Newspaper Tailpiece Advertisements
Most of you might have noticed a long strip of advertisements about an inch in width but length extending to an entire page and protruding on the right side of the paper. I do not know how they are technically designated but let me refer to them as tail piece Advt.
Personally, I hate such advertisements. They are a distraction and they sort of force or coerce you to read it. I am not paying for the advertisements but for the main news content and stories. Such advertisements make stacking / storing difficult and clumsy. Bundling them for disposal as waste paper is awkward. I hate them so much that I tear them straight away, without even caring to read what it is about.
This is a clever ploy of publishers to hook you in. I believe they also charge more for such special positions. As it is, advertisers are suckers. They make tall false claims. They believe in Goebbels' notion that if you repeat a lie enough number times readers would start believing them. I do not want to be ensnared or entrapped. I cannot avoid them totally as I understand that it is the advertisers who help you buy the newspaper at ‘low’ price. Only yesterday I renewed TOI paying an annual subscription of Rs 769/-.
The price of a single issue mentioned on the first page of TOI is Rs 4.00; Sundays and special issues cost more. I have some friends who buy the newspaper on a daily basis as a part of their morning walk, shelling down about Rs 1500 per year! They can afford the luxury of time, effort and money on a silly thing like getting a newspaper full of Advertisements that are no use to them. I am happy to note that those weeklies that carry only advertisements like WANTADs etc have disappeared.
Well, one man’s opinion does not carry much weight except giving an opportunity to lament and comment. What is your take on the topic?
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