Dear Readers,
Blowing one’s trumphet, to be sure, is not a desirable trait. But there are occasions, legitimate exceptions, when one can indulge one’s ego with a sense of justification and without guilt. Today is one such red-letter day, or rather, evening, whence your News Today, begins to make its daily forays into your hearts and homes, resplendent in a variety of colours and donning a new look.
The imitation of the chameleon would of course be confined to the exterior. The spirit, without doubt, would remain unchanged, undiluted and undaunted, colour or no colour. And for those who were complaining that these columns were getting a bit coloured, watch out, there is a lot more coming elsewhere too…colour, I mean.
Nevertheless, there is a compulsive rationale, apart from the diktats of the markets for taking on new hues and that is the regard, respect and reverence we have for you, the reader. Having already taken possession of your heart — I am not done with my trumphet yet — is it not a perfectly natural obligation on our part to ensure that your eyes too are taken care of, they being the entry points to your soul? Hence this daily visual treat which is actually a tribute to your steadfast support. And we know that you need no invitation from us to partake of the impending feast for it is actually your party.
It is your encouragement that has really emboldened us into this adventure, for, it is truly a tall order for an evening paper, where it is always a race against time, to embark on a riot of colours veryday. Unlike the morning dailies for whom the time gap between news closure and actual printing of the newspaper, not to speak of its distribution, is quite huge, for an eveninger that gap itself is the lifetime. To accommodate the day’s happenings within that timeframe into the pages and then call it a day even while things are happening –confusing, eh? — is a difficult experience.
Indeed we have often watched with consternation when politicos, criminals and such other newsmakers get into form late in the day probably after a sound siesta, by which time our deadline is already past. How insensitive of them to put off all their dirty work! All the more killing, when your insatiable editor and his overzealous team would not like to miss any news, if they could help it.
Therefore we are only adding to our deadline woes by going colour which warrants early curtains and a stricter monitoring of the ubiquitous clock that shows us no mercy by ticking away blissfully. The only saving grace is lunch at lunchtime and not at teatime as now! Still, all those stress and strain are a small price to pay for the happy, contented smiles on your faces when you behold our little colourful creation after a hard day’s work. Reason why we have also decided to revamp the pages to make the newspaper more in sync with the dreams of its founder, TRR, who launched it two decades ago with the mantra, Easy, racy and full of life.
And of course, more in tune with your expectations –not burdening you with boresome gibberish but instead lightening your mood with crisp, catchy news of the day and in the process lighting up your evenings. There would no doubt be tons of info with new columns that double up as a ready reckoner of city trivia so that you can plan your tomorrow today itself.
Needless to say, on the news count you are already ahead, having been informed by us at least twelve hours before your morning coffee. Let me resume my trumpeting — did I stop it at all in the first place? — to say that the next day’s morning paper would look like a history text book with all that old stuff that happened long back ie., yesterday! So it has to be Today, in News Today, with no less colours than our late-coming peers.
Aah, I can perceive the spoil sports crying halt to my trumpeting by invoking the Suns and Stars who according to them have already stolen the thunder from print. Of course, we also know only too well that we are not breaking news any longer, what with the silly, stupid idiot box having hijacked that prerogative from us, particularly with that eyesore of a ticker at the bottom of the screen.
But in a queer way it has actually helped us by making the people sprint towards the nearest bunk for a copy of the newspaper to see things in black and white, as they say. Hats off to the sanctity of the printed word. And a million thanks to the bright men behind the idiot box who have successfully converted or rather, perverted, even news purveying into an entertainment, leaving the real news reeling to where and whom it belongs … newspapers.
And even for those who still value the ephemeral visuals on screen, the print media bounces back as the sole source of perspective and analyses, which are wholly lost in the cacophony and gyrations on the TV. After all an array of transient images are but a poor substitute for knowledge and impressive articulation cannot pass for informed insight. Seeing is not believing, but reading is. Now, this is not trumpeting but optimism rooted in reality.
So hold on readers, and await your new- look News Today, a veritable rainbow, every evening. A News Today that gives the blues to its competitors, makes its peers green with envy, devoid of yellow journalism or purple prose, but occasionally with a dash of saffron for Bharat’s sake and always striving to keep its readers in the pink of mental health.
The truths, of course, would always be in Black & White! …And we fervently hope that we do not slip into the red for doing so. I sign off with the confidence that next time it is you who would be blowing our trumpet with satisfaction and pride, and for being a part of the family of News Today readers.
Good Evening!
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