MAM
IRS Q3 2012: 3 of top 10 Hindi as well as English newspapers lose readership
MUMBAI: Three of the top ten Hindi daily newspapers and an equal number out of the top ten English dailies saw a fall in readership in the third quarter of 2012. The Hindi newspapers which lost readership in the third quarter are Amar Ujala, Patrika and Nai Duniya), while the English dailies are The Telegraph, The Economic Times, and The New Indian Express.
These are the findings of the Indian Readership Survey (IRS) Q3 2012, released by the Media Research Users Council (MRUC) and Hansa Research.
Dainik Jagran continues to be the leader with all India readership (AIR) of 16.47 million in Q3 compared with 16.42 million in the preceding quarter. Dainik Bhaskar is in the second position with AIR of 14.5 million in the third quarter of calendar year 2012, up from 14.45 million in the preceding quarter.
The newspaper with the third largest all India readership is Hindustan. Its AIR increased to 12.24 million in Q3 from 12.20 million in the preceding quarter.
The pecking order of the publications has remained unchanged in the third quarter of 2012.
Malayala Manorama was the fourth most read publication with AIR of 9.75 million in Q3, up from 9.71 million in the preceding quarter.
Meanwhile, the AIR of Amar Ujala fell to 8.53 million in Q3 from 8.6 million in Q2 2012. The publication, however, remains the fifth most read.
Amongst Hindi language publication, Dainik Jagran, Dainik Bhaskar, Hindustan and Amar Ujala take the top four positions, respectively. They are followed by Rajasthan Patrika, AIR of which grew from 6.75 million in Q2 2012 to 6.8 million in Q3 2012.
In case of the English dailies, the Times of India maintained its position at the top of the list with AIR of 7.65 million in Q3 as compared to 7.64 in Q2 2012. It is followed by Hindustan Times (AIR: 3.768 million) and the Hindu (AIR 2.258 million). The pecking order here too remains the same as last quarter‘s.
The regional dailies saw some changes in the ranking order. Though Malayala Manorama continues to lead, Daily Thanthi with AIR of 7.41 million replaces Lokmat that witnessed AIR of 7.40 in the third quarter of 2012. Next in the ranking order is Mathrubhumi with AIR of 6.41 million. Seven out of the top ten Indian language dailies (Daily Thanthi, Lokmat, Mathrubhumi, Ananda Bazar Patrika, Gujarat Samachar, Dinakaran and Daily Sakal) lost readership.
Brands
Wipro hires 7,500 freshers, withholds FY27 hiring outlook
Profit rises to Rs 3,522 crore, Rs 15,000 crore buyback announced.
MUMBAI- Hiring may be on, but visibility is off, Wipro is adding talent even as it pauses the crystal ball. The company hired 7,500 freshers in FY26 but stopped short of offering any hiring outlook for FY27, underscoring the uncertainty gripping the IT services sector as it pivots towards an AI-led operating model.
The disclosure came alongside its fourth-quarter earnings, where management flagged volatile demand conditions and refrained from committing to future workforce expansion. Chief human resources officer Saurabh Govil noted that over 3,000 of the total hires were onboarded in the March quarter alone, signalling continued intake despite a lack of clarity on deployment pipelines.
This divergence active hiring without forward guidance reflects a broader industry pattern where talent acquisition continues even as deal conversions remain uneven and client spending cycles stretch. Wipro expects its IT services revenue for the June quarter to range between a decline of 2 per cent and flat growth sequentially in constant currency terms, reinforcing near-term caution.
Chief executive officer Srini Pallia pointed to artificial intelligence as both a disruptor and an opportunity. He said evolving client priorities are pushing the company towards outcome-driven engagements, with Wipro increasingly focusing on a services-as-software model through its AI Native Business and Platforms unit. The shift marks a structural change from traditional headcount-led growth to AI-enabled delivery frameworks.
The company has already committed over $1 billion to its AI ecosystem, with investors closely watching how these investments translate into revenue. For now, the numbers present a mixed picture. Net profit rose sequentially to Rs 3,522 crore, while revenue grew 3 per cent to Rs 24,236 crore. However, core IT services performance remained under pressure, with full-year revenue declining 0.3 per cent in dollar terms and 1.6 per cent in constant currency.
Large deal bookings offered a counterpoint, rising 45.4 per cent year-on-year to $7.8 billion, highlighting a widening gap between deal wins and actual revenue realisation. On a quarterly basis, IT services revenue slipped 1.2 per cent sequentially, signalling continued softness in execution.
Margins, however, told a more optimistic story. Operating margins expanded to 17.3 per cent in the fourth quarter, up from 14.8 per cent in the previous quarter, reflecting improved cost discipline. That said, the company cautioned that upcoming wage hikes and the ramp-up of large deals could exert pressure going forward.
Attrition stood at 13.8 per cent in the March quarter, indicating stabilisation after periods of elevated churn. Alongside its earnings, Wipro also announced a Rs 15,000 crore share buyback, reinforcing its focus on shareholder returns, with a payout ratio of 88 per cent over the past three years.
Taken together, the numbers capture a company in transition investing in AI, maintaining hiring momentum, but navigating a demand environment where growth is uneven and visibility remains limited.
