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Tuesday, December 20, 2005

The Outlook of India Today

India Today and Outlook
Selling a magazine to me is easy. Any of the following prefixes: Collector's, Special or Anniversary, assures atleast one eager buyer. I even bought 'specials' of women magazines. It's not that I don't enjoy reading them, but feminine stuff are more fun borrowed than bought.

First came Outlook with its mammoth 330 page 'Tenth Anniversary Mega Issue' (October 17, 2005). I was barely through with it that India Today realised that it has been three decades of its existence on the newsstands. And as if in a show of one-upmanship the otherwise less pompous sounding 'Anniversary Issue' (December 26, 2005) counted 384 pages outdoing its youthful rival by a margin of 54 pages.

Needless to say Vinod Mehta makes for a better read than Aroon Purie, otherwise both anniversary issues demand an equal read. India Today with a treasure trove of historical tidbits and Outlook's contemporary reflections.

Both anniversary issues are a must have. At Rs. 15 (Outlook) and Rs. 20 (India Today) how much better can it get?

I grew up with India Today and Outlook was a conscious choice as an adult. Both are politics crazy, Outlook overzealously cricket crazy and both seasonally sex crazy.

I still remember the first issue of Outlook. My brother visibly proud of his 'discovery,' threw it across to me and said, "Its good." The IPKF fiasco in Sri Lanka is the earliest I can trace back my affair with India Today.

Both magazines I read back forwards. Outlook for its Diaries and India Today for the eye-catching Eyecatchers.

Old habits led me to do the same with the anniversary issues, but it was disappointing. No diary and no buxom babe.

12 Comments:

AquaM said...

Love your title.

No diary and no buxom babe...(Remind Santa)

San said...

hmm i'd much rather borrow then but too - although girly magazines lost their appeal years back with me :) I much prefer the boring journals now ...

Shivangi Misra said...

Still need to check India Today, though the list of contributors for Outlook was quite impressive.

jac said...

I read one or two of both, backdated of course, aand I found the 'Outlook' as more astute.

Anonymous said...

"Both magazines I read back forwards. Outlook for its Diaries and India Today for the eye-catching Eyecatchers." Read back forwards, what that supposed to mean. Shouldn't it be read backwards, or starting from the back, after all Diaries and Eyecatchers appear at the last page.

Anonymous said...

I like Outlook too..

Accidental Fame Junkie said...

Everytime I walk home, I spot the latest mags hanging at a chai dukan near my house. And I cann't help but pick atleast one or two of the mags: Outlook, India Today or The Week.

Wait a min: I did spot Giselle Bunchen's pic from I think the Pirelli calender spread all over the last pages of a mag. Now, I don't remember which mag. Could be either Outlook or India Today!

dwaipayan said...

aquamarine is right

Sofi said...

>>No diary and no buxom babe

chi. what is it with guys and them reading/checking out women and stuff.

i mean, its almost like its a sign of their masculinity when you hear/read of how men found a certain pic "fit" or whatnot.

The Sun - has anyone heard of it? Its a uk based newspaper which has a topless page 3 model. i believe its the best selling paper there is.

i mean....like how/why?!?! does it show how little theyre getting it in person or whatever? what do you get out of looking at anothers private parts. can anyone explain this to me? (i understand its open ended, and if there are replies deemed too rude for my liking, i guess i shall ignore and not return!)

sorry about..erm..that soumadip. if its offensive, please delete, otherwise im genuinely curious with no disrespect intended to anyone.

paurna said...

nice title for ur blog.and what's this pseudo journalist.i have heard pseudo secularists but pseudo journalists???

well i too get outlook and india today.need to start reading india today's anniversary special.outlook's special had some articles bashing mainstream media and rightfully so.

Rita said...

"feminine stuff are more fun borrowed than bought" - I gave up reading women's magazines years ago. But this does sound a little strange coming from a guy! :)

The Comic Project said...

Missed the outlook issue coz I didnt know one was coming out and I was out of the country anyway..but thx for pointing the India today issue. I like anniversary issues :-)

also thanks for refreshing the word "buxom". It had disappeared from my vocab.