Mass Media as a subject offers us unique insights into the functioning of the world of communication. Our recent visit to the Times of India (TOI) Press was indeed a once in a lifetime experience, allowing us to see how the newspaper industry operates and connecting what we learn in class to the real world.
The Times of India, founded in 1838, is one of India’s most prominent and reputed newspapers. It is well known for its reliable journalism, and it has played a significant role in shaping public opinion for decades.

During our visit, we gained fascinating insights into the operations of TOI and its evolution in India.With a daily production of 50 lakh newspapers all over India, TOI is a massive operation. We got to know that 500 metric tons of paper are used every day and 95% of which is made from recycled material, and the process consumes around one lakh power units daily. They had also explained to us the five key steps in newspaper production that are-: content gathering, content assembly, page processing, printing, and delivery.

We also learned that the biggest expenses are for paper and plates used for printing images, while smaller costs come from chemicals and minor adjustments. They shared intriguing statistics about profit, sponsorships, and sales, mentioning that for every four newspapers sold at a profit, three are sold at a loss. We even got to know about the designing process. Designing a newspaper requires precise alignment and layout to ensure it is visually appealing and easy to read.

I am truly grateful to my mass media teacher Shweta Ma’am, for providing us with this opportunity. This tour was an enriching experience that gave us a deeper understanding of how mass media actually works. It offered valuable insights into the complexities of the press industry and left me with an appreciation for the effort that goes into producing a newspaper every single day.It has made me realise how much goes behind every story and every page we read.