HT Media launches digital news in Marathi, Kannada, Telugu & Tamil

Mobile-first publications for the younger demographic now in five Indian languages

241
Say hello to four new Hindustan Times platforms
Say hello to four new Hindustan Times platforms

The HT Media Group has launched four digital news platforms – HT Marathi, HT Kannada, HT Tamil, and HT Telugu. The launch marks the HT Media Group’s entry into the western and southern heartland of India where it has so far only had a presence with its English language financial daily Mint and FM radio station out of Bengaluru and Chennai. It recently started a similar platform in Bengali called HT Bangla. With its mobile-first digital news platforms, the target audience is the younger demographic in their own languages. 

The company says that its HT Marathi, HT Kannada, HT Telugu, and HT Tamil platforms will bring regional and local news, health, lifestyle, and entertainment stories along with national and international news. In short, everything – and all driven by what the company claims will be an extensive network of journalists and media professionals across the four new states in addition to West Bengal started earlier. Last November, we reported that HT Media comprehensively upgraded its digital workflow capabilities.

At a time when millions of Indians are looking to consume content in their native language, Hindustan Times aims to be the go-to, mobile-first publication for young Indians to get credible news and an authentic regional content experience without having to use translation capabilities, thus retaining the essence of regional news stories. For us, this journey started with the launch of HT Bangla, and within the last two months, we have launched four Indian language platforms, strengthening our regional presence even further in India,” said Puneet Jain, chief executive officer, Digital of HT Media.

“Going regional will add unique opportunities for advertisers and the new-age, hyperlocal brands to target specific region-based audience cohorts for local launches and activations, and to make a deeper brand connection by reaching out in the language their consumers speak. It would be exciting to see how localization will play a pivotal role in how brands communicate with linguistically diverse consumers,” added Jain.

“According to the Google Search 2020 India Report, there’s an 80% increase in local news searches on Google year-on-year. There’s a massive wave towards regional content across platforms, and as content creators, we understand the need of the audience to consume content in their mother tongue—both from the comfort and the sentiment perspectives—and this launch is a testimony to that,” said Prasad Sanyal, the chief content officer of HT Digital.

In 2024, we are looking at full recovery and growth-led investment in Indian printing

Indian Printer and Publisher founded in 1979 is the oldest B2B trade publication in the multi-platform and multi-channel IPPGroup. It created the category of privately owned B2B print magazines in the country. And by its diversification in packaging, (Packaging South Asia), food processing and packaging (IndiFoodBev) and health and medical supply chain and packaging (HealthTekPak), and its community activities in training, research, and conferences (Ipp Services, Training and Research) the organization continues to create platforms that demonstrate the need for quality information, data, technology insights and events.

India is a large and tough terrain and while its book publishing and commercial printing industry have recovered and are increasingly embracing digital print, the Indian newspaper industry continues to recover its credibility and circulation. The signage industry is also recovering and new technologies and audiences such as digital 3D additive printing, digital textiles, and industrial printing are coming onto our pages. Diversification is a fact of life for our readers and like them, we will also have to adapt with agility to keep up with their business and technical information needs.

India is one of the fastest growing economies in nominal and real terms – in a region poised for the highest change in year to year expenditure in printing equipment and consumables. Our 2024 media kit is ready, and it is the right time to take stock – to emphasize your visibility and relevance to your customers and turn potential markets into conversations.

– Naresh Khanna

Subscribe Now

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here