An era of free sheeters
Miguel BraganzaHaving an educated father with a flair for speaking and
writing helps : Miguel's is a typical case study. As a
school student of St.Britto, his contributions to the
school magazine were like a celebrity column -- ghost
written by his father! His first original contribution
to the printed word was in a tabloid, bilingual 'free
sheeter' of sorts called the 'Vanguard' ('O Vanguardo')
in the mid 1970s. While at the University of
Agricultural Sciences,Bangalore, he was a
founder-member of the "Writers' Club" and one-time
Editor of the FYM: the Farm Yard
Manure..ooops...Magazine. Since then, Miguel has been
Goa University's first and only Garden Superintendent.
He took to writing more seriously after getting in
touch with journos in local newsrooms. He became the
first Consulting Editor of the Mapusa Plus free-sheeter
in July 2001.
Just imagine a user-driven economy in which the user
has to only pay attention; absolutely nothing else.
This improbable scenario has arrived in an increasingly
consumerist society with the birth of the 'free sheeter
', now making their presence felt in Goa too.
Unlike the mainstream broad-sheet and tabloid
newspapers, the user can take home a free-sheeter free
of cost and with no obligation, save the ethical one to
read it. There is no fine print to this free offer. The
offer does not read 'Do not pay anything for it now'
nor 'Nothing free'. The reader obtains a copy of the
free sheeter absolutely free of any financial
consideration, present or future.
There is also a greater freedom of expression in a free
sheeter since the publication is not tied to the apron
strings of a business house or interest group with
vested interests. The degree of freedom available to
the editor is almost boundless, though within the
limits of decency, propriety and libel laws. The editor
cannot be allowed to declare freedom from good sense
and decency. This is possible only because of the
multifaceted funding base that finances the free
sheeter and, often, the dedication of the editorial
team. A free-sheeter does not have to toe a line that
many of its bigger cousins make their way of life.
What is a free-sheeter?
A simple description of a free-sheeter is a periodical
(daily, weekly, fortnightly or monthly) that is made
available to its readers at no financial consideration
whatsoever in terms of price, subscription, membership
or donation. (I will attempt no further definition and
I do not know is a proper definition exists for a free-sheeter.)
The lowest frequency expected of a free-sheeter is an
issue a month. Frequencies less than that tend to
render a free-sheeter irrelevant and it cannot sustain
its readership. It is the readership that justifies the
existence of a free sheeter and helps to draw funds to
finance its publication. The existence of the
readership is the raison d'etre of a free-sheeter.
News Content: People do not lose interest in issues
just because the mainstream newspapers and tabloids do
not carry them on their front-pages. There is always an
interest in the 'positive' things happening around us.
There is as much interest in the fisherman who saved
six persons from drowning as there is in the one person
that drowned while swimming at a beach side resort. The
drowning hogs the headlines in the mainstream
newspapers and tabloids. There is 'space' in the
free-sheeter to portray the hero of the event, the
humble fisherman who saved six lives. People want to
read about him even if he saved them simply because of
an impulse, or just because he could not bear to see
them die! Bravery and courage do not need to be
pre-qualified or rationalized. Brave deeds have a
readership in the land of Rana Pratap, Rani of Jhansi
and Shivaji, just as in the land of Napoleon Bonaparte
or George Washington or Nelson Mandela or Winston Churchill.
Local news is another 'blind spot' in mainstream
newspapers. This is often the result of the need to
make the newspaper meaningful to a wider readership.
You cannot focus on details when using a wide-angle
lens in your camera. The same holds good for a
newspaper. The free-sheeter, on the other hand, can be
like the 'camera lucida' and put local issues under the
microscope and draw out all the minute details.
While the newspaper only sees a fine air-conditioned
restaurant with a fantastic menu, the free-sheeter can
note that the cook uses the same broom to sweep the
floor and also to dispense oil on the king-sized hot
plate for making your favorite 'dosa'. A good
free-sheeter can give you the details that most
newspapers have no access to. In the local context, a
free-sheeter has an advantage.
The editorial team of a free-sheeter normally comprises
of local people. It is, thus, in a better position to
understand local nuances, culture and tradition. For
example, a woman who is topless may cause a riot in our
metropolitan cities; in some tribal areas, remote
Polynesian communities or the beach-front from Hawaii
to the Riviera, a topless woman may not even cause
anyone to raise an eyebrow, except if she is
exceedingly beautiful! The local perspective makes a
free-sheeter interesting to the local readership
because they can identify with it.
Local issues are of great interest to local readership.
