Q4, IRS 2012: Eight out of top 10 magazines show declining trend

The latest quarter of Indian Readership Survey (Q4, IRS 2012) suggests that the pecking order of most of the titles in the top 10 magazines list of the country is the same as last quarter (Q3, IRS 2012), except Malayala Manorama, General Knowledge Today and Cricket Samrat, which have swapped places.

Vanitha continues to be the No. 1 magazine of the country. The women's title from Malayala Manorama Group has an average issue readership (AIR) of 21.5 lakh - a decline of more than a lakh readers since Q3, 2012. In fact, the Malayalam fortnightly had lost 82,000 average readers in the previous quarter as well.

The No. 2 spot is taken up by the general knowledge title, Pratiyogita Darpan, with an AIR of 19 lakh - a marginal increase of 8,000 readers since Q3, 2012. But the magazine is yet to compensate for the loss it incurred in Q3, 2012 (a decline of 24,000 average readers).

At No. 3 is Samanya Gyan Darpan, the biggest gainer of the quarter. The general interest offering has an AIR of 17.7 lakh - an increase of 41,000 readers in the last one quarter. The Hindi title made its entry in the top 10 list in Q4, 2011; in Q3, 2011 it emerged the second biggest gainer with a growth in AIR of 69,000 that quarter. The monthly title has gained more than a lakh average issue readership since Q2, 2012.

The No. 4 position is taken up by the English news offering, India Today. The weekly title has an AIR of 15 lakh, about 50,000 readers less than the last quarter. The publication recorded a decline in AIR of 28,000 last quarter as well, taking its loss to 74,000 average readers since Q2, 2012.

Constant at No. 5 is Saras Salil by Delhi Press, with an AIR of 13.1 lakh. The Hindi publication is the biggest loser since Q2, 2012, a loss of 2.36 lakh average readers. In fact, the fortnightly publication lost 2 lakh average issue readership in Q3, 2012.

Another women's magazine to feature in the list, Meri Saheli, is at No. 6 position with 11.5 lakh AIR. The Hindi title has lost 50,000 readers in the current quarter. However, in the previous quarter (Q3, 2012), the publication had added 13,000 readers.

The Bengali magazine to feature in this list, Karmakshetra, is at the No. 7 spot. The magazine has an AIR of 11 lakh readers - 78,000 readers less than the last quarter. However, in the last quarter, the weekly title had registered a gain of 15,000 readers.

Moving two steps up the ladder is the Hindi magazine, Cricket Samrat. The magazine, despite losing average readers, has moved from No. 10 spot to No. 8 position this time. The monthly publication has an AIR of 10 lakh in the current quarter, which is 20,000 less than the last quarter. Interestingly, in the last quarter, the magazine had slipped two positions, which it has regained this time.

Pushed one step down by Cricket Samrat to No. 9 is Malayala Manorama, with an AIR of 10 lakh - a loss of 45,000 readers since Q3, 2012. The Malayalam title had registered a decline of more than a lakh in average issue readership since Q2, 2012. The magazine has been constantly losing readership since the last few quarters.

At No. 10 spot is an English title, General Knowledge Today, with an AIR of 9.9 lakh. The monthly magazine has lost 54,000 readers since Q3, 2012 and 94,000 readers since Q2, 2012.

(Total readership includes any reader who has read any of the last six issues; whereas average issue readership includes only readers who have read the last issue.)