Reviving ‘Media Post’ to Boost India Post Revenue
A retired senior officer of the Department of Posts has submitted a representation to the Hon'ble Minister of Communications, proposing the revival and strengthening of the Media Post service as a low-cost revenue generation initiative aligned with India Post's ongoing transformation and business expansion.
The representation has been submitted by Shri Vilas Ingale, Retired Assistant Director Postal Services (A&V), Foreign Post Office, Mumbai, and former General Secretary of the All India Association of Inspectors and Assistant Superintendents of Posts.
Proposal to Revitalize Media Post
In his representation, Shri Ingale has suggested that the Department of Posts should revive and expand the Media Post service by utilizing the vast advertising potential available within post office premises across the country.
According to the proposal, India Post's extensive network of over 1.6 lakh post offices and the large number of customers visiting post offices every day for postal, savings bank, insurance, and government services provide a unique opportunity for commercial advertising and brand promotion.
Key Suggestions
The representation recommends several measures to strengthen Media Post operations, including:
Displaying advertisements on the exterior and interior walls of post office buildings.
Utilizing customer waiting halls and digital display screens in Head Post Offices and Major Delivery Offices for advertisements.
Integrating Media Post revenue targets into regular business performance reviews.
Establishing a revenue-sharing model between the Directorate and Postal Circles.
Considering Media Post as a dedicated business vertical or strengthening it under the Citizen Centric Services vertical.
Empowering Divisional Heads to enter into local advertising agreements to improve business generation.
Expected Benefits
The proposal highlights several potential advantages of expanding the Media Post service:
Additional non-core revenue without significant capital investment.
Better utilization of existing postal infrastructure.
Increased participation from corporate advertisers, banks, insurance companies, MSMEs, and other organizations.
Improved maintenance and appearance of post office premises through additional revenue.
Support for the Department's broader business transformation initiatives and revenue diversification.
The representation also notes that advertising through postal infrastructure could complement existing postal services by making better use of high customer footfall at post offices.
Alignment with India Post's Business Transformation
The proposal has been presented in the context of the Department of Posts' ongoing organizational reforms, including the creation of specialized business verticals for Mail, Parcels, International Mail, Post Office Savings Bank, Postal Life Insurance, and Citizen Centric Services.
According to the representation, strengthening Media Post could serve as an additional business opportunity alongside these verticals by leveraging existing infrastructure and public reach.
Request to the Government
The retired officer has requested the Ministry of Communications to consider reviving the Media Post initiative by introducing a structured policy framework, setting revenue targets for Postal Circles, incorporating Media Post into business performance reviews, and encouraging greater participation from advertisers through simplified procedures.
The representation concludes by expressing confidence that expanding the Media Post service could contribute to improved utilization of postal assets, support revenue generation, and complement the Department of Posts' ongoing modernization and business development efforts.