India
Media Environment | News Gathering | Practical Tips
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Media Environment
The newspaper industry, which is struggling for survival in other parts of the world, is thriving in India. Some 99 million copies of India’s 60,000 newspapers are sold each day, in what is the world’s second largest newspaper market. An expanding middle class, a booming economy and rising literacy have ensured an expanding readership, which increased from 232 million in 2000 to 302 million in 2007. Greatly helping newspaper circulation are news-stand prices that rarely exceed Rs 3 (US$0.05) per copy.
Major newspapers are published across the country in regional editions, including the Indian Express published in 19 centres, the Hindu in eight and the Times of India and Malayala Manorama in seven each.
The Times of India leads the English dailies with a total readership of 13.3 million; Hindustan Times is second with 6.35 million readers, followed by The Hindu and The Telegraph. Among the Hindi dailies, Dainik Jagran has the largest circulation, followed by Dainik Bhaskar.
The numerous vernacular dailies around the country are much bigger than the English dailies, and within the country wield much more influence and power. As a rule, the vernacular dailies are more conservative and right-wing, though less so in some leftist states.
With editions in Delhi, Mumbai, Lucknow, Patna and Kolkata, the Hindustan Times (Hindustan in Hindi) is India’s major newspaper, dominant in the northern, eastern and central regions. Its New Delhi edition is the largest single English daily in the country with a circulation of over one million. Its website (www.hindustantimes.com) is among the best and most informative media sites in the world.
India has a rich array of news magazines, including Business Today (www.business-today.com), Frontline (www.flonnet.com), India Today (www.india-today.com), and Outlook (www.outlookindia.com).
It also has the largest number of news agencies in the world. The Press Trust of India, a cooperative owned by newspapers, is the country’s largest. It employs more than 1,300 people, including 400 journalists, and has 80 bureaus around the country and in major world centres (www.ptinews.com). The Press Trust and the United News of India (www.uniindia.com) have been joined in recent years by a number of private news agencies, including the Indo-Asian News Service (www.ians.in) and the Asian News International (www.aniin.com).
Music-based FM radio stations continue to proliferate, but only the public broadcaster All India Radio ( www.allindiaradio.org), which operates domestic and international networks and claims to reach 98 percent of the population, can broadcast news. Radio Mirchi (www.enil.co.in), run by the Times Group, Radio City (www.radiocity.in/delhi.aspx), owned by News Corporation, and Red FM, run by India Today Group, are the major commercial networks.
Television has become something of a deregulated feast, with free-to-air, satellite and cable operators proliferating, particularly in Mumbai and New Delhi. India has more than 160 channels, about a third of which are news channels, telecasting in 11 languages. Among the most important television services is the nationwide 24-hour news service Aaj Tak (www.aajtak.com), which broadcasts mainly in Hindi. Other influential national broadcasters are NDTV 24/7 (www.ndtv.com) and CNN-IBN (www.ibnlive.com). The public TV broadcaster Doordarshan Television (www.iddindia.gov.in) runs 21 services, including the flagship DD1 channel which attracts about 400 million viewers.
While Internet penetration in India remains low, use has risen dramatically, with some 49.4 million people online by 2008. Uptake of new media is growing but not at the expense of traditional media.
News Gathering
India is an open, free society in which it is easy for journalists to operate. However, press freedom has been threatened by violence of political parties, and religious and separatist groups. Television stations have been ransacked by right-wing organisations and parties and journalists have been threatened, even killed, in the restive Jammu and Kashmir and Northeast. Foreign journalists critical of India in their reporting have run into trouble with immigration officials and some have had difficulty returning to the country after ‘negative’ reporting on sensitive social issues.
Government officials are reluctant to provide information, unlike ordinary Indians, NGOs and social activists.
The country’s media was once relatively passive but New Zealand journalists visiting or working in India today will find an intensely active media scene. Competition for stories is fierce, and this limits the level of cooperation that one can expect. While Indians are friendly and open, the familiarity that often exists between New Zealand reporters does not normally exist in India. Some degree of formality is expected and appreciated, although journalists can expect to be invited into a local reporter’s homes to meet an often bewildering array of extended family members.
Visiting journalists need a journalist visa, available through the Indian High Commission in Wellington. This permits a stay in India for up to three months. Journalists planning to work in the country for long periods should seek accreditation with the Press Information Bureau:
Press Information Bureau
Shastri Bhavan,
Sangsad Marg,
New Delhi
Tel: 11 2338 3316
Website: http://pib.nic.in
Journalists or interns who intend to travel to India to work in Indian media organisations should apply for Employment ‘E’ visas. On arrival in India journalists are required to report to the External Press Relations:
External Press Relations, Ministry of External Affairs
XPR Section, Room No. 137
Ist Floor, A-wing,
Shastri Bhavan, New Delhi-110001
Tel: 11 2338 5193; 11 2338 9472; 11 2338 3462
Fax: 11 2338 6910; 11 2338 6080; 11 2338 7075
Email: poxpr@mea.gov.in
Website: http://xprindia.org
Useful newspaper contacts include:
Hindustan Times,
Hindustan Times House
18-20 Kasturba Gandhi Marg
New Delhi 110001
Tel: 11 2336 1234
Indian Express
B-14A Qutab Institutional Area
New Delhi – 110016
Tel: 11 2653 0101 – 10
Times of India
Times of India Building
Dr D N Road
Mumbai 400001
Tel: 22 5635 3535/3636
Tel: 11 2330 2000 (New Delhi)
The Telegraph
Anand Bazar Patrika Pvt. Limited
6 Prafulla Sarkar Street
Kolkata 700001
Tel: 33 2234 5357
The Hindu
Kasturi Building
859-860 Anna Salai
Chennai 600002
Tel: 44 2841 3344
Tel: 11 2331 1718/5426 (New Delhi)
Foreign journalists require permission for travel to border regions in Jammu and Kashmir, the Northeastern states and Sikkim. Travel to Inner Line areas of Ladakh in Jammu and Kashmir requires permission from the District Commissioner or Senior Superintendent of Police of Leh or Kargil. Photography or filming of defence installations and airports is prohibited. Photography of army-related activity requires clearance from the army liaison cell of the Ministry of Defence.
Useful contacts:
The Foreign Correspondents' Club of South Asia
AB-19, Mathura Road, New Delhi-110001
Tel: 11 2338 8535; 11 2338 5518
Fax: 11 2338 5517
The Press Club of India
1, Raisina Road, New Delhi-110001
Tel: 11 2371 9844; 11 2373 0248
Fax: 11 2335 7048
Practical Tips
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Full health insurance is necessary. Health services in the major cities are world-class but this is not the case in rural areas.
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An increase in the number of business travellers has resulted in a shortage of rooms in quality hotels in cities such as Bangalore, Mumbai and New Delhi, pushing up room tarrifs. Budget hotels for the business traveller have sprung up in several cities with ‘No-frills’ hotels such as Tata Group’s Ginger hotels (www.gingerhotels.com) and Sarovar’s Hometel chain (www.hometel.co.in) offering basic facilities.
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In the cities direct international dialling is commonplace and virtually every town has public internet services, alongside IDD and ISD phone operations — many of which are cheaper than hotel phone rates. Few places in India these days are beyond cellphone reach.
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India uses both GSM and CDMA. GPRS datacards/USB modems are widely used, but these require signed contracts with operators and thus are not a practical option for short-term visitors without an Indian residential address. Most companies do not rent datacards. WiFi services are available in many hotels, cafés and airports.
Contributor: Sudha Ramachandran
Latest update April 2009
