New Delhi:

In a press communiqué issued by Mrinalini Gupta, vice-president, marketing, The Hindustan Times (HT), the paper says the IRS release was due on 29 April 2003, but "glaring mistakes, pointed out by reporters attending the IRS press conference in Mumbai, led to a delay in releasing the figures for Delhi. The confusion and ambiguity raises doubts about the credibility of IRS and leaves a big question mark against the reliability of the figures officially released by them.

"NRS, a reliable readership survey, and Audit Bureau of Circulation (ABC), which releases audited circulation figures, have long confirmed HT as the leader in Delhi. NRS, promoted by Advertising Agencies Association of India (AAAI), Audit Bureau of Circulation (ABC) and Indian Newspaper Society (INS), measures the readership of publications.

"In its 2002 survey NRS has put HT as the unchallenged leader in Delhi with a readership of 12.57 lakh, while The Times of India (TOI) trails behind with 10.03 lakh readers. ABC, an internationally recognised body certifying circulation, declared HT as having the largest-paid circulation in Delhi. On the other hand, IRS, conducted by Media Research Users Council and NFO-MBL, with all the confusion and delay, has put TOI at the top. According to their survey, TOI tops the charts with 11.65 lakh readers and HT comes in a close second with 11.24 lakh.

"IRS has been releasing figures with wide oscillations. Last year, IRS, for Round 2, 2001, put HT readership for Delhi at 11.05 lakh and for Round 1, 2002, at 9.62 lakh. This huge drop of 1.43 lakh, in just six months, underscores the irregularities present in IRS' reports. Further, IRS' report released on 2 May 2003 place HT readership at 11.24 lakh - a jump of 1.62 lakh from 9.62 lakh in Round 1, 2002. First a loss of 1.43 lakh readers and then a gain of 1.62 lakh in just a year further reinforce doubts about the reliability of such a report."

	The Hindustan Times				The Times of India
IRS	01R1	01R2	02R1	02R2	01R1	01R2	02R1	02R2
	10.64	11.05	9.62	11.24	10.05	10.67	11.27	11.65

NRS	2000	2001	2002	2000	2001	2002
	10.84	12.12	12.57	8.16	9.49	10.03

(figures in lakh)

Says Gupta: "HT is a very respected paper and has always been the largest circulated and most widely read newspaper in Delhi. This has been substantiated over the years by NRS and ABC figures, as also by the opinions of our own readers. We respect all surveys provided they are conducted in a fair manner and the procedures employed are sound. It is extremely regrettable that IRS could come out with such figures. HT is confident of its position and its ability to take up any challenge and will continue to outdo its rivals."

Adds Grey Worldwide CEO Nirvik Singh: "The fluctuations (upward or downward) in readership figures from one IRS round to another are just too glaring to be ignored. One is tempted to raise the concern whether the changes reflect reader inconsistencies, or research agency inconsistencies. With a sample size as large as theirs, and a coverage that pans the length and breadth of the country, users need reassurances on the experience and consistency of the research agencies conducting them. With each round, IRS users should not have to deal with either a research agency change or a sample size reduction - to qualify for the status of a national currency, the readership study should offer continuity as a hygiene factor."

More delay and confusion is expected during IRS' next survey report release, the press release adds. "Hansa Marketing of RKSwamy / BBDO, which has replaced NFO-MBL, has not yet begun their survey, though it should have started a month or two ago before the onset of summer. Fieldwork is usually not conducted during the hot summer months and monsoons, as it becomes difficult to venture into the interiors of the country due to the intolerable heat. Therefore, the veracity of the next report would surely be questioned."

Hindustan Times Ltd is the foremost media conglomerate and is home to leading newspapers in the country: The Hindustan Times (the flagship English daily) and Hindustan (Hindi newspaper). The English publication has editions from Delhi, Lucknow, Patna, and Kolkata. Furthermore, it is printed out of 12 centres, which help it to dominate the whole of north, east and central regions of India. HT also has a significant online presence with www.hindustantimes.com

HT's New Delhi edition continues to be the single-largest English daily in the country with a circulation of over 8.57 lakh while continuing to reign as the undisputed leader in Delhi as the largest circulated daily at 4.99 lakh (source: ABC). HT plans to consolidate itself as a vibrant and modern media powerhouse through strategic partnerships, ever increasing scope of operations and a consumer-focused approach.