Mumbai Mirror turns into weekly, Pune Mirror stops print edition

It’s sad but true! Two ever popular regional tabloid dailies in Maharashtra got the pang of pandemic—Mumbai Mirror turns into weekly and print edition of Pune Mirror vanishes from news-stands. The blow of COVID-19 pandemic has laid many brands low in the news media world.

Yes, you heard it right! The Times Group has transformed its daily tabloid Mumbai Mirror into a weekly paper and Pune Mirror, its Pune-based branch version, ceases print edition. However, both continue to have a strong digital presence. The group had taken the decision as the impact of COVID-19 causes worst ever economic crisis almost in all market domains, particularly hitting hard the printed newspapers sector.

Despite being one of the hardest-hit sectors, the printed newspaper market during the COVID-19 pandemic has been weighted down by an import duty that has added to newsprint cost. Sources from the industry say that the lack of a stimulus to sustain the publications of the two popular daily tabloids of The Times Group has brought about the extremely difficult and painful decision.

Playful yet punchy paper

Launched 15 years ago, Mumbai Mirror became a people’s favourite daily tabloid, a strong brand, which is meant for everyone in the city. The paper became popular like anything in a relatively short span. That’s why The Times Group went on to launch sister editions of the tabloid in other cities like Pune, Bengaluru and Ahmedabad.

Mumbai Mirror was quite a good reason to keep Mumbai awake, when this ‘city that never sleeps’ tries to get some sleep. Energetic and enthusiastic, playful yet punchy, feisty and fearless, the paper always lived up to its name from the day it was born, mirroring the city in all its myriad moods. The tabloid is as local as Mumbai’s local trains that keep the city on track and moving. It has become such an integral part of the reader’s life, driving the narrative of the city.

Under the founding editor Meenal Baghel, Mumbai Mirror came to be known for its high spirited, public service journalism with a strong content on every aspect of the city. It sheds spotlight on people’s problems, asks authorities tough questions and brings a potpourri of society gossips and entertainments together in a perfect mix of great photos and loud headlines for its readers from all walk of life.

Too young to die

The unprecedented economic crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has laid low many great ideas and initiatives before they could fully take root. The market crisis has come as a body blow for many still-young brands like Mumbai Mirror and Pune Mirror. A statement from The Times Group states that it has been with a heavy heart that they have decided to cease publication of Pune Mirror and re-launch Mumbai Mirror.

The year 2005, the year Mumbai Mirror was born, was a landmark year which saw the launch of two more papers in Mumbai–DNA and Mumbai edition of Hindustan Times. Newspaper groups saw Mumbai as a good market to enter, there was booming economy. However, the recent past witnessed many newspaper groups felt the pain of pandemic. Newspapers are looking thin and emaciated, and advertising has shrunk. They had letting go of a large number of their employees. DNA and The Hindu shut their Mumbai editions. The pandemic is certainly to blame!