SUMMER INTERNSHIP PROGRAMME REPORT

ON
TIMES OF INDIA
Participating in PRATIBHA by

GANPAT UNIVERSITY

Submitted to

L. J. Institutes of Management Studies

V.M Patel institute of Management Studies

UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF

Faculty Guide
Dr. Indra Meghrajani

Company Guide
Mr. Subodh Kumar

A STUDY OF CONSUMER
PERCEPTION TOWARDS
TIMES OF INDIA NEWSPAPER

Introduction oftheCompany

TYPE

PRIVATE

FOUNDED

4 NOVEMBER 1838 (177 YEAR AGO)

HEADQUATERS

MUMBAI, MAHARASTRA, INDIA

INDUSTRY

MASS MEDIA

PRODUCTS

BROADCASTING, PUBLISHING, MEDIA, INTERNET,

WEBPORTALS RADIO ,AND ENTERTAINMENT

REVENUE

8,778 crore (US$1.3billion) (2015)

NO OF EMPLOYEES

11,000 (2014)

TYPE

DAILY NEWSPAPER

FORMAT

BROADSHEET

OWNER

BENNETT ,COLEMAN CO.& LTD

EDITOR-IN CHIEF

JAIDEEP BOSS

LANGUAGE

ENGLISH

Circulation

3,057,678 Daily (as of Jul - Dec 2015)

WEBSITE

WWW.TIMESGROUP.COM

Research Methodology
Marketing Research
1. In order to get market information, research was about to fill
questionnaire of readers and non readers.
.Through reader Likings and disliking about the newspaper , need to
improve area
. Through non reader Their preferred newspaper and why ?

Problem Statement

Whether the customer satisfied with Content of Times of India Group

newspaper.
Whether the customer satisfied with Price of Times of India Group
newspaper.
Whether the customer satisfied with Service of Delivery of TOI newspaper
by delivery person.
How many people read TOI newspaper in Ahmedabad.

Research Objective
To study the factors affecting potential customers to read TOI
To understand customer and customer perception towards TOI.
To determine satisfaction level towards content, price, service, quality of
printing, and pagination of Times of India newspaper.
To know which newspaper more subscribed by the customer of Ahmedabad.

SCOPE
Market is full of opportunity; just we need to grab it.
Approx 2.6 lacs people are not reading TOI from our
assumption whom can read the newspaper.

Potential Market
If we look at target market in Ahmedabad
Total population of Ahmedabad is = 52 lakh
Suppose 4 members are there in one family
Then total family in Ahmedabad is =13 lacs
(52/4)
Out of 13 lacs , suppose only 80% are literate
=10.4 lacs (80% of 13 lacs)
Now person who can read any English
newspaper are 30% of 10.4 lacs = 3.12 lacs
But circulation of TOI is = 1 lacs among those
people

[All figures are in approx]

Population
Vernac
Non reader

English newspaper
vernac+A.M.

9% 2%
7%
4%

78%

Hindi newspaper

Rationale of the study

The research needs to contribute to the elimination of
a gap in the literature. Because literature purpose and
our study purpose may vary.
Use of social media and applications of newspaper is
changing newspaper consumption habits of people;
especially of Youth.

Sampling
Method Used
Field Survey
Inferences based on analysis
Procedure :
By doing survey in households,
schools, colleges, Depots, printing
press.

Sampling Method
The process of obtaining information about
an entire population by examining only part of
it.
So we have used Quota sampling method of
non probability sampling method for gathering
the necessary information.

Sampling Size
150 Reader
+
150 Non Reader
=
300 Total size

Target population part of the Ahmedabad city

The sampling method chosen here is Quota
sampling
The target statistics here is a proportion
The population proportion is 0.89 which is the
literacy rate of the target population
The z value associated with the 95 %
confidence level is z= 1.96
Therefore the sample size,
n = 0.89(1 0.89) (1.96)2/ (0.05)2
=150(approximately)

Analysis and
Interpretation

BY GRAPHS
Newspaper Reader

From the sample size of

300, 62.33% people
reading newspaper, and
37.67% people are not
reading newspaper.

