CHANGE WITH CHANGE

I can't resist writing more about Mallik. The way he moulded and adapted himself to the new changes is amazing. He must be one of the few writers who predicted rightly the plight of the weekly magazines, the circulation of which stated declining rapidly after the emergence of IT. With IT infrastructure comparable to that in developed countries in place in all the major metros of India, the few previleged ardent fans of literature now use internet to read their favourite novels. For the others to whom these magazines just meant a way of killing time, there are a plethora of 'sas - bahu' and 'pinni' soaps on the TV.

There has also been a considerable shift in the reading habits in general. Not only have we started reading less, but we now read more of english publications now. It is very apparent - be it koti in Hyderabad or priya/chandinichowk in Delhi - the english books are everywhere. The readership of online newspapers and magazines is growing at a rapid pace - they are for free and offer flexibility of location. Today, I read Eenadu only on net. Mallik must have seen this coming. He became the editor of teluguone.com, a typical website with a mix of free and paid services. It has a library of few novels, weekly and daily serials and columns, paid movie and TV services, forums and mail options and has latest DVDs on sale. It is doing well, although it lacks the popularity of the likes of andhravilas. A great idea and a timely shift.