Free circulation of newspapers still unwelcome

The success of the broadsheets like Metro and Today, circulated for free in many parts of Europe and Singapore, respectively, has been closely examined by many media owners. But the viability of such business models somehow does not seem to be drawing a positive response from media barons in India.

e4m by exchange4media Staff
Published: Jul 28, 2009 8:21 AM  | 3 min read
Free circulation of newspapers still unwelcome

For long, an idea of free newspaper circulation has been floated by media giants in India. More often, the idea has been dubbed as not too viable a proposition, considering the mechanics that drive Indian newspapers. Either the fear of advertisers backing out or the apprehensions stemming from the decline in print readership have held back the publishers.

Hormusji N Cama, Director, Bombay Samachar, holds a strong view on the floating prospect. Dismissing the word ‘free’, he said, “Newspaper cost is as good as free when they are being sold at prices lower than Rs 3. In any case, advertisers are subsidising the readers already. There is no concept as ‘free’. Free does not mean that readers do not have stump up, someone has to pay for it. But, if at all it has to be, it will depend on advertisers, if they want to bear the 100 per cent cost.”

Given a ringside view, there has been a considerable rise in the printing cost in India. Further to dampen the spirits, many feel that the recent slowdown and figures from IRS 2009 do not make a rosy picture for the proposition of free circulation. Above all, the statistics from IRS have been often criticised as a matter of conjecture.

Even if these figures were discounted, the moot question governing free circulation is whether they would be reaching the right group of readers and whether the advertiser would be getting the right value.

Sudha Natarajan, President and COO, Lintas Media Group, remarked, “We’ve had a very aggressive action in newspaper market in India. There have been price wars and papers have been available to practically nothing. Several years ago, TOI started with a price war in Bangalore. In India, it will be difficult to have an advertiser-funded publication. Abroad, it’s a medium that is past its prime and they are finding ways to keep it alive as people’s daily reading habits have declined. So, this is not the time to experiment with free circulation.”

Speaking on the viability of such proposals, Sandipan Deb, Editor-in-Chief, Open, noted, “The idea of circulating free broadsheets is too far fetched as the places where these publications would be put up are not too enterprising. Also, the paid newspapers would never go free unless the printing cost was to be borne by advertisers.”

However, in the rest of the world such as in London, free circulation has been working for a number of years now. Metro, a full-fledged daily newspaper, is circulated for free, particularly at tube stations. In Singapore, too, the broadsheet Today has been circulating for free and has been making a profit out of it. On the contrary, in countries like Bangladesh and Pakistan, dailies are being sold beyond Rs 6.

Dismissing the idea, Raj Kumar Jha, National Creative Director, Ogilvy & Mather Action, said, “Free does not have a good respect in this country. It is only in countries like China or Singapore, where it is held in more esteem. China even has newspapers plastered on the wall. In India, free newspapers would only be collected by rag pickers. Paper pulp has value and if it is rolled into a packet, it may just become another racket!”

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E4M Our strategy is to target younger audiences through Sports: Rajiv Dubey, Dabur

The Head of Media at Dabur India spoke exclusively to exchange4media on the World Cup, associating with Indian Idol, the company’s digital spending and much more

e4m by e4m Staff
Published: Oct 27, 2023 6:15 PM  | 1 min read
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With quirky campaigns, memes and moment marketing, timed with the ongoing World Cup and particularly the India-Pakistan matches, Dabur India has got considerable consumer attention for its popular brands – Red Paste, Cool King Hair Oil, Chyawanprash, Dabur Vita and the recently launched Bae Fresh Gel toothpaste.

The 140-year-old company is going big on key sporting events, World Television Premiere (WTP) movies and reality shows. It is now gearing up to become the title sponsor of popular talent show ‘Indian Idol’ on Sony TV for the first time, shared Rajiv Dubey, who leads the media strategy at Dabur.

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Swapan Seth's new book 'COOL' is out

The book is a reflection of the author's 'eclectic taste across categories'

e4m by e4m Staff
Published: Oct 27, 2023 6:07 PM  | 1 min read
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Advertising professional and art collector Swapan Seth has announced the launch of his new book COOL. The book is described as "a ready reckoner to the hip and the happening, of the known and the very unknown."

The book is a reflection of the author's "eclectic taste across categories: from boltholes to exotic hideaways."

COOL has been published by Simon & Schuster India and is available on Amazon.

Seth is an ad veteran with a long and illustrious career in the industry. He became the youngest-ever Creative Director at Clarion at age 24. He was VP at 26 at Trikaya Grey. Two years later, he started his agency Equus.

He writes for publications such as The Economic Times, Hindustan Times and India Today. This is his second book and he has previously published THIS IS ALL I HAVE TO SAY.

