Garima Prasher

(garima9873prasher@gmail.com)

DESIGN AND LAYOUT

Designing and layout of a newspaper is done to attract readership and to optimize the effectiveness in presenting information. Rules and conventions have evolved over the years and almost all newspapers share well-established layout principles.

Newseum is world’s most interactive museum of daily newspaper front pages in their original unedited form. Direct access of the site can be done using the link given below:

http://www.newseum.org/todaysfrontpages/default.asp

Getting Started
1. Open a new page following the step: File- New Document (CTRL+N)
2. The document opened can be fitted to the window using the command: CTRL+0

3. The command for the toolbox to appear: F8 4. The command for the measurement box to appear: F9

Design Exquisite Mastheads
1. Masthead in The Times of India measures 5 cm in height. Select the Rectangular Tool Box tool from Tool box. Drag it on the page to create the text box. The height of the box can be controlled and measured in the measurement box. Change the measurement to five in the ‘H’ tab.

2. For typing the mast head, select the Content Tool on the toolbox and start typing.

3. Select the content of the text box using: CTRL+A

4. Size of the text can be increased using command: CTRL+SHIFT+ALT+ (.)

5. Size of the text can be decreased using command: CTRL+SHIFT+ALT+(,)

6. The content can be moved down inside the text box using: CTRL+SHIFT+ALT+9

7. The content can be moved up inside the text box using: CTRL+SHIFT+ALT+0

8. The font can be selected on choice from Measurement Box using: CTRL+ALT+SHIFT+DOWN ARROW /UP ARROW

9. To modify the font to bold: CTRL+SHIFT+B

10. To convert the font to italics: CTRL+SHIFT+I

11. To add shadow to the font: CTRL+SHIFT+S

12. To convert the text to normal font: CTRL+SHIFT+P

Look does Matter

• Import Inspiring stories

1. Create text boxes on the page depending upon the number of articles or stories you have. o Select Rectangle Text Box tool from the Toolbar o Drag on the page and create the box

2. Import the stories in the text box using: CTRL+E

3. Standard font size varies in the range of 8.5-9

4. Select the text and increase or decrease the size either by changing it in Measurement Box or by using: CTRL+ALT+SHIFT+ (.) /CTRL+ALT+SHIFT+ (,)

5. To left align the text use the command: CTRL+SHIFT+L

6. To right align the text use the command: CTRL+SHIFT+R

7. To justify the text use the command: CTRL+SHIFT+J

8. Insert the paragraphs wherever required by pressing ENTER

9. Further formatting can be done using the command: CTRL+SHIFT+F The above command opens a new window called Paragraph Attribute, where tabs like Format, Tabs and Rules are present. Set the measurement of the text box named First Line to 0.5 Rules is used to give ruling lines to the text in the text box.

10. To increase the gap between the letters to spread them use command: CTRL+SHIFT+ALT+}

11. To decrease the gap between the letters to shrink them use command: CTRL+SHIFT+ALT+{

12. Text Box can be bordered using the command: CTRL+B

• Insert lively Pictures

1. Select the Rectangle Picture Box Tool from Tool bar, present in different shapes.

2. Drag it on the page wherever the picture is required.

3. Copy the picture from the source folder and paste it in the Picture Box created.

4. Picture can be increased in size to fit in the box of desired size using command: CTRL+ALT+SHIFT+ (.)

5. Picture can be decreases in size to fit in the box of desired size using command: CTRL+ALT+SHIFT+ (,)

6. Picture can be bordered using the command: CTRL+B

7. For run-around or to maintain proper distance of the picture from surrounding text, use command: CTRL+T The above command opens a window called Modify Choose the tab Runaround and set the measurements of tabs Top, Left, Bottom and Right to 6, 12,6,12 respectively.

Specific Commands

1. To remove the Grid of the page use: F7

2. To change the setting of the quark page: CTRL+Y

3. For dropcaps(to highlight the first letter by increasing it’s size): CTRL+SHIFT+F

4. For Style Sheet creation use: F11

5. To lock the pictures and text use: F6

6. For colour box use: F12

Designing newspaper templates are just a step away, and you can begin creating your newspaper in mere moments after you go through these commands well.

All the best and exercise your creativity to do wonders.

The tabloids brought out by TSJ students

Nimit Agarwal

(nimit.agarwal@gmail.com)

THREE CHEERS TO YOUNG INDIA!

