FPJ to INS chief on 'Raddi ad': You had not read our advertisement carefully

In a letter addressed to Rakesh Sharma, Chief of the Indian Newspaper Society (INS), GL Lakhotia, Executive Director of Free Press Journal, clarified that the publication never asserted that "complimentary copies are sold as 'raddi' by the publishers," in response to Sharma's denial of FPJ's 'Raddi' ad.

He wrote, “You had not read our advertisement carefully. We had pointed out that some publications are inflating their circulation figures by selling the unsold copies at depots directly to "raddiwalas." These publishers send copies which are marked as complimentary copies which, in turn, act as a balance for the loss incurred in the process of "raddi selling. Some of these unsold copies are shown as complimentary copies to balance their book; thus showing vastly inflated circulation figures which do not reflect the actual sales figures.”                           

Last week, while reacting to the Free Press Journal's (FPJ) 'raddi' ad, Rakesh Sharma, President of the Indian Newspaper Society (INS) said that complimentary copies do not go in ‘raddi’ - unsold scrap usually meant to be recycled. Rather, these copies are read with keen interest by a wide audience.

While denying FPJ’s ‘Raddi ad’ claims, Sharma told BestMediaInfo.com, "While this could be FPJ's view, it doesn't reflect the viewpoint of the entire industry. Complimentary copies are not necessarily sold as a raddi. In fact, complimentary copies attract an engaged readership. Whether distributed in aeroplanes, hotels, or at air booking counters, these copies are read with keen interest by a wide audience. So, I completely refute FPJ's conclusion that the complimentary copies are sold in raddi.”

On January 1, the front page of FPJ prominently displayed a full-page advertisement. The message within the advertisement served as a stern warning to news publishers, urging them to avoid inflating circulation figures.

The advertisement read, “Caution, news publishers. Please refrain from financing raddi copies with complimentary copies. Otherwise one day, one day in the near future your companies will be reduced to the status of ‘Raddi Pvt Ltd’. Hope wiser counsel will prevail. Kindly don’t create raddi value for your shareholders. Let honesty prevail from the new year.”

Lakhotia further wrote, “Your statement that complimentary copies do not go in "Raddi', but are distributed in aeroplanes, hotels or at air booking counters and are read with keen interest by a captive audience is not borne out by facts. Post covid hardly any copies are being distributed in flight/hotel rooms etc.”

​​It’s not the first time, Free Press Journal has released an ad to caution advertisers. On September 26, 2023, the publisher released an ad ‘Dear advertisers, why pay more’, cautioning them against Mumbai news publishers showing 2019 figures to claim high traffic.

“Even after the said advertisement, there was no course correction by these newspapers. Because if they do so, they will have to show steep fall in their despatches to the Depots,” wrote Lakhotia in the letter.

In the letter, Lakhotia acknowledged that complimentary copies, which are distributed to hotels, inflight are not sold as "raddi".

“But you are also aware that post-COVID-19 pandemic, the practice of distribution of ' copies to hotels, inflight etc in Mumbai has been discontinued,” he added.

He reiterated, “Publications should now stop the grossly unethical practice of showing inflated circulation figures which includes undistributed copies sold to raddiwalas, and reflected in their paid circulation figures. This highly unethical practice has resulted in vastly inflated advertisement rates which is scaring away the advertisers from the print media.”

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