The results are in… and Dainik Bhaskar says its newest regional title scored top place from the first day of publication day.

Senior manager at the Mumbai-based group Neha Mavani says the launch of the Patna edition – in Bihar, the fourteenth state in its network – was a foregone conclusion.

“What surprised observers is the response the daily managed to get from the capital city, which launched in January with 170,000 copies and was number one from day one,” she says.

In an INMA blog, she says “the same rigour and research” that made previous launches in other key markets including Chandigarh and Jaipur, was brought to the launch. Research indicated existing dailies accounted for a penetration level of only 44 per cent, an “attractively low” level indicating an opportunity for a new entrant. A survey team of 650 helped the city’s market by households, commercial establishments, and an area-wide socio-economic classification breakdown. 

“While the first phase of the survey focused on understanding future readers and their needs, the second phase of the outreach focused on connecting with their expectations and pre-booking them,” she says.

The company focused on local media and outreach programmes, including distributions in prominent locations, cinema advertising, rallies, FM radio, cable advertising, and of course, inserts in newspapers.

“The exercise touched 337,578 households and revealed findings that were as surprising as they were interesting,” she says. All but about ten per cent of those researched wanted more political analysis and “less bias” that they were getting. Criticism of the look and feel of existing products added to the belief that there was an opportunity for the Dainik Bhaskar brands. Specifically, DB promised the new newspaper would not be dependent on government advertising, and offered it at a subscription rate equivalent to $.04.

“So far, the group looks set to repeat its own successful record of stunning launches,” says Neha Mavani (left). Crossing the “magic” 170,000 subscriptions earlier this year made it the city’s largest daily from its launch. And with the competition prompting cuts in cover prices elsewhere, all readers have benefitted, she says, “establishing the stage for a major expansion of readership and reach in the city”.