Lead kindly man

Three cheers to young Indian voters who nearly cast into the dustbin of history the moribund bandicoots of Indian politics. The discerning young voters proved that they cannot be fooled by dubious rhetoric of caste and religion. Their faith in good governance to create more job opportunities and better living standards carried the day. India voted for a strong prime minister – as suggested but not wished by L. K. Advani. The strong man India found was of course Manmohan Singh! For Dr Singh, every job that he did is a springboard for something better. How many RBI governors have become finance secretaries, how many finance secretaries have become finance ministers, and how many finance ministers have become prime ministers? This time around, he could turn from a prime minister to an ace prime minister and world statesman in his own right. The tragedy of BJP and CPM was that they were frozen in time past, unable to address the 21st century.

In contrast, Rahul Gandhi was in tune with the times, and he staged a coup by fielding the largest number of young candidates that is primarily responsible for the Congress victory. While some disgruntled politicians were busy selecting a prime minister even before the election, Rahul worked the hardest addressing the greatest number of public meetings. Priyanka’s charisma brought alive memories of Indira Gandhi’s heydays and added a new dimension to campaign rhetoric. While certain political parties drenched their campaign speeches in vitriolic, the Congress star campaigners focused on development which paid rich dividends. The grace and the dignity with which Sonia Gandhi conducted herself has enhanced her party’s credibility. Her greatest contribution to Indian politics is Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, whose elevation has won the hearts of the alienated Sikh community. A man of integrity and efficiency is a rare phenomenon in Indian politics. And now the moral of the story Election 2009: India needs an array of young politicians – doctors, MBAs, technocrats, pilots, lawyers – to make India a Superpower.

HAVE A QUESTIONING MIND: GAUTAM

Priyanka Banerjee, Meenakshi Rohatgi, Nimit Agarwal
(priyankabenji@gmail.com, meenakshi.rohatgi@gmail.com, nimit.agarwal@gmail.com)

“As journalists, it is your job to raise questions. Always have a doubtful mind and be ethical and polite.” That was Gautam Adhikari’s farewell massage to TSJ students.

In India, the ethical model is still in the development stage. If we compare journalism in India to that of the US or the UK, there is a vast difference because the process of selection there is stringent first of all, and secondly, a lot of time and money is spent on the training of journalists. “Most importantly, they are taught what should be filtered out from a haystack of information, and what should be left out.”

Though the training process is picking up in India with many institutes opening, it is still in its nascent stages. Indian journalism is grappling with a lot of issues such as stringent norms for standards and code of conduct, and the growth of numerous media companies giving rise to heavy competition.

“The most common mistake people make is to classify different kinds of media as a single entity.” Newspapers, television, internet and radio are entirely different in the ways of functioning, the audience, style and focus. “People blame the entire media universe, when say a TV channel has made a blunder.”

The entire media was blamed for the way the Aarushi murder case was reported, even though newspapers were careful about handling the events, while certain television channels went overboard. “It is true that some channels were way ahead in investigation, but it is imperative on the part of the journalist to be wary of people who might be giving statements for their own benefit. Hence the importance of questioning and cross questioning. Producing both sides of any story is the mandate of the reporter.”

Because the legal system in India is very slow, with many potholes, many journalists get away with a lot. While in countries like America, legal system is quick and hence journalists tread carefully on the lives of other people.

The question what is public and what is private is being redefined now. Our media is in the phase of “conceptual transition”. “It eventually boils down to competition, as any kind of ‘market economy’ cannot escape from pecuniary goals.” Especially in television, the pressure and competition is huge as the business is all about “eyeball catching”. Hence in the flurry of the moment, certain news channels might compromise on ethics blindly catering to the animal hunger for sensationalism. Though one cannot escape competition, one can still set a code for conduct. “The editor of a newspaper or a news channel should act as the final gatekeeper before the news is presented to the public.”

Gautam sums up his advice to media students thus:

• Keep an open and fertile mind
• Be a voracious reader
• Always ask the ‘right’ questions
• It is important to read history and economics of your country as well as the world
• Remember that you are just the ‘media’ – the plural of ‘medium’ – for news to reach the masses. We are just the “mirrors of the world around us”, and thus it is essential that we are good communicators.

CRIME AGAINST HUMANITY

JOYEETA CHAKRAVORTY

(joyeetachakravorty@gmail.com)

As early as in 1925 former Australian Prime Minister Stanley Bruce in one of his campaign speeches said, “We intend to keep this country white and not allow its peoples to face problems that are insoluble in many parts of the world.” If nations are defined by their political leadership, Australia is defined as a Whiteman’s land where colored have little scope. What’s happening today justifies the vision of the founding fathers.

