How time flies!
As The News International celebrates 35 years of existence, I find myself reminiscing about the night before our launch. I can still picture the bustling newsroom filled with energy. Everyone was busy with their assigned tasks at each desk. I worked on the foreign news desk alongside Noel Monterio and Robin Fernandes, while Quatrina Hussain was our boss. We were in complete awe of her; she was elegant, sophisticated, and possessed an extensive knowledge of current affairs and the international political landscape.
Having recently graduated from university, I was young and eager to take on the world. Journalism wasn't entirely new to me, as my grandfather, Syed Muhammad Taqi, was the first editor of Jang Daily. It was in my blood. Being part of the launch team for The News, an English-language newspaper printed using Apple’s desktop publishing software, felt groundbreaking. We were about to make history, and I was excited to be a part of it!
Journalism went through a significant transitional phase when the News International was launched. Both time and content, essential to newspaper journalism, were experiencing remarkable changes in terms of delivery and reader engagement. However, the enduring value of print would not be diminished. It couldn’t be, and it still holds true in the digital age. How can it be diminished? The digital age is merely a fast-paced environment, while print retains the archival value of content. Even if the number of printed copies of a newspaper decreases, it cannot take away the essential role print plays as the backbone of journalism.
I often reflect on the incredible journey I shared with my journalist friends who had joined the News International, who have become like family to me. Whenever we gather, our conversations centre around the memories from the launch night and the years that followed at The News. I recall how the younger team members—some fresh graduates and others with limited experience—were especially excited about the launch of a newspaper that utilised desktop publishing software, which promised to make reporting and writing much faster and more efficient. What a relief that was!
I remember being called in for an interview by Ghazi Salahuddin, the first editor of The News International, who was in the process of building an editorial team. The prospect of working for Pakistan’s first English newspaper to be launched on computers was a huge draw for us. There was a dynamic mix of young and energetic individuals who quickly adapted to the new desktop publishing software and its tools. At the same time, experienced journalists brought their knowledge of traditional reporting and editing practices—an interesting blend of skills that contributed to the News’ success. These seasoned reporters were well acquainted with the challenges of publishing and had navigated the industry’s demands over the years.
Before the launch of the News International, newspapers painstakingly produced their pages using film. Once all content was gathered and edited, sub-editors laid it out on an A4 size layout grid, calculating the number of columns for a particular news story based on its relevance and importance. They did this by multiplying grid lines by the number of columns and the headline font sizes. The completed layout grid was then handed to the paste-up room. Sub-editors reviewed the films to edit for mistakes, and any corrections were made by physically cutting the films with scissors—a process that, at the time, was famously referred to as ‘chaepiyan lagaana’ by the paste-up staff. Articles and news reports were either handwritten or typed on typewriters. The final step involved getting the page approved by the editor before it was sent to the printing press. If reading about these details feels overwhelming, imagine how much physical effort actually went into producing newspapers back then. The advent of desktop publishing software was a game-changer, saving time, increasing speed and changing into a fresher looking layout—all critical for engaging a growing audience as readers began to shift towards News International.
Soon, Ghazi Saheb assembled a team of seasoned journalists alongside fresh graduates. Training sessions began on 2x Macintosh computers, among the finest available at the time. While the younger team members quickly adapted to the speed of the computers, the older journalists took longer to acclimatise. Some struggled with the fast pace, others accidentally deleted edited stories, and many sought assistance from their younger colleagues to complete their tasks. Page makers were assigned to each desk by Mehdi Saheb, the head of the IT department, who provided support to everyone. Once the sub-editors finished gathering news, editing, and designing the layout of their respective pages, it was a relief to see that with the desktop publishing software, a page could be created in just 20 minutes.
Meetings were held at each desk to discuss the lead story, the second lead, and other relevant news items. The experienced journalists, with their well-developed intellectual insight, took the lead in shaping the page. The younger journalists learned from their experience and expertise, discovering leads and sources to gather information from agencies and reporters. Once the content was approved by the heads or experienced journalists, the pages came to life.
Today, digital media is gradually making print less relevant, especially for Generation Z. I came across a quote that resonated with me: “The most effective strategies do not treat print as a replacement for digital, but rather as a complement. Digital offers speed and reach, while print provides depth and a lasting presence.”
In an article titled "Why Print Still Matters in the Digital World," the portal Liberty Express Limited explains that print retains enduring value in the digital age due to its tactile permanence, sensory engagement, and resistance to technological obsolescence. Unlike digital content, which can be lost due to format changes or platform closures, printed materials endure both physically and emotionally. Their physical presence fosters deeper cognitive engagement and stronger memory retention, making them ideal for long-term reference and personal connection. While digital formats offer convenience and accessibility, print provides a trusted, intimate, and lasting medium that transcends fleeting digital trends.
US professor Marc Bauerlein’s bestseller, Digital Divide—a collection of articles discussing ‘Arguments for and Against Facebook, Google, Texting, and the Age of Social Networking’—offers an intriguing debate about Digital Natives and Digital Immigrants, along with the learning challenges that arise in today's context. One article highlights the significance of this distinction: “As Digital Immigrants learn—much like immigrants adapting to their new environment—they retain, to some extent, their ‘accent,’ which represents their connection to the past. In contrast, Digital Natives are accustomed to receiving information really fast.”
I consider myself a 'Computer Native' from the time when the News International was first launched, as we were younger, faster, and more efficient. However, the 'Computer Immigrants' then, taught us true journalism ethics and emphasised which political insights are truly relevant, while others are mere distractions.
The News International marked a significant shift at that time, paving the way for future technological advancements especially in the newspaper industry.
—Sumera Naqvi is a published writer/translator.
She can be reached at [email protected]
