The Print Media giant Dainik Bhaskar Newspaper Group is in the forefront of innovation amidst the challenges faced by the industry as a whole. Right from adopting cutting-edge technology in newsprint, offering innovative advertising solutions to brands and strengthening its digital capabilities, the News media behemoth is a frontrunner in implementing changes during this essential hour. In a Q&A with MediaNews4U, the official spokespersons of the Group delved deep in to their aspirations and achievements.
Excerpts:
- Can you provide insights into the evolution of Dainik Bhaskar Corp’s print business over the years and how it has adapted to changing media landscapes?
Newspapers are growing in India. Happy days are back in Print.
The media landscape over the years has evolved from being print dominated to a multi-modal delivery mechanism. The Dainik Bhaskar Group has kept its ears firmly to the ground and understands our readers and their expectations. We have evolved from being a newspaper with just one edition in 1958 to India’s #1 Circulated Newspaper Group and the World’s Third Largest Circulated Newspaper with it being the Only Indian Newspaper as per WAN Infra in 2019. We have also expanded to become an omni-channel medium with leadership positions across Print, Radio and Digital to become India’s #1 Phygital Newspaper Group.
The Dainik Bhaskar Group has been a pioneer in many ways and that has not only kept us relevant but has helped us achieve leadership positions across all our markets. Our Brand Values of “GREAT” has been our driving force:
Ground Connect: Understanding the ground realities and obtaining necessary information from the end consumer.
Result Oriented: Monitoring targets continuously, every day, every week and every month and achieving them on time.
Emotional Connect: Listening & understanding others and respecting their feelings.
Analytical: Exploring all aspects and getting into the depth of the problem to find the best solution.
Trendsetter: Setting new benchmarks through innovation and ideation.
- With the rise of digital media, how has the radio segment evolved within Dainik Bhaskar Corp, and what unique strategies have been employed to capture the audience’s attention?
Our Radio business, with presence in 7 states through 30 channels, has been developed as an extension of the Dainik Bhaskar philosophy of having the listener at the center of all our efforts. Content is, and always has been, the king. If you look at the proliferation of the digital media, its success can be linked to the local and relevant content that they are providing. Now, if you look at our Radio Business, we have grown the business by staying relevant – and this is not a recent phenomenon. Our MY FM radio channel has become an exciting entertainment medium to our listeners, whether during their daily commute or at home. On a daily basis, our RJs engage with audiences on diversified topics, creating a sense of camaraderie and making our audience feel heard and valued. Our engagement through local events further strengthens this connect. These efforts have been recognised through several accolades and awards at national and international stages, bestowed on MyFM.
3) In the dynamic world of digital media, what challenges and opportunities has Dainik Bhaskar Corp encountered, and how have these shaped the company’s approach to online content?
The rapid evolution of digital platforms presented the challenge of staying abreast of emerging technologies and shifting consumer behaviors. Technological advancements in the digital space occur at a rapid pace, introducing new platforms, devices, and interactive features. Media companies need to invest in research and development, as well as in training their teams, to understand and effectively utilize these emerging technologies.
Moreover, shifting consumer behaviors add another layer of complexity. As audiences increasingly migrate to different online channels and platforms, media companies must adapt strategies to meet changing preferences. This might involve optimizing content for mobile devices, engaging with audiences on social media, or exploring innovative storytelling formats such as video and interactive content which leads to increased engagement time of the user.
For over 3 years now, Dainik Bhaskar has continued its focus on building the best-in-class, ad-free user experience on its digital app while maintaining high quality, insightful and engaging content for its users. The omni-channel presence has been important, and we see our digital presence as a strong supplementary pillar of growth. The focus has been four-fold. Primary focus continues to be on content, we deliver premium, original and local content through rich text, visual graphics and short videos. Second – we focus on local issues, for instance, we are engaging with our users on the recently held elections in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan . Thirdly, we have built a strong talent pool that helps us meet the challenges of a dynamic medium. And last and importantly – we continue to invest substantially in technology in order to provide best-in-class personalized news experiences that serve users from a massive pool of content while considering their demographic attributes, content preferences, location, economic segment, and real-time context.
