FUTURE OF PRINT AND E-NEWSPAPER IN INDIA: A CRITIQUE

Abstract

Print newspapers in India have evolved over the years. The significant readership of print newspaper is an evidence of it being a popular medium among people. Newspapers in India started before independence and gained much attention during the time of freedom struggle with many revolutionaries contributing to the growth of journalism. It became an effective medium to reach the masses. Post independence, print newspapers looked forward to maintaining the newly found freedom. In 1950s, National development became primary goal for the newspapers. Newspapers, by then, had earned the reputation of being a credible source of information. They served as important link between the government and citizens. As post independence many industries were affected by the wave of commercialization, journalism was also not left unaffected. With the coming of satellite television during1990s there were speculations that print newspapers would go obsolete. But newspapers reinvented themselves and learnt to not only co-exist but also made good profits. The dawn of the digital era saw the birth of e-newspapers. India too followed the suit amidst speculations that print newspapers will go obsolete but once again it reinvented itself and survived the wave of change. This paper attempts to trace the journey of newspaper from print to digital. It also attempts to prognosticate the future of print newspaper and e-newspaper in the Indian subcontinent. The paper concludes that although print newspapers are not going anywhere in the near future owing to their willingness to reinvent themselves, the future of newspaper is digital. The paper also explains the factors responsible for the shift in news consumption habits of the Indian readers. To accomplish the objectives of the study, the researchers conducted a focus group discussion with experts from media industry and academia. KEYWORDS: Print newspapers, e-newspapers, new media, digital platforms, vernacular press, localization of news.