The Delhi markets and the Delhi & Urban Environs, as segregated in the IRS 2005 R1, throw various firsts for the readership trends in the Delhi market in totality. For the first time in the last four years, The Hindustan Times has recorded a growth in these market. The Times of India has declined in Delhi, even as it sees an increase in the Delhi & Urban Environs market.
Looking at numbers, HT has moved from 16,73,000 to 18,23,000, recording a jump of 1,50,000 in the Delhi market. In the Delhi & Urban Environs, the publication has grown from 18,10,000 to 19,87,000 registering a growth of 1,77,000 in readership. In comparison, the numbers for The Times of India show an increase only in the Delhi & Urban Environs market. The increase is, however, just 2000 copies, taking the publication's readership at 19,74,000 from 19,72,000.
In the Delhi market it sees a drop of 12,000, taking the publication down to 17,93,000 from its previous 18,05,000. Some of the finest names in print have taken a dip in the Delhi market. Dailies like The Indian Express and The Asian Age have shown a fall. The Indian Express’ numbers has declined by 18,000 in Delhi taking the readership to 60,000. The daily is down by 15,000 in Delhi & Urban Environs, brining the readership to 67,000.
Financial dailies have managed to hold on with The Financial Express growing by 1000 in Delhi (from 21,000 to 22,000) and 4000 in Delhi & Urban Environs (from 21,000 to 25,000). The Business Standard has grown by 1000 in Delhi (from 31,000 to 32,000) and 3000 in Delhi & Urban Environs (from 31,000 to 34,000). However, The Economic Times is down by 34,000 in Delhi, giving it the present readership of 1,60,000. In Delhi & Urban Environs, it has seen a fall of 30,000 making the new readership figure a 1,77,000 from the earlier 2,07,000. Other business publications too have seen a drop. Outlook Money, Outlook and Outlook Saptahik have all seen a drop in both these sections of the Delhi market.
Business World, which has on the overall level seen growth, has lost readers in the Delhi market. The publication now has a readership of 48,000 in Delhi (drop by 6000) and 56,000 in Delhi and Urban Environs (drops by 3000).
Business Today has dropped by 12,000 in terms of readership, coming down to a 99,000 from a 1,11,000 in Delhi. In Delhi & Urban Environs, the publication has seen a loss of 16,000, bringing the new readership figure at 1,08,000. Business India sees a fall of 8000 in readership in Delhi and 6000 in Delhi & Urban Environs.
Magazines like Women's Era, The Week, Stardust (English), Savvy, Society, New Woman, India Today (Both Hindi and English), Frontline, Filmfare, Femina, Elle, Digit and Auto India have all recorded drops in both Delhi and Delhi & Urban Environs.
Even if the Hindi publications are seen, Vanitha, Sarita, Saras Salil, Punjab Kesari, Navbharat Times, Meri Saheli, Grihasobha, Grihalakshmi and Amar Ujala in the Delhi market, have all seen loss of readers. Other publications like The Hindu, Tribune and Statesman too don't have a different story to tell registering drops in both markets.
Even though there are publications like Jagran and Bhaskar, which join in the likes of HT in showing a positive trend, in totality for the Delhi market per se, the picture is not all rosy. Not much is shared presently on the reason behind such loss in readership and what it implies for the market.
