Hyderabad was never in my scheme of things, but last December I landed in the twin cities to visit a friend. The visit stretched from days to weeks as I was in no rush to return to Chennai--I was freelancing for a few websites and I could work from anywhere. I don't know how it happened, but I landed a job in Hyderabad. As Chief Copy Editor of the newspaper The Hans India
They say once a journalist, always a journalist. I had moved from The Times Of India to a tech company in Pune, as a technical editor. And somewhere in my mind I had a craving to get back to mainstream media. So I didn't think twice when The Hans India came my way.
Everything I heard about the newspaper sounded like music to my ears. I was told that the managing director was a serious journo and a good guy with a lot of principles, ethics etc. The editor was one of the big names in the industry. And since it was newly-launched, there were challenges…to create a name, and a niche for the newspaper, to fight the already-established ones, and to bring out a just and fair newspaper in the city. I love challenges. So to me, it was everything I could have wished for.
Now, before I write a word further, let me make it very clear that certain things I'm going to say in the next few posts about my life at The Hans India are purely my opinions and views. It may not necessarily be the truth (as someone else sees it).
So there I was, a few days later, talking to the MD in his room. The meeting was short. Mr Murthy, came across as a person who knew what he wanted. “We are a pro-people, democratic newspaper. We don’t believe in sensationalizing things. We believe in bringing out news as it is,” he made things clear. Perfect!
I then met Mr PNV Nair, the editor. I’d heard a lot about Mr Nair. He is one of the greats in Indian journalism—a man who keeps a low profile, but is capable of turning around the fortunes of a newspaper. Nair told me how they worked, what they aspired for etc. I was asked how soon I could join. A few days, I said. I just couldn't wait.
A few days later, I joined. Nair introduced me to a gentleman who walked into his room...Shrikant Shenoy, the News Editor. Shenoy took me to his cabin. As we got into the typical initial chit-chat, Nair walked in. “So, where do you want him? You want to put him there?” Nair asked Shenoy, pointing upwards. Shrikant nodded yes. Where was ‘there’, I wondered. "Alright," said Nair as he strode out of the room, leaving Shrikant and me to continue our talk. A little later I realized that ‘there’ meant Hyderabad Hans, the daily city pullout, which was operating from the fifth floor (the main editorial desk was on third). So they wanted me with the supplement. I was cool with that.
Murthy, Nair and Shrikanth, all of them told me that the pullout needs a makeover--a better design and better stories, more light features etc. And that's what they expected of me. After looking closely at the supplement for the previous week or so, I too agreed...the pullout needed some serious changes.
The person heading the pullout will move to the bureau in a few days, Shrikant said. He suggested that I stick around and see how things worked. Sounded good to me…I too felt that hanging around and watching would give me better ideas and I would be able to figure out what needs change and how to go about it.
Next day onwards I was in office early. I sat next to RK, the man who was in-charge, watching the proceedings. The first thing I noticed was that there was no story list!. Even as RK walked into office, sometime in the afternoon, he had no clue about what was going to happen that day. Reporters filed whatever story they could manage. The first thing to be changed, I thought.
Stories reporters trickled in as the clocked ticked on. As and when the stories came, it was edited and just slapped on to the page! Second change, I thought. The designer just put it on the page with whatever visual he could manage. Four pages were done, of which half a page was movie listings etc. And that was it! I was zapped! In my 18 years of journalism, this is the first time I am seeing a newspaper work like this. I started to believe in miracles.
The few days flew by. RK moved to the news bureau. Officially I was to take charge. As I was driving to office that day, one thing kept playing on my mind--I was not introduced to the team. That is what is done in professionally run organisation, isn't it? At least, that's what I have seen.
Never mind, I said to myself, deciding not to let such things hamper my mood. I walked into the Hyderabad Hans office. It's a hall where tables are arranged in a row. Vasu, the news coordinator, had taken RK’s chair. I should have been sitting there, primarily because it was next to the designer's seat and I could see what he was doing. Not that it was an issue. Any seat was good enough. It was not the seat that mattered, it was the work I did. At least, I thought so.