Newspaper Reader

133

yes
no

187

In age respondent 25% in 15-25 age

group, 33.33% in 26-35 age group,
23% in 36-45 age group, 11.33% in
46-55 age group, 7.33% in greater
than 55 age group.

age of respondents

100

26-35 age group people are reading

more newspaper for updating their
self so, no need to focus on them.
We can target 15-25 age group and
greater than 36 age. So, We can create
more effective relation with
consumer.

75
69

34
22

15-25

26-35

36-45

46-55

55<

We can also Provide special corner to

different age group. So, they are
interested in reading the newspaper.

Time taken to read newspaper

66 % People are reading

newspaper <1hr , 28% people
are reading 1-2 hr and 6%
people are reading >2hr.

18

<1hr

84

1-2hr
>2hr

198

We analyzed that if people get

more time they are spending
more time to read newspaper .

Profession wise

In target market reader are 18%

student , 15.33% doctor, 21.33%
C.A. , 16.67% Professor, 23.33%
Housewives and 12.67 other
In non reader are 10% student,
11.33% doctor , 19.33%C.A. ,
16.67% professor, 23.33%
Housewives and 19.33% other.

40

35

35
32
30

31
29

29

27
25

25

23

20

18

17
15

19

Nonreader

15

10

0
student

doctor

CA

Professor Housewives

Reader

Other

If TOI put some science corner, fun

corner, gaming corner, beauty
corner, food corner, Some DIY,
business news, stock market analysis
in newspaper then target market
people are more interested to read
TOI newspaper.

Awarness

32

73
76

Toi
Ahmedabad Mirror
Navgujarat
Economics Time
Speaking tree
ET WELL

95
87

From 300 sample size awareness of

people for product is 25.33% of
TOI, 29% of A.M., 31.67% Nav
Gujarat, 10.67% of Economics time ,
2.33% of Speaking Tree, 1% of ET
WELL.
The highest awareness of times
product respectively is Nav Gujarat ,
Ahmedabad Mirror, Times of India,
Economics Time, Speaking Tree and
ET Well.
In Ahmedabad city people are more
interested in Nav Gujarat and
Ahmedabad Mirror for city news.

Value addition

30
28

22

21
19

From TOI Reader sample size 150 ,

they believe that 14.67% rational
news, 8.67% Business news,
11.33% International news, 18.67%
local news, 14% sports news,
12.66% Entertainment news, 20%
Pictures get from TOI newspaper.

17

13

If TOI newspaper increases

Business news and Sports news
then people will be more interested.

Consumers Perception of TOI

14
status
27
knowledg
e

66

language
others
43

TOI reader have different perception for

TOI Product, 9.33% people interested
for status,18% people interested for
knowledge,28.67% people are interested
for language, & 44% people are
interested for their own reason.
Make Some unique section, therefore
people are more interested in TOI
product.

More Preferable news Paper

100
90

87

80
68

70
60
50

57
47
More Preferable news Paper

14.28% people are taking TOI, 26.44%

people are taking Divya Bhaskar, 9.72%
people are taking Gujarat Samachar, 8.20%
people are taking Sandesh, 17.32% people
are taking Nav Gujarat, 20.67% people are
taking Ahmedabad Mirror, 0.91% people are
taking Indian Express, 2.43% people are
taking DNA.

40

TOI newspaper has no competition with

English newspaper but they have to work on
newspaper content and give special corner
like Divya Bhaskar to attract the people.

32
30

27

20
10

8
3

Ratings of Parameter

TOI reader have no issue with overall

product. 38% people have no issue with
price, 4.67% people are saying quality of
page is good, 24.67% people more
interested in supplements,
price

40
57

printing
suppliment
service

Only 6% people said service was good they

would get paper on time.

product
9

37

From the sample size more people are not

happy with quality of newspaper, service of
newspaper, and also they was not getting
any business news.

