If you know Chennai, you will know that morning filter coffee and newspaper (in that order) are the city’s trademark habits, so to speak. Well, there is a slight shift in that order.

Die-hard Chennaites will love this… the morning newspapers are being delivered ahead of the milk in many areas in the city. Many friends have reported that they are receiving their papers by 5 am. Of the three major dailies one is being delivered at 5, another a few minutes behind , while the third is tossed by 6 am.

What is more, the 5 am drop beats even the e-paper delivery… I personally checked out. My Delhi-based popular daily’s e-paper is `delivered’ on some days at 5.40, others at 5.20 ad sometimes at 6 in my mailbox, but is yet to touch the 5 am benchmark!!!

It is common knowledge that Times of India is set to launch its edition in the coming weeks and the existing print media is gearing up for competition. It is widely speculated that more upcountry papers may look at the Chennai paper –pie in the coming years.

All of which is good news for the Chennaivasi !! An advertising source tells me that the metro has one of the largest newspaper readership figures, both in English and the vernacular. Unfortunately I could not get the exact figures to share with you all.

As of now the paper boy is ahead of not only the electronic delivery, but is also beating the milkman hollow. (I am referring to door delivery, of course, although we all know we can get a packet of milk at any milk both even at 4. 30 in the morning).

Good news, all told, I guess.