chennai Television

The greatest battle of Newspapers has just started in Chennai. The West Indian Master, The Times of India has given a challenge to the Only genuine Madrasi English paper The Hindu, and in style.

There have been many such battles before but none so eagerly waited and none so intense. A couple of years ago when Deccan chronicle with a ‘ look similar to TOI’ edition entered Chennai, it did not cause so much concern for the Hindu here. The Only purpose Deccan entry did was to postpone TOI entry by a couple of years. Deccan claims it has circulation just 23000 less than Hindu, But The Hindu kept its price and content till perhaps last month.

The Times of India has not come to Chennai to preserve the old and also not for bringing any drastic changes. Ironically, It used the present Chief Minister, who is a very old man and who believes to stay put and believes anything can change but not he in his seat, to light the lamp on a very auspicious day which was called Tamil News years day till this year and from then called Chittirai no.1 [sound like some movie name] . For him nothing changes on Chittirai no. 1. His channel will give a bout of programs and TRP winner films to get him more money. But the Public will loose a holiday from this year. And to Instruct Temples to sober their celebrations and to avoid panchang reading is a vulgar reaction from a perverted politician.

The Times of India starts in Chennai from April 14th, The birthday of Ram, the very name whose existence the lighter of TOI lamp questioned, The Lord whom he called a drunkard. There are so many such ironies.

AND THE CHENNAI FIRST EDITION ITSELF IS AN IRONY. EVERY ONE WHO HAS SEEN TOI’s MUMBAI AND BANGALORE EDITION, EXPECTED A MORE GLOSSY EDITORLESS GLAMOUROUS AND MASALA FOR BREAKFAST. EVERYONE WAS EXPECTING A PUNJABI SNACK OR A KEBAB OR A BHELPURI BUT WHAT TOI DELIVERED TODAY WAS A PANEER DOSA. AND THAT WAS CLEVER. WHILE HINDU TRIED TO PREMPT TOI BY RELEASING NEW SUPLEMENTS LIKE NEXT GEN AND ERGO, TOI SIMPLY COPIED HINDU IN STYLE AND CONTENT AND SPRANG A SURPRISE. THE NEWSPAPER Scenario has changed in Chennai since March. The New Indian express looks very classy, trendy and more like the TOI of Ban galore. The Hindu has altered a bit and is looking half Hindu and half TOI Delhi. And TOI is trying to take the place of Full Hindu. And if this is not an irony what is?

If Nusli wadia is starting a petrochemical land in Baroda, Modi will give a sanction because it will bring additional employment and money to his state but will not go with his full cabinet to inaugurate it just because Nusli is a competitor to his gujarathi manus Ambani, this inspite he being from a National Party. And here in Chennai we see a Chief minister along with his Cabinet secretary, Police chief, important ministers etc queuing up to wish and praise the new rival. Most of right and left bureaucrats and police chieftains in this great Tamil state are from the north and after the Supreme Court verdict in the MNS case they have the guts now to openly proclaim they are from Delhi and were missing TOI so far. But the new edition will only give them one more Hindu in TOI’s name.

Now why is the CM so eager to grant success to TOI. The number of Government advertisements is a clear indicator how much he is an eager partner, or well wisher.
In his address while lighting the first light in TOI’s office, he said, “The paper should remove deep darkness and kindle the light of knowledge among the people,” So according to him the Hindu was delivering darkness everyday till this dawn has arrived. Well probably the name is the culprit. For anything Hindu, except their votes are ugly for this old mind. He will not mind christianizing of rituals by keeping Temples open at midnight on 1st Jan, but will not allow Panchang recital on April 14th, because it is against dravidism. Infact it is because of The Hindu he could easily overcome many a crisis in the past. The pro leftist Hindu has always been on his side because of the left being a constant partner with him. But how could he tolerate a Brahmin family who are related to his new rivals Marans. And that is why this TOI entry is with covert blessings. For him his power and his seat is the ultimate and only important thing. Of course he is neither against development nor against any improvement in social life of masses. But they are bound to be only byproducts of the primary goal. His only strive will be to keep the power. The rest can follow. Inspite of being a regional party can he claim atleast one industry, which has, became India no. 1 from his state. Atleast one business family becoming big from his state? Atleast one tamilian becoming big in Indian Cinema, Atleast one tamilian becoming big in center?, atleast one tamilian becoming biggest anywhere because of him? The only great achievement is to make Tamil a classical Language which delivers no visible tangible benefit to any tamilian as of now except him because he has seen scores of felicitation functions for this by his cronies and chamcha allies. I remember a famous Industrialist of Tamilnadu in an India today conclave telling that’ Inspite of the politicians they have made a mark, and nothing because of them’ A Vishwanathan Anand, a Ramesh Krishnan, an Indra Nooyi, a shiv nadar or similar do not owe the state anything for they making a mark in the world. And that is a sad state of affair.

He believes in Keeping the working class in the state as working class ever dependant and just about meeting their needs and then brings outsiders to give them jobs by which he will get a pat and much more from them. He overstretches himself to please an outsider but bullies his own upward mobile. He can even sacrifice a hogenakkal for seeing Sonia smile. He believes in realizing all dreams of the Anna of sixties, this when all world leaders however old they are, try to make their youngsters dream and realize them. He himself is in a cocoon, not letting the old fade nor letting the young breathe freely, be it his son. And he lighting a lamp for the newspaper, which plans to change what is a century old in Chennai, is the biggest Irony of today.

Just like he often says that he has nothing against Rama or the Hindus but was speaking plain truth and expressing what he believed, similarly I have nothing against a great veteran, who knows psychology of masses more than even the Americans, but only wish he be of some use to his people.

Now coming to the first Issue of TOI, a heavy editorial page with glamour less and serious stuff, a great interview with Dhoni [I wonder why express or Hindu never thought about this], a cover interview with Anand, the CM’s photo in the first page, etc has many things businesslike correct. But the best ‘gas’ in TOI is its opinion poll. It cannot forget that one such poll divorced the marans from the favors of the rulers and hence ‘fixes the poll’ by telling that 46% ‘ youngsters’ feel Tamil New Year’s Day should be shifted to mid Jan. No man with brains will believe this but what sound sweet to the ears of a man with a yellow shawl should bring them dividends. And it shows many are for satellite towns and many wish to shift there. What wishful thinking. The first sign that the editors of TOI have assumed a low IQ and stupidity of the masses here. Not that it is entirely wrong or correct, but whether they can use this belief for a success is the question. After all if one can fool them for so long why not Toi from now on?

The Times of India Chennai is priced Rs. 2/- for Week days and Rs 3/- for Sundays, Cheaper than The Hindu but costlier than Indian Express and Deccan chronicle.