Community Newspapers For Human Development

Reprinted with permission from VOICES, October 2000

Community Newspapers For Human Development

By Vincent D¿Souza

Seven years ago three people, including the author, sat down to plan neighbourhood newspapers for two well-known areas of Chennai City

The Adyar Times and the Anna Nagar Times are the best-known examples of successful community newspapers in South India. While the Adyar Times has a weekly circulation of 27,000 copies, the Anna Nagar Times runs to about 36,000 copies. The papers are free and they have an average of 16 pages. Almost 50% of each paper contains advertisements. This is proof of the success of these ventures. Behind this success story, is also a story of a community venture that has helped in its development.

Why do we need a community newspaper?

The urban community was growing and had its own needs and issues to put up, its own activities and people who made news, its own concerns and expressions. All these could be featured in print, radio or even television but mainstream newspapers did not care for such communities and had little space for them. The venture proposed to fill this void.

The concept of community newspapers is not new. Small media has proved to be successful all over the world, in both urban and rural areas. But when the concept is first introduced to a community, depending on local conditions, special methods need to be adopted to make it work. So the going was not easy.

Different ways were adopted to make a mark with the two newspapers. There was no advertising launch. Computers for desktop publishing were hired from an agency that supported small ventures. Offices were set up in the houses of the promoters. The pre-launch strength of the newspaper was in its editorial, that is coverage of local events only. But it was carried out in a professional manner along guidelines established for the press. The promoters brought in mainstream journalists with professional experience as well as freshers from the community.

Why was the newspaper distributed free of cost?

It was part of a marketing strategy. In a less encouraging sphere, it would have taken ages to sell the newspaper and raise a huge readership base. It was felt that reaching a professionally produced newspaper to a wider community base would win a committed readership.

Coverage was on issues related to civic amenities, police, health, education, water distribution agencies, schools and colleges, clubs, associations, institutions, shopping and sports, local businesses and local heroes!

Distribution was first done through a newspaper agent and then by the newspaper¿s own team to residential colonies. The newspaper was also stocked at leading stores in all colonies. Today, the circulation team concentrates on stocking the paper in more than 100 stores.

How did the newspaper plan to bring in revenues?