A Study of Reader Preferences among Hindi News Paper, Punjab Kesari and Danik

Tribune at Tricity (Chandigarh, Mohali and Punchkula)

Parul Kakaria

Ph.D. Research Scholar,

Dravidian University(AP)

1.1. Introduction

1.1.1. What is Newspaper ?

A newspaper is a publication that is issued daily or weekly and includes local and international news
stories, advertisements, announcements, opinions, cartoons, sports news and television listings. It is an
important method of letting the public know everything that is happening in their local area and around the
world.

A news agency is an organization of journalists established to supply news reports to news organizations:
newspapers, magazines, and radio and television broadcasters. Such an agency may also be referred to as a
wire service, newswire, or news service.

1.2. Departmentalisation in Newspaper Organisation:

Newspaper organization has several departments which have their own tasks to be performed with certain
staffs taking charges of several jobs.

1.2.1 Organizational Setup of Newspapers Organisation:

 Editorial Department.
 Advertising Department

 Circulation Department.

 Printing Department

 Administrative Department.

 Accounting Department.

 Stores Department .

1.2.1.1 Editorial Department:

This department is headed by the Editor who is responsible for :-- Collection of news.- Selection of news
and features .- Editing of news and features and Interpretation of news .The editor of the newspaper alone
cannot handle the editing work and is therefore assisted by Chief correspondent, Resident editors,
Managing Editors Dy. Editors, Asst. Editors, News Editor (Night and day), Sub-Editors and other
functionaries like photographers, cartoonists, feature writers and reviewers. Various types of correspondents
are engaged in collection and supply of news to the newspapers Editorial department.-

1.2.1.2 Advertising Department:

Advertising is the major source of revenue from a newspaper. As such, the work of collection and
publication of advertisements becomes crucial in a newspaper organization. The Advertising department
looks after this work. There can be several sections in this department one to look after local advertising,
one for classified ads, one for general / national advertising, one for legal advertising and yet another one
for preparing copy and so on.

1.2.1.3 Circulation Department:

As circulation is the life blood of a newspaper, The main responsibilities of the circulation department are :-
-Selling the newspaper, Delivering it and Collection from subscribers.

1.2.1.4 Printing Department:

Print media is the medium that disseminates a printed matter, Initiated since the late 1700s, 214 daily
newspapers were published in dailies.

Printing Department It looks after all the work of printing including installation of machines, plant
layout, composing, processing, loa ding, scheduling, maintenance of machines etc.

1.2.1.5 Administrative Department :

This department looks after the general administrative work pertaining to personnel their selection, training,
promotion, allotment of work, maintaining leave record, liaison with government departments, general
facilities and all such work that facilitates working of other departments. In the absence of a separate legal
department the administrative department also handles the work pertaining to legal matters.

1.2.1.6 Accounting Department :

This department looks after all the accounting work like maintaining books of accounts, preparing
balance sheet and other financial statements, payment, re ceipt, preparation of budget, financial planning,
cost control etc.

1.2.1.7 Stores Department:

It is charged with the responsibility of proper storage of raw material (newsprint) and other materials used
in the newspaper office

In the Punjab state Local media is very strong and flourishing in the state, Mohali is fall in the tricity and
there are a number of newspapers, magazines and local TV stations. Punjab Kesari and Danik Tribune are
most widely read news paper of the city and region.

3. Brief about Newspapers Under Study:

3.1 Punjab Kesari:

Punjab Kesari is a Hindi-language newspaper published from many centres in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan
and Delhi in India. It is owned by the Punjab Kesari group(The Hindsamachar Ltd.). It is one of the three
newspapers started by the group; the other two are Hind Samachar in Urdu and Jagbani in Punjabi
languages.

The newspaper was established by Lala Jagat Narain and later on his elder son Romesh Chander took over
the reins. However, during the days of terrorism in Punjab, both were assassinated, in 1981 and 1984
respectively.

During those days of terrorism, Punjab Kesari worked as the newspaper of masses with its news and
editorials. From then onward in a bid to provide direct and regular help to the families of terrorism-affected
people, the management also established Shaheed Parivar Fund for the cause

1974 : During The Emergency (India), undeclared censorship on press, when the power supply was
discontinued, the newspaper was been printed by the alternative arrangements with tractors on diesel

1984-92 : During the terrorism in Punjab, due to the continues threats and attack on media staff, the
production, printing and distribution, every process was under strict police protection

3.1.1 Publication Centres

The newspaper has a daily circulation of approximate 33,47,000 copies which are printed from Jalandhar
(since 1965), Delhi (1983), Ambala (1991), Palampur (2004), Ludhiana (2004), Jaipur (2006), Panipat
(2006), Hisar (2006), Jammu (2007), Mohali (2008), Chandigarh (2009) and Shimla (2009).

3.2 Dainik Tribune:

Dainik Tribune (Hindi: ) is an Indian Hindi-language daily newspaper published from Chandigarh, New
Delhi, Jalandhar, Dehradun and Bathinda. It was established in 1978 by The Tribune Trust, which
published the The Tribune English daily, estb. 1881, simultaneously, the Punjabi Tribune in Punjabi-
language was also launched. Santosh Tewari is the editor of the Dainik Tribune. Raj Chengappa is the
Editor-in-Chief of The Tribune Group of Newspapers. The Internet editions of the Dainik Tribune were
launched on 16 August 2010.

