TOI Goofs up Again!

We TOI readers don’t expect much from it. We know the news will have its bias, lots of pages will be wasted on tabloid worthy news, and there will be ads of indiatimes, planet M and other sister concerns masquerading as news. All we ask is to give us the content where we are used to reading it. That is the only reason we are addicted to the newspaper.

The Mumbai edition today saw another goof up. Maybe the editor had a dose of Bhaang before editing the newspaper. Maybe it was the columnists. Maybe it was just the intoxication of being a superbrand. Because today (14 March 2006), in the Mumbai edition, there appears the same article twice, under different headings. On page 16, which happens to be dedicated International News, there is an article by Rashmee Roshan Lall, titled “Low Skilled EU losing out to Asian big guns”. The same article by the same columnist also appears on its Business page (page 17) under the title “Old Europe may lose out to young Asia”.

Those in Mumbai (or subscribers of Mumbai edition) may check out the pages for a laugh. Others can log on to http://epaper.timesofindia.com/ if you have an indiatimes (free) login, selecting Mumbai as the city. Click on international --> 16, and business --> 17 (In case one needs to check it after today, one may go to the archives.)

I think the Times group, after being voted a superbrand, is taking its Mumbai readers too lightly. Yes, the newspaper comes in the form of a thick bundle, with N number of supplements (including the tabloid called Mumbai Mirror). But hardly any of the supplements contain anything worth being called news. With Hindustan Times and DNA biting on the heels, it will not be long before a bored audience switches over to one of these. (As for me, I have subscribed to both TOI and HT).

Comments

Ships said…
Haven't read the articles yet! but i trust u!! However, just to add, TOI flows like blood in every Mumbaiite... will take quite some
time b4 the final Switch! Till then, Happy reading!
Ankur said…
TOI's finally got it all figured out. Who reads the business and international sections anyways. That's for dimwits who don't keep track of the party circuit. As a brand responsible to their customers, they have more important things pressing for their time like deliberations on the mating rituals of dogs and (ogling)contemplations on plunging necklines.

For the records sake, I subscribe to the Indian Express and have seen the same article appear under different headings on different days in this paper too.
Chandan said…
Hey.. u r very right...me too have switched to DNA....and i belive they have a much better content and organization in their paper....i was an avid hindu reader but since in mumbai it comes a day late switched to TOI.....:)

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