[Reader-list] WSJ on the Indian media - "Want Press Coverage? Give Me Some Money"

Mon May 11 18:58:18 IST 2009

Dear Anupam

What you are talking about is 2008. We are in 2009 and Newsprint Prices are now around the same level as Oct 2007 which the report forwarded by you refers to as the low base. So current Newsprint prices cannot be an excuse for laying-off employees.

That aside, For-Profit corporates do often lay-off employees for one reason or the other in the name of protecting the bottom-line of their Balance Sheet. This is not particular to the Newspaper industry. 

That is unfortunately how Businesses are run. That is unfortunately how Businesses are allowed to run.

Do I agree with that? NO

Do I think that in 'bad' times, every employee should take a cut based on a Zero-Zero Balance Sheet instead of laying-off employees and simultaneously seeking to make Profits? YES

Do I think there should be some kind of Employment Insurance to come to aid of employees (and pay them some reasonable percentage of their usual remuneration for upto 6 or 12 months) when they might be made redundant in 'bad' times? YES

But that is another topic.

Kshmendra

--- On Mon, 5/11/09, anupam chakravartty <c.anupam at gmail.com> wrote:

From: anupam chakravartty <c.anupam at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [Reader-list] WSJ on the Indian media - "Want Press Coverage? Give Me Some Money"
To: "sarai list" <reader-list at sarai.net>
Date: Monday, May 11, 2009, 5:37 PM

Dear Kshmendra,

The reason why Times and many other newspapers are chucking people from
their offices because of the high price of the newsprint, its not because
the newspapers are not getting ads. the price of the newsprint went up by
60% in the quarter.

