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Quantitatively the press grew enormously both in terms of dailies and periodicals and their circulation. The number of all newspapers covering any printed or cyclostyled periodical publication like dailies, weeklies and other periodicals rose from 4769 in 1952 to 19937 in 1982, with a few periods of steep ascents like in 1970,1979 and 1981when there was arise both in terms of number and circulation.
Since the sixties the number of dailies quadrupled from a modest 330 to 1334 and periodicals of all categories and periodicity also expanded four times from 4439 to 18603. The circulation of all reporting news papers depicts the same scale of having rocketed from over 10,52,000 to 500,94,000… more than five times and of dailies from2.5 millions in1947 and 14.84 millions in 1982, indicating a six fold expansion.
The spurt in the circulation of periodicals during the last 3 decades was more pronounced and rose from 8 million to over 35 million- nearly four and half times. The phenomenal expansion in number and circulation of periodicals is popularly known as the periodical or magazine explosion.
Trends desirable and undesirables in India Since 1955:
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News papers
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Magazines: There was a “magazine boom” in India in 1980s. Magazine publication grew in both English and major Indian languages. The trend started with launch of India today in mid seventies and the new look of illustrated weekly of India.
Magazines appear to expanding range of reading tests and interests. They are designed for homogeneous or special interest groups. Despite their design for special groups, they developed as a mass medium because they appeal to large numbers in a national market that cut across social, economic and educational class lines.
Mainly there are 2 types of magazines. General interest magazines and special interest magazines. Magazines have been much more visually innovative than news papers. Their covers blaze from newsstands and market racks, thus attracting the readers’ attention with color and allure of advertisements beside their articles.
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Activist journals: the alternative press emerged as a result of the need of some of the groups such as feminists, environmentalists, ethnic minorities or political advertisements, etc. to permit their point if views. Many such groups feel that their voice is not heard and main stream press is complacent and biased. So they publish their own papers and news sheets. They perform a valuable function in offering a platform for a wide spectrum of opinion.
There are magazines and journals which are started by individuals or groups or organizations which are involved with the serious issues of social concern. These journals have created distinctive niche in the print media.
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Other print media: text books, other books, booklets, pamphlets, broachers, folders, periodicals, wall news papers, publicity and promotional literature also constitute media for mass reading, information and enlightenment. They less extensively used as compared to the news papers and magazines.
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Relevant Printing Technology
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Participants