Oct 13, 2008 11:56 AM
23961 Views
I had been happily receiving HT on the basis of coupons bought earlier. Suddenly a guy employed by an agency commissioned by HT turned up at my door, asking me to fill up and sign a form that read as follows
(reproduced WITH all errors):
“I wish to continue reading Hindustan Times newspaper, kindly asks the newspaper vendor to continue supplying the paper at the following address. Monthly billing will be settled by me with the vendor
directly.” It looked deeply suspicious to me. How was HT concerned with what arrangements I have with my vendor? The circulation department in Mumbai had no logical answer. When I pursued the matter with their main office at Delhi, they sheepishly confessed that this was being done as a ‘survey’. When asked as to why they couldn’t ask in a straightforward and above board manner “Would you be continuing to read HT on expiry of your coupons – Yes / No / Maybe”, the honchos in the circulation and marketing department had no answer.
It was sad to see a brilliant paper, despite Mr. Vir Sanghvi, go downhill – first they did away with Editorial comment, then they are unable to rectify a fault in the software of the e-paper (Text view) despite several mails. The local supplement ‘Café’ used to have an excellent Crossword from Guardian on a daily basis. They have converted into complete rubbish – idiotic clues with microscopic print and full of errors! Writing to Café’ hasn’t helped either.
This shows a complete disdain towards readers!
