MUMBAI: Dainik Jagran with a readership of 21.12 million has toppled Dainik Bhaskar to be the most read newspaper in the country, according to the National Readership Study (NRS) 2005. Dainik Bhaskar has a readership of 17.37 million, followed by Eenadu (11.34 million).

Hindustan, Amar Ujala, Daily Thanti, Lokmat, Rajasthan Patrika, Times of India and Anand Bazar Patrika were the others that figured in the Top 10 list.

Dainik Jagran had an urban readership of 10.46 million, followed by Dainik Bhaskar (9.70 million). Third in line was Times of India with a readership of 7.29 million. Amar Ujala, Daily Thanti, Lokmat, Gujarat Samachar, Anand Bazar Patrika, Hindustan and Eenadu were the others who joined the Top 10 list.

A noteworthy point here is that Dainik Jagran, which is ruling the roost at present, has benefited from the drastically changing environment in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand where the literacy rate has grown the most when compared to the other parts of the country. Almost 2.7 million people in urban UP and 8.4 million people in rural UP can read and understand Hindi.

The table below shows the literacy growth rate in different states and regions of the country:

As far as the top 10 magazines are concerned, India Today (Hindi) was ranked first with a readership of 10.69 million. Saras Salil, on the other hand, was second (10.55 million), followed by India Today (English) with a readership of 6.25 million. Sun TV Network's Tamil magazine Kungumum has been the most significant mover over the last three years as it stood in the fourth position. In the NRS 2002 findings, Kungumum stood in the 40th position and dropped even further to 81st position in 2003.

Kumudam, Sarita, Grihashobha (Hindi), Swati SVP, Meri Saheli and Ananda Vikatan were the others that featured in the Top 10 list.

In the urban area, India Today (Hindi) again was on top slot with a readership of 5.17 million, followed by its English edition (4.78 million). Kungumum stood third, Grihashobha (Hindi), Kumudam, Saras Salil (Hindi), Sarita, Meri Saheli, Outlook and Ananda Vikatan also featured. Interesting is the fact that Outlook rose from the 20th spot in NRS 2003 to the ninth position this year with a readership of 1.73 million.

The above data reveals that as many as seven dailies in the Top 10 have consistently improved their rankings in the last three years. As far as magazines are concerned, they have shown an overall decline in the reader base, both in urban and rural India. The reach of magazines has declined from 86 million in 2002 to 69 million this year (19 per cent decline).

The reach of the print medium (dailies and magazines) has increased from 179 million to 200 million in the last three years.

Of the 200 million readers, as many as 98 million are from rural India and 101 million are from urban India. This means that there are nearly as many rural readers as urban readers.

According to the study, press has been adding 34 million readers in the last two years and continues to grow by adding almost 21 million readers between 2002 and 2005.

Time spent watching television in urban India has seen no growth during the period 2002-05. However, time spent in reading has seen a growth (from 30 minutes daily to 39 minutes daily) in the last three years. The increase has been sharp both in urban India (from 32 to 42 minutes daily) and in rural India (from 27 to 35 minutes daily). An urban adult spends 17 hours a week on television and print combined - 4.9 hours on press and 11.8 hours on television. Time spent reading has increased from 24 per cent three years ago to 30 per cent this year.

The reach of dailies has fallen in urban India from 48 per cent to 46 per cent. At the same time, rural India has filled the need gap and the reach has risen from 17 per cent to 19 per cent. This growth has been spurred by the dailies, whose reach has risen from 23 per cent to 24 per cent. Magazines on the other hand, have declined in reach from 13 per cent to 10 per cent over the last three years.

Newspapers have made a significant contribution to the reader base. The reader base for dailies has increased from 155 million in 2002 to 176 million this year - an increase of nearly 14 per cent over the three years.

For the list of Top 10 dailies and their readership click here

For the list of Top 10 magazines and their readership click here