An Indian Sun to launch?

Posted by Jean Yves Chainon on May 10, 2007 at 11:09 AM

The Business Standard reports that Rupert Murdoch could be targeting the "Indian newspaper space with an English tabloid, called the Sun.” Alhough the market is expanding, it is not guaranteed it has room for the cousin of UK’s best-selling newspaper.

Newspaper circulation in India is on the rise, and Murdoch’s Star television network is already India’s most watched.

But India’s tabloid context "is pretty raw and Murdoch would only worsen the situation here. Although he could not get away with page 3 - it would end up in the courts under the obscenity laws," said the editor-in-chief of The Hindu, N Ram.

“I just don't know where he'll get the snappy writers required for tabloids from. Indian journalism is so damn verbose," said Vinod Mehta, editor-in-chief of Outlook magazine.

If needed, Murdoch can certainly find the snappy writers, and there’s little doubt he will consider a Sun tabloid in India as long as it seems profitable.

Source: Media Guardian