The slow pace of magazine industry can actually become its biggest strength: Anant Nath

Executive Publisher of Delhi Press and President of Association of Indian Magazines (AIM), Anant Nath, during his address at the inaugural session of Indian Magazine Congress 2025 today, not only presented deep reflections on the changing nature of the magazine industry, but also discussed in detail the relevance, possibilities and challenges of this medium. The event was organized at Hotel 'The Imperial' in New Delhi.

Anant Nath began his address by talking about the reactivation of AIM after years of Covid and explained that the association was founded in 2002 to provide a platform for the unique needs and challenges of the print industry, especially magazine publishers. He explained how during Covid, AIM members supported each other through weekly calls and became a medium of mental support in times of crisis. 

The magazine is a metaphor for pause, perspective, and purpose

Speaking on the future of the magazine, Anant Nath said, "A magazine is not just something printed on paper, but it is a metaphor for pause, perspective and purpose." He said that while the entire media industry is running after fast-paced breaking news, the real strength of a magazine lies in the quality of its content, depth of thought and connection with a specific readership.

Stability, not speed, should be the goal

He said that while we are in a race to be the fastest, we need to remember that only content survives that is purposeful and builds a deep connection with readers. He said, "This 'slow pace' of the magazine industry can actually become its biggest strength." 

The importance of the small world even in the shadow of Big Tech 

Talking about the influence of big tech companies and content distribution, Anant Nath referred to Joseph Schumacher’s book Small is Beautiful and explained how small, centralised and community-based units are not only socially and environmentally sustainable, but also build an emotional connection with readers.

Citing the example of a foreign magazine published in Dutch language, he said that “despite a print run of just 2500 copies, the magazine is running on a complete and sustainable model.”

Comparing the old and new models of journalism, he cited Jill Abramson's book Merchants of Truth. He explained how fast-moving digital companies like Vice and BuzzFeed are now extinct, while traditional institutions like the New York Times and the Washington Post have emerged as successful examples based on subscription models.

We don't need Google or Facebook, we need a relationship with our readers

He stressed that AIM's priority now is to grow its subscription base - whether it is paid or unpaid, the real issue is to build a direct relationship with the reader. "Google, Facebook or Perplexity will not help us. We have to reach out to the readers ourselves," he explained. 

AIM announces new initiatives

In his address, he announced several new initiatives of AIM aimed at moving the magazine industry towards a subscription model:

• 'Magazine Post' service with India Post: Which offers faster, accurate and better delivery.
• Partnership with Blinkit: The on-demand magazine store is now available in 10 cities and will soon expand to 30-40 cities.
• Magazine store launched on Prasar Bharati's WAVES OTT platform
• Magazine Store launched on ONDC (DigiHaat)
• Indian Railways plans to sell magazines in premium trains

Anant Nath said that the aim of these initiatives is to make magazines accessible to readers with ease and convenience, thereby increasing subscriptions. He also said that it is a myth that people only want free content. People want in-depth and quality content, and they are willing to pay for it. 

This is not a time to despair, but an opportunity to take a new direction

Finally, he said, "This is not the time to despair, but to take steps with a positive attitude. If we stick to our principles, the magazine industry can give amazing results."

He thanked all the members and the team of Exchange4media for their cooperation in organising the event and informed that today Magzimise Awards are also making a comeback, which were last organised in 2016.

Special announcement of FIPP World Media Congress

Before the conclusion of the session, a video message from Alistair, head of the international organization FIPP, was also played in which he announced the FIPP World Media Congress to be held in Madrid, Spain in October 2025. He also shared information about discounted registration for Indian publishers under a special partnership with AIM. 

Watch the video here-