The kids will be alright

The magazine was started in 1963 in Prayagraj. Pic/Anurag Ahire

"A friend of mine is speaking to three boys at the same time. I tried to tell her it is wrong, but she does not listen to me."

"My friends at school have started vaping. I do not want to but I don't know how to say no."

"I get happy by hurting other people."

"Is it true that children from broken homes, where parents don't stay together, never love again?"

These are just some of the kind of questions teenagers send to the editorial staff at The Teenager Today. The answers are well thought out and sensitive, without being sanctimonious, some even downright blunt. For example, the response to "I get happy by hurting other people," by the monthly magazine's resident psychologist Alisha Lalljee is: "If seeing people in pain gives you joy, I suggest you read up a bit about sadism." As Vincent Carmel, editor-in-chief, says, "Our philosophy is to help young people have a clear motto in life. The real mission is to give them motivation, and guide their personal growth - their values, their morals. Plus, develop their talents and give them information on all types of things - music, technology, values, sports, cooking, science, etc."

We are sitting with the team behind the magazine at The Society of St Paul in Bandra West. The Society is a religious congregation founded by Blessed James Alberione in 1914 at Alba, Italy. It aims to spread the Christian message and values through media and communication. Hence, it's no surprise that the Society runs a media school, and has publications other than The Teenager Today, which was founded in 1963 in Prayagraj.

The magazine that has been printed for 60 years now, has a circulation of around 10,000. Apart from the Editor's Note, where Father Carmel shares stories and anecdotes that speak of good values, the magazine is full of interviews with ideal role models, cartoons that give out a moral message, and listicles for personal development: For example, a column on how one can "Learn to say no". The last cover has been dedicated to Shubhman Gill - the current cricket craze.

How do they keep in step with teenagers though? "We go to a lot of schools, and churches," says Father Carmel. "We interact with children, and few like to buy it. But we are facing a challenge these days as children are not interested in reading anymore. Also, many children can't afford to buy the magazine [which costs R45] and parents are not convinced [to buy it]. So, we can only urge schools and colleges to stock it. We used to get lots of orders before COVID - now, people want one copy for the library; we say, buy at least five. The problem is that the buyer is the parent and the consumer is the child…"

In 2023, where even the pre-teen speaks like an adult and has very clear likes and dislikes, usually dictated by social media, the magazine is trying to bring back a simpler way of being, without being overly preachy. "We try to focus on motivation, and through lighter means such as cartons, we try to speak about a value system. We have a column on how to boost your moral philosophy, and the counsellor column works very well," says Father Carmel.

For the other writers, the agenda behind writing for the magazine is a personal one. Carolyn Pereira, a food writer and entrepreneur, says, "The magazine has really upped its game and is trying to stay relevant. Look at the covers. Even when I write the recipes, I make them easy and fun. My son, who is a teenager, picked up the copy with Shubman's cover. That was a draw for him."

Verus Ferreira, who writes on music, says he only covers musicians who have a clean, wholesome image. "We keep away from those who have sexual overtones," he says. Resham Satyani, who writes on moral values, says that she tries to use personal stories as a way of spreading the message. "We feature people whose journey is inspiring. You can only aspire to be what you see. It's very action oriented. We once did a cover of Greta Thunberg. She was one girl who did so much. So, we want to tell the kids ‘Don't think what you are doing doesn't matter. Even a small step goes a long way'."

Right now, the team faces the challenge daunting most of the print world - reaching an audience hooked to their devices. But they are nothing if not adaptable. As Father Carmel says, "We want to start doing more and more online, and building a robust digital presence. That's the plan for 2024, and by 2026, maybe the print edition will stop entirely, and we will concentrate on being online. That seems to be the only way."