The Hindu Business Line : NRS and beyond

Now the advertisement war will begin. Watch out for a spate of advertisements from competing newspapers giving you the most carefully thought-out interpretations of the NRS results. Frankly, in the absence of an overwhelming verdict, which is these days as much a rarity in publishing as it is in politics, there is great scope for interpreting statistical analysis. Sit back and enjoy the fun, but be sure to carefully read between the lines of fine print.

Some eagerly awaited information from the NRS would be released very soon. The Kerala information, of course, is top of the mind but, to me, equally interesting will be the information on supplements, which is being compiled and released for the first time. One is very keen to get proper data on just who reads supplements. The only thing one is very sure of these days is that they must be intelligent people. You are reading a supplement right now. Thank you.

Contract full circle

Things seem be going full circle at Contract. Umesh Shrikhande has returned and with Ravi Deshpande in place, the old team with a new banner can start humming once again. Ram Sehgal must be nostalgic that the stars he nurtured are back at their roots while he continues at Everest.

Battle for Mumbai

This is one battle which will attract attention for quite some time.

The focus now is on the cover price of each newspaper. Hindustan Times (HT) has already announced Rs. 50 per month as a part of a scheme. DNA will probably be somewhere very close. When will, if at all, the mighty Times drop its cover price?

The Mumbai Mirror, the new "compact" from the Times stable has not really set the streets of Mumbai on fire, but it's too soon to be writing it off completely. One feels there is a lot of pent-up demand waiting to see what is on offer before settling down to a final choice.

Meanwhile, does one see a trace of desperation in the Mid Day? Trying so obviously hard to set up a "sting" operation on the Deputy Chief Minister and getting caught at it must be rather embarrassing, to say the least. Probably explains the Editor's efforts to try and define what the word "sting" constituted. Come on guys, you tried something sensational and tripped. It's okay, we still love you, but take it easy.

While on the topic of definitions, do you know the difference between a tabloid and a compact? Well, the Mid Day is a tabloid. The Mumbai Mirror is a compact. "But isn't the Mirror just a broad tabloid?" Sure it is. "Then can't you call it a "Broadloid?" I guess you can. And if you were Pradeep Guha, you would call it a "Badloid."

And please don't think we are just confusing you. You should know all about these "minis," especially since one more might just hit the stands. And we can crow once more that we told you first.

INS re-defined?

The Indian Newspaper Society is the big daddy of all associations. It has on its committee the head honchos of all the publications you know of and many you do not know of. That make it very powerful, and if you were in the advertising business, it makes it even more important for you, as your advertising agency would have to be "accredited" by the INS.

Well, the INS holds its executive committee meetings all over India, which is hardly surprising as its members are all over India. Now, its 500th meeting will assume special significance not just because it is a landmark number, but also because it will be held in Lahore. One hears the executive committee is taking the new cross-border friendliness to a new high by leading a goodwill delegation to Pakistan and having its committee meeting right there. Talk about a global village! And the icing on the cake will be a meeting with the President of Pakistan himself.

Keeping in mind the aftermath of the Advani visit, one hopes the President of the INS will restrict himself to sounds of silence.

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