Mushroom Growth Of
Newspapers In Kashmir
By Kousar Bukhari in Srinagar
Newspapers grow in number, but not in
circulation. The mushroom growth despite a recession is baffling.
SRINAGAR In a politically sensitive state like Jammu
and Kashmir, the newspaper industry has gone under enormous changes,
particularly in Kashmir valley, in the past thirteen years. If the increase in
number of newspapers without substantial jump in circulation is a positive
trend the state has earned this distinction. Not only the addition of
newspapers at local level but also the shifting of base by a number national
newspapers both Hindi and English has added a new dimension to these changes.
Way back in 1989, the number of newspapers in the
entire state was not more than five out of which three Urdu
newspapers----Aftab, Srinagar Times and Wadi Ki Awaz--- were published from
Srinagar and dominated the newspaper market for past three decades. Two English
newspapers Kashmir Times and Excelsior were published from Jammu with the
former having substantial circulation in Kashmir Valley. For a brief period an
English daily Samachar Post was published from Srinagar being the only English
daily with Greater Kashmir as the only English weekly. But Samachar Post closed
down as a result of the mass exodus of Kashmiri pandits as the owner of the
paper belonged to that community.
With the onset of militancy in late 1989, the
publication of newspapers saw a quantum jump with this trade becoming free for
all. It has now reached a level of saturation with those associated with media
baffled over the trends in this industry. Even as the taste of switching over
to newspapers for getting more and more news has developed in Kashmir over a
period of time, the invasion of cable TV¿s has further diminished the prospects
of its healthy growth. As of now the number of daily newspapers published from
Srinagar is nearly 20 out of which five are English and rest Urdu newspapers.
Chattan and Ehtisab are Urdu weeklies with the former
being mass circulated. From time to time English weeklies have also hit the
stands but could not survive. Muslim Kashmir is the only English weekly which
is regularly published. What is more interesting is that more and more
newspapers are being launched from Valley but without any substantial
improvement on circulation front. There has been some improvement in
circulation of newspapers over a period of time but more and more newspapers
coming up makes the situation somewhat messy, opines a newspaper distributor.
According to estimates the circulation of any
newspapers has not made any significant headway. The highest circulation for a
leading newspaper both in Urdu and English could be about 12, 000, which in any
case is not comparable with a language newspaper anywhere in the country. Why
has there been mushroom growth in the newspaper industry and why is it being
seen as a source of livelihood at a time when big media outlets in the country
are facing the worst economic recession? These are the questions, which have
been lurking in the minds of every media professional.
"There are some hidden sources which are sustaining the majority of newspapers" says a senior journalist. Barring a few leading newspapers the rate of advertisements has also not been that encouraging but most of the papers do depend upon the government advertisements for which the National Conference government has hiked the rates by 50 percent in last budget. That could be sufficient for the large number of litho newspapers as for their survival the government advertisement could do well but for those published on offset it is difficult to believe that only