By Jaisurya Das
“I dream of an independent media not answerable to anyone but itself…†Wonderful words from a fine journalist. This man has the passion to get audiences involved. Ladies and Gentleman, welcome to Dear MxM, India’s only counsellor for the fraternity.
Arnab Goswami has done his job well. However much the media world may scorn his methods, the fact remains that he has delivered to his principal shareholders.
So what if he is termed cacophony, brash and much arrogant. The bottom line is that his show gets huge eye balls and the channel he heads remains at the top of the list.
I have much respect for anyone who believes there can be independent media. What is independence really when at any point of time there is an onus to the shareholders, partners, advertisers and the marketplace..? Is this freedom ?
Arnab has a tough task ahead. I don’t envy him. Can you detach yourself from the larger picture in this scenario..? I seriously doubt it.
This is the reality, stark and much ‘in the face’.
Akin to the faces of those youngsters I spoke to at a premier media university. I told them to forget all that they have believed in about media. Start afresh, build your craft and learn to accept and adapt to a new world order. This isn’t about the fourth estate and all the rot we were left with.
This is about the business of creating and disseminating content. Do not lose sight of the fact that all this content has also to be marketable
for the company to survive.
Wake up and smell the coffee! It’s about time journalists and others get off their high horses and learn to move with the tide. Learn, build, adapt, bury that ego and move ahead. There is no option. This is the reality.
The stark reality. Media is a business. Nothing is going to change this…
Well for now it’s time to get to the questions we have from our readers of Lucknow, Pune, Delhi and Hyderabad. Thanks for writing in, my friends.
I resigned from my job recently, informed a lot of people about it, but now I have taken back my resignation because I figured that the going is better in my current job. I am feeling odd about it, and I am told that the next time I want to quit, the company will accept my resignation instantly. And I may be marked as a person who threatens to quit often? Is all of this true?
Yes, this is a likely eventuality. No company or boss or HR professional likes people who can’t take a firm decision. Changing your mind is fine but when it comes to the workplace it is often construed to mean a confused person.
Hence I would now urge you to stay put for a year in order to put such doubts, if any, to rest. The grass will always seem greener on the other side but before you take a decision to move, there are several factors you must bear in mind.
The new company’s stature, team, work environment, growth rate and more importantly the potential it offers for you to grow further. Do remember that it’s important to be working in a segment and company that is growing. This then catalyses growth for the individuals working there. This is an imperative to avoid stagnation.
All the best to you in your future endeavours!
Sir, I was told by someone senior at an ad agency when he visited us for a guest lecture, that the real growth in advertising in India, is in Hindi. And not the day-to-day street lingo, but stuff that is nuanced. I am from Chennai and my Hindi is awful. Do you suggest I start learning the language, or can one make do without?
It’s not only in Hindi really. Regional language growth has been fairly decent and Hindi is one segment that has grown faster than some of the other languages. The universe of print however is a cause for concern.
The larger danger / opportunity is the prolific growth seen in portable media, that is, tablets. smartphones and e-readers. While this seems like trouble for print media, it is undoubtedly a huge opportunity for those seeking a fast paced growing industry.
The sharp media houses have been quick to adapt to this and in the process morphing into multiple media modes. This is however just the tip of the iceberg and the market is humungous.
Mass content will get more niche as the years go by and this is where good advertising professionals will hold the key. More targeted advertising will need to be created to blend seamlessly with these multiple modes of consumption.
Hence my friend there is no cause for concern really. There is a huge market waiting there and the lack of Hindi in your vocabulary wont make a jolly difference. Just ensure you have enough meat in your creativity. After all craft is the biggest differentiator.
I was told that there are many brainy research professionals in advertising and the media. Don’t they understand that cluttering the newspaper with so many ads means that people don’t see them?
Good question indeed, but have you thought as to how media owners will survive bereft of advertising? Each copy of the newspaper you buy at a paltry Rs3 or 4 actually costs well over Rs10-12 to produce. This deficit is met through advertising.
Please do understand that media is a business like I said in my introduction and the owner must ensure his company is profitable.
Moreover, today research has proved beyond doubt that media is consumed not only for its editorial content but also for its advertising. Hence while you believe that there is very little content, in reality the whole paper is content. Feel good, pay nothing and enjoy your paper!
Let media owners survive my friend.
Earlier this week, a friend working with a leading magazine, asked me why my newspaper has a policy on accepting Diwali gifts and how her mag and many others don’t. She said accepting a gift is not like a bribe, it’s just goodwill. What’s your view, Sir?
Yes, it’s goodwill, but you have to draw a line before it becomes an obligation. Any discerning media house would have a policy on this which is enforced quite diligently.
Unfortunately, there are several companies with over enthusiastic marcom departments who believe in giving expensive gifts to journalists and media owners, This is obviously followed up with requests for coverage for every thing that happens in that enterprise.
Yes, it is for the journalists to refuse this and they must. But there is always a rotten egg in a basket and hence often this ‘back scratching’ is accepted quite blatantly.
If it’s really about goodwill the gift must be below Rs 500 at best. This is what a token is about. I have strong views on this and have personally encouraged and enforced this policy across large teams.
All the same festive seasons are fun, aren’t they? The city is glowing with those fairy lights adorning shops only to be followed soon by the grandeur in the sky. I love this festival of lights. It’s heady and has a distinct aroma that tantalises your senses. Enjoy yourself this weekend, shop away for Diwali and get set to put on those extra kilograms.
But, yes, do keep writing to us at editor@mxmindia.com ( superscribe Dear MxM and your City in the subject line ) and I shall be back next week, same day, same space. Till then, it’s me Jaisurya saying Sayonara..!
Jaisurya Das, maverick and media evangelist, eats, sleeps and makes love to brands. His consulting interventions are aimed at making brands powerful and sustainable. He is also Contributing Editor of MxM India and Co-Founder of pune365.com. For more on his work, visit www.xanadu.co.in. The views expressed in this column are his own.