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/msid-2957529,prtpage-1.cms

-anupam

On 5/11/09, Kshmendra Kaul <kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com> wrote:
>
>   Dear Anupam
>
> I was saddened by your comment "i think i know your precise intention
in
> attacking whatever i have been writing and trying to cite a
contradiction,".
> Just stating it, will not argue over it. You are entitled to your
subjective
> presumptions.
>
> It would be irrational and unreasonable for Newspaper Corporates that
> function on a 'For-Profit' basis to receive 'subsidized
Newsprint' from the
> 'State'.
>
> Newsprint is freely available in the market. Domestic production
> (reportedly) caters to roughly 50% of the demand. Imports are on
> unrestricted OGL. As happens with most other products where there is split
> supply from Domestics and Imports meeting the demand, the Prices would
vary
> in the Market at different times but will try to maintain equivalence
> between Domestics and Imports.
>
> Yes this would mean that Newspapers have to pro-actively manage both costs
> and revenues since Newsprint accounts for (reportedly) 50% of the costs.
But
> that is an essential part of any 'For-Profit Business'.
>
> Your information about domestic producers of Newsprint (essential
> suppliers) are all under control of GOI does not appear to be correct.
Even
> if it were, nothing stops the user from buying from elsewhere (Imports).
But
> if the expectation is one one of "State subsidized supply" that
is a
> ridiculous expectation from any 'For-Profit Newspaper'
>
> You say that "todays news paper are mostly earning their revenue from
the
> state corporations" That could well be an element of the Revenue
Model. But,
> is there anything of significance that suggests that the "State"
is through
> that exercising any undue control on the Newspapers (at least on the
'major'
> newspapers)?
>
> On the contrary, there has been much reporting of how some Newspapers have
> succumbed to pressures from Non-Govt enterprises who provide Ad-Revenue
and
> have as per demand censored out or promoted news. TOI (as an example)
having
> gained notoriety just some time back.
>
> In fact, the "State" seems to have been quite supportive in
recent
> times towards the financial constraints faced by Newspapers.
>
> In Feb 2009 'newsprint, glazed newsprint and light weight newsprint
used
> for printing magazines' was exempted from customs duty. It was in any
case
> low at 3% for Newsprint and 5% for 'magazine Newsprint'
>
> It has been reported that simultaneously 'ad rates paid by various
> government agencies, through the department of advertising and visual
> publicity' (DAVP) were raised by 30%.
>
> On the issue of who produces Newsprint in India, this extract from an
> Industry source (perhaps 2005 figures) might be of interest since it
> contradicts the idea that the "State" is the primary source:
>
> """"" Manufacturing capacity for the Indian
newsprint industry is spread
> across six mills (with a cumulative) production capacity 418,000 tonnes).
In
> the public sector and around 30 mills (with an aggregate capacity of
315,000
> tonnes) in the private sector"""""'
>
> Honestly, I have failed to understand on what basis you made the statement
> "free press is marginalised by the state and its functionaries"
>
> Kshmendra
>
>
> --- On *Sun, 5/10/09, anupam chakravartty <c.anupam at gmail.com>*
wrote:
>
>
> From: anupam chakravartty <c.anupam at gmail.com>
> Subject: Re: [Reader-list] WSJ on the Indian media - "Want Press
Coverage?
> Give Me Some Money"
> To: "sarai list" <reader-list at sarai.net>
> Date: Sunday, May 10, 2009, 8:03 PM
>
> Dear Kshmendra,
>
> It is only Times of india and Hindu which can afford to import newsprint
for
> all the editions of newspaper. there are three factories which essentially
> supply newsprint, Nepanagar, Jagiroad, and im not sure about the third.
all
> these newsprint industries are under GoI and the production is accordingly
> controlled.
> However, i maintain that there are other forms of media for example
internet
> where media can remain independent and fair. but due to the limited reach
> this medium has not proved to be success especially in the rural areas.
>
> you are not wrongly pointing out anything but i think i know your precise
> intention in attacking whatever i have been writing and trying to cite a
> contradiction, which surprisingly is a learning for me as well. so you are
> not wrong in any case. the onus remains on the newspaper and kind of
profits
> it can make to keep itself out of the state control. moreover, with the
news
> of recession and other such things, todays news paper are mostly earning
> their revenue from the state corporations
>
> thanks anupam
>
>
> On 5/10/09, Kshmendra Kaul <kshmendra2005 at yahoo.com> wrote:
> >
> >    Dear Anupam
> >
> > You wrote "free press is marginalised by the state and its
> functionaries.",
> > seemingly linking it up with "newspapers essentially buy
newsprint
> from
> > state."
> >
> > Isnt Newsprint in India freely available, freely importable? Where
does
> the
> > "State" come in other than in specifying Import Duties
(which
> are not
> > exploitative) and local taxation?
> >
