The Modern Indian Press:Growth, Performance and Ownership

The Indian press industry has grown in terms of number of publications, extent of circulation and economic performance since the 1950s. This growth has been induced as much by increase in the level of literacy, development of infrastructure and urbanization as by technological upgradation and rapid leaps in the advertising industry. Along with expansion, the Indian Fourth Estate witnessed greater degree of concentration in its ownership over the last four decades. The paper examines the major trends in the newspaper publishing activity in the country with reference to its nature and extent of growth, pattern of ownership and control structure and economic performance.