The Times Group

Overview

The Times Group is one of the largest media services conglomerate in India. Currently dominates the newspaper and media business in the country. It reaches out from

• 11 Publishing centers

• 15 Printing centers

• 55 Marketing offices
• Over 6000 employees
• 5 Dailies including two of the largest in the country with approx 3.3mn copies circulated daily
• 2 Lead magazines
• 29 Niche Magazines

• Reaching 2468 cities and towns

Turnover of nearly USD 400 million

Businesses

It's major brands include:

• The Times of India India's (World's) largest English Broadsheet Daily
• The Economic Times India's largest and the World's Second largest Financial Daily after Wall Street Journal
• Navbharat Times Largest Hindi Daily in Delhi and Bombay
• Maharashtra Times Largest Marathi Daily in Bombay
• Femina Women's Magazine
• Filmfare Film Magazine
• Planet M Music Retailing brand
• Times Music Music Publishing, (including Hindi Film, Pop Music & Devotional/Spiritual music)
• Times Multimedia Multimedia Publishing Division
• Times Television The Group's latest venture. Started recently with an entertainment and Lifestyle channel called Zoom

It's subsidiary companies include

Times Infotainment Media Limited, Entertainment Networks India Limited which together have

• Radio Mirchi National network of Private FM stations
• 360 Degrees Events
• Times Outoors Outdoors

Times Internet Limited which has

• Indiatimes portal

A Brief history of The Times

1838: The first edition appears on November 3, 1838 known as The Bombay Times and Journal of Commerce. The issue is published twice a week under Editor J.E. Brennan. It is basically a city paper reflecting the interest of Bombay's business community.

1846: The newspaper experiences çhanges hands and Dr.George Buist appointed Editor.

1850: Shareholders decide to increase the share capital and the paper converted into a daily.

1861: Editor Robert Knight amalgamates The Bombay Times, Bombay Standard and Bombay Telegraph & Courier to form The Times of India and gives it a national character.

1880: The Times of India Weekly Edition launched, to meet the need for a weekend paper. This later came to be known as The Illustrated Weekly of India in 1923.

1890: Editor Henry Curwen buys TOI in partnership with Charles Kane.

1892: Following the death of Henry Curwen, T. J. Bennett becomes the Editor and enters into a partnership with F.M. Coleman to form a joint stock company - Bennett, Colemen & Co. Ltd. (BCCL)

1907: TOI's first price war under editor Stanley Reed: price cut from 4 annas to 1 anna; circulation rises 5 times

1946: For the first time the paper transfers to Indian ownership. Ramakrishna Dalmia buys out Bennett, Coleman & Co.Ltd. for Rs. 2 crores.

1948: Sahu Jain Group become the owners of the company. Shanti Prasad Jain is the first Chairman of the group.

1950: Delhi edition launched with K. Gopalswami as the first Indian editor.

1952: Filmfare launched

1959: Femina launched

1961: The Economic Times launched

1984: Samir Jain and Vineet Jain join BCCL.

1987: Printing of The Times of India from Kandivili Press.

1990: The Times Group establishes a Marketing school by the name of The Times School of Marketing 1991: BBC features The Times of India among world's six great newspapers.

1993: BCCL starts production of television software.

1996: The Times of India crosses 1 million mark in circulation.

1998: BCCL enters into music market with Times Music.

1999: Indiatimes webportal launched; BCCL enters music retailing business with Planet M.

1999: Times Multimedia

2000: The Times of India crosses the 2 million mark in circulation.

2000: Timesofmoney - JV with Citibank

2001: Radio Mirchi - Nationwide Private FM Broadcasting

2001: 360 Degrees - Event Management Arm

2002: Times Outdoor - Outdoor Advertising & Billboard Marketing

2003: Sri Lanka

2004: Launch of the Jobs portal z00m