The Decadence
I subscribe to "The Times of India"; India's most popular newspaper. It used to be India's best too. Sadly though I can't even call it a newspaper.
Gone are the days when the newspaper was interesting to read. All you get to read is about how some lady was raped, or some man murdered or some fraud committed; who stole something, the latest court judgements and other bullshit. Worse still is the supplement. It is a freking magazine. No other words to describe it. I guess the price of newsprint must really be on the rise because the magazine a.k.a the supplement is riddled with only ads. The news, which is mainly just people advertising themselves; be it parties or which company launching their new product. The whole supplement is about how page3 culture rocks. Quite depressing how low they have sunk.
I really believe that it is we the readers who have caused this transformation. We need shock value or something that shall portray the rich and the famous. I really dont understand what is the fixature that we have with the elite. I guess its the aspiration to emulate them. But just reading about which party they went to and what they wore surely wont suffice. The awe that people have is quite palpable in my book. But not something totally sensible. It really pains me the way the paparazzi hound the celebs. Sad to see the newspapers pay hundreds of thousand of dollars for one snap. And that is then translated into greater newspaper price. Quite a sorry stae of affairs.
Gone are the days when a newspaper meant more than some paper with the previous day's happenings. It used to a tool to motivate the masses, used to the voice of teh nation at times. Sadly, the editors have lost teir ethics and we the Newspaper.
Gone are the days when the newspaper was interesting to read. All you get to read is about how some lady was raped, or some man murdered or some fraud committed; who stole something, the latest court judgements and other bullshit. Worse still is the supplement. It is a freking magazine. No other words to describe it. I guess the price of newsprint must really be on the rise because the magazine a.k.a the supplement is riddled with only ads. The news, which is mainly just people advertising themselves; be it parties or which company launching their new product. The whole supplement is about how page3 culture rocks. Quite depressing how low they have sunk.
I really believe that it is we the readers who have caused this transformation. We need shock value or something that shall portray the rich and the famous. I really dont understand what is the fixature that we have with the elite. I guess its the aspiration to emulate them. But just reading about which party they went to and what they wore surely wont suffice. The awe that people have is quite palpable in my book. But not something totally sensible. It really pains me the way the paparazzi hound the celebs. Sad to see the newspapers pay hundreds of thousand of dollars for one snap. And that is then translated into greater newspaper price. Quite a sorry stae of affairs.
Gone are the days when a newspaper meant more than some paper with the previous day's happenings. It used to a tool to motivate the masses, used to the voice of teh nation at times. Sadly, the editors have lost teir ethics and we the Newspaper.
posted by Sunil Natraj at 5/13/2005 08:17:00 AM
4 Comments:
Well written, Sunil. I hate to confess this, but newspapers are becoming a source for crossword puzzles for me.
Well stated sir.
You know the saying..."If it bleeds it leads."
I stopped reading the newspaper for the very reasons you state.
I work with somebody who is obsessed with celebs. Who is dating who. What looks good on who...and all that jazz. They spend a good some of money on magazines each week to stay on top of such gossip.
Keep up the good work!
LOL. The only thing I use check my newspaper for lately is to see the Calvin & Hobbes strip for the day... And sometimes to see movie listing for TV.
Journalist used to make news interesting, now they make whats interesting news. Whatever sells, whatever sells.
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