Indian Media Bash Blog

Magazines are a glorious way to get information; the remain a part of the robust print media. However, the present setup (TV/ Blogs) is challenging the role of print media, but this is more of a question of debate.

The best magazines are hard to find. It depends on your view point as to what basically you are looking for. Indeed, it is difficult to generalise but then there are broad parameters as how this evaluation was arrived at.

First and foremost is the content. Of course, this is the reason you would buy it in the first place. What most of us miss the point here is the ad to the text ratio. While more number of advertisements are good to drive down the final price, the content suffers from lack of depth.

It is very difficult to generalise as to what suits a general taste and to which segment the magazine is catering to. Here in lies the rub. Glorious “marketing surveys” fail to rein in the vast vocal majority that never gets mentioned. Invariably, a section of the population is surveyed and the results get extra polated to all. So, the content is a “contentious” issue to be commented upon and I would stick to my biases here.

Further, the print journalism is said to be a “good barometer” of what the public feels or wants to know. It gives them a platform to express the issues that affect them. However, by and large it is seen that the print journalism is being motivated by established lobbies/ concerted ideologies which makes it difficult to seperate the chaff from the grain.

Keeping these factors in mind, the further post needs to be read. There is a steady fragmentation of the issues- you have speciality computer magazines, House keeping magazines, Automobiles, F1 racing and even on Golf. The standard staple flavour of politics was always there. It would be difficult to comment on each one of them individually without bloating up the present post.

Before I launch a frontal attack, I have definitely kept the idea of free open access in mind. A print magazine should also be available on line. By and large, traditional print magazines like India Today ( a crappy magazine at it’s best) are driving their online “hits” restricted to subscribers only. For the same reason, the computer magazine like Digit/ Chip/ Linux For You don’t have any online presence save for forums.

My all time favourite has been Economic and Political Weekly. It writes in with some serious papers on Economics and Sociology; with a healthy mix and match of politics for a good measure. Of course, it isn’t palatable to all and remains restricted to a small readership. Top Notch stuff.

Among the Business magazines, Business World zooms ahead. It has a healthy mix of articles and the editorial is well balanced. Having a significant online presence, the only irritating factor is the need for registration on their website. One of the brilliant journalists writing in for them is Jehangir Poccha who makes a mincemeat of the Chinese claims. He writes in occasionally from Beijing. Anyone interested in long term fall out of the Chinese policies on Asian Economy and indirectly on us, needs to read that.

Most of the other Business magazines are glorified ass lickers with stress on “CEO’s” et al. Their basic handling of the subject matter remains juvenile, as if you are reading a rookie who’s been asked to write in for them.

Scientific American has no parallel. Though the price remains high and almost nil online presence, I still favour this. One of the few magazines with pure play Science and a vast breadth of knowledge packed in issues, this is a MUST read for all ages. Specifically, for those who are scientifically inclined.

By and large, this is mostly I read. As and when I get time, I leaf through others. Frontline started off from the house of The Hindu. They redesigned it recently with better colour schemes and some advertisements thrown in for good measure. Frontline does make a loud noise about upholding the “virtues of journalism”; however, their coverage remains pre dominantly leftist. I could debate each article under a seperate head, but it would be a waste of time. They fume and foam at their mouths about US hegemony; Chavez is their hero and Chinese in their opinion can do no wrong.

It would be idiocy to dismiss them entirely; once in a while, they do carry something good to read. I remember the times when I had to see K Natwar Singh’s photograph with his write ups. Interestingly, his column seems to have been discontinued after the “maharaja” was stuck in Volcker scandal. God is extremely kind to it’s readers. Though, the best part is William Safire’s column on English Language. Good read.

India Today and Outlook remain in the rut of the mainstream. I wouldn’t touch them with a barge pole. Neither it’s sister publications. But then, this is my opinion.

Others like Cosmopolitan/ Femina/ Gladrags et al remain at the bottom of the heap. They do make some pretenses about the “woman in power”. It’s just another vehicle of self glorification and a perfect idea to ruin your money. Sheesh. Either the production values are horrible or the woman’s lib seems to have gone hay wire. Interestingly, they are associated with the glamour industry. All fart and lots of smell.

In the other category, its the Auto magazines- with their “scoops”; which kind of read like glorified tabloids. I used to read them with interest, but over time, they continue to repeat the same themes which becomes extremely boring. Not much to comment on. Well, they don’t have a significant presence online, with the exception of perhaps Business Standard Motoring. I prefer BSM for the way it describes autos and driving experience creating an imagery around a product. Specially the editor Bijon Y. Indeed, I look forward to his write ups on Business Standard week end edition. Though, I must confess that the monthly issues are over priced. If I am not mistaken, BSM alone has full issue online.

This is about it. A generalised opinion; there are many magzines left out; or the ones that have been trashed are just my personal opinion. It is difficult to generalise as I said, but then this is about it.