Outlet profile

DNA India

Indian, Essel Group-linked; generally pro-government (BJP-friendly) in domestic politics

Owned byDiligent Media Corporation Ltd, which is controlled by Zee Media Corporation Ltd, part of the Subhash Chandra family's Essel Group. It began in 2005 as a 50:50 venture with the Dainik Bhaskar group, and Zee had taken over the rest by about 2012.

FundingMainly online advertising and the financial backing of the Essel/Zee group. Its print edition lost money for years. There is no known subscription or state funding.

On the administrationmostly neutral

Background

DNA was launched on 30 July 2005 in Mumbai as a broadsheet. It was a 50:50 joint venture between Zee and the Dainik Bhaskar group, and Bhaskar initially held management and editorial control. In 2009 Subhash Chandra took charge of operations and Bhaskar's stake was diluted. By 2012 Zee Media, through a subsidiary, had taken over the remaining ownership. The paper struggled financially, with reported losses and staff and pay problems, and it stopped printing on 9 October 2019. It has continued as a digital outlet. Subhash Chandra is a Rajya Sabha member who was elected as an independent with BJP support. Zee News, a sister outlet, has been accused of pro-BJP bias and has been involved in controversies, including a 2016 JNU video that a Delhi Police forensic report later found doctored. DNA India's digital content is generally seen as aligned with the Zee group's pro-government tone on Indian politics. My searches did not turn up a documented editorial position on the second Trump administration, so that stance rests on limited evidence. Its coverage tends to focus on how U.S. policy affects India, such as the 2026 interim trade deal and Russian oil purchases.

Sources

Profile compiled 2026-10-05; refreshed when ownership, funding, or the administration changes.

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