IRS 2019: Dainik Jagran most read newspaper, Times of India leads English, India Today Tops among magazines

MRUC's latest IRS data shows a steady decline in readership across most markets

Media Research Users Council India (MRUC India), today, released the last and final quarter – Q4 findings of Indian Readership Survey 2019. IRS 2019 Q4 is a rolling average of four quarters of IRS 2019 data i.e. Q1+Q2+Q3 and Q4 2019, the fieldwork (Q4) of which covers from December 2019 through March 2020. The sample size of IRS 2019 is 3.27L households across India out of which urban sample size is 2.14L households and rural is 1.13L Households. IRS 2019 Q4 is the full-year report covering four quarters of a continuous and uninterrupted IRS 2019 fieldwork.

Among other highlights from IRS 2019 Q4 data – electrification in India has surged, premium durable ownership in households has increased and so has an individual’s online shopping and smartphone ownership across both urban and rural India.

Dainik Jagran emerged as the most read newspaper in India in 2019 followed by Dainik Bhaskar, Hindustan, Amar Ujala and Malayala Manorama.

In the battle among English newspapers, TOI leads Hindustan Times in Mumbai while the latter tops in Delhi with The Hindu in the third slot. In Chennai too TOI is the most read English daily over The Hindu but in Kolkata, local daily - Telegraph leads the race.

Similarly, Dainik Jagaran tops Uttar Pradesh while Hindustan is the most read in Bihar, in Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, and Rajasthan it is Dainik Bhaskar that leads the race.

Malayala Manorama is the most read in Kerala followed by Mathrubhumi. In Maharashtra its Lokmat over Daily Sakal and Pudhari.

In Tamil Nadu, Daily Thanthi retains its leadership with two times more readership than second-placed Dinamalar. In West Bengal it's Ananda Bazar Patrika that leads the race with Bartaman at number two.

India Today-English ended the year at the pole position in the list of top magazines. India Today Hindi was at second position with SamanyaGyan Darpan as three and Vanitha at four.

Pratap Pawar, chairman of MRUC India and chairman of Sakal Media says in a media statement, “We have successfully completed and released all four quarters of IRS 2019 data. I thank our Board of Governors and IRS Technical Committee for their unwavering commitment and their resolve in providing the industry with a robust, reliable and timely research study.”

Vikram Sakhuja, IRS Technical Committee Chairman and Group CEO Madison Media & OOH, Madison World said, “With 4 Quarters of 2019 data now complete we are reporting a complete year’s picture. Earlier quarters had also included some parts of the 2017 data. A few trends are emerging. Internet penetration has increased substantially and is now mainstream along with TV and Print; NCCS D&E are reducing quarter on quarter faster than HH socio-economic status thereby suggesting the need to Relook at the NCCS definition; ability to read and understand English has increased and while overall print readership is holding, daily readership has started showing signs of decline.”

IRS 2019 Q4 Highlights.pdf