Growth of Indian Language Press

1. Campus: Gharuan, Mohali

2. Campus: Gharuan, Mohali

3. Campus: Gharuan, Mohali

4.  During the early days, the language press was looked
down upon as ‘vernacular dailies’ by the English press
 Indian economy is basically a rural economy. More
than 60% of our population lives in the rural areas.
 According to a survey by National Sample Survey
Organisation, more than 16 crore households live in
the rural areas.
Campus: Gharuan, Mohali

5. Campus: Gharuan, Mohali

6.  A paradigm shift has been visible in the rural population
over the past 50 or 60 years.
 Indian farmers, who were classified as born in debt, live
in debt and die in debt, have become one of the most
influential consumer groups in society now.
 Their income levels have increased and along with that,
tastes and preferences have also shown changes.
 This advancement of the rural mass has resulted in the
growth of language newspapers.

7. But the experiment by some newspapers,
especially in the southern states, of covering
local news with prominence gave a big boost to
their circulation.

8. Diversity of the Language press
 During the Independence struggle and after, the Indian
newspapers had flourished and expanded, gaining wider
circulation and extensive readership.
 Compared to many other developing countries, the growth
of the Indian Press has been impressive.
 Apart from English language, newspapers are published in
India in more than 100 languages though
 Only 22 main languages are listed in the Eight Schedule of
the
 Constitution.

9. DEVELOPMENT OF KESARI AND
OTHER MARATHI NEWSPAPER
 The first Marathi fortnightly newspaper 'Darpan' was
started by Balshastri Jambhekar on 6th January 1832.
 On 27th April 1832 'Darpan' became weekly
 It was having 8 pages
 Size was 19"x11.5
 3 months' subscription was Rs.6

11. The main objective was welfare of common man
and to educate people with western knowledge
To create public opinion for development of
society and region.
But it was closed on 26 June 1840.

12.  After 'Darpan' various newspapers like 'Mumbai Akhbhar'
(1840),
 'Prabhakar', 'Gyandarshan' were published. Even in
those days,
 There was competition on competitive pricing per copy
 'Vartman Dipika' brought their price down to Rs. 5 per
year. Where
 Prabhakar was sold at Rs.12 per year.

13. First Marathi daily 'Dyanprakash' was started on 12 Feb.
1849, which lasted long for next 100 years.
 Dyanprakash first time spoke about the freedom of press and
contained few new things like Temperature,
 Market rates,
 Govt. notifications,
 Discussions,
 Crime news,
 Court news, State news & International
 news.
In short Dyanprakash was the format of modern Journalism.

14.  On 2nd Jan 1881, 'Mahratta' in English and on 4th Jan
1881 'Kesari’ were founded.
 Kesari and Mahratta were founded as a mean to
educate people against the slavery of British Rule.
 In short all the Marathi newspapers started during
second half of nineteenth century and had specific views
to educate the masses and Newspaper was a business
proposition.

15. History of Marathi newspapers
three major parts they are :
 Views Paper :
Marathi newspapers were founded by great men
 Jambhekar, Lokmanya Tilak, KP khadikar , Gopal Ganesh
Agarkar, Chipulankar , Dr. Ambedkar
 As a mean to educate the people against the slavery of
imperialism, social and economic crises.
 They used the newspapers as a weapon to fight the
established systems and educate the masses

16. News Paper
 After Independence newspapers slowly converted
themselves from viewspaper to newspaper.
 Their objectives were transferred to
 Equality
 Democracy
 Development and
 Betterment of mankind.
Newspapers became fourth pillar of Democracy.

17. Newspaper as business
proposition
In order to grab the power of fourth estate and as a weapon
of mass media, various industrialists and political leaders
started newspapers as a business proposition.
 Today newspapers have become consumer's product to
meet the market demand and satisfy the customers.
 Newspaper, in the past were views papers
 after Independence became newspapers to serve the
needs of customer.

18. Brief History of Kesari &
Mahratta Trust
 KESARI (130 Years of Great Pride (1881-2011)
 'Kesari' newspaper started by Lokmanya Tilak,
completed a journey of hundred and thirty years on
the 4th of January 2011.
 An online Marathi periodical called The Daily
Kesari continues to be published, edited by Lokmanya
Balgangadhar Tilak's great grandson, Deepak Tilak.

20.  This is indeed phenomenal in the history of vernacular
journalism in India as it is the one and only newspaper in
vernacular languages that is being published by a Trust
for the last 130 years.
 'Kesari' has pursued this course with the
 Aim of 'Swaraj' (Self-government) in the pre-
independence period and
 'Suraj' (good-governance) in the post-independence
period.

21. Definition of Language Newspapers
 By language newspapers, we mean newspapers published
in different languages spoken in the country.
 They are also called regional newspapers.
 In India, language papers are published in more than 100
languages.
 Language papers vary from English papers in their style,
presentation and approach.

