Sakshi sees growth in AIR as leading Telugu newspapers degrow: IRS 2019 Q4

With the release of the Q-4 data of Indian Readership Survey figures, the complete data for the year 2019 is before us for review. And the good news is, Sakshi turns out to be the only Telugu daily in India to have registered a growth in its AIR numbers in IRS 2019 Q4 over Q1, while all other leading dailies have registered negative growth.

Sakshi with a Q4 AIR of 30.79 Lakh, has registered a growth of 3% over its Q1 numbers. This 3% growth for Sakshi gets amplified when we see in the backdrop of the aggregate Telugu dailies readership, which has been shorn off by a fourth [25%] of its readers’ base in 2019.

Eenadu has lost 20.15 Lakh readers [30%] of its AIR numbers, Andhra Jyothi a third [33%] of its readers tally and Namasthe Telangana, which made a sensational debut with a handsome readership numbers in Telangana has almost lost half [49%] of its readers during the year.

In the state of Andhra Pradesh, Sakshi has consolidated its position during 2019. What has been a huge gulf of 17.86 Lakh readers between Eenadu & Sakshi in their AIR counts in Q1, has now been narrowed down to just 2.53 Lakh in Q4 now. Sakshi is now within striking distance of Eenadu, with leadership position in many segments of the newly defined Andhra Pradesh state.

Sakshi now comfortably leads over Eenadu in Prakasam, Nellore, Chittoor and Anantapur districts of Andhra Pradesh. Sakshi also has maintained a lead over Eenadu in the socio-cultural regions of Rayalaseema, which borders with Tamil Nadu and Karnataka’s Special Economic Zones.

Sakshi has grown by 31% in Prakasam & Nellore District Clusters, 39% in YSR district, 71% in Anantapur district and by 27% in Hyderabad’s UA District clusters; While Eenadu has lost readership by 27%, 13%, 32% and 24% respectively in the same districts during the year.

Similarly in the SCR of Andhra -1, Sakshi has gained 13% readers while Eenadu lost hugely by 46% of its readers. In the SCR of Rayalaseema, Sakshi has grown by a huge 59% readership numbers while Eenadu has lost a third [33%] of its readers there during the year.

Sakshi is adding quantity in quality segments of the readers too. In the top strata of NCCS A, Sakshi has grown by 22% whereas Eenadu has lost 23% of its upscale readers of NCCS A. Similarly in the affluent segment of NCCS B, Sakshi has grown by 9% while Eenadu has lost 28% readers in this well-do-do reader’s segment. In the sum of NCCS AB Sakshi has grown by 14% while Eenadu has been pruned by 26% in the same crème de la crème segments of A&B.

In the most active consuming age group of 20-39 years, Sakshi has added 8% while in the same age group Eenadu has lost 30% or 9.74 Lakh young readers.

Sakshi has added 37% Graduate readers, while Eenadu has lost 34% or 3.19 Lakh readers in the same segment.

In the highest Post Grad [Professional] segment, Sakshi has grown its tally by 49%, while Eenadu failed to add any number in this segment during the year.

Sakshi Readers’ product profiling has seen a handsome makeover. Sakshi readers’ ownership of Air-conditioners, Fridge, Washing Machine, TV and cellular phone has seen handsome percentage of growth while Eenadu in these very segments, has lost readers. 

Sakshi’s internet profiling too is of top order. Access of internet [last one month] has seen Sakshi growing by 32%. Eenadu however, has lost by 10% of such readers who accessed internet in the last one month.

Sakshi’s readers making online booking and making on-line payments has seen a growth of 96%! Similarly Sakshi readers watching online TV/Movies/Videos/Music, has also seen a growth of 56%. Sakshi also has a handsome tally of 2.47 Lakh readers who watch subscription based OTT platforms. 

Financial profiling of Sakshi readers also stands up and gets counted now. Sakshi has added readers with bank accounts [5%] whereas Eenadu has lost 29% of readers with Bank accounts.

Sakshi readers owning credit card has growth by 31% whereas Eenadu has lost 17% of readers with credit card.

Sakshi has been growing readers because it cares for young, highly educated upward mobile readers by packaging a content mix that is very aspirational. Wrapped in all page colors, with excellent state-of-art printing, packaging and transporting of its products to all parts of AP before the day break, has been Sakshi’s forte.

Even during the lockdown period Sakshi has maintained Covid-19 safety measures which it also show cased before the readers to gain their confidence that Sakshi newspaper doesn’t transmit any C-19 virus through its pages. This has helped Sakshi retrieve its original print order by the Lockdown phase 0.3.

With such all-round numbers Sakshi soon would see a leadership position, starting with Andhra Pradesh.