The coronavirus outbreak and
lockdown has severely affected the print media in Madhya Pradesh as over 300 newspapers have been forced to suspend publications due to issues like lack of transport facilities and rumours that newspapers could be carriers of the virus.
Some of the affected media organisations have started putting out online editions to keep their readership intact.
"More than 300 medium and small newspapers from various districts have stopped printing their editions in the absence of transport facilities and drastic decline in advertisements," an official said.
"Misgivings" that newspapers could carry the deadly virus to people's homes also led to suspension of printing after the lockdown, he said on condition of anonymity.
Nearly 670 newspapers are registered with the state government and out of these, 287 are published from Bhopal, the official said.
"Things have come to such a pass that no newspapers are being printed in 95 per cent of the districts in Madhya Pradesh," he said.
The hawkers association in Dewas district has stopped distributing newspapers since March 25, contending that they do not want to put their lives to risk in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak in the state.
Rajendra Chourasia, an office-bearer of the Dewas hawkers association, said they have decided not to distribute newspapers till April 14.
After stopping their print editions, some media houses are bringing out e-papers to stay alive in the news market.
Newspapers are putting out editorials to assure readers that they are safe, in a bid to hold on to the sales that have nosedived.
Some newspapers are also mentioning on their mastheads in bold letters that 'NEWSPAPERS ARE SAFE', to dispel the fear among readers.
"I am bringing out the e-paper with a skeleton staff after suspending printing of my newspaper from Bhopal and Indore a few days back," Vijay Das, the owner and editor-in- chief of Rashtriya Hindi Mail, a morning daily, told PTI.
A lot of poor people, including hawkers, are involved in the production and delivery of newspapers. Their gatherings need to be avoided in view of the coronavirus crisis, said Das, who is founder and convener of Central Press Club, Bhopal.
"I dont buy the argument of some Hindi newspapers in the state which are quoting the World Health Organisation to claim that newspapers are safe," argued Das, who is in the publication business for last 25 years.
K G Vyas, a Bhopal resident who is an expert on river revival, said he stopped buying newspapers since March 25 after his daughter, who is a doctor, advised that many people lay their hands on it before it is delivered.
"Six the last six decades, I was in the habit of reading newspapers. Now I have no other way but to rely on television to get information," he said.
A leading newspaper's circulation in-charge said they have not been bringing their Dak edition (published earlier than other editions to be distributed to non-urban areas) from Bhopal after the passenger trains services were suspended on March 25.
"Our circulation has come down to about 50 per cent since the lockdown. Some housing societies have banned newspapers in their vicinity. We are holding talks with these societies to dispel the wrong notion that newspapers might cause the viral infection," he said.
The number of advertisements has also gone down. The cost of production has doubled or tripled in the absence of advertisements, he rued.
"Right now, our priority is to keep our circulation, through reduced, intact and this is also turning out to be a daunting task. We are not the only ones at the receiving end. The circulation of one of the largest Hindi newspapers in the state has dropped by 60 per cent," he claimed.
Hindustan Times former regional editor Chandrakant Naidu said print media still enjoys a lot more credibility than electronic and digital media.
"The printed word still has a lot of sanctity. Successive governments have throttled the print medium. The changing revenue model of media has also affected the reach of the print. The ability of print media to survive such crisis, as we confront now, has been tested, he added.
A senior journalist working in a print media since last five decades said governments are no longer keen on sustaining the "freedom of press".
"In fact, they want freedom from press, he said.
Senior journalist and Observer Research Foundation (ORF) fellow Rasheed Kidwai said the newspaper industry, like other manufacturers, has to live with this situation.
"Shutting down or suspending publication is no solution. Is receiving newspapers more hazardous than daily supply of milk, vegetables and other stuff? It is absolutely absurd to even think that the newspapers could be virus carriers, he said.
People are making payments using currency notes which pass through change hands. "Can't the currency note be a carrier of the virus? Why the newspapers are being targeted by misinformation?" Kidwai asked.
Newspaper owners, editors and media professional need to learn to live with the virus onslaught rather than pressing the panic button, he said.
"The absence of newspapers at district levels will pave way for more rumours, misinformation and panic. And the 'WhatsApp University' will go berserk" he said.
The central and the state governments should provide economic stimulus, support and sustain media houses till the lockdown period gets over. People treat print media as the prime and credible source of information, Kidwai contended.
Journalists Union leader Radhavallabh Sharda said he has requested Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan for quick release government advertisements' due so that journalists of small newspapers get their salaries during these testing times.
"The medium and small newspapers survive maily on the state governments advertisements," he added.
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