Panaji: Goa got Asia's first Western-style printing press four and a half centuries ago, but an English language daily began here only after the end of Portuguese rule here in 1963.

And, while local newspapers have so far dominated the field, Goa's latest English language daily is the national level Times of India. Its arrival earlier this year has drastically changed the media scene here, but it was greeted by some critical responses by rival newspapers and others.

These facts and many opinions emerge from a just-published book that looks at the history of the post-1960s newspaper scenario in Goa.

Titled "In Black and White: Insiders Stories About The Press In Goa", the book covers the period from the launch of The Navhind Times in 1963 up to recent months. In all, it has some 22 chapters contributed by 20 different journalists.

"You can't be neutral about the media. Many are critical of it, some distrust it, and almost all are influenced by it," says the book. It narrates colourful -- if highly personalised - stories of those who saw the media from the frontlines.

It reports how the first assembly elections of 1963 were covered by the then lone English language daily, The Navhind Times. The book also focuses on the often-unknown role that dominant media voices have played, and challenges facing attempts to build alternatives in the English language and Konkani sections of the media.