'Just being analytical, informative and credible is not enough'

On June 2 last year, after 22 years of being a fortnightly newsmagazine, INDIA TODAY turned weekly. It is a decision I have never had cause to regret. In many ways our timing was perfect, as the past year has been a tumultuous one.Governments fell and two prime ministers were forced to resign. Sonia Gandhi tested the political waters, while Arundhati Roy made a startling literary debut. India's 50th year of Independence was celebrated, yet there was national mourning when Mother Teresa passed away. And then came India and Pakistan's nuclear tests. India today covered it all, consistently maintaining its high standards of journalism.Politics predictably has been our bread and butter, with 48 per cent of our covers devoted to the subject. Yet, we have done several not-so-predictable cover stories as well. Ranging from serious stories like the "Invasion of Monster Mosquitoes" and the "Army's Changing Face", to lighter ones like "New Toys And Tastes of the Megarich" and the "Rise of the Cellerati".What's most encouraging is that our readers responded with similar enthusiasm. Our circulation, which some believed was bound to dip, not only stayed stable but even increased. With the result that, despite the recent proliferation of television news programmes, we sold 22 million copies this year as compared to 9.7 million the previous year. Even letters from readers have quadrupled in number. So, in this issue we have included a questionnaire for our readers, to find out their preferences.But just being analytical, informative and credible is not enough. At INDIA TODAY we have always sought to go further, to tell stories that make a difference, and in that respect too I believe we have been quite successful.When we carried exclusive extracts from the Jain Commission report ("Damning Revelations", November '97), it eventually led to the resignation of the Gujral government and a fresh general election. This cover sold second only to our 50 Years of Independence special issue. Elsewhere too we made a mark. Our reportage of the distressing condition of war widows in Rajasthan ("Widows of Shergadh", August '97) won an award for Special Correspondent Uday Mahurkar and the suicides by starving farmers in Bundelkhand ("Death Wish", April '98) resulted in a government inquiry. We have also attempted to set benchmarks like our Top 10 Colleges list.Regardless of the frequency of our magazine, our mission remains the same; to bring you clarity and understanding about the changes occurring in the world around you. It is a job we enjoy doing. Hopefully, the outcome is equally enjoyable.Published By: AtMigration Published On: Jun 8, 1998--- ENDS ---

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'Just being analytical, informative and credible is not enough'

On June 2 last year, after 22 years of being a fortnightly newsmagazine, INDIA TODAY turned weekly. It is a decision I have never had cause to regret. In many ways our timing was perfect, as the past year has been a tumultuous one.

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