Rajan and his non-preview Preview

Rajan and his non-preview Preview




Rajan Narayan (RN) wrote:
For the last three weeks, we have been printing and distributing four pages of the Independent Goa Observer in print form. We have been doing this, not as a preview of how the Independent Goa Observer will finally look like.


Cecil Pinto (CP)
Then why is 'A Preview' printed on the very first page?

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RN
We have been doing it for the benefit of those who miss their weekly
adrenal-pumping Stray Thoughts.

CP
Rajan definitely has no issues on humility!!

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RN
Because we were told that there were many die hard fans of Bolshoi, the
Stray Thoughts mascot, did not own computers. And even many of those who
did, found it a strain to read it on the small screen. In fact, we
understand that cyber cafes have been doing roaring business supplying
print outs of Stray Thoughts.

CP
Indeed yes! I was also told that currently more people read Stray Thoughts
than all the newspapers in Goa combined! One Cyber Cafe owner has purchased
a Kinetic Honda on just his one day's earnings of Stray Thoughts printouts.
He's planning to keep all his computers dedicatedly connected to
www.rajannarayan.com and is renaming his Cyber Cafe "Rajan-O-Rama 24/7".

But seriously...
Looks like Rajan has already identified his majority target audience as
non-computer owners. Interesting profile for potential advertisers.

-----------
RN
We have been so pre occupied with the setting p of an office, recruiting
professional staff and raising funds for your independent media
organization. We can assure you that raising funds from businessmen towards promoter s capital has not been easy. Because there are not to many people who wish to take the risk of offending a vindictive Chief Minister by any kind of association with the new media organization.


CP
Quite possible. And there are many other people who just don't want to sink their money into a 'independent media organisation' which till now appears to be made up of just one ex-editor and his journalist spouse. Till date no other reputed journalists' or professionals' names have been mentioned in connection with this 'independent media organisation'.
--------

RN
We have not been able to dress up and make the sample preview copies as
pretty as many of you would like to see it. Not because we do not have a
commitment to excellence, but because we believe that excellence is
expensive. We are being sustained now by the hundreds of small people from retired pensioners to junior resident doctors to even students. When the Independent Goa Observer is formally launched, we assure you that it will look as sleek and well designed as any other tabloid newspaper in the country.

CP
At Rs. 10/- a pop it definitely must be the most expensive tabloid in the country.
It better be good!

----------

RN
In the meanwhile, if lipstick and mascara and rouge are more important to you than content, you will just have to wait a while.


CP
The packaging and positioning is as important as the product. Any publisher worth his salt knows that. The first "non-preview' issue has neither credible relevant 'content' nor 'appearance'.
----------

RN
And the sooner you being participating, the faster we will be able to give you the kind of prerogative that you expect.

CP
Before asking for 'participation' Rajan should proffer some credible proof that the IGO is not going to be like the dozens of one-man's-voice rags that have appeared and disappeared so often. The 'non-preview' printed sample, or whatever he calls it, is a waste of newsprint.
--------

RN
And of course, we will do Parrikar bashing. Whenever he deserves to be
bashed. But we will also bash the Luizinho Faleiros and the Wilfred D
Souzas and the Ravi Naiks and the Pratapsing Ranes and even Floriano Lobos if we find that they go about doing damage to our good old Goan trees barking them up the wrong side.

CP
If I just want to hear 'politico bashing' I can get lots of it in the local tavern.

-------
RN
And we shall bash the friendly neighborhood MNC selling fizzy drinks or
temptation in the form of chocolates if there is DDT in the fizz and worms in the chocolate. Our major concern, of course, will be worms in politics and the bureaucracy, and in business and in sports and indeed, in every area, including among non-governmental organizations.

CP
That sounds interesting. Hope Rajan can deliver the goods.

---------
RN
Not withstanding the fact that my better half Tara Narayan, who is a senior journalist in her own right, objects strongly to comparing any human being with any creature of the natural world, including worms. Genuine, honest to goodness worms, make for excellent organic manure. Showman worms don't.

CP
And neither does meaningless rhetoric. If Tara Narayan plans to continue
with her unwanted and unsolicited lifestyle advice to public figures in the columns of the IGO then maybe all is indeed lost. Goans are looking forward to a well produced paper which will inform and educate and serve as a ferocious watchdog against corruption and mis-governance. Not a food column with pretensions to armchair counselling.

I have received a lot of private feed back on my initial analysis of the
upcoming IGO. Without exception everyone agreed that this food/cookery
column has no place in this IGO, and in fact had no place in Herald too. If Rajan wants to turn a deaf ear on the pulse of the public that is his
prerogative. But if he feels he can use the hard-earned money of Goans to start his IGO and run it as a vehicle for his wife's column, then there's something wrong in the planning.

