Prajavani
| Type | Daily newspaper |
|---|---|
| Format | Broadsheet |
| Founder(s) | K N Guruswamy |
| Publisher | K N Shanth Kumar |
| Headquarters | No. 75, Mahatma Gandhi Road, Bangalore, Karnataka, India |
| Circulation |
558,453 (as of August 2014)[1] official website = http://www.prajavani.net/ |
Prajavani (Kannada for Voice of the People) is the oldest Kannada-language broadsheet daily newspaper published in the Indian state of Karnataka. It has a readership of over 2.5 million, by virtue of being one of the largest circulated newspapers in the state.
History and ownership
Prajavani was founded in 1948 in Bangalore by K. N. Guruswamy, a local businessman in Bangalore. The Printers (Mysore) Private Limited, the company which owns the newspaper, continues to be privately held by members of the founding family.
Stance
Prajavani (PV) has a history of being a politically independent newspaper, although it tends to opine with a liberal tilt. It is known for espousing the causes of Dalits, encouraging women's empowerment and taking pro-poor positions on economic issues. It has managed to maintain an independent position, despite an increasingly polarized media landscape in Karnataka. Prajavani uses the tagline "the most trusted Kannada daily newspaper", which appears below its masthead.
Journalism
Prajavani has produced some of the best journalists writing in Kannada, by virtue of its position as the leading newspaper for many years. It continues to hire some of the finest reporters and editors in Karnataka. The paper carries a wide range of news, opinions, analysis, cartoons and feature articles from a diverse set of staffers, columnists and contributors.
Position in the market
Prajavani was the leading Kannada newspaper for decades, until it was overtaken in circulation by Vijaya Karnataka (VK) in 2004. The gulf between PV and the upstart VK became huge for a while, but the two newspapers appear to be competing much more closely as of 2014, with PV having significantly recovered ground according to industry numbers.[2] Some analysts have also attributed this to the launch of Vijaya Vani, by the original owner of Vijaya Karnataka, Vijay Sankeshwar and his VRL Group, which has apparently eaten into the readership of Vijaya Karnataka. Other regional competitors include Udaya Vani, [Varthabharathi]], Kannada Prabha and Samyukta Karnataka.
Sister publications
- Deccan Herald, English Newspaper
- Sudha, Kannada weekly
- Mayura, Kannada Monthly
Insult to Indian national flag
On 28/08/2014 a FIR has been registered against Prakash Shetty and the editor of the newspaper for insulting the Indian national flag under the provision of The prevention of Insult to National Honour act of 1971 at Cubbon Park P.S, Bangalore.
References
- ↑ "Report July-December 2013" (PDF). http://www.auditbureau.org/. Audit Bureau of Circulation. Retrieved 20 August 2014.
- ↑ "Report July-December 2013" (PDF). http://www.auditbureau.org/. Audit Bureau of Circulation. Retrieved 20 August 2014.