4) Can you discuss the integration and synergy between Dainik Bhaskar Corp’s print, radio, and digital businesses? How do these segments complement each other in the media ecosystem?
We have always been in the business of delivering news.
Over the years, as our readers’ tastes, preferences and medium of consumption has changed, so have we. As a result, we have invested in an omni-channel delivery of content to our users and this has yielded significant benefits. The backbone of all of this is the Editorial excellence, which continues to be a hallmark of Dainik Bhaskar Group that adapts to the pulse of its readers. The integration of these businesses has been seamless. Our teams ensure that the best content is made available across our platforms.
Each business provides a unique proposition to our readers/listeners. Print provides a tangible and in-depth experience, catering to readers seeking in-depth information. Radio adds an auditory dimension, appealing to those who prefer dynamic storytelling. Digital platforms offer instant access, interactive elements, and data-driven insights into audience behavior. Together, these segments complement each other by enabling cross-platform advertising, seamless content distribution, and a consistent brand presence. This integration not only maximizes audience reach but also adapts to changing media consumption habits, providing diverse monetization opportunities and ensuring a cohesive and impactful media strategy.
5) What innovative initiatives has Dainik Bhaskar Corp taken in each business segment to stay ahead of the competition and meet the diverse needs of its audience?
Our ability to innovate clearly puts us ahead of the competition. If you look at each of the segments, we have pioneered several firsts. The Print media business has not only created world records, it also continues to lead the way in terms of innovations such as unique mastheads, special editions that run into 150+ pages, unique ad-features that help our advertisers connect with their target audience etc. In the Digital Business segment, Our App has garnered more than 13 million UAVs currently and has built up a massive lead over its nearest competitors in the news segment. This has been made possible by delivering premium, original and local content through rich text, visual graphics and short videos. This has propelled Dainik Bhaskar to extend its leadership as the dominant digital leader with the #1 Hindi and Gujarati News Apps, with the wide gap with competition who are either staying flat or declining its user base. The combined might of the print and digital media has propelled us to becoming the #1 Phygital Indian Language Newspaper in the country
6) How does the company navigate the changing consumer preferences in media consumption, particularly in balancing traditional print with emerging digital platforms?
Newspapers are growing in India. Happy days are back in Print. Print Media continues to hold its position as the most trusted source of news. This is attributable to our unwavering commitment to delivering the correct news through on-ground research conducted by our vast network of correspondents.
Despite the evolving landscape, print media continues to be effective for various reasons such as credibility, massive reach, big impact, and hyper-local nature. Large advertising categories like Real Estate, Education, Automobiles, Lifestyle, Retail, Banking and Financial Services and Government continue to use print as their main medium to deliver their ad messaging.
7) Looking ahead, what do you foresee as the key trends and challenges for Dainik Bhaskar Corp in the ever-evolving media landscape, especially considering the convergence of print, radio, and digital platforms?
Dainik Bhaskar has always remained ahead of the curve in its foresight about the ever changing landscape of the media sector. We have been pioneered and the first one to implement many path breaking initiatives in media sector, like annual booking of newspaper subscription in 1996, launching other than home state of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, crossing language and cultural barrier with launch of Gujarati language newspaper in 2003 in Gujarati and Marathi language newspaper in 2024 in Maharashtra. Exclusive content tied up with world best institutions like, Harvard Business review, Times group, The Economist magazine are few of the path breaking achievements ahead of the curve. Our fresh and young editorial team in digital content and providing seamless reading experience with best in class technology in our mobile app to the end users are bringing laurels and have a wider appreciation. Our editorial coverage of COVID 19, our investigative stories has captured global media attention like NYT, CNN, BBC , The Guardian etc.
Our Group philosophy of GREAT, as explained above, keeps us ahead of evolving time and to meet those challenges either in Print, Radio & Digital.
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