Our first post was on Ram Karan’s exit from The Times of India. His exit, we said, would be a loss to ToI. Our idea of loss is shabby editing, lazy headlines and skewed news priorities. We had to define it because ToI management will surely have a different view on what amounts to a loss in selling a product. Now that it’s almost three weeks since RK quit Times, let’s take a look at the Paper without him.
The Times are a-changing, for the worse!
The Times has re-introduced its Tambola (Tamasha), a marketing gimmick, almost coinciding with Ram’s exit! Coincidence? Let’s see! We hear Times is likely to announce another old scheme -- Combo Offer (Times of India and Economic Times at discount price). They better, after all ToI Hyderabad needs harder marketing push to retain its numbers in the face of deteriorating standards in editorial content.
The paper does not write on issues any longer. Telangana, Naxalism, Irrigation projects, free power etc don't matter! Instead, they focus on real estate and the like — SEZs, Outer Ring Road, Huda land auctions, IMG deal — indicating where its interests lie. (Hope you checked Srinivas’ comment to our first post)
So, reporters cold-shoulder key issues. That’s not all, editing slip-ups happen on a daily basis (it can’t be more frequent than that). The front page, the face of the newspaper, is a shame for “the largest circulating daily”. In Page One, the copies have more than a healthy dose of bloomers, and headlines and photo captions too are not error free!
The subs, spoiled by Ram’s indulgence, know not a hyphen and its use! So “six nation” something goes without a hyphen. “On the evening before” is left unedited to “on the eve of..”. They will “launch” not just products and services but also departmental stores, Reliance Fresh for instance.
And look at this opening sentence of a Page 1 report headlined 'CM takes train to Guntur. "In perhaps the first time in a decade and a half, the state chief minister.."
Worst, however, was saved for the delegates attending the annual bankers conference early this month. In the day's lead report headlined 'Chidu has a macro view on micro fin', we read:
'The cost of delivering credit through micro-finance route involves cost."
"Preparation of a bill on micro finance is in the final stages of preparation."
But what takes the cake is a headline:
'Top Maoist among 11 naxals killed'.
And it’s not even a month since Ram’s left!
The Times are a-changing, for the worse!
The Times has re-introduced its Tambola (Tamasha), a marketing gimmick, almost coinciding with Ram’s exit! Coincidence? Let’s see! We hear Times is likely to announce another old scheme -- Combo Offer (Times of India and Economic Times at discount price). They better, after all ToI Hyderabad needs harder marketing push to retain its numbers in the face of deteriorating standards in editorial content.
The paper does not write on issues any longer. Telangana, Naxalism, Irrigation projects, free power etc don't matter! Instead, they focus on real estate and the like — SEZs, Outer Ring Road, Huda land auctions, IMG deal — indicating where its interests lie. (Hope you checked Srinivas’ comment to our first post)
So, reporters cold-shoulder key issues. That’s not all, editing slip-ups happen on a daily basis (it can’t be more frequent than that). The front page, the face of the newspaper, is a shame for “the largest circulating daily”. In Page One, the copies have more than a healthy dose of bloomers, and headlines and photo captions too are not error free!
The subs, spoiled by Ram’s indulgence, know not a hyphen and its use! So “six nation” something goes without a hyphen. “On the evening before” is left unedited to “on the eve of..”. They will “launch” not just products and services but also departmental stores, Reliance Fresh for instance.
And look at this opening sentence of a Page 1 report headlined 'CM takes train to Guntur. "In perhaps the first time in a decade and a half, the state chief minister.."
Worst, however, was saved for the delegates attending the annual bankers conference early this month. In the day's lead report headlined 'Chidu has a macro view on micro fin', we read:
'The cost of delivering credit through micro-finance route involves cost."
"Preparation of a bill on micro finance is in the final stages of preparation."
But what takes the cake is a headline:
'Top Maoist among 11 naxals killed'.
And it’s not even a month since Ram’s left!
9 comments:
Hey Nag,
Foul mouth is not enough to run the show, brain is needed, man. Shame on you.
Really like any other Times lover, we feel sorry for the state of affairs at the TOI's Hyderabad edition. Probably we may all have to see worse from Mr Nag, who has little time to spare for men colleagues, in the days to come.
Have you people noticed that TOI also copies all its Page 3 matter from Deccan Chronicle. All their party khabar is what DC carried previously. Give us a Hindu or Express anyday as they at least come up with original matter.
The errors are silly. Surprising that bank conference report should be poor when the editor himself is a senior business journalist. So, PRESENCE of one Senior guy is of NO USE but ABSENCE of another senior can be so DAMAGING, is it?
Looks like a war against TOI is on...and maybe because u are heartbroken after Ram left...but nothing broke when Ram left Express or Chronicle...
Ram was with the Express for a decade and could not do anything for the Express. Express is where it was---with or without Ram --there has been no change...And u will agree Chronicle is the number one without any help from Ram...
Ram joined Times even before they launched in Hyderabad...not only was he involved in making dummy editions of Times, he handpicked as many Expressites as possible...it's six years now...JS came left and like him a couple of other editors too came and left...Ram had been the only constant..but u will agree that neither Times beat Chronicle to pulp after putting up hoardings all over the city and even their forte --party reporting -- had as colourful errors as the parties themselves...result.. the Times have not changed!!! Despite of your best editor
Now let's come to the grammatical errors in Times. May be you have stopped reading the other papers..even your Queen of Mount Road and especially its Metro in spite of its Reader's editor carry enough 'jewels' of English...BE JUST
Agreed Ram is good but there are others good too. Chronicle survived...Express survived...So from Experience Times too will survive...Ram is no revolution
I dont know whos writing blog on Ram Karan. No doubt Ram Karan was good at his work. But he was not demi god. For heavens sake dont give that projection. Ram was in magazine section of Express before joing TOI. He brought his cronies to TOI and harassed poor reporters for long. He used to make fun of them as if they are bunch of useless people. He used to tell them late evening pages are big and open and make them file even press notes worth dustbin and finally even the routine reports were not used. Reason no space. IF this is not sadistic pleasure what else is it. All his cronies were recommended very good hikes and promotions. Even most incomepetent have been promoted as DNEs. Today post Ram they are trying to use same tactics even with seniormost people. Its different that the seniors are now too seasoned to believe them.
Knowing work is not enough people like JS and RK should learn to maintain human relations.
People
Lets focus on the issue raised about poor editorial at TOI that at individuals like Ram Karan or anybody esle..
Whether somebody likes or not..fact remains Ram ( has been) and is a huge asset to any organisation he joins.
Well everyone is entitled to have his own opinion about individuals. I do not agree with the argument that one individual is a great asset for any newspaper. And surely giving that kind of credit to Ram Karan is not proper. If TOI is where it is today, its because of the hard toiling of all its employees. There were many occasions where the TOI slipped badly thanks to Ram who always tried to undermine the reporters and behaved as if he was Mr Know all.
oh! flood lights turned on to back street boys in the media houses. good.
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