-----------

RN
>We have been bringing out the sample preview print editions only to
>maintain continuity. Because, human memory is very brief. And we do not
>want to go through the whole business of resurrecting ourselves from scratch.

CP
Very good thinking. But I wish Rajan would make up his mind if this is a
'preview' or not. At one time he says it isn't, and the next moment he says it is.

-------

RN
>What do you get if you invest Rs.1000 or multiples thereof?
>A subscription copy free of charge worth Rs.520
>Free advertising space of equivalent value.

CP
Interesting.
---------

RN
>What do you get if you subscribe to the Independent Goa Observer?
>One-year subscription You get 52 copies at Rs.10 of the value of Rs.520
>for Rs.450 delivered to you at home.
>You get a free birthday cake for one member of your family on his or her >birthday of the value Rs.150


CP
If I want cake I will buy it myself. What are you selling here? A hard
fitting news and analysis newspaper - or cakes? What's this obsession with food?

--------

RN
>Two year subscription Rs.900 instead of the cover price of Rs.1040
>You also get dinner coupon for two at a wide range of restaurants of the >value of Rs.400

CP
What's this obsession with food!

----------

RN
>Three year subscription Rs.1200 instead of the cover price of Rs.1560.
>One night stay including all meals (no liquor) for two at a wide range
>of three star resorts.

CP
Now boarding - and food.
What's this obsession with food!

We don't want food. We want news and analysis and political debate and
exposes and.....

Cecil
=======




PREVIEW SAMPLE PRINT COPIES

For the last three weeks, we have been printing and distributing four pages of the Independent Goa Observer in print form. We have been doing this, not as a preview of how the Independent Goa Observer will finally look like. We have been doing it for the benefit of those who miss their weekly adrenal-pumping Stray Thoughts. Because we were told that there were many die hard fans of Bolshoi, the Stray Thoughts mascot, did not own computers. And even many of those who did, found it a strain to read it on the small screen. In fact, we understand that cyber cafes have been doing roaring business supplying print outs of Stray Thoughts. We have been so pre occupied with the setting p of an office, recruiting professional staff and raising funds for your independent media organization. We can assure you that raising funds from businessmen towards promoter's capital has not been easy. Because there are not to many people who wish to take the risk of offending a vindictive Chief Minister by any kind of association with the new media organization. We have not been able to dress up and make the sample preview copies as pretty as many of you would like to see it. Not because we do not have a commitment to excellence, but because we believe that excellence is expensive. We are being sustained now by the hundreds of small people from retired pensioners to junior resident doctors to even students. When the Independent Goa Observer is formally launched, we assure you that it will look as sleek and well designed as any other tabloid newspaper in the country. In the meanwhile, if lipstick and mascara and rouge are more important to you than content, you will just have to wait a while. And the sooner you being participating, the faster we will be able to give you the kind of prerogative that you expect. And of course, we will do Parrikar bashing. Whenever he deserves to be bashed. But we will also bash the Luizinho Faleiros and the Wilfred D'Souzas and the Ravi Naiks and the Pratapsing Ranes and even Floriano Lobos if we find that they go about doing damage to our good old Goan trees barking them up the wrong side. And we shall bash the friendly neighborhood MNC selling fizzy drinks or temptation in the form of chocolates if there is DDT in the fizz and worms in the chocolate. Our major concern, of course, will be worms in politics and the bureaucracy, and in business and in sports and indeed, in every area, including among non-governmental organizations. Not withstanding the fact that my better half Tara Narayan, who is a senior journalist in her own right, objects strongly to comparing any human being with any creature of the natural world, including worms. Genuine, honest to goodness worms, make for excellent organic manure. Showman worms don't.

We have been bringing out the sample preview print editions only to maintain continuity. Because, human memory is very brief. And we do not want to go through the whole business of resurrecting ourselves from scratch.

What do you get if you invest Rs.1000 or multiples thereof?
a.. A subscription copy free of charge worth Rs.520
b.. Free advertising space of equivalent value.


What do you get if you subscribe to the Independent Goa Observer?
· One-year subscription -You get 52 copies at Rs.10 of the value of Rs.520 for Rs.450 delivered to you at home.
You get a free birthday cake for one member of your family on his or her birthday of the value Rs.150
· Two year subscription - Rs.900 instead of the cover price of Rs.1040
You also get dinner coupon for two at a wide range of restaurants of the value of Rs.400
· Three year subscription - Rs.1200 instead of the cover price of Rs.1560.
One night stay including all meals (no liquor) for two at a wide range of three star resorts.

______

(Thanks to Floriano Lobo and The Goan Forum)

- Forwarded by www.goa-world.com