Top dailies show growth; TOI, Jagran are leaders: IRS 2009 R2

India's publications have belied the prognosis that their demise is imminent â€ the haemorrhaging of their readership seems to have slowed down, according to the IRS 2009 (round 2) numbers. They reveal that three of the top 10 English dailies, and two of Hindi's top 10, have registered a measure of increase in readership.

The Times of India, with a readership of 135.3 lakh (it was 133.4 lakh in 2008 R2) continues its dominance over its English-language rivals. Among Hindi dailies, Dainik Jagran holds the Number 1 spot, wielding a readership of 547.9 lakh (a decrease from the 2008 R2 figure of 557.4 lakh). The Number 2 spot in the list of Hindi dailies is occupied by Dainik Bhaskar, with a readership of 329.6 lakh (338.3 lakh in 2008 R2); and Amar Ujala is Number 3 with a readership of 290.7 lakh (293.8 in 2008 R2).

As for English dailies, Hindustan Times holds the Number 2 spot with a readership of 61.4 lakh (the figure in 2008 R2 was 63.5 lakh). The Hindu is at the third spot with a readership of 52.3 lakh (52.8 lakh in 2008 R2). The English papers showing growth in readership are Deccan Chronicle (29.1 lakh now, as against 28.2 lakh in 2008 R2); and DNA, whose readership has risen from 13.4 lakh in 2008 R2 to 15.3 lakh.

The Hindi dailies that have shown growth in readership are Hindustan (279.4 lakh; up from 266.3 lakh 2008 R2) and Navbharat Times, with a readership of 53.7 lakh (51.8 lakh in 2008 R2).