IRS Q2 2011: Parts of Mumbai decoded

Complete analysis of top 10 dailies in Greater Mumbai and their readership trend in four different parts of the financial capital

BestMediaInfo Bureau | Delhi | October 17, 2011

Hindustan Times and DNA are the only newspapers out of the top 10 dailies in Mumbai to register growth in the second quarter of IRS 2011. On a year-on-year basis, Hindustan Times has seen maximum growth in Mumbai and added 27.2 per cent readers over the same quarter of last year followed by Gujarat Samachar with 12 per cent growth. DNA and The Times of India have grown by 7.8 and 7.4 per cent, respectively, in the last one year. Let's take a look at the consolidated readership of the top 10 dailies in Mumbai and their readership in different parts of the city.

Consolidated readership

India's most read English daily, The Times of India, is a distant leader in Mumbai. However, the daily has lost a few readers in the current survey and recorded an AIR of 15.88 lakh compared with 16.05 lakh in the previous quarter and 14.78 lakh in IRS Q2 2010. Thus, TOI has grown by 7.4 per cent in the last one year in the country's financial capital.

Marathi daily Maharashtra Times remains the No. 2 daily in Mumbai despite losing 5.2 per cent readers in IRS Q2 2011. The daily had gained an almost equal number of readers in the previous quarter. Its current AIR stands at 9.65 lakh against 10.2 lakh in the previous quarter and 9.71 lakh in IRS Q2 2010.

The tabloid from the TOI stable, Mumbai Mirror, has climbed up one position to acquire the third spot in the city despite losing some readers in the quarter. Its current AIR stands at 7.49 lakh against 7.69 lakh in the previous quarter and 7.68 lakh in Q2 2010.

Gujarati daily Gujarat Samachar is now at No. 4 with an AIR of 7.45 lakh compared with 7.96 lakh in the previous quarter and 6.65 lakh in Q2 2010.

The second most read English daily of Mumbai, Hindustan Times, is No. 5 in the list of top dailies across languages. With maximum growth of 27.2 per cent in the past year, HT has become the fastest growing daily in the city. Its current AIR stands at 7.16 lakh against 6.88 lakh in the previous quarter and 5.63 lakh in Q2 2010.

According to the average issue readership in IRS Q2 2011, DNA has jumped one position to become the 6^th most read daily in Mumbai with 6.53 lakh readers. DNA has acquired the No. 6 position from Loksatta. It had an AIR of 6.44 lakh in the previous quarter and 6.06 lakh in Q2 2010. DNA has registered an overall growth of 7.8 per cent in the last one year.

Indian Express Group's Marathi daily Loksatta now holds the 7^th spot in Mumbai. The daily has lost more than 6 per cent readers over the previous quarter and the same quarter last year. Its current AIR stands at 6.1 lakh compared with 6.52 lakh in the previous quarter and 6.53 lakh in Q2 2010.

The No. 1 Marathi daily, Lokmat, holds the 8th spot in Mumbai with an AIR of 5.32 lakh in IRS Q2 2010 against 5.6 lakh in the previous quarter and 6.37 lakh in Q2 2010.

The Times Group's Hindi daily, Navbharat Times, has been able to hold its readers in this quarter. The daily has recorded an AIR of 4.9 lakh in IRS Q2 2011 compared with 4.91 lakh in the previous quarter and 4.85 lakh in Q2 2010.

Navakal is the No. 10 daily in Mumbai with 4.7 lakh readers. It had 5.08 lakh readers in the previous quarter and 5.94 lakh readers in Q2 2010.

Parts of Mumbai

Mumbai City:

Mumbai City or South Mumbai has a total of 27.61 lakh readers in IRS Q2 2011 and is ruled by The Times of India. TOI has an AIR of 2.62 lakh in the current quarter compared with 2.61 lakh in the previous quarter and 2.33 lakh in IRS Q2 2010. TOI has grown by 12.4 per cent in this part of Mumbai over the past one year.

Maharashtra Times remains the No. 2 daily in this part of Mumbai with an AIR of 1.93 lakh in IRS Q2 2011. It has added 4,000 readers in the current survey. The daily had 1.96 lakh readers in the corresponding quarter of last year.

Despite losing a few readers in the current survey, Loksatta has replaced Mumbai Mirror to become the No. 3 daily of Mumbai City. It has an AIR of 1.33 lakh in IRS Q2 2010 against 1.42 lakh in the previous quarter and 1.5 lakh in Q2 2010.

