Sangbad Pratidin

About Sangbad Pratidin

Ei Samay is a Bengali-language daily newspaper published from Kolkata. Launched on 15 October 2012 by Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd., the Times Group, it was the media giant's ambitious bid to challenge Anandabazar Patrika's dominance of the Bengali press. In mid-2024 the publication was sold to Tidings Media and Communication Private Limited, beginning a new chapter under Bengali ownership. With a certified daily circulation of 338,422 copies, it remains one of West Bengal's major Bengali dailies and a significant digital news brand.

The paper's name means "this time" or "the present time," and its launch was aimed squarely at young, urban Bengal. Targeting readers aged 20 to 35 in the top socio-economic segments, it positioned itself as a modern, metro-styled alternative to the established Bengali dailies, with a strong emphasis on local news, business and sports.

Launch: The Bengali Print War

Ei Samay entered the market on 15 October 2012, just as the Durga Puja season began, with an aggressive introductory cover price of Re 1. The Times Group, better known as BCCL, had identified West Bengal as a market where the ABP Group's Anandabazar Patrika enjoyed more than twice the share of its nearest competitor, and saw an opening for a professionally managed challenger.

The launch ignited what the trade press called the Bengali print war. ABP had already put its flanking strategy into action with Ebela, a tabloid that hit the market on 17 September 2012, a month before Ei Samay. Both media companies mounted major promotional campaigns: Ei Samay's launch campaign ran across television, outdoor, print and digital, with themes titled "Aamar Samay" (my time) and "Ei Toh Samay" (this is the time), alongside on-ground activations, events and sponsorships targeting urban Bengali readers.

Targeting Young Bengal

Company officials stated that the paper was targeted at SEC A and A-plus, 20-to-35-year-old Bengalis, an audience the established dailies were thought to underserve. The launch campaign showcased success stories such as boxer Mary Kom, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and actor Shah Rukh Khan, signalling the paper's aspiration to speak to ambitious, contemporary readers.

The content strategy focused on local Kolkata news, business and sports, with regular supplements including "Onnya Samay" aimed at readers across age groups. The paper managed to eat into some of Bartaman's circulation in Kolkata, though it struggled to build a strong presence in the districts and was not available in North Bengal in its early years.

Early Growth and Pricing

The introductory price of Re 1 per copy was a classic market-entry tactic. From April 2013 the paper revised its pricing to Rs 2.50 from Monday to Friday and Rs 3 on Saturday and Sunday, down from Rs 4 and Rs 5 respectively, as it settled into the market. The brand reached more than 600,000 readers and gained a fair following in Kolkata and nearby districts.

The established dailies responded to the new competition by adding pages and sections, and industry analysts noted that launches like Ei Samay and Ebela were likely to alter the dynamics of the vernacular daily market in West Bengal. Advertisement revenue grew, with a 15 per cent increase reported in FY15, as the paper planned to extend its reach to Barrackpore, Chandannagar and Burdwan.

Ownership Change in 2024

In mid-2024, the Times Group sold Ei Samay to Tidings Media and Communication Private Limited, a firm led by advocate Sanjay Basu and industrialist Anurag Chaudhary, the chairman, managing director and CEO of Himadri Speciality Chemical Ltd. Basu is the majority shareholder and is also known as a close aide of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the senior standing counsel of the state in the Supreme Court.

The acquisition created a sensation in the media and advertising sector, given that the buyer was a little-known firm and its promoters were not widely known outside Bengal. Ei Samay had accounted for only 1 to 2 per cent of BCCL's overall media business, and the group, split between the Jain brothers, was reportedly unwilling to continue running the language paper. Basu declined to disclose the price, citing confidentiality clauses, and insisted that Ei Samay would remain a neutral newspaper. Editor Hirak Bandopadhyay continued to lead the team, and the entire staff of 78 reporters was retained.

Editorial Leadership

The paper's founding editor was Rupayan Bhattacharya, who shaped its initial identity as a young, urban Bengali daily. Under the new ownership, Hirak Bandopadhyay leads the editorial team, with plans announced to strengthen editorial content by bringing in middle and senior-level journalists, including Bengalis who had left the state and were willing to return.

Circulation and Market Position

Ei Samay's certified daily circulation stands at 338,422 copies, placing it among the leading Bengali dailies though well behind Anandabazar Patrika and Bartaman. Its strength has always been concentrated in Kolkata and its suburbs rather than the districts, reflecting its urban positioning.

In the crowded Bengali market, the paper competes with Anandabazar Patrika, Bartaman, Sangbad Pratidin, Aajkaal and others, differentiating itself through its metro sensibility, design and focus on younger readers.

Digital Expansion

Ei Samay has grown into a significant digital news brand. Its Bengali portal eisamay.com is the primary digital hub for real-time news, covering West Bengal politics, Kolkata local updates, business, technology, lifestyle and international news. The brand has expanded into multi-language digital reporting with News Ei Samay, an English-language portal launched in late 2025 for young professionals and a global audience, and Samachar Ei Samay, a Hindi-language platform introduced at the same time.

The digital expansion reflects the new ownership's ambitions beyond print, with stated mega plans for the brand's future not restricted to the newspaper.

A New Chapter

From a Times Group challenger launched at Re 1 in the Puja season of 2012 to a Bengali-owned multi-platform brand, Ei Samay's journey captures the churn of India's regional media market. Under Tidings Media, the paper that set out to win young Bengal now aims to grow beyond its Kolkata base and its print origins, carrying the "this time" of its name into a digital future.

The Flanking Battle with Ebela

Ei Samay's 2012 launch triggered an immediate response from the ABP Group, which had launched the tabloid Ebela on 17 September 2012, less than a month earlier, as a flanking brand to protect Anandabazar Patrika. The two launches turned the Puja season into a marketing battlefield, with both companies spending heavily on television, outdoor and on-ground promotion. The established dailies, including Bartaman and Sangbad Pratidin, responded by adding pages and sections, and the burst of competition ultimately gave Bengali readers more choice and livelier newspapers.

The Newsroom

Under the Tidings Media ownership, the paper's editorial team of 78 reporters was retained in full, with editor Hirak Bandopadhyay continuing to lead. The new management announced plans to strengthen editorial content by recruiting middle and senior-level journalists, including Bengali journalists who had left the state and were willing to return. The commitment signalled that the new owners saw editorial quality, not just cost control, as the path to growth.

Supplements and Features

From its launch, Ei Samay offered regular supplements including Onnya Samay, aimed at readers across age groups, alongside its focus on local news, business and sports. The supplement strategy helped the paper build reading habits beyond the front page, giving advertisers targeted environments and readers reasons to linger.