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DNA all set to enter Delhi market in May

While the Mumbai-headquartered daily under Zee Group has finally decided to take the plunge, it would be interesting to see how they face up to the heat of competition in a market equally controlled by The Times of India and Hindustan Times

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DNA all set to enter Delhi market in May

DNA all set to enter Delhi market in May

While the Mumbai-headquartered daily under Zee Group has finally decided to take the plunge, it would be interesting to see how they face up to the heat of competition in a market equally controlled by The Times of India and Hindustan Times

BestMediaInfo Bureau | Delhi | February 23, 2013

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After the complete takeover by Zee Group and the subsequent senior management changes, Diligent Media Corporation is all set for the next phase of growth with the launch of the fourth edition of English daily DNA (Daily News & Analysis) from New Delhi. Highly placed sources have confirmed to BestMediaInfo.com that DNA's Delhi edition will hit newsstands around the first week of May this year.

The sources inform that the newspaper may launch with a print run of 1.25-1.5 lakh copies. But the figure is still being debated internally, it is reliably gathered.

Saikat Datta, currently New Delhi Bureau Chief of DNA, is set to take over as Regional Editor when the Delhi edition is launched.

It is pertinent to note here that Diligent Media has full control over three editions of DNA – Mumbai, Pune and Bangalore. The Ahmedabad, Jaipur and Indore editions are run by the Dainik Bhaskar Group after the separation.

A Delhi edition has always been a temptation for most national or large dailies. The reason is simple: a Delhi edition can be a powerful clout in the corridors of power. However, not many have been successful in making their Delhi edition a business success. The reason is again simple: Delhi is arguably the toughest market for an “outsider” newspaper as well as for those who had at one time been strong players, such as The Statesman, Indian Express, etc. Only The Hindu has managed to barely stay afloat owing to its captive English-reading Tamil population in the national capital. It is a market equally split between two behemoths – The Times of India and Hindustan Times. There is hardly any space even for a third newspaper.

According to informed industry sources, starting with Delhi, DNA will soon enter the Kolkata and Chennai markets, thus marking its presence in six cities. If the sources are to be believed, the company plans to launch an English business newspaper titled 'DNA Money' in all the six markets where DNA would eventually be present.

The entire strategic growth plan has been laid out by media veteran and former President of Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd (BCCL), Bhaskar Das, who joined Zee Group in October 2012 as Group CEO, Zee News – Cluster (a new entity under Zee Entertainment Enterprise Ltd). Das is heading all news operations of the Zee Group – Zee News Ltd. cluster covering Zee News, Zee Business, Marathi news channel Zee 24 Taas and Bengali news channel 24 Ghanta, DNA and the digital business.

Info@BestMediaInfo.com

Info@BestMediaInfo.com

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