New Friends On The Paper Block

Come this morning and news of the international media bonhomie from the land of milk and honey was all over the press and social media. Chicago Tribune had sent pizzas to Boston Globe’s newsroom in appreciation of the brilliant coverage by the latter during the Boston bomb blasts and MIT shootings. This isn’t the first time such camaraderie and appreciation has been spotted across newspapers in the West. Tribune staffers had earlier bought drinks for Times-Picuyane staffers when Times-Picuyane was downsizing.

And if you, like me, thought we’ll never see the day when The Times Of India would send Hindustan Times a delivery of parathas, they’ve done one better. They’ve instead sent a big fat cheque to HT’s ad sales department. Today morning’s HT is carrying a ¼ page ad from TOI on page 1 announcing TOI completing 175 years and how it has played a part in transforming India for each of those years.

This is as momentous as when the Eagles reunited even if KG Marg may not have frozen over in the process. One thing’s clear, in the newspaper jungle, the jingle and tinkle of money can make even the worst of friends break pizza. To quote Luther Vandross, “it’s a whole new world, a new exciting point of view”. Keep it up.