Frontline, the fortnightly news magazine by The Hindu Group, relaunched with a new design at an event in New Delhi.
The event was attended by economists such as Prabhat Patnaik, Jayati Ghosh, and CP Chandrashekar; cultural activist Ganesh Devy; artist Jatin Das; the founder of Bharatiya Muslim Mahila Andolan, Zakia Soman; senior ambassadors and diplomats; academics, journalists, authors, publishers, and activists. Political personalities such as Pawan Khera (Congress), Manoj Jha (RJD), and D. Raja (CPI) also attended.
There was a panel discussion on the subject “Kashmir: Changing the Discourse” with Mehbooba Mufti, former Chief Minister of Jammu & Kashmir, and President of the Peoples Democratic Party, A. S. Dulat, former chief of the Research and Analysis wing (R&AW), Pavan K Varma, author, ex-diplomat, and former Rajya Sabha MP and N. Ram, former editor-in-chief, Frontline, The Hindu & Director, The Hindu Group. Vaishna Roy, Editor, Frontline, moderated the session.
The Frontline app was launched by The Hindu Group Chairperson Dr Malini Parthasarathy and N. Ram. The app is available for Android users and will soon be available for iOS users.
An official statement from The Hindu Group read, “The redesigned Frontline continues the legacy of high-quality journalism, now set within a design and format that is relevant for a new readership. Compelling images, bolder fonts, and a clean and airy design palette make for a more engaging reading experience. New features and writers have been added.”
Dr. Malini Parthasarathy, Chairperson, The Hindu Group, said, “Frontline’s journalistic emphasis has always been on longer-form journalism, examination and exploration of the larger context and background to events as they unfold on the ground. Frontline takes pride in its unflinching honesty and has a well-defined perspective which does not hesitate to highlight what it sees as the “rights” and the “wrongs” in developing situations.”
“Building on this formidable reputation and legacy, Frontline has now a strong print subscriber base of 30,000 copies and the largest active digital subscriber base of any Indian magazine. The website attracts approximately 4 lakh active users monthly. Frontline’s highly engaged subscribers spend an average of 20 minutes per visit compared to the 2-4 minutes spent on average for most news publications. This is an indicator of the high regard for our long-form content.”
“It is obvious that especially for magazines such as Frontline, the print market remains alive and well. The digital shift is already taking place in The Hindu and Sportstar. With the redesigned print version, Frontline will also accelerate its digital push, to provide what the team promises a “Smarter Reading Experience.”
N. Ram, former editor-in-chief of Frontline and The Hindu, and Director, The Hindu Group, said, “The launch has been excellent. We had a discussion on an important subject like Kashmir. Different views were presented and it was a very crucial part of the launch. The event witnessed the presence of notable figures from various walks of life including intellectuals, diplomats, and avid readers. Their presence attests to Frontline’s esteemed reputation.”
Vaishna Roy, the Frontline editor, said, “I took over as editor in May last year. We have since been working to redesign and reposition the magazine for the new age. Our content is more engaging, has many more perspectives, and will appeal to readers from all walks of life.” Graphic designer Mario Garcia helped revamp the magazine, Roy said, adding that he had made it look elegant and vibrant.”
Suresh Balakrishna, the Chief Revenue Officer, said, “The magazine is a prestigious product of The Hindu Group. The refreshed look will offer a lot more to our readers, both visually and in terms of content. The intent is to seamlessly merge tradition and innovation to offer a power-packed reading experience and it’s safe to say we have achieved it.”
Mehbooba Mufti, former Chief Minister of Jammu & Kashmir, and President of the Peoples Democratic party, said, “I extend my best wishes to Frontline and I hope that they keep on setting the bar high and always remain in the front.”
Pavan K Varma, author, ex-diplomat, and former Rajya Sabha MP, said, “I congratulate Frontline for relaunching in a new avatar. Previously, the magazine was considered just as the reference material, but now it will be far more readable and contemporary.”
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