What is being done about the water pipeline leak is
important to those living on the first floor of
buildings in the locality. Poor pressure in the
pipeline means that the water will have to go to a sump
and then be pumped up. Besides the cost, time and
effort, this could also lead to increased contamination
of water. A small pipeline leak in a neighbourhood has
no news value to a mainstream newspaper. It means the
world to the people in the locality that is affected.
Such issues have local news value and, hence, the
justification of a greater emphasis on local
readership. This is where a free-sheeter can step in.
Editorial Content: The right place to express one's
views is in the editorial and in the feed-back column.
It may be regarding the news or current issues or some
other matter of importance to the readers at that point
of time. The fact that a significant section of the
readership skips reading the editorial should make the
editors sit up and assess the relevance of the
editorials they write, or get written on their behalf.
Just as the front page is the 'face' of the periodical,
the editorial should be its 'heart', not a vestigial
organ like the appendix.
In the free-sheeter context, it would be appropriate to
put the editorial through the 'Four Way Test': "1. Is
it the truth? 2. Is it fair to all concerned? 3. Will
it built goodwill and better friendship? 4. Will it be
beneficial to all concerned?" The editorial is about
opinions. The editor's views should not create ill-will
between possible groups in the local milieu. It can
have disastrous consequences for both, the readers and
the publishers.
Advertorial Content: The term 'advertorial' is fairly
new to me. It is the presentation of an advertisement
'outside the box'. The advertorial content of many
periodicals, both free and paid, has evolved so rapidly
that it is sometimes difficult it to separate it from
the news items. The 'lakshman rekha' (sacrosanct
dividing line) between the two has even blurred further
and some journalists palm off advertorials as 'news'.
The 'line of control' may have to be redefined before
newspapers become like the souvenirs issued at various
social events -- comprising almost entirely of
advertisements. This is specially true for a
free-sheeter that depends solely on advertising to
finance its publication. The temptation is great. Yield
to it with open arms and you will perish.
Advertisements: Front page advertisements vie with the
news items for space. Sometimes, the fascination with
the ear panels diminishes the prominence of even the
mast-head, the very name of the publication. Since the
cost of a front page advertisement is double (or more)
that of one on the inside pages, the temptation is to
accept maximum number of front page advertisements. It
is a constant battle between funds and readability,
between wealth and credibility. It is not rare to see
Mammon win the battle and it shows on the 'face' of the
free-sheeter that has two-thirds advertisements and
just one-third news content on page one.
Mast-head: The mast-head is the name-plate of the
periodical. Unlike the name of a person, whose traits
we do not know at birth, the name of a newspaper is
indicative of its purpose or focus. (For example, the O
Heraldo was the harbinger of news in Goa during the
pre-Liberation era and continues to this day with a
Goan accent; the Navhind Times brought in more national
level -- and nationalist -- news after 1961 ,while the
Gomantak Times has more of a state level flavor.)
Among the free-sheeters published in Goa, Vasco Watch
keeps a watchful eye on the happenings in Vasco while
the Plus group sheds 'positive light' on Mapusa,
Panaji, Margao and Ponda. A lot of thought goes into
condensing of the 'mission statement' of a newspaper or
periodical into two or three, easy-to-remember words.
The name seems easy in hindsight, but requires
considerable foresight and thinking to arrive at.
The mast-head must not only be good, it must look good,
too.
Proper designing of the mast-head, including the
selection of the font, is imperative. Ideally, the
mast-head should not be changed during the lifetime of
the periodical, even if the page design and layout is
changed to increase its visual appeal. The mast-head
must be the single-most prominent item on page one. All
attributes of the publication must be associated with
its mast-head. Once you see it, you must remember its
worth, its credibility and its readability.
Footer: The footer of a newspaper or free-sheeter comes
in fine print at the bottom of the last page. It is
inconspicuous to the casual reader. It gives the
details of the publisher, editor(s) and printer. This
is mandatory by law. In libel and defamation cases,
these names become the 'defendants' along with the
correspondent under whose by-line the news was
published. The Advertisements Standards Council of
India (ASCI) also knows who, besides the advertiser, to
go after for violation of the law. The footer also
gives the registration number of the newspaper with the
Registrar of Newspapers (RNI). Every free-sheeter has
to apply for registration through the District
Collector. The organization distributing and issuing
the free-sheeter is not free from responsibilities. The
footer is an acknowledgment that it knows its business
and how to mind it.
Organization: A free-sheeter is not like a
free-wheeling collection of articles and news reports.
