---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Asghar Vasanwala <asgharfv@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, Jul 6, 2011 at 12:57 AM
Subject: All other Indian languages are State languages; Urdu is not. Therefore, Urdu is not a compulsory subject in any state and its readership is declining.
To: poetry-opinions-currenttopics@lists.elistx.com
Urdu media modernises, but declining readership a worry
Submitted by admin4 </user/admin4> on 4 July 2011 - 4:24 pm
* Indian Muslim </news/indian-muslim>
By Abu Zafar, IANS
New Delhi : Overcoming technical and commercial challenges, Urdu media in
India is now trying to re-invent itself as big corporate houses enter the
market. But the wider problem of lack of readership persists.
The advent of the digital technology has made it easier to print Urdu. Gone
are the days when 'qatibs' (calligraphers) diligently traced out the script
on to transparencies and then the letters were inverted before printing them
on a lithographic machine. Now it is done through desktop composing and
printing, just like with other languages.
Financial constraints are also easing.
According to Aziz Burney, group editor of the Roznama Rashtriya Sahara
daily, big corporate houses are now keen on entering the market and are
investing in the Urdu media - something which was unimaginable about a
decade ago.
"There is a lot more job opportunities in the Urdu media today than what the
position was in yesteryears," Burney told IANS, painting a contrast to the
times when the media was facing a lack of good content.
The Roznama Rashtriya Sahara publishes 16 editions from 10 places across the
country and claims a readership of over three million. It also publishes the
Aalmi Sahara, a weekly newsmagazine, and the Bazm-e-Sahara, a literary and
culture monthly.
In a sign of the resurging popularity of the Urdu media, the Dainik Jagran
group started Daily Inquilab newspaper with New Delhi, Lucknow, Allahabad,
Gorakhpur and Varanasi editions. The United News Of India's (UNI) Urdu
service, which was launched in 1992 with six subscribers, now is said to
have 84 subscribers in different parts of India.
According to the Registrar of Newspapers for India (RNI), Urdu stands third
in terms of number of periodical publications after Hindi and English.
However, the biggest problem is of the declining number of people able to
read Urdu. Munir Adil, editor of the Daily Salar in Bangalore, thinks the
biggest problem that the Urdu media faces today is that of readership.
"The Urdu language is commonly used in Bollywood, but falling number of
readership of Urdu newspapers is the biggest challenge," Adil told IANS.
"The elite class is obsessed with the English language."
Others in the field seek a greater stress on content.
Noting that there has been "new colour, new life and new courage in Urdu
journalism in India", Adeel Akhtar, president of journalists union
Journalism for Justice, told IANS: "The Urdu media needs to focus on
investigative journalism and the trend of depending on news agencies should
be changed now."
The view is shared by Ehtesham Ahmed Khan, associate professor at the School
of Mass Communication and Journalism in Maulana Azad National Urdu
University at Hyderabad.
"The Urdu media needs to focus on its content because content is king," he
said.
Journalists however raise several problems with regard to working
conditions. "There is no job security in the Urdu media, nor do we have a
strong union backing us," Mohammed Mubashiruddin Khurram of The Daily Siasat
said.
And gathering news is not the sole preoccupation. "We have to gather news as
well as advertisements for revenue, "Alamuallah Islahi of the Daily Sahafat
newspaper told IANS.
According to Srinagar-based journalist Sareer Khalid, Urdu journalists need
to be better trained.
Going one step ahead, Rehana Bastiwala of BBC Urdu said: "For a better Urdu
media, the standard of Urdu schools should be improved".
However, the situation in the electronic media is better. According to
Rashtriya Sahara more than 90 million people speak Urdu in India, of whom 40
million are television viewers. There are at least five Urdu news channels,
including Doordarshan Urdu, ETV Urdu, Aalmi Sahara and Munsif TV, apart from
some others dedicated to religious content.
"The reach of Urdu news channels is massive. A person who knows Hindi can
easily understand Urdu," Burney said.
As far as radio services is concerned, BBC Urdu, which was started in 1940,
has a big impact in India. Apart from BBC, Voice of America, Radio Deutsche
Welle and All India Radio's Urdu services are also popular in Urdu speaking
belts.
