Associated Newspapers enters partnership with India Today

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Wednesday 28 March 2007

Associated Newspapers has entered into a partnership with the India Today Group to publish "mainstream" English language newspapers in India. This partnership, as well as including the purchase of an equity share within India's current media laws, will involve an exchange of experience, ideas, talent and where appropriate content. The financial commitment and timing of the investment are yet to be clarified, but will not be material in DMGT Group terms. The creation of the partnership is subject to certain Indian regulatory approvals.

Mr Aroon Purie, chairman and editor in chief of the India Today Group, said, "We have for some time now felt that there was a huge opportunity for a new English language daily newspaper. Even though the market is very competitive we are confident that, with our new partner, we will be able to publish a newspaper well differentiated from that which is already available. We are very excited about this prospect".

Mr Kevin Beatty, Managing Director, Associated Newspapers said, “Mr Purie, and his Executive team, really understand the dynamism of the media landscape in India and will make excellent partners”.

Note: The India Today Group, is among India’s foremost media houses bringing out a clutch of leading news and feature magazines, such as India Today and Business Today. The company has a nationwide presence with its language editions of the India Today magazine. Among the other titles it publishes in India are: Cosmopolitan, Reader’s Digest, Men’s Health, Good Housekeeping, Scientific American, Prevention and Harvard Business Review. The other companies in the Group are T.V. Today Network Ltd. which runs four successful 24-hour news channels, Thomson Press the largest commercial press in India, HarperCollins India Ltd, a joint venture book publishing firm and Integrated Databases- a joint venture with Yellow pages Singapore.

Enquiries
Peter Williams, Finance Director, DMGT:
020 7938 6631

Kevin Beatty, Managing Director, Associated Newspapers:
020 7938 7514

Andrew Honnor, Tulchan Communications:
020 7353 4200