With a little margin of just 1,000 readers from Loksatta, Mumbai Mirror has slipped to No. 4 position in this part of Mumbai. Mumbai Mirror has an AIR of 1.32 lakh compared with 1.5 lakh in the previous quarter and 1.59 lakh in IRS Q2 2010.

Hindustan Times holds the 5^th spot in Mumbai City with 1.25 lakh readers in IRS Q2 2011. HT had an AIR of 1.18 lakh in the previous quarter and 82,000 in Q2 2010. Thus, the daily has grown by more than 52 per cent in this part of Mumbai.

Replacing Gujarat Samachar in the No. 6 position, DNA has jumped one position with an AIR of 1.15 lakh in IRS Q2 2011 against 1.11 lakh in the previous quarter and 1.3 lakh in Q2 2010.

Now at No. 7, Gujarat Samachar has an AIR of 1.05 lakh compared with 1.17 lakh in the last survey and 97,000 in Q2 2010.

Navakal holds the 8^th position in Mumbai City with 68,000 readers. It had 60,000 readers in the previous quarter and 63,000 readers in Q2 2010.

Pudhari has 67,000 readers in IRS Q2 2011 compared with 71,000 readers in the previous quarter and 33,000 in Q2 2010.

Mumbai Western Suburb:

With the second largest readership after New Bombay area, Mumbai Western Suburb remains the stronghold of The Times of India. TOI has an AIR of 5.84 lakh in IRS Q2 2011 compared with 5.86 lakh in the previous quarter and 5.8 lakh in Q2 2010.

Gujarat Samachar remains the second most read daily in the Western Suburb with 4.01 lakh readers in the current survey compared with 4.18 lakh readers in the previous quarter and 3.34 lakh in Q2 2010. It has added 20 per cent readers over the last one year.

At No. 3 is Mumbai Mirror with an AIR of 2.65 lakh in IRS Q2 2011 against 2.7 lakh in the previous quarter and 2.68 lakh in Q2 2010. The daily has replaced Maharashtra Times in the No. 3 position in the current survey.

The new No. 4 daily in Western Suburb, Maharashtra Times, has an AIR of 2.57 lakh compared with 2.93 lakh in the previous quarter and 2.78 lakh in Q2 2010.

By adding 8,000 readers in the current survey, DNA holds the 5^th spot with 2.12 lakh readers in the Western Suburb. DNA had 1.99 lakh readers in Q2 2010.

Mumbai's No. 5 daily, Hindustan Times, is in No. 6 position in the Western Suburb with 1.94 lakh readers in IRS Q2 2011. HT had an AIR of 1.81 lakh in the previous quarter and 1.6 lakh in Q2 2010.

HT is followed by Hindi daily Navbharat Times in this part of Mumbai with 1.39 lakh readers in the current survey. NBT had 1.44 lakh readers in the previous quarter and 1.29 lakh readers in Q2 2010.

Yeshobhumi is at No. 8 with 1.36 lakh readers in IRS Q2 2010 compared with 1.51 lakh in the previous quarter and 1.31 lakh in Q2 2010.

At No. 9 is Loksatta with 1.36 lakh readers. The daily had an AIR of 1.48 lakh in the previous quarter and 1.75 lakh in Q2 2010.

By losing 31 per cent readers in the last one year, Mid-Day holds the last position in the top 10 list for Western Suburb. The tabloid has recorded an AIR of 96,000 in the current survey against 93,000 in the previous quarter and 1.39 lakh in IRS Q2 2010.

Mumbai Eastern Suburb:

Like other parts of Mumbai, The Times of India remains the distant leader in the Eastern Suburb as well. TOI has an AIR of 2.73 lakh in IRS Q2 2011 against 2.77 lakh in the previous quarter and 2.69 lakh in Q2 2010.

Maharashtra Times remains the second largest read daily here with 1.82 lakh readers compared with 1.84 lakh readers in the previous quarter and 1.69 lakh in Q2 2010. It

Mumbai's 5^th most read daily Hindustan Times is at No. 3 position in the Eastern Suburb with 1.55 lakh readers in IRS Q2 2011. HT had an AIR of 1.5 lakh in the previous quarter and 1.1 lakh in Q2 2010.

At No. 4 is Mumbai Mirror with an AIR of 1.26 lakh in IRS Q2 2011 compared with 1.41 lakh in the previous quarter and 1.51 lakh in Q2 2010.

