Indian Express postpones its magazines' launch

The Indian Express group, which had earlier announced the launch of a few new magazines in the first quarter of 2006, has deferred its plan as of now.

However, in a telephonic conversation with agencyfaqs!, Shekhar Gupta, editor-in-chief and group CEO, Indian Express group asserts that the plan to launch the magazines has not been completely shelved. “The plans are still on, and hopefully we will be ready to announce something pretty soon,” he says.

But the industry is quite abuzz with the rumour that the plans for the magazine have already been abandoned. It may be recalled that the group had hired senior professionals for its new venture. Outllook’s Sandipan Deb was hired to head this division.

Gupta insists that the main reason for this delay in the launch has been logistical problems, but he declines to divulge details.

At the time of announcing the new venture, Gupta had said that the magazines would focus on the core principles of Indian Express group only, leveraging on its investigative and indepth journalism skills. Even at that time, Gupta did not reveal any particular genre of the magazines.

When contacted, Sandipan Deb, editor, magazines, Indian Express, preferred not to comment on anything -- be it the delay in the launch or the future course of action.

© 2006 agencyfaqs!