IRS Q1 2011: Top 10 dailies in Maharashtra

5 out of top 10 dailies register growth; Deshonatti pushed 2 position down at No.10 in the state.

BestMediaInfo Bureau | Delhi | June 22, 2011

The top dailies in Maharashtra have together put up a mixed show in the first quarter of IRS 2011 where half of the top 10 dailies have registered growth. While the top order remained same, Deshonnati has been pushed down two steps at No.10.

State's No.1 daily 'Lokmat' continues to be the largest read Marathi daily despite losing 3.3% readers in the first quarter of IRS 2011. The Marathi daily has recorded an AIR of 73.05 Lakh in IRS Q1 2011 as compared to 75.53 lakh in last survey and 73.61 lakh in IRS Q1 2010. Thus the paper has seen a slight decline of 0.7% readership over the past one year.

At No.2, 'Daily Sakal' has also seen a marginal decline in the current survey. It has recorded an AIR of 45.11 lakh as compared to 45.72 lakh readers in IRS Q4 2010. The paper had the average issue readership of 39.92 lakh in Q1 2010. Thus Daily Sakal has grown by 13% over the past one year.

By registering a marginal growth over the last survey, 'Pudhari' has strengthened its position at No3 in Maharashtra. Its AIR stands at 25.89 lakh in IRS Q1 2011 as compared to 25.64 lakh in previous survey and 25.3 lakh IRS Q1 2010. The overall growth for the daily has been 2.3% over the year.

Nation's largest read English daily, 'The Times of India' which surged ahead at No.4 position in Maharashtra in last survey, has strengthened its position. Its current AIR stands at 20.5 lakh as compared to 20.04 lakh in IRS Q4 2010 and 18.25 in IRS Q1 2010. The English daily had added 12.3% more readers over the past one year in the state.

The No.5 daily, 'Punya Nagari' is continuously losing its ground in Maharashtra and the newspaper has lost another 7% readers in the current survey. The daily has recorded an AIR of 18.10 lakh in IRS Q1 2011 as compared to 19.46 lakh in the previous quarter and 22.2 lakh in IRS Q1 2010. The daily had lost 18.4% readers over the year.

With a growth of 5.5% in the first quarter of IRS 2011, the Marathi daily 'Maharashtra Times' has been able to come out as a clear No.6 player in Maharashtra market. The paper has recorded an AIR of 11.48 lakh in IRS Q1 2011 as compared to 10.88 lakh in the previous quarter and 11.21 lakh in Q1 2010. Thus the paper has recorded a marginal growth of 2% over the year.

At No.7 is another Marathi daily 'Loksatta' which has registered 7% of decline in this quarter. Its current AIR stands at 9.84 lakh in IRS Q1 20111 as compared to 10.58 lakh in the fourth quarter of IRS 2010 and 10.64 lakh in Q1 2010. Overall, the paper has seen a decline of more than 7% over the year.

'Gujarat Samachar' has replaced Deshonatti as No.8 daily in Maharasthra market and the paper has maintained its steady growth on quarter on quarter basis. Its current AIR stands at 8.28 lakh as compared to 8.11 lakh readers in IRS Q4 2010 and 6.54 in Q1 2010. Thus, the Gujarati daily had added 27% readers in the state during this year.

'Mumbai Mirror', the tabloid size English daily has recovered its previous quarters' losses up to some extent by adding 9% readers over the last quarter. In IRS Q1 2011, the paper has an AIR of 7.8 lakh as compared to 7.11 lakh in the previous quarter and 8.31 lakh in IRS Q1 2011.

Continuous losses have brought 'Deshonatti' 2 positions down at No.10. The newspaper has current AIR of 7.11 lakh as compared to 7.56 lakh in Q4 of IRS 2010 and 9.78 lakh in IRS Q1 2010. The daily has lost more than 27% readers over the year.

Info@BestMediaInfo.com

Info@BestMediaInfo.com