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Disney Star signs 9 sponsors for Asia Cup PAK

Charged by Thums Up, Nerolac Paint+, Amazon Pay, Jindal Panther, My11Circle, MRF, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5, Wild Stone and Thums Up come on board

e4m by exchange4media Staff
Published: Aug 26, 2023 11:48 AM  | 1 min read
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e4m Staff Disney Star has signed nine broadcast and digital streaming sponsors for the upcoming Asia Cup.

Charged by Thums Up, Nerolac Paint+, Amazon Pay, Jindal Panther, My11Circle, MRF, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5, Wild Stone and Thums Up have come on board for the upcoming tournament.
As reported earlier by exchange4media, Disney Star has sought Rs 26 crore for the co-presenting sponsorship on TV and Rs 30 crore for Disney+ Hotstar.

According to industry sources, the associate sponsorship on Star Sports has been priced at Rs 19.66 crore, whereas for the ‘powered by’ sponsorship on Disney+ Hotstar, the broadcaster is seeking Rs 18 crore.

As per the information available with exchange4media, Disney+ Hotstar has three sponsorship tiers-- co-presenting (Rs 30 crore), powered by (Rs 18 crore) and associate sponsorship (Rs 12 crore). The broadcaster is offering an estimated reach of 120-140 million for co-presenting sponsors, 90-100 million for powered by and 60-70 million for associate sponsorship.

A spot buy for 10 seconds has been priced at Rs 25 lakh for the India vs Pakistan matches, while for the non-India matches, the ad rate for 10 second is Rs 2.3 lakh. The India matches plus the final for ODIs has been priced at Rs 17 lakh per 10 seconds.

Asia Cup is scheduled to be held from 30 August, 2023, to September 17, 2023.

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Sorted 360 wins creative & social media mandate of Reliance Mall

The agency will manage offline and online campaigns for Reliance Mall

e4m by exchange4media Staff
Published: Aug 26, 2023 10:54 AM  | 1 min read
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Sorted 360, an integrated creative and social media agency, has won the mandate to providing brand solutions for Reliance Malls across India.

“Sorted 360 is set to enhance Reliance Malls' market presence with their unparalleled creative prowess and strategic thinking,” read a press release.

“Sorted 360's commitment to pushing the boundaries of creative communication aligns perfectly with Reliance Malls' ethos. With a pan-India presence spanning across 19 cities and growing, Reliance Malls has consistently captivated customers by offering an array of Reliance brands and third-party fashion & lifestyle brands. The mall has established an unparalleled connection with its patrons through superior quality, a remarkable value proposition, and an unmatched shopping experience,” it read further.

"We are thrilled to welcome Sorted 360 as our trusted partner in advancing our brand presence across the nation," said the Head of Marketing at Relaice Malls. "Their proven expertise in retail, shopping center management, and innovative creative strategies make them the perfect fit for our vision."

"Partnering with Reliance Malls is a testament to our commitment to shaping extraordinary brand experiences," remarked Prerana Anatharam, Co-founder of Sorted 360. "We are excited to leverage our strategic and creative acumen to further elevate Reliance Malls as the epitome of convenience, choice, and excellence."

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e4m by exchange4media Staff
Published: Aug 25, 2023 4:39 PM  | 1 min read

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e4m by exchange4media Staff
Published: Aug 25, 2023 4:38 PM  | 1 min read

KlugKlug onboards Hemang Mehta as Country Manager for Indias

Mehta was most recently Head of Agency Relationships at Network 18 Media & Investments

e4m by exchange4media Staff
Published: Aug 24, 2023 3:35 PM  | 1 min read
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KlugKlug has appointed Hemang Mehta as its Country Manager for India.

Mehta will play a pivotal role in driving KlugKlug's growth and expansion within the Indian market and be responsible for Sales & GTM Strategy

Prior to that, he has also represented organisations like Exponential (now VDX.tv), India Today Digital and Rediff.com. His expertise spans various domains including digital media sales, mobile marketing, media planning, and buying, social media marketing, and more.

Hemang Mehta expressed his enthusiasm about joining KlugKlug, saying, "I am thrilled to be a part of KlugKlug, a forward-thinking platform that is reshaping the influencer marketing landscape. As much as I look forward to collaborating with the exuberant team at KlugKlug, I am super excited to interact with the brands to deliver powerful data-backed Influencer solutions that will guarantee business outcomes."

Commenting on the appointment, Kalyan Kumar, Co-Founder and CEO of KlugKlug, stated, "We are excited to welcome Hemang Mehta to our team as the Country Manager for India. His extensive experience in digital media sales and marketing will be instrumental in driving our efforts to provide influencer marketing solutions to our clients. We believe Hemang's leadership will be key in scaling our operations and expanding our reach within the Indian market."

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