Dainik Jagran targets new readers with non-Hindi editions

Dainik Jagran, with 270 editions across India and a colossal readership of 1.57 crore, is the undisputed leader among Indian newspapers. In a move, which is guaranteed to send ripples across the industry and particularly, a warning of sorts to the English dailies, the Hindi newspaper publisher has announced its intention to launch English and other regional language editions.

The group is also planning to launch international editions for the NRI community in the US, the UK, Canada and in the Middle East. Also, on the cards is launching five new editions in the country.

The entry into non-Hindi editions starts off in Punjab. Shailesh Gupta, director, Jagran Group says, "We believe that Punjab has a huge potential, and after four years of our presence in the market, we have been able to identify many possibilities. The group is looking forward to launch a non-Hindi daily in the state by mid-2005. Although, the management hasn't yet taken a decision on the language of the edition, it is most likely to be Punjabi. But we are also open to the idea of an English newspaper."

As per IRS 2002 (Round Two), Dainik Jagran in the Punjab market had a readership of 3.49 lakhs, which grew to 8.10 lakhs in IRS 2003 (Round One), representing a growth of 132 per cent. At present, the paper has two editions in the state - Jalandhar and Ludhiana, launched in January 2004.

The group will be also launching another edition from Muzaffarpur in Bihar, one more from Madhya Pradesh and another three from western Uttar Pradesh.

With the launch of the new editions, the publication will also undergo several editorial changes. The publication's management has decided that all its 270 editions will soon have all-coloured pages. Currently, some editions like the ones in Agra, Delhi, Kanpur, Lucknow and Meerut already have all-colour pages.

In another significant move, the publication has decided that all editions will have localised content, Gupta says. "For instance, all eight NCR editions such as Capital, east Delhi, west Delhi, Noida, Gurgaon, Faridabad, Sahibabad and Ghaziabad will be different in content, as each edition will give emphasis on the local news," he says.

The publication is also working towards changing the layout of the newspapers. Gupta says, "We have hired designers from the UK to give our editions a contemporary look."

Talking about the international editions, Gupta says that the first international edition will be launched by September-October 2005 from either Canada or the US. "The Middle East edition will take some more time due to strict regulations in this region. Certain formalities also need to fulfilled." © 2004 agencyfaqs!