Newspapers and the onslaught of the Internet
Source: Hueiyen News Service / Newmai News Network

Imphal, May 19 2011: The dawn of the dot com era, particularly the beginning of the 90s, activated a debate centered on the demise of newspapers in its traditional paper format.

While many had written a solemn requiem on the sustainability of the format, there is no denying that newspaper business, across the third world countries and particularly in Manipur, has been bravely fighting against the onslaught of internet and the proliferation of web enabled mobile phones.

Newspapers today are not merely a source of hard news.

The pages of all decently circulated newspapers cater to a wide range of interests and needs.

Dr Dhanabir Laishram of Manipur University , speaking to NNN, reposed his faith on the sustainability of newspapers over the internet given the persistence of social and economic disparities in Manipur and elsewhere in the third world countries.

He said that internet is not cost effective for consumers in Manipur which is steeped in poverty.

His view is that newspapers will retain a pride of place as long as rural-urban, literate-illiterate and rich-poor divide persist.

Culture is passed down by one generation to another generation, often through a process of trial and error.

The race between material culture, i.e.technology, and social culture is an unequal contest.

But the fact remains that the momentum of material culture is incumbent on its social parameters.

And poverty has emerged as a major dampener in the march of technology.

Social worker Victor Keishing said before the internet era, people used to watch television and listen to radio news getting prior information of what the newspapers will carry the following day but still the mornings were not complete without reading newspapers.

Likewise, Keishing said newspapers will be read by people in the internet era too.

All Manipur Tribal Union (AMTU) general secretary Romeo Bungdon said that newspaper reading is a culture of social necessity the while internet is yet to become a common service provider.

Grace Jajo of Forum for Indigenous Research said poor power supply and the societal culture of including newspapers as an item in the breakfast menu is one factor why newspapers are still popular.

Adibo Newmei, senior lecturer of Modern College said lack of facilities is one factor that the internet is still not popular in the region.

Adibo said people love newspapers because it contains detailed information.

Social activist Thangkam Lupheng had a similar opinion about the business viability of the paper format of news, saying newspapers will not be shaken at the face of the proliferation of the net.

People still vouch for the reliability and authenticity of newspapers.

Artax Shimray, advisor to North East Students' Organization (NESO) said that newspapers are here to stay.

He said people, by and large, depend on newspapers because of their authentic reporting and affordability.

Internet and mobiles are for the elite, he proclaimed.

W Khomei, who is an artist, claimed that the penetration of the internet service in India is still negligible.

He said that even though results of class X and XII are available on the web, people still wait for the print version on newspapers, he said.

Rights activist Jenine said that at the global level newspaper circulation has dwindled but in places like Manipur the business of newspaper production and distribution will survive comfortably at least for the next five years.

Advocate Khaidem Mani, said even in the West the initial threat posed by the net did not cause a sweeping change in the circulation of newspapers.

On the contrary, the circulations of newspaper have since been stabilized.

Journalist, Khelen Thokchom believed that newspapers remain firmly rooted here in Manipur.

Earlier, Khaidem Mani had said that the medium of print and electronic serve two completely different purposes.

The print media in the Northeast serves a large percentage of people living below the poverty line (BPL) .

The poor do not have the wherewithal to have access to the net, in fact many find it difficult to get access to newspapers.

As is said, there is an unequal contest between nature and culture, where nature being one's ability to cope with the outside environment which is shaped by technological advancement.

Now since the speed at which technology changes its avatar is incredibly fast, a generation always struggles to catch up.

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