T Test for Reader and Anova Test For

Non-Reader
Satisfaction level of different Age group towards TOI newspaper.
Satisfaction level of Content towards TOI newspaper
Satisfaction level of Price towards TOI newspaper
Satisfaction level of Service towards TOI newspaper
Satisfaction level of Quality of printing towards TOI newspaper
Satisfaction level of Supplements towards TOI newspaper

Limitation of the study

The respondents may not give correct answers due to personal bias.
The sample size of 300 is very limited. It is very small amount of total subscriber in Gujarat. So the
accuracy in analysis cannot be achieved.
The research is limited to only to Some of the selected areas of Ahmedabad so there is a limitation of
area for an appropriate analysis.
As we are not the expertise in this field, the result may not be as perfect as it should be for the
company to take any action related to this problem.

Findings
Due to promoting and brand name, 117 out of 150 readers think that Times of India is a source of improvement in
readers life and status.
43.87% of respondent purchase TOI newspaper because they feel Times of India is a brand with status and that
adds value to them.
Subscription schemes attract the most to customers.
Schemes with gift are playing a good role in increasing readership, as there are a lot of customers who have
subscribed only for gift.
why not toi ?

80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
product

why not toi ?

price

service

language

content

no time

not usefull

Recommendation
Improvement on the side of newspaper:

To keep Times of India, the first choice for referrer or learner, Times of India should use
spellings, grammar and wordings perfectly.
News regarding stock market will be appreciated.
Avoid repetition and late news.
When content is not on the local news in daily newspaper then people are less interested to
buy.
Housewives wanted a column of beauty tips, cooking tips, house decor, etc..
Divya Bhaskar newspaper does it very well and this is the reason that it is the first choice of
them.

Recommendation
Improvement on the part of Service:
Some of the respondents were not happy with the distribution channel of the Times of
India. Because as per their requirement newspaper does not arrive. Reason being
irregular delivery, late delivery.
To improve service in the newspaper gives a toll free number of respected authority
and find which end has loophole.
Give proper guidelines and instructions to Vendor because Times Group may play
their role better way but vendors may not take it seriously and that destroys the image.

Conclusion
TOI is a status brand. Educated and posh area people are likely to purchase Times of India in areas
like Prahaladnagar, Satellite, Bodakdev, etc.
There are some people who still think that Times of India is a Media and Journalism company rather
than it also in a newspaper sector.
As Times of India is lacking local news and city news people are less interested to purchase it.
This study is on the consumer perception about Times of India newspaper. It describes in detail
about the satisfaction level of customers towards supplements, price, quality of printing.
This study also helps to determine improvement area for Times of India to increase readership as
people are dissatisfy with content and service.
In spite of having very high loyal customer base Times of India required to keep readers engaged.

Contribution
Task 1 : Marketing Research :
We did a market survey of readers and non readers to know the liking and disliking
about TOI and other newspaper. In that task was to survey and convince non reader to
become a TOI reader.
Task 2 : School Students review:
We went to 4 schools; 2 Gujarati and 2 English to survey their interest level for TOI.
Task 3: IIM Subscription : ( Side work )
We went IIM Ahmedabad 2 days to get subscription for TOI and Economics Times.

Learning
Task 1 learning :
Consumer behavior, how to convince,
Task 2 learning:
Interest level of new generation that can help TOI to make new decisions.
Task 3 learning:
Purely a field work task that helped us how to convince people and now their needs as
there were all other different brands in the campus to sell out their product.

Is Newspaper have future ?

If Y generation will go for digital way then ?
In support, WPT (World Press Trends ) 2015

2.4 billion people read a newspaper in print regularly.

Thats more than 100 million people who use internet to read newspaper digitally.
More than 450 million people read newspaper both print and digital form.

That is why newspaper industry is optimistic about the future.

Bibliography
Times, E. (n.d.). Retrieved from www.economictimes.com
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/
www.mckinseyquarterly.com
www.cmocouncil.org
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com
www.slidshare.com/
The rationale of study from WPA-2015
Lin Yapping Journal of Marketing ( Oct 2007, Vol. 7 Issued 4,p19-35, 17p)

Thank You