I respect your views Surinder that living abroad you’d like to know more of India through the only Indian newspaper having a London issue. The cost of Asian Age in London is Rs 35 and the Indians living abroad may not mind buying it for it carries the desh ki mitti (It is human to miss something that is far away from you).
Here’s a nice piece of news for you that might dilute your grievances. Well, Asian Age Delhi costs Rs 5, while The Times Of India and the market leader The Hindustan Times cost Rs 1 each. Now, given the discrepancy, a huge volume of people in the capital are unawares that such a newspaper exists even.
The brasstacks is patronage in one form or the other. The Asian Age has no backing from any industrialists. It is totally dependent upon the advertisements and a few here-and-there sources. And once the money pours in from a source, then a few favours are expected, knowing quite well, that the options are few and far in between. The news gets contaminated.
Still, I feel it is one of the better newspapers. For the pattern is both modern (The picture quality, front page colour headlines etc) and at the same time, the writing quality is extremely good. Check out their sunday magazine and p.age sections. When other papers are giving a step brotherly cold shoulder to literature and classical art, Asian Age is carrying forth the tradition exemplified by The Hindu.
On the flip side, the newsprint used is of shoddy quality. And senior journalists like Seema Mustafa and MJ Akbar try to use it as a cathartic vehicle to release their pent up emotions meted out to them on account of being a Muslim. It is not a healthy trend. This is a kind of appeasement which might backfire. There’s no reason for them to take up the mantle of messiah for they are far from leading the kind of life that Islam actually pronounces. If you can’t practice what you preach then the lies will become transparent sooner or later.
Well, Surinder, you don’t get perfect things anyway, so cherish what you are getting. Trust me it is one of the better growing papers than any other in this country. And it just might improve in the future. Keep the faith!