They say once a journalist, always a journalist. I had moved from The Times Of India to a tech company in Pune, as a technical editor. And somewhere in my mind I had a craving to get back to mainstream media. So I didn't think twice when The Hans India came my way.
Everything I heard about the newspaper sounded like music to my ears. I was told that the managing director was a serious journo and a good guy with a lot of principles, ethics etc. The editor was one of the big names in the industry. And since it was newly-launched, there were challenges…to create a name, and a niche for the newspaper, to fight the already-established ones, and to bring out a just and fair newspaper in the city. I love challenges. So to me, it was everything I could have wished for.
Now, before I write a word further, let me make it very clear that certain things I'm going to say in the next few posts about my life at The Hans India are purely my opinions and views. It may not necessarily be the truth (as someone else sees it).
So there I was, a few days later, talking to the MD in his room. The meeting was short. Mr Murthy, came across as a person who knew what he wanted. “We are a pro-people, democratic newspaper. We don’t believe in sensationalizing things. We believe in bringing out news as it is,” he made things clear. Perfect!
I then met Mr PNV Nair, the editor. I’d heard a lot about Mr Nair. He is one of the greats in Indian journalism—a man who keeps a low profile, but is capable of turning around the fortunes of a newspaper. Nair told me how they worked, what they aspired for etc. I was asked how soon I could join. A few days, I said. I just couldn't wait.
A few days later, I joined. Nair introduced me to a gentleman who walked into his room...Shrikant Shenoy, the News Editor. Shenoy took me to his cabin. As we got into the typical initial chit-chat, Nair walked in. “So, where do you want him? You want to put him there?” Nair asked Shenoy, pointing upwards. Shrikant nodded yes. Where was ‘there’, I wondered. "Alright," said Nair as he strode out of the room, leaving Shrikant and me to continue our talk. A little later I realized that ‘there’ meant Hyderabad Hans, the daily city pullout, which was operating from the fifth floor (the main editorial desk was on third). So they wanted me with the supplement. I was cool with that.
Murthy, Nair and Shrikanth, all of them told me that the pullout needs a makeover--a better design and better stories, more light features etc. And that's what they expected of me. After looking closely at the supplement for the previous week or so, I too agreed...the pullout needed some serious changes.
The person heading the pullout will move to the bureau in a few days, Shrikant said. He suggested that I stick around and see how things worked. Sounded good to me…I too felt that hanging around and watching would give me better ideas and I would be able to figure out what needs change and how to go about it.
Next day onwards I was in office early. I sat next to RK, the man who was in-charge, watching the proceedings. The first thing I noticed was that there was no story list!. Even as RK walked into office, sometime in the afternoon, he had no clue about what was going to happen that day. Reporters filed whatever story they could manage. The first thing to be changed, I thought.
Stories reporters trickled in as the clocked ticked on. As and when the stories came, it was edited and just slapped on to the page! Second change, I thought. The designer just put it on the page with whatever visual he could manage. Four pages were done, of which half a page was movie listings etc. And that was it! I was zapped! In my 18 years of journalism, this is the first time I am seeing a newspaper work like this. I started to believe in miracles.
The few days flew by. RK moved to the news bureau. Officially I was to take charge. As I was driving to office that day, one thing kept playing on my mind--I was not introduced to the team. That is what is done in professionally run organisation, isn't it? At least, that's what I have seen.
Never mind, I said to myself, deciding not to let such things hamper my mood. I walked into the Hyderabad Hans office. It's a hall where tables are arranged in a row. Vasu, the news coordinator, had taken RK’s chair. I should have been sitting there, primarily because it was next to the designer's seat and I could see what he was doing. Not that it was an issue. Any seat was good enough. It was not the seat that mattered, it was the work I did. At least, I thought so.
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