Time Magazine
Among the half a dozen or so
magazines (that is, popular periodicals) to which I had taken long-term
(five year) subscription, Time Asia, the so-called Asian edition of the Time is one.
I did not see much of Asia, and not much of India (undoubtedly the number one or number two country from Asia in the global arena) in this edition, and I regretted for having subscribed to it. I did not have this kind of feeling about any of the Indian
magazines except the Spectrum (an advertisement and marketing magazine), which thrived on advance subscriptions from persons like me.
In terms of scope and coverage, and the journalistic depth of those who cover Asia, Time Asia leaves much to be desired. This is probably true of all magazines which claim global or at least continental reach. No doubt, the subscribers are the losers.
One cannot say this about Indian magazines mainly because they are focussed on India. If the Time has to be judged by its coverage of Asia, and in particular India, it has nothing much to gloat over its merits. That apart, unlike Indian magazines, Time Asia is inaccessible to those who want to contribute to it. Even its website is accessible only to its subscribers.
I remember my writing to Time Asia a letter in response to two articles. In the normal course any Indian magazine would have published it. But the space Time Asia provides to readers is so limited and far from commensurate with its reach that it is inconceivable that it can accommodate readers views however weighty and valid they may be. When Time Asia did not publish my letter I had it published on the BBC website. As that letter was contextual and very important from my viewpoint, especially in my role as a social critic, and is still relevant, I reproduce it below.
AMERICA AND THE ANTHRAX
The November 5, 2001 issue of the Time (Asian edition, Time Asia, which should have been better named as Time America) has two interesting and important reports, which should serve the American rulers to learn humility, and humaneness through a fresh look (both serious and sombre) at its own place and role in the world as its super-power.
Among other things the meaning and message of the first article, ‘War on Two Fronts’, should be that America, and for that matter any other country, should no longer subdue another country through military might.
Though the article does not say as much, it is only too obvious to political observers that the American Presidents have over the years turned hypocrisy and double-speak into fine art, arrogated to themselves the role of moral guardians of the world, and pressured the rest of the world to believe that only what they say count.
An example of this is the American President's call, nay, appeal, nay, exhortation to the global community (read America and its lackeys) to fight ‘global
terrorism’ (that is terrorism against and not by America!), the call to Pakistan and India to share intelligence, and the later turnabout - sounding like a stern warning - when poor Musharraff meekly sounded the US for shortening the ‘campaign’ in Afghanistan that war plans are never revealed. The slap should have been felt equally painfully on the Indian face. If war plans are never revealed why count on the intelligence of other countries? Does the American response not amount to treachery?
The meaning and message of the second article, ‘Bio-terror: The hunt for the Anthrax Killers’, should be that it is time the US neutralized all its nuclear weapons burned all its weaponry and used its resources for the betterment of humanity. For, whether the sources of the bio-terror are American loonies (mildly termed in the article as ‘militants’ and not terrorists!) Muslim terrorists, or others, the methods in their madness are much more brilliant than those in American weapon build up, and the message of the present bio-terrorism should be quite loud and clear to the American rulers. That is, State terrorism is no solution to inividual, group or any other form of terrorism and terrorism can be countered only through bilateral, multilateral, persuasive, responsive, and other commonsensical means by entering the minds of the terrorists
A magazine, like a newspaper, has to be judged from different angles. These include its scope and coverage of news and events, the quality of language, and the importance it gives to readers' feedback. Judged from these and related angles Time Asia, despite its name, is Euro-Centric, and continues to give too much importance to the US.
This is also true of some of the TV Channels such as the CNN. Probably we in India have to put up with this because we are in India!
In my assessment, Time or Time Asia is a coffee-table magazine, just a show-piece, as one may see in five star hotels. As an Indian I do not see much to gain from it either about India or about other Asian countries.