The Impact of Covid-19 on the Print Media: A Kerala Perspective

ABSTRACT

The print media has played a significant role in Indian history. During the early decades of the 19th century newspapers began to circulate in Kerala. The State is best known for its literacy, healthcare, and socio-economic development. Nearly 60 per cent of the population reads newspapers every day (Indian Readership Survey, 2019). News consumption in Kerala is high compared to other States because of political consciousness, demography, literacy rate and standard of living of the people. The print media has been playing a vital role in newsgathering and reporting across the country during the Covid-19 pandemic. This article intends to identify the consequences of Covid-19 and the subsequent lockdown on the print media in Kerala. A sharp decline in circulation and advertisement revenue has disrupted the printing and distribution of newspapers and periodicals across the State. This paper looks at the various managerial measures taken by the media for their survival and the government policies and initiatives as a stakeholder in order to improve the present scenario. For this study, published reports of the Indian Readership Survey (IRS), WHO and various online newspaper reports have been referred to. Government interventions at central and State levels have been made to mitigate advertisement dues from government entities. Moreover, many newspaper establishments have resorted to salary cuts, edition cuts and work from home arrangements to reduce their operational costs.