(Abu Zafar can be contacted at abuzafar@journalist.com)
From: Asghar Vasanwala <asgharfv@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, Jul 6, 2011 at 12:57 AM
Subject: All other Indian languages are State languages; Urdu is not. Therefore, Urdu is not a compulsory subject in any state and its readership is declining.
To: poetry-opinions-currenttopics@lists.elistx.com
Urdu media modernises, but declining readership a worry
Submitted by admin4 </user/admin4> on 4 July 2011 - 4:24 pm
* Indian Muslim </news/indian-muslim>
By Abu Zafar, IANS
New Delhi : Overcoming technical and commercial challenges, Urdu media in
India is now trying to re-invent itself as big corporate houses enter the
market. But the wider problem of lack of readership persists.
The advent of the digital technology has made it easier to print Urdu. Gone
are the days when 'qatibs' (calligraphers) diligently traced out the script
on to transparencies and then the letters were inverted before printing them
on a lithographic machine. Now it is done through desktop composing and
printing, just like with other languages.
Financial constraints are also easing.
According to Aziz Burney, group editor of the Roznama Rashtriya Sahara
daily, big corporate houses are now keen on entering the market and are
investing in the Urdu media - something which was unimaginable about a
decade ago.
"There is a lot more job opportunities in the Urdu media today than what the
position was in yesteryears," Burney told IANS, painting a contrast to the
times when the media was facing a lack of good content.
The Roznama Rashtriya Sahara publishes 16 editions from 10 places across the
country and claims a readership of over three million. It also publishes the
Aalmi Sahara, a weekly newsmagazine, and the Bazm-e-Sahara, a literary and
culture monthly.
In a sign of the resurging popularity of the Urdu media, the Dainik Jagran
group started Daily Inquilab newspaper with New Delhi, Lucknow, Allahabad,
Gorakhpur and Varanasi editions. The United News Of India's (UNI) Urdu
service, which was launched in 1992 with six subscribers, now is said to
have 84 subscribers in different parts of India.
According to the Registrar of Newspapers for India (RNI), Urdu stands third
in terms of number of periodical publications after Hindi and English.
However, the biggest problem is of the declining number of people able to
read Urdu. Munir Adil, editor of the Daily Salar in Bangalore, thinks the
biggest problem that the Urdu media faces today is that of readership.
"The Urdu language is commonly used in Bollywood, but falling number of
readership of Urdu newspapers is the biggest challenge," Adil told IANS.
"The elite class is obsessed with the English language."
Others in the field seek a greater stress on content.
Noting that there has been "new colour, new life and new courage in Urdu
journalism in India", Adeel Akhtar, president of journalists union
Journalism for Justice, told IANS: "The Urdu media needs to focus on
investigative journalism and the trend of depending on news agencies should
be changed now."
The view is shared by Ehtesham Ahmed Khan, associate professor at the School
of Mass Communication and Journalism in Maulana Azad National Urdu
University at Hyderabad.
"The Urdu media needs to focus on its content because content is king," he
said.
Journalists however raise several problems with regard to working
conditions. "There is no job security in the Urdu media, nor do we have a
strong union backing us," Mohammed Mubashiruddin Khurram of The Daily Siasat
said.
And gathering news is not the sole preoccupation. "We have to gather news as
well as advertisements for revenue, "Alamuallah Islahi of the Daily Sahafat
newspaper told IANS.
According to Srinagar-based journalist Sareer Khalid, Urdu journalists need
to be better trained.
Going one step ahead, Rehana Bastiwala of BBC Urdu said: "For a better Urdu
media, the standard of Urdu schools should be improved".
However, the situation in the electronic media is better. According to
Rashtriya Sahara more than 90 million people speak Urdu in India, of whom 40
million are television viewers. There are at least five Urdu news channels,
including Doordarshan Urdu, ETV Urdu, Aalmi Sahara and Munsif TV, apart from
some others dedicated to religious content.
"The reach of Urdu news channels is massive. A person who knows Hindi can
easily understand Urdu," Burney said.
As far as radio services is concerned, BBC Urdu, which was started in 1940,
has a big impact in India. Apart from BBC, Voice of America, Radio Deutsche
Welle and All India Radio's Urdu services are also popular in Urdu speaking
belts.
(Abu Zafar can be contacted at abuzafar@journalist.com)
--
Palash Biswas
Pl Read:
http://nandigramunited-banga.blogspot.com/
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