Trolley Times
| Type | Bi-weekly |
|---|---|
| Format | Broadsheet |
| Owner(s) | Trolley Times |
| Publisher | Trolley Times |
| Founded | 18 December 2020 |
| Language | Hindi and Gurmukhi |
| Headquarters | Tikri, Delhi-Haryana Border, Haryana, India |
| Country | India |
| Circulation | 5000 (as of 22 December 2020) |
| Website | trolleytimes |
Trolley Times is a four-page biweekly newspaper in Gurmukhi and Hindi founded on 18 December 2020 to give voice to the Farmer's Satyagraha on the Delhi-Haryana Border in the context of "alleged" attempts (as claimed by the farmer) by mainstream media to malign and misrepresent the Farmer's Struggle.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7] The goal of Trolley Times is to provide a platform for the farmers-protest movement that can serve as an antidote to the godi media, which the farmers believe has deliberately misrepresented them and their concerns. And to provide hard copies for older farmers not familiar with digital and social media.[8] The editors of Trolley Times have stated that the newspaper is committed to delivering trustworthy and latest updates straight from ground zero, it is run by volunteers,[9] it operates 'without any political or monitory pressure' and is not the official voice of the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha, the umbrella organization representing 40 Farmer's unions.[10][11]
History[]
The newspaper has been started by a team of activists which includes a freelance journalist, a film writer, a video director, two documentary photo artists, a physiotherapist and a farmer.[1][12][13][14][15] [16]The first edition of the broadsheet was issued on 18 December the 23rd day of the farmers protest. The first issue had had a print order of 2,000 copies; the second issue had a print order of 5000.[1][4]
Content[]
Trolley Times, its founder have said, aims to provide news, and commentary, about the farmers movement to the participants and supporters of the farm movement that "stretches across 25-30 km and touches half a dozen borders".[1] It also aims to be an alternative voice as the protestors have little faith in mainstream media.[12] The first issue of the Trolley times had 'pictures, opinion pieces, editorials, poems, cartoons and speeches'.[2][5][12]
"The first page of the paper will carry the editorial as well as the daily developments and announcements, the second page will have photographs and artwork and the third page will have news and views from across the world in support of the farmers' agitation while the fourth page will be for light reading as it will have interesting events unfolding at the agitation sites such as wrestling matches between Punjab and Haryana or classroom set up to educate the poor students." Ajay Natt said on 18 December.[11] While there was apprehensions about regularly curating and creating content for the newspaper, there has been an overwhelming response with hundreds of people sending different types of content.[12]
The second edition featured reports and photographs from various protest sites, including Palwal, Singhu, Ghazipur, Bikaner, Patiala, Tarn Taran and New York.[16] The fourth edition has reports on workers movement including Mazdoor Mukti Morcha. The fifth edition, published on 5 January, carried story on Bikramdeep Singh Pannu, a protester who has a Ghadar Party flag on his trolley and had participated in the Shaheen Bagh Protest.[16]
Digital and online publications[]
The Trolley Times has a digital version in Gurmukhi-Punjabi and Hindi.[1][11] The first and second editions have been translated into English and are accessible on line.[17] The second edition of the paper was uploaded on December 22, 2020. Since then eleven editions of the trolley Times have been published.[17]
In a March 2021 interview Trolley Times editor and photojournalist Navkiran Natt told Germany's Deutsche Welle News that for godi-media, "their primary platform is social media but our audience is an old farmer, for whom media is synonymous with a physical newspaper."[9]
In addition to the Trolley Times, the team has launched "Trolley Talkies", an “alternate medium” for people to express “solidarity with the farmers”.[3] Since January 2, 2021, the trolley Times started screening documentaries, and movies at their makeshift hall. Movies screened have included; Peepli Live, Punjab 1984, Chaar Sahibzade 2, Sajjan Singh Rangroot, The Legend of Bhagat Singh, Manthan.[16]The team is exploring starting "talk shows by farmers which will also be up on Instagram, YouTube and Facebook.”[3]
Slogans[]
The slogan on the First Edition in the English version of the paper reads, “The sword of revolution is sharpened on the whetstone of ideas” Bhagat Singh. The rallying call for the second edition of Trolley Times read, “O Martyrs, to complete your pending work… We shall give our heart and soul.”[16]
See also[]
References[]
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d e Ramani, Priya (December 23, 2020). "Trolley Times: The Country's Fastest-Growing Newspaper". BloombergQuint. Retrieved December 25, 2020.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Singh, Mausami, and Harmeet Shah Singh (December 19, 2020). "Trolley Times, I-T Cell: Farmers Swarm Digital Space". India Today. Retrieved December 26, 2020.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
- ^ Jump up to: a b c Sircar, Sushovan. (December 24, 202o). "Trolly Talkies: Farmers' 'Atmanirbhar' Alternative to Mass Media". TheQuint. Retrieved December 26, 2020.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Kumar, Ravish (December 19, 2020). "GODI MEDIA vs FARMERS ||