Lokmat has jumped one position to become the No. 5 daily in the Eastern Suburb. It has an AIR of 1.18 lakh compared with 1.17 lakh in the previous quarter and 1.43 lakh in Q2 2010.

Mumbai Choufer holds the sixth spot in this city segment with 1.16 lakh readers. It had 1.19 lakh readers in the previous quarter and 1.06 lakh in Q2 2010.

DNA has made an entry to the top 10 dailies in the Eastern Suburb with 1.04 lakh readers in IRS Q2 2011. DNA is the new No. 7 daily in this part of Mumbai. It had an AIR of 1.06 lakh in the previous quarter and 94,000 in Q2 2010.

DNA is followed by Yeshobhumi here with 1.02 lakh readers in the current survey. It had 1.17 lakh readers in the previous quarter and 1.03 lakh readers in Q2 2010.

At No. 9 is Navakal with 1.02 lakh readers. The daily had an AIR of 1.19 lakh in the previous quarter and 1.32 lakh in Q2 2010.

The No. 2 daily in the Western Suburb, Gujarat Samachar, holds the last position in the top 10 list for Eastern Suburb. The daily has recorded an AIR of 1.01 lakh in the current survey against 1.13 lakh in the previous quarter and 1.11 lakh in IRS Q2 2010.

Navi Mumbai:

Navi Mumbai (New Bombay) is the largest area of Mumbai in terms of readership with 56.74 lakh readers in IRS Q2 2011. This part of Mumbai is rapidly expanding in terms of infrastructure and population. Hence, New Bombay has been a fertile ground for 9 out of the top 10 dailies over the past one year.

Here also, The Times of India is the clear leader with 4.68 lakh readers. Although TOI has incurred a loss of 2.5 per cent in the current survey, it has added 18.2 per cent readers over the corresponding quarter last year. It had an AIR of 4.80 lakh in the previous quarter against 3.96 lakh in Q2 2010.

Maharashtra Times remains the second largest read daily in this part of Mumbai with an AIR of 3.33 lakh in IRS Q2 2011. The daily had 3.54 lakh readers in the previous quarter and 3.29 lakh readers in Q2 2010.

Lokmat continues to be the No. 3 daily here. Its current AIR stands at 3.12 lakh compared with 3.37 lakh in the previous quarter and 3.55 lakh in Q2 2010. The largest read Marathi daily has lost 12.1 per cent readers since Q2 2010 when it used to be the second most read daily of New Bombay.

By adding a few readers in the current survey, Hindustan Times has jumped up one position to take the No. 4 slot in Navi Mumbai.  HT has an AIR of 2.43 lakh in IRS Q2 2011 against 2.4 lakh in the previous quarter and 2.12 lakh in Q2 2010. It has added 14.6 per cent readers over the past one year.

HT is closely followed by Loksatta in New Bombay with an average issue readership of 2.41 lakh compared with 2.44 lakh in the last survey and 2.01 lakh in Q2 2010. The daily has grown by 20 per cent over the past one year.

At No. 6 is Mumbai Mirror with an AIR of 2.27 lakh in IRS Q2 2011 against 2.08 lakh in the previous quarter and 1.9 lakh in Q2 2010. Mumbai Mirror has also recorded a growth of 19.5 per cent in the last one year.

DNA has an AIR of 2.22 lakh in New Bombay in IRS Q2 2011 against 2.23 lakh in the previous quarter and 1.82 lakh in IRS Q2 2010. DNA has grown by 22 per cent in this part of Mumbai over the past one year.

Hindi daily Navbharat Times holds the 8^th spot in New Bombay with 2.04 lakh readers in the current survey compared with 1.97 lakh in the previous quarter and 1.88 lakh in Q2 2010.

At No. 9, Navakal has an AIR of 1.82 lakh in IRS Q2 2011 against 1.73 lakh in the previous quarter and 1.8 lakh in Q2 2010.

The last in the list of top 10 for New Bombay is Yeshobhumi with 1.46 lakh readers in the current survey against 1.35 lakh in the previous quarter and 1.02 lakh in IRS Q2 2010. The daily has grown by 43.1 per cent in the area over the past one year.

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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 a matter of daily habit. Conventionally, media planners calculate and compare cost-benefits of dailies based on the AIR figure. Hence, it is perhaps most relevant to study readership trends in terms of AIR.

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