4. Objectives of the Study:

a) To find out the reader preference on the basis of certain factor.
b) To carry out the competitive analysis of two newspaper
c) To determine which newspaper is good in coverage.
d) To identify the attributes which attract the readers?
e) To know which newspaper supplement is most liked by readers.

5. Research Methodology:

The present study will be an exploratory study which aims to find out the reader preference for the two
most preferred Hindi Newspapers in the Tricity( Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula). The sample size of
the study is consisted 100 readers (50 male and 50 female) of newspaper readers in the Tricity. A structured
questionnaire was designed to collected the information from the respondents and primary and secondary
source of information were also consulted during the course of study.

Identification of target readers to be taken for study

2. Approaching to the selected readers.
3. Meeting them and explaining them purpose of the study
4. Handling them over the questionnaire tool with instruction to fill it up and supply the required
information without hesitation
5. Collecting the filled questionnaire personally with giving thanks and assurance of confidential.

5.1 Data Analysis

The researcher first of all checked the filled up questionnaire their responses to all the statements which are
completed. After that all the response were score and tabulated heading wise and percentage was computed
for each unit under study separately.

5.2 Analysis & Findings:

5.2.1 What is the basic or main feature you like to see while selecting any newspaper?

It is revealed from the data that 25% readers would like the content covered from various areas. 11% like
full description i.e. big Stories. 7% like paper quality of newspaper and 57% like latest news updates

5.2.2 Which kind of newspaper you like?

It is found that 72% reader's like's economics based business newspaper. 17% like general issue
newspaper. and 11% like terrorism news focused newspaper before buying any newspaper.

5.2.3 Matrimonial column of which among these two you prefer and why?

It is observed that 34% like Punjab Kesari because most of the people approaches it 19% like Danik
Tribune because most of the people approaches it 33% like Punjab Kesari because shows a latest and huge
collection 14% like Danik Tribune because shows a latest and huge collection

5.2.4 Which Newspaper Helps in Solving Unemployment Problem and How?

It is shown from the data that 43% readers believes that Punjab Kesari shows a highest diversified job ,
16% believes that Danik Tribune shows a highest diversified job , 29% believes that Punjab Kesari is the
best media for company to approach largest number of people , and 12% believes Danik Tribune is the best
media for company to approach largest number of people in solving unemployment problem.
5.2.5 How Readers Select the Best Newspaper to Purchase among Danik Tribune and Punjab
Kesari?

From the selection of newspaper was also observed from the data collected and found that 39% readers
purchase Punjab Kesari or Danik Tribune because of the Content of the newspaper, 26% purchase on the
basis of Number of years since from introduction, 20% purchase on the basis of Number of readers , and
15% purchase on the basis of price of the newspaper.

5.2.6 What are the criteria of children to compare both the newspaper and select the best one?

It is found that 39% readers like Punjab Kesari. 30% readers like Danik Tribune, 21% readers like Punjab
Kesari because it contain more stories, poem, puzzles for them and 10% readers like Danik Tribune
because it contains more stories, poem, puzzles for them.

5.2.7. Which students like the most and why?

From the students it is found that 25% like Danik Tribune because it contain competitive news, 28% like
Punjab Kesari because it enhance their general knowledge, and 17% like Danik Tribune because it enhance
their general knowledge

5.2.8 Which newspaper house wives like the most and why?

It is revealed from the data that 39% house wife like Punjab Kesari because it contain lots of recipes for
them, 20% like Danik Tribune because it contain lots of recipes for them, 25% like Punjab Kesari because
it contains other household information and 16% like Danik Tribune because it contains other household
information.

5.2.8 As a marketing executive, which newspaper you prefer to promote as your product in the
market and why?
According to marketing executive the analysis found that 30% believes that Punjab Kesari because it is
trustworthy for the customer, 17% believes that Danik Tribune because it is trustworthy for the customer,
40% believes that Punjab Kesari because it gets an attention of largest number of customer and 13%
believes that Danik Tribune because it gets an attention of largest number of customer

Which newspaper among readers gains highest publicity in rural and urban area?
It is found that 30% readers believes that Punjab Kesari because its language is so simple, 21% believes
that Danik Tribune because its language is so simple , 38% believes that Punjab Kesari because it cover up
every segment of the market and 11% believes that Danik Tribune because it cover up every segment of
the market.

6. Conclusion:
Punjab Kesari is more preferable than Danik Tribune. Different readers have different preference related to
their interest. From the above survey we conclude that Punjab Kesari cover every sector and each area of
interest of the reader. This is the basic reason behind it why "Punjab Kesari is more preferable than Danik
Tribune". The following reasons are-

Punjab Kesari prints a highest diversified job.

Punjab Kesari is the best media for corporate to approach largest number of people as Punjab Kesari has
greater number of readers than Danik Tribune.

Punjab Kesari has more circulation in young generation because it enhance their general knowledge

Punjab Kesari shows a latest update of competitive news.

Punjab Kesari organizes a different type of job fair, property fair in large scale by which the public get
benefits and awareness.

References :

1.Harnik Deol (2003). Religion and Nationalism in India: The Case of the Punjab. Routledge. p. 157.
ISBN 020340226X.

2. Kothari C.R., Research Methodology, Methods & Techniques, Second Edition, 2004,
3. Kotler Philip., Marketing Management; A south Asian Perspective; Twelfth edition, 2007 1.

4.Malhotra N.K., Marketing Research, An Applied Orientation; Fourth edition; 2004,

WEBSITES:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Punjab_Kesari

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dainik_Tribune
http://dainiktribuneonline.com/
http://epaper.punjabkesari.in/