Hindustan Times is a Delhi-based English daily newspaper founded in 1924 and the flagship publication of HT Media. Businesses can appear on Hindustan Times in two very different ways: through press release or sponsored placements distributed via a press network, which are labelled as such, or through editorial coverage that the newspaper’s journalists choose to write. Both can be useful, but they carry different weight with readers. Knowing the difference helps you set realistic expectations and plan a release that has a realistic chance of being noticed.
Hindustan Times: a brief history
- 1924: the newspaper was founded by Sunder Singh Lyallpuri in Delhi, and Mahatma Gandhi performed the opening ceremony on 26 September 1924.
- Independence era: it played a role in the national movement as a nationalist daily, with Devdas Gandhi, Mahatma Gandhi’s son, later serving as editor.
- Birla ownership: industrialist G. D. Birla became a major shareholder in the 1920s and took charge in the 1930s; the Hindi daily Hindustan followed in 1936.
- Today: Hindustan Times is published by HT Media Limited, controlled by the K. K. Birla group, with print editions and a large digital presence.
Two ways to appear on Hindustan Times
Press release and sponsored placements
Press releases distributed through a press network, and branded content created with the publisher’s marketing teams, can appear on the newspaper’s website. Its terms of use state that sponsored or native content will be labelled and that advertisers are responsible for their own material. These placements give you a published page on a well-known domain, but readers can see that the content is supplied by the company.
Editorial coverage
News stories, interviews and features are decided by the newspaper’s editors and reporters. Editorial coverage cannot be bought and carries more credibility, because the newspaper has chosen to report it independently. Strong press releases and targeted pitches can lead to editorial interest, but there is no way to promise it.
What a Hindustan Times placement is useful for
- Creating a published record of an announcement on a recognised national news brand.
- Giving customers, partners and investors a credible link to share.
- Adding consistent information about your business that search engines and AI assistants can find.
- Supporting a wider PR campaign that includes direct outreach to journalists.
Links in paid or distributed placements should be treated as sponsored. Google’s spam policies say links in paid content or distributed press releases must not pass ranking credit, so value comes from visibility and credibility rather than link equity.
How to improve your chances of editorial interest
- Lead with genuine news that matters to its readers, such as national business trends, Delhi NCR developments or data that reveals something new.
- Identify the reporters who already cover your sector or city, and read their recent stories.
- Send a short, personal pitch explaining why the story matters to their readers, with the release attached.
- Offer something extra: an exclusive angle, original data, access to a spokesperson or strong visuals.
- Respond quickly to questions and respect deadlines.
Writing a release suited to a national daily
- A clear, factual headline without promotional language.
- The essential facts in the first paragraph.
- Context explaining why the news matters beyond your company.
- A quote from a named leader that offers insight or opinion.
- Accurate figures, names and dates that can be verified.
- High-quality images with captions and permission to use them.
What to expect
- Realistic: a labelled press release or partner placement, a pickup report showing where the release appeared and a link to share.
- Not realistic: a promised front-page story, an interview with a specific journalist or coverage that appears to be independent when it was paid for.
Ethical PR means being honest with readers about what is paid and what is earned. If a placement is sponsored, describe it that way when you share it, rather than presenting it as independent news coverage, and keep a copy of the published page for your records. For other national channels, see PTI and ANI, or explore full PR and press release services.