Nawab Hamidullah Khan's photograph on the front page of Nadeem: Old photograph of Urdu daily's special issue in Bhopal

 

Shams Ur Rehman Alavi

On the left is an old issue of Urdu daily Nadeem, one of the oldest newspapers in the country. 

It was a special issue and the newspaper had carried the photograph of the last ruler of the erstwhile princely state.

It's the photo of a young Nawab Hamidullah Khan on the front page of the special issue. 

It is clear that this is the silver jubilee edition of the newspaper, as it is dated November 20, 1960.

The paper also has an advertisement of Usha and the company's products--sewing machine and fan. 

It's a part of the front page--top part. Nawab Hamidullah Khan was the last ruler of the princely state of Bhopal. The princely state was established in the first quarter of eighteenth century i.e. 1715-1720 AD.

Dost Mohammad Khan was the founder of the dynasty. It was in his reign that the constructions began and over the period, Bhopal became a town and later developed into a city--one of the most well-known cities in the era, due to its unique culture. The princely state patronized authors and poets.

Four women ruled the state, three of them in succession, for over a century. After Sultan Jahan Begum, her son Hamidullah ascended the throne. He was the last Nawab. It was in 1949 that the state formally merged into Indian Union. Nawab Hamidullah Khan had passed away on February 4, 1960. 

Telegraph front page redefines newspapers, anti-establishment journalism in India: Who says print media is dying?

Telegraph, the Calcutta-based English newspaper, has redefined the front pages of newspapers.

Creative, catchy and often shocking headlines, apart from unique presentation has brought this Kolkata based paper in discussions everywhere.

For decades, Telegraph has been a major English paper in India, but was confined to Eastern part of the country.

However, its sharp and attacking headlines, have now brought it popularity across the country.

Take for instance the front page on the left. 'The Nashun', on how govt shunned its responsibility.

Bold, anti-establishment line

Major Delhi-based newspapers  aren't too attacking [against government] in their approach.

Though there is an exception--Indian Express. But, Telegraph has no problem in taking a clear, strong anti-establishment line.

Whether against TMC-led Mamata Banerjee government in West Bengal or BJP government at the Centre.

After a big event, people now wait to see how Telegraph carries the story. Because, they are sure it would be different and unique.

Headlines to shock the readers

The paper has a circulation of over a million but it has never been serious about its online presence.

It does have a website. However, website or not, people click photograph of the Telegraph.

The images of the front page are circulated through Whatsapp, Facebook and Twitter.

It is not always that the headlines are shocking, sometimes they are simple too.

Bizarre headlines test your brain

And, at times, the headlines are bizarre. An example is the screenshot of the paper when symbols were published in the headline on the front page.

An effort is made to create a unique front page everyday. Sometimes you may need to put an effort to understand and you have to read the news to understand.

Redefining the rules in print media

Yes, in an era, when it was said that everything has to be straight as reader doesn't have time, Telegraph redefines the rules.

The stories are long. They aren't finished in 300-400 words. The reports are exhaustive.

And yet, Telegraph is read, liked and its popularity is growing. Telegraph was established in 1982.

MJ Akbar was the editor, initially. Owned by Anand Bazar group, its current editor is Aveek Sarkar.

Once, The Statesman was the leading English paper in Kolkata then. Over the years, Telegraph became the most popular paper in the region. The group seems content with its reach. and hasn't started Delhi, Mumbai or Chennai editions till now.

This post shows TEN FRONT PAGES of The Telegraph.

See some of the most talked about front pages of the Telegraph, with this post.

Trustworthy news websites in India: New Media challenges existing media with faster news, fresh perspective

These are exciting times in Indian journalism. The 'New Media' is emerging and is throwing a major challenge to existing media--traditional newspapers and TV channels.

Major newspapers whose websites earlier cornered a large chunk of the news traffic on internet, are now facing a tough competition.

