INDIA
By Mukund Padmanabhan, Deputy Editor, The Hindu
24 February 2003

Perhaps the most remarkable fact about the Indian newspaper industry is its staggering diversity: Indian newspapers are printed in over 100 languages and dialects. The Indian Constitution formally recognises 18 principal languages (apart from English) and Hindi is spoken by over 40 per cent of the population. That newspapers are linguistically far more diverse is a reflection of the fact that people want to read in their native languages/dialects, even if these are not widely spoken or known.

There are about 5000 daily newspapers printed in India and understandably the largest number are in Hindi. Generally, publications in the vernacular sell more copies than those in English. However, the English language press weilds a considerable amount of influence in the country. Since English publications cater to a social and economic elite, they enjoy an importance that is possibly disproportionate to their reach or circulation.

The market for the English press may not be as large as that of the regional or vernacular press, but it is by no means small. A few months ago, The Times of India, an English multi-edition daily with a circulation upwards of two million, proclaimed itself as the world's largest-selling English broadsheet. Other English dailies such as The Hindu and The Hindustan Times sell almost a million copies every day.

Until recently, foreign investment was not allowed in the print media. Since foreign investment is permitted in the electronic media, some Indian newspaper houses lobbied for the ban to be lifted on the print media. At the end of last year, the Central Government announced that publications in the news and current affairs category will be allowed up to 26 per cent foreign equity. No foreign investment has come in yet, possibly because of the restrictions relating to equity and editorial control.

The Indian press is remarkably free and fearless. Over the years, but particularly over the last two decades, it has played the role of a watchdog extremely well, exposing corruption and criticising those in power for their omissions/commissions. There has been only one short period in the country's history since Independence when press freedom was muzzled. This was in 1975-77 when a state of Emergency was imposed in the country and the press subject to official censorship. Even then, there were a few publications that stood up and resisted or attempted to resist their freedom from being curtailed.