Ei Samay (lit. 'Current Times') is a Bengali-language daily newspaper from The Times Group. It was launched as a broadsheet daily newspaper with a motive to enter into a head-to-head competition with Anandabazar Patrika. It is owned and published by Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd. which is owned by the Sahu Jain family.[2][3][4]
The Ei Samay newspaper is considered as a challenge thrown by BCCL to Ananda Bazar Patrika (ABP) Group. Sensing the tough challenge, ABP Group started a huge media advertising campaign just a month after the launch of Ei Samay. The introductory price of this newspaper was ₹1 (1.2¢ US) per copy. According to company officials, this newspaper targets SEC A and A+, 20- to 35-year-old Bengalis.[5][6]
The vernacular print media space in West Bengal comprises four major Bengali dailies: Anandabazar Patrika, Aajkaal, Bartaman and Sangbad Pratidin. Out of these, Anandabazar Patrika is said to be the dominant leader in the Bengali print media space and ranks 6th among the top 10 vernacular dailies in India as per Indian Readership Survey 2012, with a readership of about 59 lakhs.[7]
