Here’s what makes the Indian Weekender different from other publications
If it bleeds, it leads: an old newsroom adage that was challenged by a man who believed that readers could do away with the relentless 24/7 misery dominating newspapers.
The year was 2008. A headline in a prominent Auckland newspaper carried a news piece on the rising number of Indians in Mt Eden prison. As Mr Giri Gupta, then a resident of 13 years, read the headline, he realised that the story spoke about the number rising from three prisoners to five—an increase that barely called for a sensational headline.
Ironically, it was this negative portrayal of Kiwi-Indians that led to the birth of Indian Weekender, a publication that rests on an important founding principle: to bring forward the positive stories of Kiwi-Indians.
In a world where negativity quickly seeps into our lives, when readers wake up to the news of hate crimes, Indian Weekender stands out from the circle of news publications by highlighting the achievements of the Indian community in New Zealand and back home. The news magazine celebrates the achievements of Indians in New Zealand and brings forth stories of the triumphs and tribulations of inspirational souls who dare to be different.
When Mr Gupta shared his thought of presenting heartening, positive news stories, sceptics raised their eyebrows; they challenged the success of an all-positive newspaper. His idea was criticised; the survival of the newspaper in the recession-hit economy was questioned. But Mr Gupta was persistent. He wanted his publication to stray away from the negative stories that made to the front page of major newspapers around the world. And thus the paper was launched in March 2009. Today, the newspaper not only endures its disbelievers’ constant criticism but also thrives in a community that appreciates and stands by the publication’s founding principle.
In a short span of seven years, the newspaper has accomplished several milestones: it turned from a fortnightly to weekly, it boasts of a strong readership across the Kiwi-Indian community and beyond, and it is the most widely circulated community newspaper in New Zealand. The publication has a wide social media presence where it engages the audience not only from New Zealand but also from countries such as India, the US, Australia and the UK. But most importantly, it managed to achieve what it set out for: to create a paradigm shift in the way readers consumed news. The news magazine’s readership comprises not only a mature audience but also young readers who are encouraged by the positive news.
Today, Indian Weekender is a hub for sourcing and disseminating positive news pieces of Indians in New Zealand and around the world. It is prominently present in the important events of the community. It provides a platform for its readers to voice their concerns, opinions and share their stories. Indian achievers may not be largely invisible to New Zealand’s media but Indian Weekender is here to present the little-known achievements of talented people that are unheard in the country’s leading newspapers. The publication values and protects Indian heritage and culture. It is the link between its readers and the Kiwi-Indian community.