Technology and The New Era of Urdu in Hyderabad

The revolution of Urdu in Hyderabad began with the advent of computer calligraphy. On 15^th August 1988, Siasat Urdu Daily experimented with computer calligraphy eventually ceasing the role of Calligraphers and Katibs in the media house. Other leading newspapers followed suit. The introduction of Inpage Urdu software in the ‘90s era simplified and beautified the content generation in Urdu including advertisements.

In 1988, India joined the Internet bandwagon but only in August 1995 were the common masses allowed access to the internet. In the concluding month of 1996, Siasat and in September 1997, Munsif started online editions. In 2004, Siasat pioneered the e-Paper of the print version, becoming the first Urdu journal in the country to do so. Etemaad Daily subsequently became the first Urdu paper to launch both its print and epaper at the same time in 2005.

Pertinent to RNI Norms, almost all newspapers introduced subsequently launched an online edition on their official website. Another daily Sada-e-Hussaini was also introduced.

Heeding to the technological advancements, Urdu softwares, much like their foreign peers, are absolute in terms of ease of use, and enable ready-made feeding of news and articles to journals from different individuals or news sources over internet. Although the process supplements the content accumulation and reduces productivity time, on the flipside, it curtails the appropriate utilization of honed linguistic skills in practicing individuals.

Iconoclastically, although purchase-and-read consumers of Urdu newspapers have declined eventually, Urdu readership has exponentially risen owing to the proliferation of technology, and the mention of smartphones, tablets and such computing devices is an absolute justification of such development.

Not to mention, the smartphone apps and digital services like BBC Radio, Urdu news websites like BBC Urdu, Social media including Facebook and Whatsapp, both extensively used not only for communication but also exchange of Urdu content including digital newspapers have catalysed propagation of Urdu in digital realms.

Several Pakistani soap operas which are now religiously played in thousands of Indian households over Television, Pakistani and some Indian singers spinning blockbuster songs scripted in Urdu lyrics for Indian movies, widespread perusal of Urdu news and entertainment channels like ETV Urdu, Urdu TV, Ruby Channel, Zee Salam, QTV and 4TV among others have eternalized Urdu, in the minds and hearts of the readers and viewers alike have also significantly helped Urdu and Urdu journalism.

Many YouTube channels cropped up. Gawah Urdu Weekly embraced the digital revolution in all its sophistication by becoming the first ever Urdu newspaper to introduce Podcasts (audio articles) in the year 2014. In 2019, further advancing with technology it became the first ever weekly publication in Urdu to start a daily news and views bulletin. The bulletin, since then, is conveyed to its existing readers and other audiences online through YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and other digital platforms including via WhatsApp and email.

Unicode format of Urdu has enabled users to type and convey even their emails in Urdu.

This article is part of an elaborate research-based series on Urdu Journalism : Past, Present and Future

Stay tuned. To be continued…