Why I Love To Hate <I>Outlook</i>

I like Outlook for having smart, sharp, intelligent women in its team. The magazine has strong and independent views in the business of news, like what India Today used to be when it started. It is not biased. Nowadays, with most media you may get a distorted view about India, everything being north-centric. For most people, everyone south of the Deccan plateau is Madrasi, people who wear lungi and eat idli-sambar. Outlook has set that record straight. It has made it amply clear that there are Malayalis, there is Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. That it is much smarter and unbiased about regions. Nowadays, it is fashionable to be pro-Modi, but Outlook does not play favourites. You bajao everyone equally. That’s very good.

What the magazine suffers from is in its old-fashioned, fuddy-duddy look. You haven’t changed the design in 20 years! Of course, it is solid in its content, but not oriented to the youth in its design. If you want to appeal to the youth, it has to be youth-centric. At least some part of it—which means keep it simple and stupid. Maybe you can get some section of the magazine, which is entirely written and edited by young people, to bring some freshness.

Leading advertising film director

Outlook invites readers to take part in its 20th anniversary celebrations. Send us your bouquets and, more importantly, your brickbats. E-mail your entry to editor AT outlookindia DOT com