What else still leaves margins of progress

Happy as an Indian newspaper editor! ": this is a proverb which could prevail among professionals of the media around the world. Because at the time where newspapers in developed countries are victims of the depression of advertising and the exodus of players, their Indian counterparts thrive.

With 74.409 newspapers reported, the Indian market has what to dream. Thousands of daily share favors from 350 million readers, according to a study by KPMG, which provides a growth of 9.1 year turnover in the next five years. The major newspapers are published in the hindi language, as spoken in the major States in the North of the country (see chart), but two dailies in malayalam appear in Fourplay, because the small State of Kerala where they are published is the most literate of India. As the famous "Times of India", which is the largest daily newspaper in English around the world, it only happens to the 8eplace with its 7 million readers.

First factor of prosperity of the press: "d es generations new readers come, says the editor of the"Business Standard Sanjaya Baru", as the literacy rate from roughly 50 in 1990 to 60 per cent in 2000 and 70 today. What else still leaves margins of progress. And television, pervasive, does not detract from the newspapers. Believe Bhskara Rao, Chairman of the Centre for Media Studies, Delhi, "TV information evening open the appetite of people, who turn to newspapers the next day to have explanations on the news."

Second substantive element: the advertising boom. "The development of the economy, with soaring housing market or the sales of cars, is excellent for us," analysis Uttam Sengupta, editor in Chief of the "Forum of Chandigarh". Not to mention whole matrimonial advertising supplements published by the dailies...

A knockdown prices

This advertising bonanza enables newspapers to sell between 2 and 3 rupees, or less than 5 euro cents. At this price, even modest Indians can afford to. Newspapers are thus sold very below their cost of production, but "explains perfectly deliberate Rahul Kansal, Director of marketing of the"Times of India", as our newspapers are almost free of charge, we face competition from Internet". While the Web is still not present in India and does not detract from the newspapers, publishers prefer to anticipate.

For now, this model "all advertising" works: the "Times of India" has seen its advertising revenues increase 17 per year on average over the past five years. And its income before income taxes represents more than 30 of the turnover. While some less powerful newspapers worried about dependence creates to advertising, the "Times" displays an unwavering optimism: "after all, we have 15 to 20 years of strong growth of the economy...". ", said its marketing manager.

Profitable, the press market is fierce competition. With a few deviations: in some newspapers, a company can buy the editorial caring, and during the last elections, the practice of articles paid by the local candidates did scandal. More generally, a significant number of newspapers compete on the same markets. In the financial press, there is not less than six daily newspapers in English. Result, commented Sanjaya Baru, "we fight for the same information, the same advertisers, the same players and the same journalists!" Which leaves augurer of upcoming restructuring...