Sakal Media Group
 | This article contains promotional content. (December 2015) |
 | |
| Type | Private |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Pune, India |
Region | Maharashtra |
Key people | Abhijit Pawar (Managing Director) Pratap Pawar (Chairman) |
The Sakal Media Group is the largest independently owned media business in Maharashtra. The newspapers and magazines owned by the group in Marathi and English have a combined readership of over 6 million.
Introduction and history
Founded by journalist Dr. N. B. Parulekar and established in 1932, the Sakal Media Group is the largest independently owned media business in Maharashtra.[1] Headquartered in Pune, the educational and cultural capital of the state, the Sakal Media Group owns and operates newspapers and magazines in Marathi as well as English with a circulation across Maharashtra and Goa. The group also has interests in digital media, event management services, commercial printing and also runs a regional television channel. Sakal, the flagship brand of the Sakal Media Group, was published first as a 4-page daily in Pune. On May 7, 2008 the media group started publishing the English version with the title Sakal Times.[2]
Abhijit Pawar is the Managing Director of Sakal Media Group. He took up the role of Group Managing Director of the entire media group in 2004 and his father Pratap Govindrao Pawar took up the role of Mentor and Chairman.[3]
Management
Pratap Pawar, Chairman of Sakal Media Group is an engineer from Birla Institution of Engineering & Science, Pilani and an industrialist. He has been on the board of the Sakal group since 1985. He was given the Padma Shri award by the government of India in January 2014.
Abhijit Pawar, a Mechanical Engineer by qualification, has been Managing Director of the Sakal Media Group since 2004.[3]
Board of Directors
The Board of Directors consists of Pratap G. Pawar (Chairman) Chairman of Sakal Media Group, Mr. Pratap Pawar is an Engineer from the BITS, Pilani. He has been on the Board of Sakal since 1985.
Milestones
- 1932 - Launch of the daily, Sakal
- 1933 - Launch of Saptahik Sakal weekly
- 2000 - Launch of eSakal, Gomantak and Gomantak Times
- 2003 - Launch of Maharashtra Herald
- 2005 - Launch of Agrowon, India's first daily dedicated to agriculture
- 2005 - Launch of Agrowon website by then Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh
- 2006 - Launch of Sakal Pune Today
- 2006 - Launch of Tanishka Magazine and Madhurangan Vyaaspeeth
- 2008 - Launch of the English daily Sakal Times[2]
Achievements
According to the Audit Bureau of Circulation, in early 2015 the state-wide circulation number for Sakal (all editions) was about 13.32 lakh copies per day and the circulation of the flagship edition (Pune) was at 6.07 lac copies per day. The total print circulation for the Sakal Media Group (including Agrowon, Gomantak and Gomantak Times) was 14.51 lac copies per day.
Sakal media group inclusive of Daily Sakal, Agrowon & Gomantak has the highest circulation among Marathi language publication with 14.49 Lakh copies in total. Sakal has maintained its number one position in Pune with 6.07 lakh copies, with almost 2.5 times higher to its nearest competitors. Growth of Sakal over previous period was way above its most of the competitors in few editions like Mumbai (10%), Nashik (5.5%), Nagpur (4.9%), Jalgaon (4.2%) & Solapur (2.1%) Sakal Media Group has total readers of 43.07 Lakh with Sakal having 40.07 Lakh readers followed by Agrowon and Gomantak with 2.15 Lakh and 0.85 Lakh readers respectively. It has observed a 15% growth of readers in rural Maharashtra along with a 2.5% growth of readers in Urban Maharashtra. Growing at a rate of 15 per cent in the year 2013, Sakal has added 3 lakh new readers to its readership in 2014.[4]
Dailies
- Sakal, the flagship product of the Sakal Media Group, started as a 4-page daily in 1932.
- Sakal Times is Pune’s oldest English daily and was relaunched in 2004. It is a family-centric daily with balanced coverage.
- Gomantak Times – Gomanatak and Gomantak Times are dailies from the Sakal Media Group published for the state of Goa.
