Background
HT Media found its beginning in 1924 when its flagship newspaper, Hindustan Times was inaugurated by Mahatma Gandhi. HT Media (BSE, NSE) has today grown to become one of India’s largest media companies.
Produced by an editorial team known for its quality, innovation and integrity, Hindustan Times (English newspaper) and Hindustan (Hindi newspaper through a subsidiary Hindustan Media Ventures Limited), Hindustan Times is the choice for nearly 3.7 million readers across India, who turn to it daily for news, information, analysis and entertainment. Hindustan, the group’s Hindi daily, continues to be the second-largest daily in the country with a total readership of 36.6 million,(based 0n Indian Readership Survey (IRS) for the first quarter (Q1) of 2011. Both dailies enjoy a strong brand recognition among readers as well as advertisers.
In addition to Hindustan Times, HT Media also publishes a national business newspaper, Mint. Mint is a one-of-its-kind newspaper in the sense that the company has an exclusive agreement with the Wall Street Journal to publish Journal-branded news and information in India. Mint is today the second-largest business newspaper in India with presence in the key markets of Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, Chandigarh, Pune, Kolkata and now Ahmedabad too.
HT Media has also made its foray into electronic media. Diversifying its ambit of operations, the company in a consulting partnership with Virgin Radio, has launched the FM radio channel – Fever 104. Currently available in Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Kolkata, Fever 104 has established a strong presence as being one of the most vibrant channels on air. In a short span, the channel’s rise has been meteoric considering its position in Mumbai and Bengaluru at No. 1 and in Delhi as the No. 2 station on the popularity charts.
Internet businesses of HT Media incorporated under Firefly e-ventures, operate leading web portals Hindustantimes.com and livemint.com in the general and business news categories respectively. The company’s job portal Shine.com which has received high appreciation from consumers and industry for its innovative design and usability crossed 7 million registrations. Desimartini.com -a platform to discover and express oneself on movies. The company also has an education portal www.HTCampus.com aimed at students passing out of school and college to help them take the right decision about their higher education.
While the overall economy continued to face constraints, our diversification strategy kept us in good stead. On a consolidated basis, our Total Revenue reached Rs 2,142 Crore in FY2013, driven Print Advertising Revenues at Rs 1,529 Crore, Circulation Revenues at Rs 223 Crore and Radio Revenues at Rs 78 Cr. Digital revenues also contributed to revenue growth and reached Rs 54 Cr in FY2013. EBITDA improved to Rs 376 Crore in FY2013 and EBITDA margin improved to 18% from 17% in FY2012 mainly due to strict cost control initiatives.
Values
HT Media - A rich heritage to live up to! Organizational values are the foundation stones on which the organization's image is built. These help the company realize its organizational goals and in turn transform lives. These values are intended to infuse an infectious energy, professionalism and a sense of true empowerment to the workplace.
The solid edifice on which HT Media stands tall today was built on high ideals and values. The company has its roots in the independence movement in the first half of the twentieth century, a cause to empower the nation. They are adaptive to the changing times, while remaining steadfast to the values rooted in their culture.
Their values drive them towards their goals of expansion, diversification and excellence. These values define their philosophy of operations, guide their important decisions and determine their commitment and achievement.
The values personified by HT Media are:
1. Courage
To encourage the ability that meets opposition with skill, competence and fortitude.
2. Responsibility
Be accountable for results in line with the company's objectives, strategies and values.
3. Empowerment
Support the people and give them the freedom to perform and to provide the readers with information to influence their environment.
4. Continuous Self Renewal
Determination to constantly re-examine and re-invent ourselves for further innovation and creativity.
5. People Centric
People are their greatest asset. They invest in them expect a lot and know that the rest will follow
Vision
HT Media strives to be a visionary organization and not an organization with a vision. In their endeavour to have a shared understanding, alignment and commitment, they have derived their company's vision that sets the course and empowers people to take action.