For close to nine decades, The Free Press Journal has been at the forefront, championing those who champion change. Starting today, they will be joining the changemakers. Starting today, they won’t just be writing about the changes that India witnesses daily, they’ll also be playing their part in changing India for the better. By changing themselves. And their masthead to draw the nation’s attention to issues that truly deserve to be addressed.Â
Today, they aren’t the Free Press Journal. Today, they are the Free Sports Journal. On the occasion of National Sports Day, they have chosen to make a start by highlighting the issue of free and easy access to sport. And they are dedicating two full pages to it, in an attempt to tackle the issue head-on. On the pages inside, you’ll find what the Union Sports Minister, Kiren Rijiju; renowned sports journalist Ayaz Memon; and State Sports Minister, Ashish Shelar have to say about the problem and the possible solutions. In addition to this, beyond the pages, you’ll find that the Free Sports Roundtable will keep the conversation alive. They are positive that their conversation will start a movement, as they are joined by Prime Minister Modi, who will be launching the Fit India Movement today.
“Print has the potential to be an innovative and exciting medium. We, as a publication, are always on the lookout for bold, progressive, cutting-edge innovations and ideas that prove that statement to be true. And that allows us to stay relevant to our new-age audience. The Free Press Journal has constantly addressed social issues, through its fair and fearless reportage. But this idea allowed us to go beyond, to champion change. By changing our masthead to reflect the issue, we are reflecting upon and dedicating two full pages to amplify it. We will be taking this idea forward through the year, shining the spotlight on multiple issues – like access to education, healthcare, safety, etc., on relevant national and international days,” says Director, Free Press Journal, Abhishek Karnani.
The idea was brought to us by Taproot Dentsu, one of India’s leading advertising agencies. Here’s what its Chief Creative Officer and Co-Founder, Santosh Padhi (Paddy), had to say: “A simple yet brave idea is what we had. One that was born out of the name of the newspaper itself – Free Press. We live in an era where less is more. I’m delighted that this new-age approach was liked the minute it was presented. And even more delighted that this won’t be a one-off – we’ll be running this campaign through the year, highlighting national issues on relevant days.”
