By Iboyaima Laithangbam
Playboy, a sexy magazine with lots of nude women’s photographs had a print order of more than 6.67 million copies per issue. However in the recent past it was slashed to mere 60,000. The publisher feels that
this may have something to do with the nude photographs since parents would not like their children and other family members see them. They are planning to decrease the number of photographs.
It will be a suicidal move. Because this is not the root cause. Online editions are the “in” thing in today’s highly computerised world. More and more people are depending on online editions. They have no time to
wait for the paper boys or take around the copies while going to work places. Besides it is rather late for the subscribers in the remote areas.
The national and regional newspapers reach Imphal only in the afternoon. People in small townships like Moreh, Senapati or Ukhrul get their copies much later. The Nagaland newspapers are made available rather early in some parts of the state. In this information age people cannot wait that long. Besides there is heavy air surcharge which means that a subscriber has to pay higher amounts. When there are general strikes and other disturbances or some traders want to transport betel leaves and other perishable goods the newspaper packets have to be off loaded either at Guwahati, Silchar or not booked at all in Kolkata.
This explains why the number of online publications is increasing in this region and almost all of them are doing exceedingly well in all respects. Many regional newspapers published in Guwahati cannot be
dispatched to Imphal daily and other NE capitals for obvious reasons whereas people anywhere in these landlocked states can and do read the online newspapers and magazines any time.
The number of persons owning laptops and high tech mobile handsets is increasing everyday. It sounds the death knell of several newspapers. Long sighted publishers had already started their online editions which are commanding good readership. Manipur cannot be lagging far behind.
Online newspapers to take over?
145
previous post