INDUSTRY PROFILE

When newspapers and magazines are combined, print is the world's largest
advertising medium. An increase in the newspaper sale has been witnessed in almost
all continents including Asia, Europe, Africa and South America except North
America, which registered a decline in the sales. Advertising revenues in paid dailies
had been found up 3.77 per cent. China, Japan and India account for 60 of the worlds
100 best-selling dailies while the five largest markets for newspapers are China, India,
Japan, the US and Germany.

INDIAN NEWSPAPER BUSINESS

In India, over 150 million individuals read a newspaper each day. One factor
that has resulted in making the print media ever-more popular is the fact that India is a
country of many diverse languages and more than a thousand different dialects. In a
country of 1.1 billion, there is more room for the newspaper industry to grow, as the
rural areas are largely untapped.
To propel the newspaper growth in India, 26 per cent foreign direct
investment allowed in print media in 2002. Due to a hike in FDI limits in the
newspaper publishing sector a lot more action is likely to be seen from the global
players wanting to invest in this sector.

INDIAN NEWSPAPER SOCIETY

The Indian and Eastern Newspaper Society, now renamed as The Indian
Newspaper Society, enjoys a unique position as the accredited spokesman of the
newspaper industry. From newsprint to advertising, from licenses for machinery to
freedom of the Press, INS today is involved in many spheres of activities.

REGISTRAR OF NEWSPAPERS FOR INDIA

The Office of the Registrar of Newspapers for India, more popularly known as
RNI came into being on 1st July, 1956, on the recommendation of the First Press
Commission in 1953 and by amending the Press and Registration of Books Act 1867.
The Office of the Registrar of Newspapers for India is headquartered in New Delhi,

and has three regional offices at Calcutta, Mumbai and Chennai to cater to the needs
of publishers in all corners of the country.
RNI compiles and maintains a Register of Newspapers containing particulars
about all the newspapers published. It informs the District Magistrates about
availability of titles to intending publishers for filing declaration and issues Certificate
of Registration to the newspaper.

It ensures that newspapers are published in

accordance with the provisions of the Press and Registration of Books Act 1867.
Printing and publishing of newspapers and periodicals within India are governed
by the Press and Registration of Books Act, 1867 and the Registration of Newspapers
(Central) Rules, 1956. According to the Act, no newspaper or periodical should bear
a title which is the same or similar to any other newspaper or periodical already being
published, either in the same language or in the same State, unless the latter is also
owned by the same person. In order to ensure compliance of this condition, the
Government of India has appointed the Registrar of Newspapers, also called the Press
Registrar, who maintains a register of newspapers and periodicals published in India.
After verification Press Registrar allots a RNI Number. After allotment of this
number only the Publishers get the authority to publish the paper. [This RNI Number
must be shown in every newspaper].

Table 2.1 The Press In India In 2005-06: at a glance

Periodicity

Number

Circulation

Dailies

2,130

8,88,63,048

Tri/Bi-Weeklies

39

5,66,198

Weeklies

3,428

5,05,80,648

Fortnightlies

955

1,23,09,948

Monthlies

1,471

2,11,36,710

Quarterlies

219

15,52,138

Annuals

49

29,86,256

Others

221

27,43,665

TOTAL

8,512

18,07,38,611

Miscellaneous Publications

126

71,69,952

AUDIT BUREAU OF CIRCULATION

The ABC founded in 1948 is a not for profit, voluntary organization consisting
of Publishers, Advertisers and Advertising Agencies. It has done pioneering work in
developing audit procedures to verify the circulation data published by those
newspapers and periodicals which have earned the right to display its emblem. The
Bureau issues ABC certificates every six months to those publishers whose circulation
figures confirm to the rules and regulations as set out by the Bureau.

NATIONAL READERSHIP STUDIES COUNCIL

It is constituted by Advertising Agencies Association of India, Audit Bureau of
Circulations & Indian Newspaper Society. The National Readership Study 2006
(NRS 2006) in India is the largest survey of its kind in the world, with a sample size
of 2,84,373 house-to-house interviews to measure the media exposure and consumer
product penetration in both urban and rural India and of course the estimated
readership of publications. The study covers 535 publications of which 230 are dailies
and 305 are magazines.

NEWS PAPER BUSINESS IN KERALA

Kerala has a rate of newspaper readership that is among the highest in the
world. In Kerala, there are approximately 1576 newspapers in circulation! Among
these, only a few newspapers are widely circulated with a good number of readers.

LIST

OF

LEADING

MALAYALAM

LANGUAGE

NEWSPAPERS
Malayala Manorama first appeared on 14th March 1890, as a weekly, currently has
a readership of over 15 million, with a circulation base of over 7.4 million
copies.Manorama is Kerala's largest selling and most widely read newspaper.
Mathrubhumi: The first copy of Mathrubhumi went to press on 18th of March 1923.
Mathrubhumi today is the second most circulated newspaper in Kerala. It is published
from Calicut, Thiruvananthapuram, Kottayam, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Kannur,

Palakkad, Malappuram and Kollam besides from Chennnai, Bangalore, Mumbai and
New Delhi It has a circulation of over 13 lakhs and its readership is around 75 lakhs.
Desabhimani is a Malayalam newspaper run by Communist Party of India (Marxist).
Started as a weekly in 1942 and converted to a daily in 1946. Deshabhimani now has
six different editions: Kozhikode, Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, Kannur, Kottayam
and Trichur.
Kerala Kaumudi is a popular Malayalam newspaper, founded in 1911. Published
from Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Alappuzha, Kochi, Kozhikode, Kannur in Kerala
and Bangalore, Kerala Kaumudi is the fourth most circulated Malayalam daily. The
paper has online editions in Malayalam and English that are updated twice daily.
Deepika is one of the oldest newspapers published in India.. The first issue came out
on 1887 April 15.

Deepika publishes editions from Kottayam, Kochi, Kannur,

Thrissur, Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode

Other dailies in circulation include Madhyamam, Mangalam, Janayugam,
Varthamanam,.