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TRANSCEND MEMBERS, 24 Jun 2024
Dr. Ravi P. Bhatia – TRANSCEND Media Service
There was a time when some newspapers did not carry Ads— at least not on the front pages of the newspaper. Today not only all newspapers carry Ads , even the front two or three or more pages are full of Ads. One often feels annoyed by them, not only by what they show or highlight, but the fact that today no newspaper can do without Advertisements. The business of newspapers is governed and promoted by these Ads. In fact several owners of newspapers publicly confess that but for the large number of advertisements, publishing newspapers would be a financially hazardous business.
Earlier some English newspapers were printed and published with Ads on the front three or four pages. Often even some interior pages had Ads — full page ads. Today there are also half page ads or one a half page ads that a reader is confronted with. So before reading any story or event — usually political or religious events, a reader of the papers has to learn how to handle the newspapers with four or six pages of Ads and half page Ads, before reading about the political events or sports news or some other news about seeing violence in various forms.
Today, apart from political events or stories of interesting events that fill up newspapers, there are also religious news that are highlighted in these papers but the Editors of papers have to be careful that these news are published without hurting any person on religious grounds.
Some people — politicians or business people have become well known by the well rounded stories that are carried on them in the newspapers. These generally commend the actions and the views of the politicians and the business people as published in newspapers.
Some academics — Professors or University teachers often have some reports written by them stressing some aspects that are current and
news-worthy. In fact the newspapers are today the best carriers of their views and opinions since these are published promptly and read by many different types of readers. Most papers also have features like Letters to the Editor where the views and opinions of many different scholars are criticised and are available for reading.
Some well known scholars like retired university Professors or persons of industry are able to publish their views regularly. In fact seeing their articles in papers gives them mental satisfaction and monetary returns. Some of these eminent people have pre set pages where their views are published regularly. This gives them mental satisfaction to see their views published conspicuously . This subsequently leads to the feature — Letters to the Editor that are often critical of the views and writings of the eminent people.
A new feature has started appearing in papers — these are cartoons that are usually critical of the written passages of the writers — but sometimes endorse the written passages. Many newspapers have started publishing cartoons that are often interesting but also critical of the written word.
Thus we see that many papers have started publishing interesting accounts of events along with suitable cartoons. These papers have thereby become more readable and pleasurable.
Newspapers are no longer staid that makes reading dull. They have started adding interesting accounts of events — and cartoons make the reading more pleasurable and unforgettable.
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Dr Ravi P Bhatia is a member of the TRANSCEND Network for Peace Development Environment, an educationist, Gandhian scholar and peace researcher. Retired professor, Delhi University. His new book, A Garland of Ideas—Gandhian, Religious, Educational, Environmental was published recently in Delhi. ravipbhatia@gmail.com
This article originally appeared on Transcend Media Service (TMS) on 24 Jun 2024.
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