The afternoon daily, Mid-Day will discontinue its morning edition in Mumbai from February 2.
This decision was taken in order to strengthen the tabloid’s afternoon edition and focus on its target audience i.e. mainly young urban mobile professionals of India (YUMPIs).
Mid-Day is also published from Delhi, Bangalore and Pune, but Mumbai is the only city where it has two daily editions. Mid-Day first released its morning edition in Mumbai three years ago, considering it to be convenient and logistically more feasible for Mid-Day Multimedia Ltd, the parent company.
The tabloid will now focus all its resources on the afternoon edition of Mid-Day in Mumbai, which will be supported by a new free SMS news service between 9 am and 7 pm and constant updates of the web product.
Mid-Day’s morning edition has a circulation of around 50,000 copies in Mumbai and its afternoon edition has a circulation of around one and half lakh copies in Mumbai. The morning edition copies as well as its advertisers will now be shifted to the afternoon edition.
Manajit Ghoshal, chief executive officer, Mid-Day Infomedia, the group’s print and web subsidiary, says, “Being an afternooner gives us a unique advantage. At this time of the day, the YUMPI is looking to take time out, and be entertained. He is much more receptive to brand messages. Also the time of the day adds greatly to the proximity effect, i.e. closer to the buyer’s purchase-making decision, which ultimately benefits the advertiser.”
Ghoshal adds, “Mid-Day’s content is aimed to encourage people to take a break. It is an ideal afternoon experience. In Mumbai, we estimate that our readership figures will increase further as a result of this move with our focus on the paper’s high pass-around value.”