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The Indian Readership Survey (IRS), stalled since 2020, may finally see a revival as the Media Research Users Council (MRUC) India considers bringing advertisers on board to help fund the initiative.
“With media houses reluctant to bear the cost of the annual readership survey, advertisers could be asked to step in and share the financial burden,” a senior MRUC board member told e4m.
In February this year, MRUC directed its technical committee to review the IRS questionnaire and shortlist an agency to conduct the survey. Everything has been planned over the past two months.
“We are ready to launch the survey as soon as media owners contribute the funds. However, many media owners have expressed their inability to pay, citing a tough advertising market over the past two years that has impacted their revenues. We may consider reaching out to advertisers to fund the survey, after all, the survey will benefit them,” said another board member.
The upcoming survey—the first post COVID—could significantly impact the media landscape, as many traditional players have witnessed a decline in readership due to the shift toward digital news consumption. Meanwhile, social media platforms continue to see robust revenue growth, reshaping the industry's dynamics.
A media owner commented, “The absence of the IRS for the last five years has forced marketers to make blind choices. They want the IRS back, but COVID-19 has changed the print consumption landscape, making publishers apprehensive about the survey’s outcome. This deadlock must end if we want to move the print industry forward.”
Funding Roadblocks
Previously, media owners had agreed to retain the 2019 cost-sharing model, where contributions were based on print circulation. However, the estimated cost for the upcoming survey is expected to exceed the ?20 crore spent in 2019, making it a key roadblock to its launch—especially amid ongoing economic pressures.
As MRUC explores financial solutions, advertisers may play a crucial role in enabling the survey’s rollout. The outcome of these discussions will be pivotal in determining the future of the IRS.
Beyond IRS, which is recognized as the world’s largest readership study and the official currency for print media, MRUC is also known for launching the Indian Outdoor Survey (IOS) and the Indian Listenership Track (ILT).
e4m had earlier reported that the media owners had agreed to apply the same cost-sharing formula for the upcoming IRS as was used in the 2019 survey. The cost share in 2019 was decided on the basis of the print circulation.
The MRUC did not set a deadline for media owners to submit their contributions.
“Even if funds are collected, the MRUCI will require at least six months to finalize the survey agency. This means that the IRS is unlikely to happen until the end of the year,” a council member quipped.
The last IRS was conducted in 2019. The survey was suspended in 2020 and could not resume, initially due to the pandemic and later because of cost concerns and waning stakeholder interest. Many newspapers, particularly English dailies, continue to struggle to reach pre-pandemic levels in both circulation and revenue.
The IRS, conducted jointly by MRUC India and the Readership Studies Council of India (RSCI), was once regarded as the world’s largest continuous study, with an annual sample size exceeding 2.56 lakh respondents.
Crucial for advertisers
Readership data is crucial for advertisers, as it guides their decisions on which print publications to target. The IRS provides insights into India’s print and media consumption, demographics, product ownership, and usage, covering over 100 product categories within surveyed households
In a landscape increasingly dominated by digital platforms, print media houses are facing mounting pressures to adapt. Several newspapers have reduced their circulation by 15-20 percent and closed loss-making editions in a bid to enhance profitability, industry insiders say.
Although there has been a recent uptick in the print ad revenue, it is largely attributed to falling ad rates rather than an increase in overall marketing spend of brands.
Print media, despite its enduring relevance, currently captures only 20% of India's advertising spend, a stark contrast to the 44% commanded by digital platforms and 32% by television.
Industry veterans suggest that credible and updated readership data could encourage advertisers to allocate more of their budgets to print ads.
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