Hallo, from a very soggy July in Delhi. It has been an extremely wet month for most people, whichever part of India you’re in. My sympathies if you have been waterlogged (as I have been), stranded for hours in traffic jams or otherwise inconvenienced.
It’s just that time of year when the clothes on your back – or on the washing line – just don’t dry.
On the brighter side, rainy days are a perfect time to sit down to a steaming cuppa something and to read, read, read. Which is precisely what plenty of ThePrint’s readers have been doing. I know because I have received mails from many of them.
This edition of the Readers’ Editor column is devoted to sharing some of the messages in my mailbox. Thank you for writing in, and I look forward to hearing from more of you, often. Your feedback is crucial to helping my colleagues at ThePrint take an honest look in the mirror.
For you, subscribers
On the subject of looks, we have been complimented for the layout of the website, although, complaints that the pop-up advertisements and other visual material make the site reader unfriendly continue.
One reader presented his compliments: “First of all, let me convey my heartfelt gratitude for all the good journalism that you do…. I have no hesitation in saying that ThePrint is the best in terms of the breadth, the depth, and the impartiality of its coverage.’’
But he doesn’t allow us to rest on our laurels: “Having said that, I would like to convey a complaint that I have expressed before as well. ThePrint webpage has absolutely no recognition for subscribers.’’ He added that the “….advertisements pepper me to such an extent that reading is a pain…’’
He speaks for other subscribers and readers who hold similar views.
Well, you will be happy to know, from early August 2024, subscriber benefits will begin: First, there will be a mostly ad-free or ad-lite experience. More will follow. We had needed a technical upgrade which is now complete.
Meanwhile, the demand for an app continues. Readers write to inquire about this regularly and I am often asked by acquaintances, “Why don’t you have an app?”
Invariably, I politely explain that we are doing a cost versus benefits analysis – and will create an app when the time is right. Until then, please bear with us.
I am used to receiving compliment-complaints such as the one above– and that’s perfectly alright. At ThePrint, we need to know what you think, no matter what.
In May 2024, one reader was extremely upset over an article by Praveen Chakravarty of the Congress. “This article starts with abuses in the first line itself: ‘Narendra Modi’s lie…(is) blatantly egregious, dangerously mischievous and morally reckless,” the reader wrote. “I do think that ThePrint should be more circumspect before publishing such abusive articles…’’ And then he added, more gently, “To the credit of ThePrint, I must say that I have not seen many such articles in ThePrint.”
While one reader was annoyed by a piece written by “Yankee’’ journalist and author Kapil Komilreddi, another said he suffered from “bias and prejudice’’. He advised us to set up a group of “neutral” historians to vet articles.
And here is a third reader with a similar suggestion. “Please have a panel with saner people from all the major political parties and ask them to curate some articles every day, so that we have balanced views on issues, especially of national importance.’’
I replied saying that we had a fine team of editors at the Opinion section to do just that.
When Swati Maliwal was allegedly assaulted at Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal’s official residence by his assistant, Bibhav Kumar, a reader took ThePrint to task: “ThePrint (sic) always claims to instil a de-hyphenated journalism in its newsroom…I don’t see the print commenting anything on the alleged assault at the CM’s residence… this is a grave issue that theprint should have addressed in their 50 page (word) edit…’’ he wrote.
In fact, that’s exactly what ThePrint had done, but the reader missed it. Here is the 50-word edit: “Arvind Kejriwal’s protest over Bibhav Kumar’s arrest in Swati Maliwal ‘assault’ case is declaration of war against her. He must explain AAP’s shift from admission of Kumar’s ‘misbehaviour’ to insinuating a BJP conspiracy. Of Kejriwal’s many breakups with key comrades, Maliwal is the messiest. It doesn’t make for dignified politics.’’
Also read: How ThePrint reporters make governance, policy stories interesting for its readers
Write, write, write to us
Besides compliments and criticism, what’s really been trending in the Readers’ Editor’s mailbox is the surprising number of readers who want to write and be published in ThePrint.
This is new: Previously, a year earlier, for example, brickbats on ThePrint’s alleged “anti-Modi’’, “anti-BJP’’, pro-Muslim editorial stance was the main target among readers — and there was nothing I could do to convince the complainants otherwise. My standard response was to stress that at ThePrint we believed in journalism that is fair and factual and that we worked hard to represent a wide range of viewpoints. This seldom satisfied the reader, so I would end up saying, “You are entitled to your opinion.’’
Now, however, those allegations are few and far between. More readers want to see their articles at ThePrint. I have to admit, regretfully, that we do decline publication — for several reasons. These include topicality, originality and the high journalistic standards readers of ThePrint have come to expect.
Then there’s the issue of good writing: Most articles submitted to ThePrint require extensive editing and rewriting – we just don’t have enough journalists on the editing team to do this, satisfactorily.
The best option for reader-writers is to contribute to the ‘Your Turn’ section. Here, ThePrint publishes articles by subscribers – note, it is for subscribers only.
Our readers’ knowledge and interests are wide, judging by the submissions: ‘Attitude of marginalised working women of Bangalore towards the Shakti Scheme,’ ‘Social stigma of menstrual hygiene’, ‘Social media companies ought be designated as common carriers’, ‘Exploring Aristotle’s theory of Revolution to understand Indian politics’ or the ‘Bhawal Sannyasi case in 20 century’– these are just a few of the many pieces I have received.
There are others on National Statistical Day, Mother’s Day, and of course, the Lok Sabha election results. One enterprising reader offered us his own exit poll on the Lok Sabha polls in Himachal Pradesh — and someone sent in a piece on the Manusmriti, soon after there was a proposal to include it in the undergraduate-level syllabus at Delhi University.
Readers are fond of sharing their thoughts with us on random topics: when they write to the Chief Justice of India, they cc ThePrint; if they want to advise Congress leader Rahul Gandhi how to conduct himself politically, they mark us; one mail was about the reader’s ‘thoughts on military India’ and another on his pension problems…
And so it goes. As you can see, the Reader’s Editor receives mail of all kinds, often on unexpected subjects.
Overall, the impression I get from reading mail is that the readers know what they expect from ThePrint and write in when they have a genuine complaint — or spot-on error, something they do regularly. Otherwise, they are happy to sit back — and read, watch or listen.
However, I would urge all readers to be part of a conversation with ThePrint about its editorial content—we love feedback and learn from it.
Shailaja Bajpai is ThePrint’s Readers’ Editor. Please write in with your views, complaints to readers.editor@theprint.in
(Edited by Humra Laeeq)