Like any periodical it has to be organized into
sections like current news, issues, campus and club
news, entertainment, competitions, brain teasers, and
the like. Such a grouping of information makes it
easier to find the item one is looking for. A person
will first glance through the page that is likely to
contain information of interest to him or her. If it is
interesting, the copy will be picked up. Free-sheeters
are generally not 'delivered' at home; so each issue
has to pass the clinical test of reader's interest.
Layout: A tasty dish that is not presented well may be
left untouched on the buffet table. The same is the
case with a free-sheeter at the news stands or
distribution counter. It is not a monopoly. People who
have a choice exercise it. A good blend of visuals
(photos, illustration, and the like) and text makes a
copy appealing. Even advertisements can be used to
achieve this. If the publication has access to a layout
artist, it helps.
Advent of Free sheeters in Goa
Perhaps the first free-sheeter to hit Goa was Vasco
Watch, edited by Cmdr (Retd) A. Narayanan who is
associated with the group Citizen's Watch. His attempt
at Margao News was not half as successful, basically
because there was no significant local involvement and
input in Margao. Local involvement is the essence of a
free-sheeter. Perhaps, the Salcete News spread the
'local' context too wide and did not do too well, either.
Coming to North Goa, the pioneer was Panjim Pulse. In
my opinion it did not place its finger properly on the
pulse of the citizens in this thriving town and its
municipal council (now corporation). Its readership
should have crossed the ten thousand copies mark by
now, but the Panjim Pulse is nowhere to be seen. It
does not have a 'presence' that is so important for
survival. More than a year later came Panjim Plus,
which is doing reasonably well as a monthly
newsmagazine. Obviously, it could do better. Panaji is
such a 'happening' place that a weekly free-sheeter
could grow comfortably covering the cultural events,
exhibitions, sales, educational scene, etc. Perhaps,
the would-be journalists from the non-formal courses in
journalism at the Mushtifund Institute and elsewhere
will 'jam-up' to fill this void sooner rather than later.
The Plus series began with the Mapusa Plus on July 04,
2001, first as a fortnightly and later, after crossing
the quarter-century mark, as a monthly newsmagazine.
The trigger for this paper was a college student,
Rohini Swamy, who made a foray into journalism like a
meteor. She did so, before moving off as quickly, after
moving through a couple of local newsrooms. (Rohini is
back reporting for an outstation TV network, posted in
Goa.) It was Sapna Sardesai who sustained Mapusa Plus
production, while her co-directors in Wordsworth Communications
Ltd. led by Lester Fernandes generated the revenues by
'marketing' advertisement space. This writer have been
associated with this free-sheeter as its consultant
editor and mid-wife from the very first issue. Two
years and a little re-structuring later, the labour
pains are visible in Mapusa Plus, but, after 35 odd
issues, I do not know whether the issue will be
delivered or aborted. There is little that a midwife
can do if there is a congenital complication.
The Plus group also entered the Margao area
simultaneously with Panjim in December 2001. The Margao Plus
is as robust as its publisher, Roque Fernandes. From
August 2003, he has fathered the Ponda Plus through a
new partner, Diamond Publications. The Ponda Plus is
the first free-sheeter to start off with glossy art
paper and colour printing, not the humble black
printing on grey newsprint paper of all its
forerunners. It has got no competitors in its class in
Goa. The Ponda Plus has raised the ante. It has got
class, it has got good readership and it is still free.
Hard work pays, hard sell pays better. Roque is doing
both: hard work and hard sell. The results are visible
in black and white -- and in colour! The challenge now
is to do better than that and still be free.
What makes a free-sheeter tick: Ask any good physician
and he (or, as per the recent trend in MBBS graduation,
she) will tell you that one's circulation must be good.
Whether it is blood, air or free-sheeter, your health
depends on its 'circulation'. There is no other way. A
well produced free-sheeter is easier to circulate
because it is free. Once it has attracted the attention
and reached the hands of a potential reader, it will be
glanced through even if it is not read in detail.
That is a wonderful way to deliver a well-designed
advertisement to a potential buyer of any goods or
services. It makes more sense for a local shopkeeper or
institution to advertise in a 'local' free-sheeter than
a state-wide newspaper with ten times bigger
circulation (and, subsequently, far higher advertising
rates). Most free-sheeters have a circulation of 3,000
to 5,000 copies, a figure which ranks better than some
mainstream newspapers in Goa. A free-sheeter is a
better vehicle, less expensive and less bothersome to
handle than a 'flier' inserted in a newspaper for local
distribution. A flier is often discarded unread. Not so
with a free-sheeter. It pays to advertise in a
free-sheeter. The advertisements pay to keep the
free-sheeter alive and free.
Miguel Braganza Consultant Editor & Horticulturist,
Mapusa Goa.