TOI catering to Prurience?-LEDS23Apr2007
Sir,
I realize this might be the end of my 20 years of published letters in TOI.
If so, so be it.
Are you entering second adolescence after 100 years?
I read today's Bangalore Times, issue with Prominent headlines "WOMAN ON TOP...OR NOT" and "OVER ALREADY?" succeeding each other, with great embarassment and shame at my daily morning dining table family meet, in front of my children.
I am not a prude. I am considered a liberal in my age group(http://mbnataraj.blogspot.com/).
But these double entendre, innuendo heavy headlines made me ashamed of being a TOI reader.
I have been noticing this rapid TOI slide to prurient journalism Of late.
Front page banner headlines of Indian male's prowess in Bed or female's dissatisfaction in it leading the charge.
If this is news your readers seek it should be available in a special over 18 only edition.
You are I am sure fully aware an individual is judged by his reading habits.
I have no intention of being classified as a Harold Robbins or Playboy type just because I subscribe to Times of India.
Being a TOI reader should not be the equivalent of buying condoms at a newpaper kiosk or index of prurience.
Catering to a section of your readers or circulation figures, do not go down the India Today/Reader's Digest- path.
One of these days you might find yourself, losing your loyal readers.
You could check this out conducting one of your innumerable opinion polls specifically about this question, this time for your own sake.
If losing ashamed readers is not a big deal to you,
then you are on the right road.
I realize this might be the end of my 20 years of published letters in TOI.
If so, so be it.
Are you entering second adolescence after 100 years?
I read today's Bangalore Times, issue with Prominent headlines "WOMAN ON TOP...OR NOT" and "OVER ALREADY?" succeeding each other, with great embarassment and shame at my daily morning dining table family meet, in front of my children.
I am not a prude. I am considered a liberal in my age group(http://mbnataraj.blogspot.com/).
But these double entendre, innuendo heavy headlines made me ashamed of being a TOI reader.
I have been noticing this rapid TOI slide to prurient journalism Of late.
Front page banner headlines of Indian male's prowess in Bed or female's dissatisfaction in it leading the charge.
If this is news your readers seek it should be available in a special over 18 only edition.
You are I am sure fully aware an individual is judged by his reading habits.
I have no intention of being classified as a Harold Robbins or Playboy type just because I subscribe to Times of India.
Being a TOI reader should not be the equivalent of buying condoms at a newpaper kiosk or index of prurience.
Catering to a section of your readers or circulation figures, do not go down the India Today/Reader's Digest- path.
One of these days you might find yourself, losing your loyal readers.
You could check this out conducting one of your innumerable opinion polls specifically about this question, this time for your own sake.
If losing ashamed readers is not a big deal to you,
then you are on the right road.
posted by m b nataraj | 9:31 PM
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