Network18 “suspends publication” of Firstpost print weekly

Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries-owned media conglomerate Network18 has announced that it will “suspend” the publication of Firstpost Newspaper. Digital publisher Firstpost launched its print edition on January 26, 2019. A weekly, the newspaper was circulated on Saturdays in Mumbai and Delhi and was positioned as a weekend read. With the tagline, 'The Last Word in the News', the newspaper was launched with the purpose of focussing on long-format narrative on national politics, culture and art.

Through a media statement, the group informs, “Network18 has decided to suspend the publication of Firstpost Newspaper. Firstpost is a platform agnostic brand that has stood for strong and credible opinions and will continue to do so. The brand has believed in constantly experimenting and re-inventing itself, and Firstpost in Print was one such experiment to provide a weekend reading experience to a different audience than online.”

The statement adds, “The experiment has provided us with good learnings. While we were pleased with the ongoing evolution of the brand and the compelling journalism the team produced on a weekly basis, logistical problems made the project unsustainable in print. The quality of journalism offered by Firstpost will continue in digital and other platforms for our loyal consumers. Over the years, Firstpost has come to stand for a certain class of journalism and Network18 is committed to its growth. We will continue to invest in the brand.”

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Apart from Firstpost, Network18 also houses digital publications like Moneycontrol, Firstpost, News18, Cnbctv18.com, and In.com.