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?