(S.Ravi Seshu)
After a much-hype and many more postponements, at last Telangana Today, one more English newspaper, hit the stands on Friday (December 16, 2016). Contrary to the expectations of people, the new newspaper launch was a highly low key affair on Thursday. A group of key figures of the newspaper, along with the editorial team led by ‘The Tiger’ Koothuru Srinivasa Reddy, editor of TT, graced the occasion, which the paper claims as ‘a solemn and glittering ceremony.’
Later, the big heads went to the Chief Minister K.Chandrasekhar Rao’s camp office and handed over the first copy. It carried the launch photos on page-2 of the tabloid, which is termed as “B.” (By the way, “A” is the main edition, a broadsheet).
It is too early to call it a ‘damp squib’, as put by one of the senior editors of the rival newspapers, but Telangana Today’s first issue lacked any interesting stuff. Generally, newspapers hit the market with some special features or investigative stories on day-1 as the first impression is the best impression. But, TT doesn’t have one to boast about.
Majority of the headlines lack punch, pun or power! For instance, see the two top half of the front page headlines: “IV fluid almost kills girl” and “Assembly session likely to be smooth.” We can understand the compulsion of the editor to go for such kind of kind headline on assembly session but what is this almost killing?
Neither the two key observations of Supreme Court, on one roadside liquor shops and another on BCCI chief, nor NITI Ayog CEO’s lure for cashless payments are missing on page-1. In a way, TT made a difference by highlighting the contaminated IV fluid issue.
Yes, there is a signed editorial on page-1. To be accurate, we can’t and shouldn’t call it a signed editorial, but it is signed ‘proprietorial’ because it was signed by the proprietor, not the editor.
There is a funny blunder in this insipid editorial, titled “Good Morning Telangana.” One of the sentences reads as: “The daily broadsheet, the tabloid section and the Sunday weekender will give the reader a truly comprehensive package of news, developments, business, sports. entertainment, leisure reading, et al for all age groups.”
Is it ‘et al’ or etc, Sir ?
According to Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, et al is used in formal writing to avoid a long list of names of people who have written something together.
Etc., is used to say ‘other similar things.’ It is used to avoid giving a complete list.
All said and done, we can’t be carried away by the small spots on the face of the just-born baby. We wish TT and Tiger all the very Best.
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