That icon of the rock world, Rolling Stone had it's official launch in Mumbai last week. The magazine's Indian incarnation will feature film music, up-and-coming rock bands and other emerging and popular music talent throughout India. According to the Hindustan Times:
Wenner Media LLC has licensed its Rolling Stone brand and content in a deal with MW.Com India Pvt Ltd to launch the magazine in at least 10 major urban markets from Mumbai to Kolkata... The new edition will be priced similar to some local music magazines at 100 rupees each, compared with the previous cover price of 500 rupees for an imported copy of Rolling Stone.
Though the publication will compete with domestic Indian music mags, such as The Rock Street Journal, Radhakrishnan Nair, the editor-in-chief of Rolling Stone India, believes its global brand will give it an edge. According to Reuters:
...readers [will be] able to choose between five different cover shots. Four of them feature international stars like Led Zeppelin and Jay-Z, and one showcases an Indian musician whose name has not been revealed.
Rolling Stone India will be the brand's 14th edition outside of the United States, and magazine executives describe the launch as timed to enter a rapidly developing music market.
Earlier on SAJAforum:
