Newspapers thrive on Lifestyle Journalism

By Prof. Marcellus DSouza

Newspapers by nature are conservative and narrow minded. They follow certain rules
that have been adopted and followed for centuries if not decades. These rules are
accepted by the reader as being the gospel truth. Newspapers have been around for
hundreds of years and have witnessed history, geography, culture as well as the
development of a society.
Today newspapers are a reflection of what is happening in our society. Modern Indian
cities like Chennai, Mumbai, Kolkata, Delhi, and Bangaluru have all adopted and
adapted new trends and lifestyles. These new trends must be on the surface but they
have been accepted and are being followed. In the background or under the surface or
deep within all these cities are conservative and will not adopt change or new trends.
Bangaluru still does not like being referred to as the Beer Capital of India, they still
relish their TMT dosa and idli and coffee and will like to be called the Garden City of
India. Poona is still considered a college capital by the learned Marathas when in
reality it is referred to as a foreigners paradise with the Rajneesh Ashram in the centre
of the city where men and women in maroon robes still greet each other with a embrace
and a hug or kiss.
Lifestyle includes the physical, mental, psychological, economical trend that a society
adapts. It is something that changes the lifestyle of the human being. It makes life less
ritualistic and more comfortable. It ascents life and puts it at another plane. It is when
life becomes something better than it was and which promises to become better with
time and effort and increased income. In India today we find the economy booming.
There is new found money and life has become generally easy. (Atleast in the urban
areas. Places like Nasik and Nagpur which were once considered sleepy towns have
become new hubs for brands and malls).
The youth of the country forms one-third of Indian people in the age group of 15-35
years has adopted a carefree attitude to life and living. They have accepted western
culture in food, dressing, music, language and all that they undertake in their
professional lives. Technology has been accepted as a by-word or as extension to
youthful living. Today, every youth wants to be seen with the trendiest phone, in
designer clothing and with a personality that matches a Hollywood star. He drives
around in SUVs, jets around in their private aircrafts and has a lifestyle that can be
considered extravagant by an older generation who believed in savings rather than
spending hard earned money on an extravagant lifestyle.
Today more youth are spending money on alcohol, designer wear, personal grooming,
dating or just parting. Yes the youth work hard as well as party hard. They live for the
day or the moment and do not think of their future.
Lifestyles have change the way we think and the way we have accepted an entirely new
and alien culture. Today the Kirana shop has been replaced by a mall culture, public
transport has replaced the volume of vehicles on the roads, and travel by conventional
methods has been replaced by jet setting corporate executives and high fliers. Today,
there is a waiting period of 40 minutes to an hour even in front of vegetarian
restaurants, everything can be bought or ordered on the telephone and everything is
delivered to the doorstep from provision to services.
A newspaper or publication which reflects society has taken a clue to all that is taking
place in society. Publications have cashed in on the milch cow and have today included
colourful, striking, appealing, supplements that blow out incidence larger than life. The
photography used in these supplements compels a reader to take a second look at the
supplement. The printing has advanced to the extent that the photographs are sharp
and clear. They shine out from newspaper cutouts using photoshop and gloss.
These supplements cover everything from food to body sculpturing and what are the
current trends available in the market for a price. These supplements carry
advertisements of trend setting stores and malls like Croma, Big Baazar, Spencer,
Lifestyle, Inorbit and every conceivable Indian and overseas brand.
The supplements show the readers how life has become simpler and more comfortable.
They expect the reader to adapt these lifestyles and keep up with the neighbours.
Today many homes in urban areas have a flat screen TV, a home theatre system, a
large fridge and at least two cars. The supplement attracts the reader with large
expanses of space which are done up to the hilt. The upholstery is chick, the flooring
shines, the flowers are in place and the entire get-up of the residence puts on display a
make belief world, which needs to be copied by an upwardly mobile, yearning middle
class who is filled with hope and longs to have what a neighbour has. Most people want
to outdo their neighbour's or relatives or friends in their pursuit to improve their living
standards and supplements inform them what is available on the shelf.
Supplements have become a regular feature and are published on a daily basis
because the publication is able to secure the necessary advertisements to make the
supplements a business propositions that is profitable and makes good business
sense. Manufactures advertise in a publication depending on its readership and
creditability. A newspaper requires an advertisement to survive and break even and the
advertiser a newspaper. It is a vicious cycle. The reader in turn requires the supplement
and cannot live without it, even for a single day. Thus, bringing out supplements that
reflect a lifestyle or a trend has become a norm. Supplements attract a reader by
carrying cutouts of models strutting a pose or what can be expected from a new car or
what to expect in a new mall.
On television or in the electronic media lifestyle journalism is enhanced with lifestyles
shows. NDTV Good Times is a dedicated channel that promotes trends and lifestyles
from travel to food to cars to clothing as well as grooming. Other lifestyle channels
include TLC and Prime CBS. In lifestyle journalism the emphasis is to portray how a
particular segment has achieved everything in life and how other people can achieve
the achievable.
Lifestyle journalism has been enhanced with the opening up of the Indian economy, with
liberation and the entry of big ticket brands into our lives. Today, every individual is a
walking mega shop or a brand carrying mannequin. Lifestyle journalism is only posed to
grow because many more Indians are traveling /holidaying abroad, are eating in
restaurants on the weekends and are shopping in malls that offer everything under one
roof. Today lifestyle journalism has begun to enter the semi rural areas of B towns (in
advertising terms) and even regional publications have begun to publish articles on
lifestyle journalism. There is no stopping lifestyle journalism from growing further to
scale new peaks of excellence. In the ultimate analysis the Indian consumer stands to
gain.