Nevertheless in 1973, the Whitlam Labor government tried to redefine Australia by amending the immigration law. Being one of the major immigration nations, it is considered essential for nation building. The people of Australia have of course different opinions. The two major parties in Australia differ quite much from each other in this issue since the Australian Liberal Party, now holding the office, supports more restrictive immigration policy and the Australian Labor Party would like to be more open with immigration and allow more immigrants to come to Australia.

Recession saw a decline in the economy and unemployment rose to 8 percent, an unusually high figure by developed country standards. The migrants not only sought permanent residency status but were available for all kind of jobs. The hardworking Asians can take up even three jobs a day. This has certainly irked white Australians and probably is the major reason for the rise in racism. The fear of losing out at the hands of Asians in their own country is the major reasons of the attack and disharmony in the continent. The issue is not majorly racist, it’s the ethnicity of the Australians that is at the receiving end in these troubled times. Sure enough, in the near future Australian economy would be the worst victim.

For India to take up the moral weapon, could be stretching it too far when foreigners have been raped and murdered in our own country. When north Indians are attacked in Mumbai and mass murders perpetrated against minorities in Gujarat and Orissa, we rather abandon the moral pretext. But since a crime is a crime in any part of the world we decry it. It is a crime against humanity.

THE GREATEST FRAUD ON EARTH!

ASHIRBAD RAHA

Liars clad in immaculate white kurta are the actors of a play called Indian Democracy. Among them are confidence-tricksters, money launderers, smugglers, child-molesters, murderers and mass murderers, trying to rewrite the destiny of one billion people. This show can be called the Biggest Fraud on earth. It comes once in every five years, and if the horses are lucky, twice in the same period.

The dilemma of voters often is this: how do you choose between two murderers, or swindlers? It makes sad reading that a courageous and public-spirited woman who won an election and became panchayat president on the promise of bring drinking water to her village was shot by the water mafia on the day she executed the project! This did not happen in the once-lawless Bihar, or in the Naxalite-struck Uttranchal, or in the ULFA-menaced North-East, or in the terror zone of Kashmire, but in the tranquil state of Tamilnadu!

Our media is happy that around 57% of the people have exercised their franchise. Ever wondered what happened to the 43% of the people? They are the marginalized who are losing faith in democracy These are the very people who stood in long queues braving scorching heat and biting cold election after election, hoping against hope for a better future. But their plight only worsened with every passing election. The 8 point growth rate, the IT boom, the mobile phone revolution, the white revolution, the green revolution, the nuclear deal, the Mars Odyssey, and everything that made India proud has not touched their lives. But their silence is far more eloquent than all the din and noises of the election. There is a ring of truth in their silence that the politicians’ speeches lack.

Do I sound pessimistic? I was once an incurable optimist. Today staying in the country’s capital, I buy water for my domestic use, and face frequent power trip downs; sanitation and pothole-free roads are conspicuous by their absence. All this after 60 years of independence. Long live the greatest show on earth!

Arnab Nandy

arnabnandy87@gmail.com

The horse-trading season is here. The trading begins as soon as the election results are declared.

Suppose you are a first time MP just elected. On the first day, two guys walk into your house and offer you Rs 100 crore for supporting their party desperately trying to cobble up a government at the Centre. This is followed by two other groups offering half the amount but with a ministerial berth. This is not a scene from the flight of imagination but a typical behind-the-Democracy Wall operation to make democracy safe for the people.

Say a party needs 40 or 50 horses to form the government, then each horse may demand anything between 10 to 25 crore rupees. But if the fate of a party depends on just one or two horses, then the price rises dramatically. It might be as much as 100 crore per horse or even more! Like they say, ‘sky is the limit!’

When the people do not give a clear mandate, the major political parties have to pay the price. The bookies who have sharp business sense project the Congress at 160-170, yet short of the magical 255. Unless the Third Front, or Mayawati or Navin Patnaik helps, the Congress will find it an uphill task. BJP with 130-140 may find it harder this time than when Vajpayee cobbled a successful front. It might even prop up Maya or Navin to checkmate the Congress.

The Third Front has nothing to lose by playing the spoiler. After all, comrades Karat and Yechury have contributed to some of the finest TV shots during the nuclear deal debate.
But where do political parties get this kind of money? Your Swiss bank you can bank upon. On a conservative estimate, the Indian money in Swiss banks ranges from $500 billion (Rs 2,50,00,00,00,00,000) to $1400 billion (Rs 7,00,00,00,00,00,000). The professional estimate of the Global Financial Integrity study is $27.3 billion flowing out of India into secret bank accounts every year.

Did someone say anything about taxpayers’ money going to the drains?