The Times of India: Start the Presses

Abstract

Perhaps among the most popular newspapers in the world, the Times of India (TOI) was faced with developing a national strategy in a very diverse country. The paper's strategy included lowering the price of print newspapers, developing readership among India's youth, embracing active story coverage, and continuing to deliver door-to-door in metro areas. But by 2014, the cost structure required to keep newspapers on doorsteps every morning had Rahul Kansal, executive president at Bennet, Coleman & Co. Ltd. (TOI's publisher), reexamining the paper's direction. The firm's growth model had included nonmetro and digital expansion. Should TOI continue to tap into the increasingly literate and underserved Indian population to grow its print readership in metro and nonmetro areas? What effect would that decision have on TOI's digital penetration? Excerpt UVA-M-0877 Rev. Apr. 14, 2017 The Times of India: Start the Presses As newspapers around the world were trying to replace lost print revenue with new digital revenue, Rahul Kansal, executive president at Bennett, Coleman and Co. Ltd.—the publisher of the New Delhi–based Times of India (TOI)—believed print news was key to a new industry model. TOI made the decision to lower its cover price to blunt the appeal of free mobile and digital news. The paper also changed the way it covered stories—moving from passive to active voice—and gave a nod to digital content by building web and mobile-application platforms. The changes made between 2002 and 2003 paid off for the paper as its readership increased and the company prospered. Six years later, there were signs of slowing growth rates, and Kansal and his team reexamined their direction. The firm's growth model had included nonmetro and digital expansion. Given that TOI had developed a large population of consumers in the habit of reading the newspaper each day, was it time to encourage certain segments of that population to access digital content? And if TOI did so, how might the decision affect print subscriptions? How should TOI prioritize and manage its print circulation in metro and nonmetro areas? And how might that decision affect TOI's digital penetration? There was much to discuss. Newspaper History: Freedom of Expression . . .