In today’s Digital Age, I have stopped reading
newspaper but do not forget to track the news via Internet or regular updates
on my Smartphone. But that hasn’t stopped us from ordering newspaper especially
when the bill only goes to $ 2 – 4 a month. The front page of the newspaper
tells us the pulse of the nation, what thrills the people or what are the
issues the nation is grappling with or what are the achievement of the country.
Even on the run hooked on to Internet via laptops,
tablets, phones still front page of the newspaper catches our fancy.
What do we see on front page everyday in India? A move,
a movement, a philosophy, an ideology that every Indian must possess a
smartphone in a country where 40% of the population cannot read the newspaper,
where 60% of the population cannot afford the newspaper, where 65% is living with
the minimum living standard of $ 2 – 4 everyday.
I really miss the scam stories or aura surrounding
around or the deep mystery which is ready to be unfolded by the same person who
has created and designed mysterious paths of scams. Like latest IPL scam or crime
or whatever is missing on front page of newspapers. The interesting or buffoon
remarks by our genius politicians, whether its BJP, Modi, Mayawati, Mulayam
Singh, Lalu Yadav everything has vanished from the front page.
Instead what we see is four global goliaths fighting
to outdo themselves not each other. Samsung, Nokia, iPhone and now Blackberry
has also joined the race. Another piece on their strategy will be coming up
later.
But my point of contention here is why are newspapers
acting as advertising agents. Advertising is one thing because of which we are
able to receive our newspapers at Rs. 2, 3, 4 and not like Pakistan where
newspapers don’t have liberty and still cost Rs. 10 – 25.
Newspapers freedom to write defines the Rights
granted by a country to it people. Newspapers help in shaping the thought
process of the public at large. It makes and takes us to unusual places,
unusual people, unusual stories. Instead what they are feeding us is an open
war amongst four leading phone giants or trying to be giants.
Can they help us get to our good old days of real
news and real masala especially on front page.
