Network18 adds print to its portfolio, to launch weekly newspaper Firstpost

Eight years after launching Firstpost.com, Network18 will unveil its first weekly newspaper Firstpost this month. The viewspaper, as it is called, will hit the stands in Delhi-NCR and Mumbai on January 26, Republic Day.

The media house intends to take Firstpost.com to new heights of user experience and engagement in the coming months through various soon-to-be launched initiatives such as Club Firstpost and the Firstpost App and the launch of Firstpost as a weekend paper is a part of that effort.

BV Rao, Editor, Firstpost explained, “By taking the viewspaper from the virtual to the physical world we are signalling two things — firstly, there is a market opportunity in the weekends for deep, thoughtful and reflective journalism, the kind that allows us to step back from the cacophony of the moment and analyse events calmly. Thus, the difference between the two products is not the quality of the content, but the kind of content. Secondly, content is platform-agnostic, especially good content. The digital consumer reads a lot but not necessarily the best. Reading the best becomes somewhat of a lottery, dependent on whether they open the right links from among the dozens they are dumped with every day. Firstpost’s print content, arranged to enable quick access in one place, will provide that reading pleasure to digital readers as well. Existing digital readers can access the content free for a limited period and then signal their readiness to put a premium on the content they cherish.”

Praveen Swami, Group Consulting Editor, Network18, said, “Firstpost is a new kind of newspaper. Instead of the usual, mundane recounting of events already well-known to readers through digital media and television, every single article aspires to exceptionality: to offer a unique perspective; to excavate new information; to bring to life a new story.”

Firstpost will be a 20-page broadsheet appearing every Saturday and shall cater to readers in Mumbai and New Delhi. Firstpost will emphasise on narrative, long-format journalism with a focus on national politics, culture and art and being a mix of hard and soft feature news.

With a strong and vibrant design, the newspaper has been designed by Jacek Utko. Firstpost aims to be a reader’s delight with the finest quality of newsprint and high standards of printing.

Rahul Kansal, Business Head, Print and Brand Advisor, Network18, said, “I am extremely proud to be a part of this milestone in the journey of Network18’s growing news prowess. Firstpost sees itself as a ‘viewspaper’ with a focus on politics, and will offer a ringside view of the complex democracy and society of our multi-dimensional nation. The offering will serve discerning readers looking for an intelligent read, many of whom feel that Indian newspapers have dumbed down in their bid to capture the mass market.”

The viewspaper will hit the stands on January 26. To begin with it will be available for subscription in certain pin codes of these cities. Subscriptions will be booked through two routes: point of contact through vendors and online through Firstpost.com.

Firstpost, the print newspaper, is an extension of the group’s digital newsroom Firstpost.com with the tagline, ‘The Last Word in the News’. Firstpost will be edited by BV Rao and Praveen Swami, and printed at Hindustan Times Press. It is available through subscription.

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