IRS 2010 Q1: Complete Analysis On English Dailies

BestMediaInfo Bureau | Delhi | May 5, 2010

Despite a slight dip in the average issue readership (AIR) data, The Times of India continues to be the largest read English daily of the country. The results released for the first quarter of IRS 2010 show that TOI has lost its 1,07,000 readers. With decline of 1.5 percent, its AIR now stands at 70.35 lakh.

Average Issue Readership (AIR) of a publication is defined as the number of readers of that publication who have claimed to have last read it within its periodicity – i.e. last read a daily yesterday, a weekly within the last week, a monthly within the last month, etc.

This measure is considered to be a more relevant measure of 'real' or 'regular' readership, especially for newspapers, most of which have been read / 'consumed' as matter of daily habit. Conventionally, media planners even calculate & compare cost-benefits of dailies based on the AIR figure. And hence it is perhaps most relevant to study readership trends as well in terms of AIR.

'The Times of India' has also recorded a marginal dip of 1 lakh readers in terms of total readership which is 1.34 crore in current survey.

However, 'Hindustan Times' has strengthened its No. 2 position with AIR of 34.67 lakh which is up by 3.6% from IRS R2 2009. HT has also become the fastest growing English daily in India, adding 120,000 readers in the first three months of 2010. It has also added 1 lakh readers to take its total readership to 62.5 lakh.

'The Hindu' remains at No.3 spot but has registered a small dip of just 10,000 readers. Its AIR has come down to 21.59 lakh. Its total readership in the current survey stands at 51.4 lakh.

'The Telegraph' has conquered the No. 4 position which was held by Deccan Chronical in R2 2009 by adding 54,000 readers to its AIR which now stands at 12.04 lakh. The leading English daily in West Bengal has also registered a slight growth in total readership taking it to 28.77 lakh as against 28 lakh in R2 2009.

'Deccan Chronicle' has taken a dip in its position and average issue readership by losing 48,000 readers. The daily now stands at No. 5 position with AIR of 11.24 lakh. Its total readership stands at 28.1 lakh.

The 6th slot is held by 'Mumbai Mirror' with AIR of 8.31 lakh which is up by 21,000 in comparison to the last survey. In the IRS R2 2009, it had recorded 8.1 lakh readers. In the first quarter of IRS 2010, its total readership stands at 15.23 lakh. Based upon total readership data Mumbai Mirror comes at No. 9 position

On the basis of AIR data 'The Economic Times (ET)' has replaced DNA from the 7th spot with just an increase of 3,000 readers. ET has recorded 7.6 lakh readers from January to March 2010. Its total readership count in the current survey is 16.88 lakh after a dip of 70,000 readers.

'DNA' has slipped one position and has come at No. 8 by losing 76,000 readers. Its current AIR stands at 7.17 lakh after 9.6% of decline in its AIR in comparison to last survey. It has also registered a dip of 70,000 in total readership taking the count to 14.58 lakh. According to the total readership data, DNA stands at 10th spot.

At No. 9 is 'The Tribune' with AIR of 6 lakh. 'The New Indian Express' remains at the No. 10 with 5.37 lakh readers.

Info@BestMediaInfo.com

Info@BestMediaInfo.com