- Agrowon is the first agriculture daily worldwide. Launched with an objective of making farmers globally competitive, it equips farmers with factual information as well as the latest agricultural technology.[5]
Magazines
- Saptahik Sakal is the highest circulated Marathi weekly in the state of Maharashtra. It features topics including careers, finance, health, shopping, relationships and beauty.[5]
- Tanishka Magazine focuses on the "modern woman", addressing issues such as health, fitness, career guidance, beauty, fashion, cookery, and parenting.[5]
- Premier is the only Marathi glamour magazine of the Sakal Media Group started in October 2008. The publications covers Marathi – Hindi Film reviews, Industries Special stories, Interviews and other information about the film industry.[5]
Books and other publications
Sakal Media Group has published many compilations like Vaatchaal, Timeless Inspirator, Garbhsanskar, Chakra Sudarshan. Publications such as Mantra Arogyacha, Mantra Jivanacha, Ayurved Uwach, Shriram Vishwapanchaytan(Marathi), Family Doctor. (As an Editor) by Dr. Balaji Tambe. Shir Gitayog, Shodh Brahmavidyecha – Adhyay Dusra (Marathi), Shardabai Govindrao Pawar (Marathi), Avkashzep - Suresh naik (Marathi), USA Calling. Madhukar Mazire, Career Planning (Marathi), Investments in Mutual Fund. Arvind Paranjpe (Marathi), My Construction Practices (Economical Edition), Dhing Tang, Sanskruti, Aarogya Sarvansathi, Tukaram Darshan, Garja Maharashtra and Avkashzep. Suresh Naik (Marathi).[5]
Online media
Sakaaltimes.com is the latest addition from the Sakal Media Group. The site disseminates news and also encourages readers to interact with each other. Esakal.com is designed to provide news, information and views in the Marathi language. Agrowon.com is an internet portal for the agriculture daily, and provides agriculturists with information on the go. Saptahiksakal.com is the web version.[2]
Presence in television broadcasting sector
Launched in August 2008, Saam TV is the group’s first venture into broadcast media business.[6]
Presence in events
Sakal Media group organizes different kind of events and exhibitions targeted towards many sectors of social needs. Sakal Vastu is an exhibition on property and real estate, usually held in Pune. Sakaal Aarogya is a health and beauty festival and shares information on free medical advice for Ayurvedic treatment of various ailments, alternative therapies like healing through hypnotisms, help from organisations on treatment in concessional rates, advanced treatments on problems related to the brain, and diabetes.[7]
Sakal Media group also hosts various other events like Sakaal Shopping Festival, Sakaal Edugain, Sakaal Investmeet, Sakaal Agrowon, Sakaal Shagun, HR and Finance Meet, Taxpert, Educon, and Principals’ Meet.
Sakal arranges other entertainment events like Geet Ramayan, Herald Hangama, Sachinmay and Anandgane.
References
- ^ Pawar, Abhijit. "The Journey So Far | Sakal Media Group". www.sakalmediagroup.com. Retrieved 2015-05-27.
- ^ a b c Pawar, Abhijit. "Milestones | Sakal Media Group". www.sakalmediagroup.com. Retrieved 2015-05-27.
- ^ a b Pawar, Abhijit. "Management | Sakal Media Group". www.sakalmediagroup.com. Retrieved 2015-05-27.
- ^ Pawar, Abhijit. "Achievements | Sakal Media Group". www.sakalmediagroup.com. Retrieved 2015-07-24.
- ^ a b c d e Pawar, Abhijit. "News and Publishing | Sakal Media Group". www.sakalmediagroup.com. Retrieved 2015-05-27.
- ^ Pawar, Abhijit. "Television | Sakal Media Group". www.sakalmediagroup.com. Retrieved 2015-05-27.
- ^ Pawar, Abhijit. "Events | Sakal Media Group". www.sakalmediagroup.com. Retrieved 2015-05-27.
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