There are several reasons for it. Read ten points on, 'The Good and The Bad about New Media', here:

1. Unlike traditional media, the newsrooms here work at a fast pace and news is delivered instantly.

2. These sites provide you with fresh, alternative perspective. There are more Op-Ed pieces and individuals with a flair for writing, who didn't get space in print earlier, get published.

3. There are less restrictions in New Media. Things which people wanted to talk or hear about but that was sanitised and censored in traditional media, gets splashed in New Media.

4. Stories are being told differently. There is more creativity visible in headlines too.

5. There is no space restriction. If someone writes brilliantly and the stuff is really interesting, then he/she can write 2,000-5,000 words and it would be published.

6. Interesting information that was earlier kept aside for columns or diary items, is being packaged well in the story form and delivered instantly. This is putting up pressure on traditional media.

7. Unlike traditional media, New Media doesn't need a huge staff. Often, a small but dedicated team of talented people, can come up with creative headlines or an interesting twist that grab eyeballs.

8. Another positive aspect is that the monopoly of big media houses is ending. There are less 'holy cows' and fewer 'taboos'. Also, emergence of New Media brings more opportunities to journalists and hence people won't shy away from writing about big media houses, which was avoided till now.

9. It is not that everything is going great. There is sloppy reporting too. Just having a couple of talented persons doesn't compensate for a nationwide network. As a result, insight is often missing about stories in states that are far away from Delhi, Mumbai.

10. In fact, many incidents that require serious reporting don't get reported well, because the New Media either doesn't have enough resources or sends a reporter to the town much later, and he/she gets filtered information from secondary sources.

Good journalism requires good money. Unless you invest in human resources--pay your correspondent or stringer well, you can't get quality stuff all the time. Some of these New Media websites have good financial backing, while others have limited funds at disposal.

Ten Top New Media Websites

All these websites are different in the way they present news. If there is a major political happening, Scroll.in may provide you an insightful article and historical perspective. The Quint breaks a story about a VVIP's demise, much before others even think of 'breaking' the news.

The Wire tells stories at length and the editor's long experience is visible in the stories. Twocircles.Net has been there for quite long and pitches itself as voice of the marginalised.

There can be interesting opinion pieces on DailyO. TheNewsMinute focuses specially on Southern States. FirstPost is in a different league because it is flush with funds and despite its ideological bent, it has refreshing opinion pieces.

Countercurrents has been there for long but not given the due credit. There are other sites too that haven't been mentioned here. The best part about New Media is that now news can't be stopped. If any one gets air about it, they would run it, without sitting on the information.

Scroll

Catchnews 

The Quint

The Wire

First Post

The News Minute

TwoCircles.Net

DailyO 

NEWSBITS

TheCitizen

THE ASIAN TRIBUNE

CounterCurrents

Controversy surrounding Urdu newspaper Avadhnama after publishing Charlie Hebdo cover and its editor's problems

First, the facts of the entire controversy. Mumbai-based Urdu daily Avadhnama stopped its publication after the controversial cover of French paper Charlie Hebdo was reproduced in this paper.

The editor of Avadhnama, Shirin Dalvi, is now out of job. She has several FIRs in police station in different cities in Maharashtra, for hurting the sentiments of Muslims, and is living in hiding for fear of being attacked.

Either it was mistake or foolhardiness, the newspaper had published apology for the photo. The issue should have ended there. The Avadhnama group shouldn't have shut the paper. Some Urdu editors said that she shouldn't be harassed after the apology.

Her problems, her living away from her children, has been mentioned in several news reports [See the news link HERE], people tweeted in her support, but will this help her? No. The reason is double standards in applying law in the country. Her LETTER, [read it on NDTV website], 'I, an underground citizen...' led to outrage on social media.

Why just 'outrage' won't work: Double standards in applying law in the country

1. Getting multiple FIRs registered against a person is a sure shot way to harass him/her, in a big way. The person would spend years, making rounds to the police stations and courts, dealing with lawyers.

