will act as a substitute for the editorial. Unique Journalism, eh?
Don’t get surprized as it is in the blood of Toi to do hilarious and pitiable things. They had started, long back, some coupon system for ads. If you collect so many coupon, they will give you some discount on the ads. It may sound quite useful. But, actually, it is stagnating the advertising market as the advertisers won’t go to other newspapers and those newspapers will have to close shop. You call this business ethics. Don’t think that I’m exaggerating. This kind of a thing has already happened.
You open the TOI and what you will find are nude models, celebrity pictures, what the social icons have been doing of late; in short, anything but news. Many people are of the opinion that The Times of India is little less than a supermarket tabloid.
But, in spite of this, TOI is the largest selling newspaper in the worl. Reason, it’s sleazy. The young boys and girls find what they want in the newspaper. Another thing. Being branded as the Market Leader does not, in any way mean that TOI is the quality leader.
If you want a quality newspaper go for the following:
1. The Statesman
2. The Hindu
3. The Tribune
4. The Daily Pioneer
5. The Deccan Herald
6. The Indian Express
These names are not in order. Just that I’ve tried to cover all regions.
Ten yrs. ago, I’d have included The Hindustan Times in the list. But, today HT is just following the footsteps of TOI little realizing what it is doing.
I now leave your choice to your good sense. May you read the best.