All About Newspapers

Enthralling Indian audiences
Hindustan Times introduces 3D concept with 20-page real estate supplement

Being a thriving industry, newspapers are again on innovation drive across the world to increase their revenues apart from to be in business in the wake of new media options entering in a big way. Several experiments are being executed to catch eyeballs of audiences and ultimately make advertisers feel happy. Three-dimension (3D) is one of them, rapidly spreading all over being inspired by the success of various movies having 3D effects. Marking effective beginning of the year, Hindustan Times enthralled their readers with 20-page real estate supplement containing photographs and advertisements in 3D. “At the end of the year 2010, our management decided to make 2011 as the ‘Year of Innovations for HT’, and entering 3D is the first initiative in this regard,” said Harish Nagpal, AVP for production and materials, Shobhit Kumar, general manager-media marketing and Sanskriti Khanna Porwal, team leader – design / feature writing, HT Media Ltd in an exclusive conversion with SK Khurana, editor, All About Newspapers.

Every year, Hindustan Times publishes an anniversary issue of its supplement ‘HT Estates’. “This year it was the largest one containing 96 pages. So we divided it into two sections: with first published on Jan 15 and the second appearing on Jan 22 (Saturday) containing 20 pages in 3D impression. Some of the major advertisers, covered under this technological breakthrough initiative included M3M, Omaxe, Ansal API, TDI city and The 3C Company,” conveyed Harish Nagpal who has been the key person behind this project.

3D concept has started thriving the newspaper industry across the world. In the previous year, newspapers from Germany, Thailand, Belgium, Brazil, etc surprised their readers presenting special edition having such effects. From India Mid-Day, Rajasthan Patrika and Dainik Bhaskar came up with similar innovations in some places. In the beginning of this year on Jan 01, Japanese newspaper The Asahi Shimbun also produced an 8-page 3D supplement, printed in 4-colour to show a three-dimensional effect for all of the featured photographs and advertisements.

Notably, under the three-dimension concept, the effect is generated by a 3D camera having two lenses, which takes two pictures at the same time in a slightly different angle, or alternatively by a software which recalculates existing images. A coloured overlay in red and blue lets the two images correspond with the red and blue glasses, and so each eye can only catch one of the two images. In this way, the brain composes them to the three dimension effect. This concept has started thriving the newspaper industry across the world. In the previous year, newspapers from Germany, Thailand, Belgium, Brazil, etc surprised their readers presenting special edition having such effects. From India Mid-Day, Rajasthan Patrika and Dainik Bhaskar came up with similar innovations in some places. In the beginning of this year on Jan 01, Japanese newspaper The Asahi Shimbun also produced an 8-page 3D supplement, printed in 4-colour to show a three-dimensional effect for all of the featured photographs and advertisements. And now, Hindustan Times created yet another wave in this drive for one of their real estate section comprising 20 pages.

The key person, to implement the 3D project, Harish Nagpal, AVP for production and materials, HT Media Ltd.

“For making the project widely successful, we made relentless efforts with our dedicated team members. Samples were prepared to convince advertisers. Redesigning of certain ads was done to reach expectable final results. Delivery transportation arrangements were doubled up for ensuring timely and smooth delivery of the newspapers to distributors. As we were executing this great task for the first time, it proved a learning process for us. Its very credit goes to Harish Nagpal who was most instrumental to make the project well performed from prepress to post press,” explained Shobhit Kumar who not only holds the responsibilities of marketing new ideas but needs to ensure the satisfaction level of their participating advertisers. The advertisers were equally excited until the final products reached in the hands of readers spread in Delhi/NCR. The logistic part was very crucial to make this initiative and achieve its target, procuring of massive seven lacs 3D glasses, ensuring to fix these on page one of the dedicated section (with staple and double side tape) and finally inserting to yet another overall single supplement.

Shobhit Kumar, general manager-media marketing (left)
& Sanskriti Khanna Porwal, team leader - design/feature writing (Right)

According to Sanskriti Khanna Porwal, “In this project, much finance and manhours were invested. To ensure perfect quality, many times colour proofing was done. To cover all the expenses obviously higher rates of advertisements were worked out. And on the day of completion of the project, all advertisers were satisfied on the investment they made. Initially, it was a concern how it will be performed but finally they were equally happy on ROI issue.” On asking whether they have more such projects in near future, Shobhit mentioned, “Soon we may have similar feature for Mumbai edition or even in HT City in Delhi.”

“We are also exploring the market if we could get more durable 3D glasses to which our readers can keep with them ready for future 3D editions. In that case, HT may save to acquire such glasses every time,” concluded Harish.

Hindustan Times launches
Brunch as independent magazine

So far coming with Hindustan Times as a regular supplement with Sunday edition, Brunch has also been launched as a separate quarterly publication. The inaugural issue contains 136 pages + cover, with text produced on 70 gsm coated paper and cover on 170 gsm paper. While Brunch Sunday magazine will continue to live up reader’s expectations, Brunch quarterly will mesmerize them with its substance, giving lifestyle a new look providing best in fashion, style, food, travel, interiors, and a lot more for just Rs 100 as its cover price.

Notably, many newspaper publishing houses in India have started publishing magazines during the recent years.