2. In MP, an influential Hindi newspaper published the Charlie Hebdo cover. There were massive protests (and yes a law-and-order issue of bigger magnitude than the one cited in Maharashtra), but the police didn't register a single FIR. The Cops said, 'We are examining the complaints and will take action after preliminary investigation'.

3. But, in Maharashtra, FIRs against Shirin Dalvi was registered in half-a-dozen police stations in different cities. Why? It is because she is not a big shot and probably because her paper was not influential enough.

4. Though, both Maharashtra and MP are BJP ruled states, and the laws are also same. The issue was exactly the same, then why police in MP didn't register FIR despite huge gatherings. The reason is 'show me the Man (person), I will show you the rule' style of functioning.

5. It is totally in the hands of police to deal with such issues. If those at the 'top' give nod, FIR is registered, else police conveniently say, 'give us a written complaint, we will examine'. This is a way to delay the FIR and hush up the issue. Often, people are satisfied by just handing their complaint.

6. It requires political or administrative will to take a decision at that level, not going by the book. Citing law-and-order, police may register FIR or they may not. This happens in almost all crimes around us, depending on complainant/accused's influence, financial status, connectivity.

7. There are exceptions though. Someone like Raj Thackeray may have numerous cases registered against him, but being a politician with a cadre, he can get away for long. MF Husain also faced scores of FIRs but he had the means to live away lavishly, though he had to leave the country.

8. It is just like, if you have a row with an MLA or MP or business tycoon, and you go to police station, they generally ask you to leave your complaint, not registering FIR immediately, unless you also have some 'weight' or you are too persistent. This is the problem in our 'system'.

9. The issue is this 'freedom' to register FIR or not register FIR, at will. To register FIR or not register FIR, under pressure or influence. Everyone is affected by these double standards. And even 'police reforms' in certain states and the introduction of commissioner system in certain states, failed to tackle the anomaly.

10. The issue of filing multiple FIRs also needs to be redressed. Though it is a fundamental right, but often, organisations with all-India presence, do it to hound a person. They are able to do it because of their network. Should such FIRs be clubbed or can it be discouraged! Can this issue be redressed?

Nasheman: Reading the weekly Urdu newspaper from Karnataka

That's Nasheman, the Urdu newspaper, on my table.

It comes to me from a distant place--1500 km away i.e. Bangalore.

So when it comes from that far, you do take sometime to read it, at leisure.

The paper that has a pan-India circulation, has been running for 54 years.

I grew up reading this paper and hence I was dejected when it ceased publication for a while. I had written a post on this blog about Nasheman, its uniqueness and its history. But, Rizwan Asad sahab has revived it.

Now the paper looks more impressive. It also has a website that has English news, apart from plan to put up the Nasheman epaper. Of course, the columns, the tone of the paper and the satirical style remains same.

Karnataka has a large population of Urdu speakers, however, it is a mystery that overall on the map of Urdu, this state is not given its due. While Hyderabad has far more Urdu speakers and newspapers, surprisingly, none of them could get pan-Indian readership to such an extent.

KV Rao's salaam to Hyderabadi Muslims

I often see Etemaad (Urdu) newspaper of Hyderabad and for the last few weeks, this advertisement has been a regular feature.

Mr Kolla Venkat Rao, wearing a 'topi' and appealing to voters in English to cast their vote in his favour for the legislative council from Hyderabad, Rangareddy and Mahboobnagar districts.

Sort of liked the picture. The smile and the Aadab. Rao sahab has also got his cell phone number published with this advertisement. The day I receive 50 calls, my head begins to spin. I wonder how these people cope.

Though if a politician wears a fez or skullcap, it doesn't impress me much. Still, I haven't seen such advertisements in Urdu papers in any other city. I have also seen billboards with Andhra Chief Minister wearing the topi and wishing the Hajis during my visits to Hyderabad in the past.