> > Yes there was a time when there was next to none Newsprint production
in
> > India and it's Import was controlled by the "State Trading
> Corpn."
> > (STC), the "State" thereby exercising pressures through
rationed
> allocations
> > of Newsprint.
> >
> > That is not the situation now. Is it?
> >
> > If I am not mistaken, Newsprint continues to be made available by the
> > "State" at SUBSIDISED rates for specific purposes and in
limited
> quantities
> > allocated to specific users. But it is the "User's"
choice
> to source such
> > Newsprint from the "State". It is not forced upon anyone.
> >
> > There is no compulsion on Newspapers to buy Newsprint from the
> "State".
> >
> > Please correct me if my understanding(s) are wrong because I found
your
> > statement strange and (to the extent of the knowledge I have)
conveying an
> > incorrect impression of there being State Control or State Pressure
on
> > Newspapers through control on Newsprint.
> >
> > Kshmendra
> >
> >
> > --- On *Fri, 5/8/09, anupam chakravartty <c.anupam at gmail.com>*
> wrote:
> >
> >
> > From: anupam chakravartty <c.anupam at gmail.com>
> > Subject: Re: [Reader-list] WSJ on the Indian media - "Want Press
> Coverage?
> > Give Me Some Money"
> > To: "sarai list" <reader-list at sarai.net>
> > Date: Friday, May 8, 2009, 12:30 PM
> >
> > certain other truths about newspapers:
> >
> > newspapers essentially buy newsprint from state.
> >
> > one newspaper costs Rs 15, while its sold for Rs 3-4 to the reader.
> >
> > free press is marginalised by the state and its functionaries.
> >
> > a reporter essentially fears a rejoinder.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > On 5/8/09, sukanya ghosh <skinnyghosh at gmail.com> wrote:
> > >
> > > Sad but true. It's no surprise to learn of coverage
> > 'bartering' for
> > > politicians. Seems to me a logical enough step considering that
most
> > > other news coverage can consist of bought spaces. The
entertainment
> > > pages (which unfortunately bleed their way insidiously into most
> other
> > > pages) are established norms for this. It seems to me that a
> 'free
> > > press' in our country exists in a very marginal way. Someone
I
> met
> > once
> > > who worked for a leading English language daily told me very
> pompously
> > > that 'they' (read 'educated journalist'), had
nothing
> to
> > do with and
> > > were not to be associated with what the rest of the paper was
saying.
> > > Their reach consisted of being confined to the editorial pages
of
> which
> > > they were supremely proud of. Never mind that the paper has
various
> > > other pages of 'news', many supplements and an
incredibly bad
> > Sunday
> > > magazine. Are we to be thankful that we have a page of actual
reading
> > > material (some of it occasionally good) and assume the rest is
all
> > > trash? Another leading daily in another city (also English) has
in
> place
> > > various marketing bundles which allow you to 'purchase'
news
> > coverage.
> > > And these are not covert or shadowy backroom deals  - it's
all
> very
> > out
> > > there for the right buyers. We see newspapers, news channels
owned by
> > > particular organisations who seem to spend a lot of their time
> exhorting
> > > the virtues of events / news pertaining to those organisations.
And
> my
> > > pet grouse, all this while the arts sections keep shrinking in
size
> day
> > > by day. Where trying to get coverage for an event / exhibition /
book
> > > (no matter how significant) can lead to nail biting finish,
wondering
> if
> > > the reporter (who has been given detailed press releases) will
at
> least
> > > get the name right.
> > >
> > > The irony being of course that there is no dearth of news of the
> > > sensational variety if one were to attempt to report just facts
in
> the
> > > case of Indian politics. But that would mean effort and
interest. And
> > > that surely is lacking in our press coverages.
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Rana Dasgupta wrote:
> > > > Want Press Coverage? Give Me Some Money
> > > >
> > > > By PAUL BECKETT
> > > >
> > > > Ajay Goyal is a serious, independent candidate contesting
for a
> Lok
> > > > Sabha seat in Chandigarh.
> > > > Never heard of him? Neither, probably, have a lot of people
in
> > > > Chandigarh because when it came to getting press coverage
for
> his
> > > > campaign he was faced with a simple message: If you want
press,
> you
> > have
> > > > to pay.
> > > >
> > > > So far, he says, he's been approached by about 10
people –
> some
> > brokers
> > > > and public relations managers acting on behalf of newspaper
> owners,
> > some
> > > > reporters and editors – with the message that he'll
only
> get
> > written
> > > > about in the news pages for a fee. We're not talking
> advertising;
> > we're
> > > > talking news.
> > > >
> > > > One broker offered three weeks of coverage in four
newspapers
> for 10
> > > > lakh rupees ($20,000). A reporter and a photographer from a
> > Chandigarh
> > > > newspaper told him that for 1.5 lakh rupees ($3,000) for
them
> and a
> > > > further 3 lakh rupees ($6,000) for other reporters, they
could
> > guarantee
> > > > coverage in up to five newspapers for two weeks.
> > > >
> > > > "We would do good coverage for you," he says they
told
> him.
> > All of those
