Reading the readers' pulse

On June 22 this year when Divya Bhaskar launched its first vernacular edition in Ahmedabad, the stalwarts of other Gujarati dailies, Gujarat Samachar and Gujarat Sandesh, the two key players, were definitely not ready for a major blow.

This was the first entry of Bhaskar group, well known for its highly circulated Hindi dailies, into a vernacular market.

Six months later, Divya Bhaskar's circulation in Ahmedabad stands at 4.70 lakh with a readership of 12 lakh. And this envious task of Ramesh Agrawal, the Bhaskar group chairman, is now being counted well by the rivals.

Ramesh Agrawal is now looking beyond Ahmedabad. He is planning to launch three more editions from Surat, Rajkot and Vadodara cities in the first half of 2004. This may once again threaten the circulation figures of the other dailies that are circulated from these cities as well.

"He has definitely made a different impression by involving readers in the publication. The other dailies never bothered about what readers wanted. With the launch of Divya Bhaskar, the rivals have restructured their strategies and are trying to wear a reader-freindly look," said Bhupat Vadodaria, editor of Jansatta, a Hindi daily, and Sambhaav, a Gujarati one. Ask the readers of vernacular dailies in Ahmedabad, they will agree with Vadodaria, a septuagenerian journalist.

So, in the first round of the battle, it seems Ramesh Agrawal has won over his rivals.

One year before the Ahmedabad launch, Divya Bhaskar kicked off readers' survey across the city and the adjoining areas.

Teams were asked to note down the opinions of the readers, with special stress on the women readers about their expectations from a new daily.

That was followed by manpower poaching: experienced reporters, printing technologists and clerical staff were picked up from other Gujarati media houses by offering higher perks.

The team work was monitored by Ramesh Agrawal and his sons (Sudhir, Girish and Pawan Agrawal), who camped in Ahmedabad for over one year with their family members only to learn the local language, pick up local food habits and dress codes.

"They did an excellent homework and that is why they are successful and will be able to keep up with the consistency," a senior journalist from an English weekly said.

Agrawal says, "When we entered the Gujarat market, we learnt that no major dailies that have circulation over 6-7 lakh bothered to know what the readers expect from them. Rather, the readers were being taken for ride by them. We said, let us first listen to the readers and then design the newspaper."

And that is the main reason for our success," says Ramesh Agrawal.

Divya Bhaskar is expected to hit the newsstands in Surat, and then in Rajkot and Vadodara. It has already initiated survey in these markets, following which the local editors will be asked to design the newspapers, which may vary from city to city.

"During 2004, our target will be to establish Divya Bhaskar further in the Gujarat market and then we may go for exploring opportunities in the other states in the country. After launching the three new editions of Divya Bhaskar, our market survey team will reach in other states to find out feasibility for another Divya Bhaskar-type model and, once we understand a need for another vernacular edition (it may be in any language), we will definitely enter into that market," said Ramesh, talking about his group's target during the new year.