TOI takes stronger stand on HT

‘27% of HT 2 minutes is only there to soar up its numbers it does not help any advertisers’

TOI has taken a stronger stand when it comes to defending it newspaper NIE. It is also not ready to wind down to the high pitched campaign made by HT claims of circulation figure and the unreliable study made by IRS.

 

The claims and the counter claims between the country’s two largest read English Newspaper- the Times of India and Hindustan Times have continued after the second consecutive IRs result. Exactly one month ago the war between TOI and HT started over IRS numbers. The entire media house not only witnessed the battle but 18 publication house rose together and protested against the anomalies in IRS finding and questioned the sharp growth in readership of publication of HT media and the role of HT 2 minutes  in soaring its number.

Last year, Times of India published an advertisement that read ‘The Truth shall prevail. Especially at 6am.’ The ad further read ‘You may have read some claims and counter claims about readership and circulation of English dailies in Delhi and NCR. But the truth simply is: for the ‘regular’ copies of the TOI and HT (i.e. fully loaded copies that carry supplements and are listed in ABC as single or combo) TOI is 38% ahead of HT.

This year too, both the newspapers started their battle in an exactly similar fashion and once again, it seems destined to be an endless battle. When TOI pointed out again how ‘HT 2 Minutes’ was not carrying ads, HT hit back at The Times of India saying its student (NIE) edition also does not carry ads.

Rahul Kansal, Executive President, BCCL reacts on the unreliable documents of IRS and the ongoing battle in a video Interview. Edited excerpts:

Adgully (AG): What has been your reaction to Hindustan Times claim that Times of India student edition does not carry ads?
Rahul Kansal (RK):
Edition of both TOI and HT are long established 20 year old edition NIE is a 20 plus year old campaign which is being done both by HT and us, in any case if they point out that we don’t carry even their school copy do not carry it and we both have been upfront about it from the beginning.  So when HT claims that the total ABC total circulation in the city is 10 plus lakh, the truth is that 25% to 27% of the 2 minutes is only there to soar up their number that does not help any advertisers. So we are pointing to this malpractice which we believe is giving them advantage to present a total ABC as compared to us, but they have tried to confuse the picture but now if you were to add their school copies as well as this too HT 2 minutes 40% of their print run does not carry advertising.

AG: Is ABC to IRS comparison an Apple to Apple comparison?
RK:
We are not alone in saying that IRS is an unreliable document the whole Industry is mystified by this one study; we are taking the figure that both TOI and HT have declared as a reliable study. So going by their number 27% of their entire circulation in Delhi is HT 2 minutes, this is just pointing to the anomalies in the IRS.

AG: How does “HT 2 minutes” feature in IRS exactly similar to ABC?
RK:
Unfortunately IRS does not distinguish between HT and HT 2 minutes  therefore one has to assume above 25 to 35% of their IRS number is also inflated on account of this product which is not helping the advertisers so therefore even the readership has been inflated to that extent.

AG: Why ABC over IRS?
RK:
ABC is an audited record of the newspaper already produced, marketed its removes the unsold copy so it’s a very through exercise which involves opening of its book for inspection. So it looks at only prized copy of the newspaper freely distributed sample copy is not part of the newspaper. In our view even IRS should ignore the freely distributed copy.

AG: What has been your reaction on HT claim of bundling Mumbai Mirror with TOI?
RK:
The Times of India in Mumbai sells at a cover price of Rs 6 which is the most expensive newspaper with an upfront offer on the masthead of opting for any second paper from the Bennett, Coleman Group. Out of 7 lakh buyers of TOI, some two lakh have opted for The Economic Times, some 4 lakh have chosen Mumbai Mirror while the rest have preferred Maharashtra Times as their second newspaper. So we are offering a combo deal for a price and it is a legitimate marketing activity without bundling any free product. While we are charging Rs 6 a copy, HT and DNA have been selling their copies at Rs 200-300 for a year. Thus we have priced our products 5-6 times more than our competition. As it also happens that Mumbai Mirror has a lot of Demand of the 7 lakh copies 4 lakh are for Mumbai Mirror and the rest for other paper.

AG: On HT accusation on TOI picking and choosing IRS or ABC as the suit different market? How would you defend it?
RK:
We have totally and unambiguously rejected IRS. We do not use IRS anywhere, it only refers to one article that came out in January 2014 on the day that IRS survey has come out we have fully discovered the anomalies and the illogical finding of IRS, now they are holding that to say that you pick and choose the matrix you want but that does not mean that we are taking IRS or ABC in whichever market it suits us.

AG: Why does it use RNI number in Mumbai and ABC in Delhi?
RK:
Since a large bulk of Mumbai Mirror copies go with TOI at a combo price, so ABC has difficulties in ascertaining how much of the Rs 6 combo should be earmarked towards TOI and how much should be earmarked for Mumbai Mirror. Because of these problems, we went for second reliable auditor which is Registrar of Newspapers of India (RNI) which our competitors HT and DNA were already using.

AG: Is TOI still paying for IRS and what is the current status?
RK:
We paid for IRS 2013 and first quarter of 2014 and since then it has not started again. Currently we are asking the organisation behind IRS answer our doubts and to ensure that our concerns are taken care of. As of now, we have formally disowned any connection with it.

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