Covid19 era is both a Boon and a bane for Media-Mohindru
Dr Pankaj Mohindru
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted every business and Industry in one or the other form, ranging from complete shutdowns to massive increase in buying in certain sectors. While, theoretically, we may be able to get back to some level of normal life within a few coming months, the businesses that have been forced to close, or are struggling through, will take time to come back. It is a known fact that all age groups are spending their huge surplus time with their devices more than ever before which is creating a massive opportunity for online news portals to engage every home imprisoned reader amid this distress period. As far as I know being a Professor in Punjabi University, Patiala that our students prefer reading online news only and they do not read newspapers at all, despite knowing very well that a detailed piece of information can only be obtained from printed newspaper and nowhere else.
Usage of Cutting edge Technologies is on the Rise
Patiala citizens also started giving preference to online portals to get regular updates regarding this ongoing unprecedented crisis. ‘Patiala Politics’ portal is running successfully from many years on social networking site Facebook. It is noticeable that although ‘Patiala Politics’ is giving short news of whatever is happening in and around Patiala quite effectively, but it cannot be denied that sometimes the succinct news of this online portal leads to craving for detailed information among the readers. This pendency of short news of ‘Patiala Politics’ is identified by another online news provider portal which is now a house hold name among Patiala residents known as ‘Royal Patiala’. The Royal Patiala (royalpatiala.in) grabbed this opportunity with both the hands to provide comprehensive and accurate news coverage of events at this time of agony on all social media channels, be it royalpatiala.in website, on royalpatiala.in facebook page, on royalpatiala.in twitter, on instagram and on youtube channel
A small city like Barnala has witnessed a success story of a town based online news portal Barnalatoday.com
Tirchhi Nazar Media, another Online Portal based at Chandigarh is also doing phenomenal job in this field through BabuShahi.com in the northern region from many years.
It is seen that survival aspect of print media has always been a moot question where the answer today is quite vivid that the place of newspapers has been taken over by digital media. One can argue that Old habits die hard and can guess that older generations are accustomed to the printed newspapers only and will never migrate to Internet, but information collected in this regard by the author of the article is opposite. The Royal City of Patiala has well-educated and Internet savvy inhabitants where more and more Senior Citizens are getting reliant on their smart gadgets to get the latest updates on current outbreak.
Heavy Losses for Print Media
Covid-19 has hit print media very hard and it was believed that readers prefer printed editions but now they are learning to live without the printed copies in this situation. The circulation of leading newspapers have reduced significantly, although it is emphasized repeatedly that the coronavirus cannot be transmitted through newspapers, but that appears to have convinced a very few people. Hindi daily Dainik Jagran, too, has told its readers that their newspaper is as safe as their “milk and bread”.
Over the last few weeks, readers across the country have unilaterally decided against letting vendors deliver newspapers at their doorsteps, fearing possible transmission. According to multiple industry sources, the move has hit the newspaper industry hard with advertisement revenues hitting rock bottom since the crisis started. Due to the lack of advertisements, several prominent newspapers have drastically reduced their number of pages.
The Punjab edition of Hindustan Times, for instance, now consists of only 14 pages, down from over 20 pages. The industry sources in the wake of a country-wide lockdown and an uncertainty over this issue pointed out that the outlay of producing a newspaper is elevated and is costing Rs 20 in this existing situation due to the lack of advertisements and reluctance in touching the tangible newspaper. To combat with this peculiar situation, popular newspaper editions have reduced the number of pages substantially. The leading newspapers Punjabi Tribune and Hindustan Times have stopped Patiala Editions abruptly. The Punjab Kesari Group of Newspapers has stopped all the additional city supplements along with the main Jagbani Edition throughout Punjab.
Dr Mohindru believes reading newspaper is safe enough. The present newspaper manufacturing plants are well fumigated and sanitized on regular basis and the printing process is totally automated. However, it is apprehended worldwide that more and more readers are becoming Internet-users and reading the news from the online portals. It is feared that the readily available news portal working indefatigably day and night may change the habits of the reader permanently in this exceptional time of grief. Moreover, it is Eco-friendly, whereas print media requires paper which is harvested from trees. Digital media is a two-way communication and readers can share their opinions, thoughts and feedback in an instant and which subtly gives them a sense of community.
He also adds in the end that newspapers possibly will not disappear in the near future, however they have to aggressively formulate a policy to contend with the online news portals.
The writer-Dr. Pankaj Mohindru (Columnist) is a Professor in Punjabi University, Patiala and is an expert in the field of Human Resource Management and Artificial Intelligence and is guiding research in this field.
(The views expressed are personal)
April,26,2020
