Access to Indian Online Newspapers: problems and prospects

1. Access to Indian Online Newspapers: problems and prospects AvijitChakrabarti Assistant Librarian Barasat College

2. Introduction • An online newspaper is a newspaper that exists on the World Wide Web or Internet, either separately or as an online version of a printed version. • Going online created more opportunities for newspapers in presenting breaking news in a timelier manner.

3. Advantages • There are some advantages of online newspapers for their users: • online newspapers are still mostly free of charge, • often updated throughout the day, • easily accessible for everyone with an Internet connection, • they can be visited while working at one’s PC

4. Types • Online only newspapers • Hybrid newspapers • Soft-copy news sheet

5. Online only newspapers • Online only paper is a paper that does not have any hard copy connections. It is independent web only newspaper.

6. Hybrid newspapers • There are some newspapers which are predominantly an online newspaper, but also provide limited hard copy publishing.

7. Soft-copy news sheet • A news sheet is a paper that is on one or two pages only. Soft-copy sheets are like online newspapers, in that they have to be predominantly news, not advert or gossip based. These sheets can be updated periodically or regularly, unlike a newspaper. They must also like a newspaper be regarded as a news outlet by media groups and governments.

8. Online newspaper published from India • India has 28 states with 22 official languages. Online newspapers in all major language published from India.

9. State-wise online newspaper • Andhra Pradesh • Telegu – Eenadu, Sakshi, Vaarttha, Andhra Bhumi, Andhra Prabha, Andhra Jyothy, Leader, Netinizam, Rakshana, Pramukandhra, Kalanjali, Netibharatam, Prajasakti, Kaliyuga Narada, Praja Darbar, Viniyogadharula Vedika • Urdu – The Siyasath Daily, The Etamaad Daily, The Munsif Daily • Hindi – Praja Sahayata • English – E-Sameeksha, Takeed, Today Freedom, Tirupati Times, Hindustan Times, Consumer Guide, Pathanjali News

10. State-wise….. • ArunachalPradesh • English – The Arunachal Times • Assam • Assamese – Dainik Agradoot, Dainik Jugasankha, Samayika Prasanga, Sentinel Assam • English – The Assam Tribune, The Sentinel, Voice of Assam • Bihar • English – Bihar Times, Patna Daily • Chattisgarh • Hindi – Dainik Bhaskar, News Guru India

11. State-wise….. • Goa • English – Navhind Times, Gomantak Times • Gujrat • Gujrati – Divya Bhaskar, Jai Hind Daily, Naubat, Sandesh, Sambhaav • Hindi – Loktej • English – Lok Prabha • Hariyana • Hindi – Sach Kahnoon • Himachal Pradesh • English – Himtimes

12. State-wise….. • Jammu & Kashmir • Urdu – Roshni, Etalaat, Mashriq Kashmir, Neab International, Khidmat, Wadi ki Awaz • English – Daily Excelsior, Greater Kashmir, Kashmir Observer, Kashmir Times, The North Lines, J and K news • Jharkhand • English – Ranchi Express • Karnataka • Kannada – Janatha Vani, Kannada Prabha, Praja Pragathi, Praja Vani, Udayavani, Janatha Madhyama, Vishva Kannada, Prajodaya • English – Deccan Herald, Islamic Voice, Sahil online, Kranti Daily

13. State-wise….. • Kerala • Malayalam – Deepika, Kerala Kaumudhi, Madyamam, Malayala Manorama, The Jasnews, Deshabhimani, Mathrubhumi, Kerala Online • English – Cochin 2 day, General Daily, New Kerala • Madhyapradesh • Hindi – Nai Duniya • Maharastra • Marathi – Pudhari, The Mumbai Samachar, Maharastra Times • Urdu – Aurangabad Times, Inquilab • Hindi – Dainik Aikya • English – Indiatimes, Mumbai Mirror, DNA, Punecity, Raza Academy

14. State-wise….. • Manipur • English – The Sangai Express • Meghalaya • Khasi – Mawphor • English – The Shillongtimes • Nagaland • English – Nagaland Post, The Morung Express • Orissa • Oriya – Dharitri, Orissa Sambad, Odisha, The Samaj • Hindi – Sanmarg • English – Kalinga Times

15. State-wise….. • Punjab • Punjabi – Ajith Jalandhar, Sanju Savera, Parvasi • Rajasthan • Hindi – Pratahkal, Khaskhabar, Rajasthan Patrika, Myjhunjhunu • English – Khabar Express • Sikkim • English – Haalkhabar, Sikkim Express • Tamilnadu • Tamil – Daily Thanthi, Dina Karan, Thamil Sudur, Dinamalar, Akash Jyoti, That’s Tamil • English – Pathrika Online, South India Times, The Hindu

16. State-wise….. • Tripura • Bengali – Daily Desher Katha • English – Tripura News, neindia • Uttaranchal • Hindi – Amar Ujala • UttarPradesh • Urdu – United News Network, Urdu net • Hindi – DLA, Rajdhani Times, Sahara Samay, UP Khabar, Deshbandhu • English – Agra News, Day after India, News Track, Public News

17. State-wise….. • West Bengal • Bengali – Aajkaal, Uttarbanga Sambad, Bartaman Patrika, Ganashakti, Anandabazar Patrika, Sangbad Pratidin, Daily Desher Katha, Century Sambad, Gold News, Amder Malda, Abasor • English – Cal online, The Telegraph, The Statesman, Darjeeling Times • Delhi • Hindi – Navbharat Times • English - Times of India, Hindusthan Times

18. Quality factors • Readability • Design • Layout • Usability • Information Architecture • Frequency of update • Language factor

19. Problems • Font problem for Indian languages • Presence of loud and stylistically unpredictable advertisements on the main page • Poor layout and design • Confusing and inconsistent navigation • Questionable typography and paragraph configuration • Unable to generate sizeable revenues • Poor ICT infrastructure in India

20. Prospects • Low cost compare to newsprint • Increasing computer literacy in India • Emphasis on the development of infrastructure including ICT by the Government of India • Increasing popularity of forums • Short concentration span of Internet users • Concise text captures more attention • Increasing attraction for Advertiser as their ads carried by online papers for as long as necessary

21. Future • Online publishing is seen as having the potential to open up broader prospects for the newspaper industry • The current development of Web newspapers is underlined by newspaper publishers' desire to turn the Internet into an opportunity to help reverse the trend in declining readership rather than a threat to the print newspaper • Publishers and online editors believe there is little chance for the print newspaper to be replaced by the electronic version • The future of a new medium depends on whether it is simply a replica of an existing one and to what extent it can add value to it • Indian online newspapers seemed to be more optimistic about their future

22. Conclusions • The forums, chat facilities and e-mail contacts allow greater interactivity among the community members and between the readers and editors than the traditional print newspaper • Compared with the print paper, the online paper is clearly at a disadvantage in maintaining the traditional sources of newspaper revenues advertising and subscription charges • It will take time for advertisers to assess the online readership and the effectiveness of online advertising

23. Suggestions • Online newspapers have to make full use of the limitless space provided by the Internet to offer better services for advertisers • Effective use of search engines by the online newspapers will make it more convenient for readers to select what they need • There should not be fixed means for online papers to generate revenues but papers with a large readership base and more specialized orientation tend to be more successful with advertising and subscription charges while smaller papers tend to rely on Internet services for revenues • If online publishers can focus on turning out a value-added product rather than a replica of their print product, online papers will become cost effective operations with the development of new technologies and growth of the Internet community

24. THANK YOU