22. Differences between English Newspapers and
Language Newspapers
English papers
• Published in one language only i.e.
English, whereas
• Are mostly concentrated in big cities and
major towns.
• Cater mainly to the well-educated, middle
class,
• Upper middle class and higher income
groups.
• Have less penetration in the rural public
whereas
• Follow the British tradition
• More money is generated from
advertisements in as they circulate
amongst people with better purchasing
power.
• More colourful and flamboyant
Language papers
• Are published in different languages.
• Circulated all over the country.
• Are read by even lower middle class and
even those below that.
• Have more penetration in the rural areas.
• Have evolved their own style and methods
• Do not get the same amount of revenue
from advertisements
• Language papers adopt a simple style.

23. The Madras Courier
 The Madras Courier was started in 1785 in the southern
stronghold of
 Madras, which is now called Chennai. Richard Johnson,
its founder, was a government printer. Madras got its
second newspaper when, in 1791,
 Hugh Boyd, who was the editor of the Courier quit and
founded the Hurkaru.
 Tragically for the paper, it ceased publication when Boyd
passed away within a year of its founding.

24. Bombay Samachar
 The Bombay Samachar is the oldest continuously
published newspaper in India. It is published in Gujarati
and is one of the most trusted newspapers of Mumbai.
 It was founded by Fardeonji Murjban.
 The Bombay Samachar; Asia's oldest newspaper was first
published on the first of July 1822 and comprised three
small quarto sheets.
 10 inches by 8 inches, and a half sheet supplement in all
containing 14 pages of printed matter.

25.  Kannada language newspapers are mostly published
from several major cities of southern India like
Bengaluru, Manipal, Mangalore, etc.
 Some of the Kannada language newspapers concentrate
only on providing local news, while many of them provide
all types of local, national and international news
catering to the need of the readers.

27. Amrita Bazar Patrika
 One of the oldest daily newspapers in South Asia and the oldest
in Bangladesh.
 Originally published in Bengali script, it evolved into
an English format published from Kolkata and other locations
such as Cuttack, Ranchi and Allahabad.
 The paper discontinued its publication in 1991 after 123 years of
publication, although it was relaunched in Dhaka in 2006 where it
is now published in Bengali once again.

28.  It debuted on 20 February 1868. It was started by Sisir Ghosh and
Moti Lal Ghosh, sons of Hari Naryan Ghosh, a rich merchant
from Magura, in Jessore District during the Bengal Presidency of
the British Raj (present day in Bangladesh).
 Amrita Bazaar Patrika was the oldest Indian-owned English daily.
 It played a major role in the evolution and growth of Indian
journalism and made a striking contribution to creating and nurturing
the Indian freedom struggle.
 In 1920, Russian Communist revolutionary, Vladimir
Lenin described ABP as the best nationalist paper in India.

29.  The Patrika operated out of a battered wooden press
purchased for Rs 32.
 In 1871, the Patrika moved to Calcutta (now Kolkata), due to
the outbreak of plague in Amrita Bazaar.
 Here it functioned as a bilingual weekly, publishing news and
views in English and Bengali.
 Its anti-government views and vast influence among the
people was a thorn in the flesh of the government. Lord
Lytton, the Viceroy of India promulgated the Vernacular Press
Act on 1878 mainly against ABP.

30.  The Patrika became a daily in 1891. It was the first Indian-
owned English daily to go into investigative journalism.
 Sisir Kumar Ghosh also launched vigorous campaigns
against restrictions on civil liberties and economic exploitation.
 He wanted Indians to be given important posts in the
administration.
 Both he and his brother Motilal were deeply attached to Bal
Gangadhar Tilak.
 When Tilak was prosecuted for sedition in 1897, they raised
funds in Calcutta for his defence.
 They also published a scathing editorial against the judge
who sentenced Tilak to 6 years of imprisonment, for
'presuming to teach true patriotism to a proved and
unparalleled patriot.'

31.  The Patrika had many brushes with Lord Curzon, the Viceroy
of India at the time of the Partition of Bengal (1905).
 Because of such editorials, the Press Act of 1910 was passed
and a security of Rs 5,000 was demanded from ABP.
 When Subhas Chandra Bose and other students were
expelled from Calcutta Presidency College, the Patrika took
up their case and succeeded in having them re-admitted.
 Even after Motilal Ghosh's death in 1922, the Patrika kept up
its nationalist spirit.
 Higher securities of Rs 10,000 were demanded from it during
the Salt Satyagraha. Its editor Tushar Kanti Ghosh (son of
Sisir Kumar Ghosh) was imprisoned.

32. Presented By
Vishav Prabha Negi
University Institute of Media Studies
Chandigarh University