> > > > who approached him either were from national Hindi language
> papers or
> > > > regional papers, Mr. Goyal says.
> > > >
> > > > “You want a front page photo for free? This is something
> people pay
> > for.”
> > > >
> > > > In one case, he went along to see what would happen: a
press
> release
> > he
> > > > submitted full of falsehoods – claiming he had campaigned
in
> places
> > he
> > > > had never been, for instance – ran verbatim. One thing he
has
> never
> > seen
> > > > on his real campaign: a reporter there to cover the story.
> > > >
> > > > "It's disappointing," Mr. Goyal says.
"What
> good
> > is literacy and
> > > > education if people have no access to real news,
investigation,
> > > > skepticism or a questioning reporter."
> > > >
> > > > At the nexus of corruption in India, the nation's
newspapers
> > usually
> > > > play either vigilante cop exposing wrongdoing in the public
> interest
> > (on
> > > > a good day, at a few publications) or spineless patsy
killing
> stories
> > on
> > > > the orders of powerful advertisers. Many papers also engage
in
> > practices
> > > > that cross the ethical line between advertising and
editorial in
> a
> > way
> > > > that is opaque, if not downright obscure, to readers.
> > > >
> > > > But it is of another order of magnitude to see reporters,
> editors and
> > > > newspaper owners holding the democratic process to ransom.
A
> free (in
> > > > every sense) press is an integral part of a vibrant
democracy. A
> > corrupt
> > > > press is both symptom and perpetrator of a rotten
democracy.
> > > >
> > > > "I'm not saying all media is biased but there is a
> growing
> > sense in
> > > > people's minds that a lot of the media is biased,"
says
> Anil
> > Bairwal,
> > > > national coordinator of National Election Watch. "Some
do
> it in
> > a
> > > > sublime manner and some do it openly."
> > > >
> > > > So why are we surprised when the voter turnout is so low,
> despite the
> > > > much-touted surge of political awareness among the young
and
> > > > post-Mumbai? It's all part and parcel of the public
disgust
> with
> > the
> > > > political system and the pillars of the Establishment that
> support
> > that
> > > > system as well. For every newly-minted reform-minded,
> politically
> > aware
> > > > voter, there are probably hundreds of jaded citizens who
just
> decide
> > the
> > > > heck with it.
> > > >
> > > > How widespread is the practice of pay per say?
> > > >
> > > > The best-known English-language dailies typically don't
do
> it so
> > > > blatantly, candidates and others involved in the elections
say.
> > Rather,
> > > > those papers are more likely to hue closely to one major
party
> or the
> > > > other, making it tough for candidates who don't fit the
> > papers' view of
> > > > the world to be heard. But in the Hindi, Urdu and Gujarati
> media, to
> > > > name a few, the practice is widespread, candidates say.
> > > >
> > > > N. Gopalaswami, retired Chief Election Commissioner, says
in an
> > > > interview, "This is not something that can be ignored.
It
> is not
> > just a
> > > > few apparent cases, it is much more than that."
> > > >
> > > > He has heard of newspapers proferring a rate card - one
price
> for
> > > > positive coverage, another for not negative coverage. The
> commission
> > > > heard complaints in both 2007 and 2008 about candidates
being
> charged
> > > > for coverage. Among them, the national Communist parties
who
> > don't have
> > > > the deep coffers to spend on campaigns.
> > > >
> > > > In Mumbai, a city appropriately geared to commerce,
politicians
> are
> > > > faced with multiple payment options. Consider these phrases
from
> > > > newspaper editors and brokers, which I culled from
campaigners:
> > > >
> > > > "You want a front page photo for free? This is
something
> people
> > pay for."
> > > >
> > > > "If you want a picture in there or if you want a
story, we
> have
> > to be
> > > paid."
> > > >
> > > > "We're going to publish the interview, but you
need to
> buy
> > 5,000 copies
> > > > of our paper."
> > > >
> > > > "1.2 lakhs ($2,400) for the next two weeks and I will
take
> care
> > of all
> > > > that coverage."
> > > >
> > > > —Paul Beckett is the WSJ's bureau chief in New Delhi
> > > > _________________________________________
> > > > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city.
> > > > Critiques & Collaborations
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> > > > To
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> > >
> > > --
> > > sukanya ghosh / +91 9831306925
> > >
> > > _________________________________________
> > > reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city.
> > > Critiques & Collaborations
> > > To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net
with
> > > subscribe in the subject header.
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> > _________________________________________
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> > Critiques & Collaborations
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> >
> >
> >
> _________________________________________
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> Critiques & Collaborations
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