KIT: The magazine market in India

Strategic tools for the practising manager

The magazine market in India is expected to grow at a sound 12 per cent this year. With a number of international magazines expanding operations in India, the market is expected to grow fast, in spite of the growth of online and social media.

Business magazines are by far the most common and popular in India, followed by entertainment (Bollywood), current affairs, fashion and travel magazines. Some of the major players are The Times of India Group, Dainik Jagran, Lok Satta, The Hindustan Times and The Hindu.

The main reasons for the sound growth are that a large part of the population is still not internet- and computer-savvy, the increasing literacy rate and the interest of foreign players in the sector. With the government opening up the sector to foreign investment, whereby international magazines can publish Indian editions in partnership with an Indian company and in compliance with the foreign investment norms, the industry is expected to grow further.

Some of the hurdles which this industry might face can be the growth of the electronic-magazine culture and increasing internet usage. This may indirectly also affect the print advertisement industry which largely thrives on magazines and newspapers for visibility.