The News Minute

What The News Minute does

The News Minute (TNM) is a Bangalore-headquartered, independent digital news media company founded in 2014 that specializes in South India-focused journalism covering five states — Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh. The platform delivers multi-format editorial content including breaking news articles, long-form investigative journalism, podcasts (flagship: South Central, hosted by co-founder Dhanya Rajendran, at 84+ episodes), video explainer series (Let Me Explain, 151+ episodes), and short-form video (LME Shorts). It maintains dedicated state-specific editorial sections and has expanded into Tamil-language video content through the Yen Endra Kelvi series. The company is powered by Quintype CMS technology and distributes content through its owned website, YouTube, podcast platforms (Spotify, Apple Podcasts), and a WhatsApp channel for direct audience engagement.

The business model combines digital subscriptions (premium tier offering subscriber-exclusive investigations and in-depth political analysis via the "Powertrip" and "Subscriber Only" sections) with display and video advertising across web and video properties. Specific pricing tiers are not publicly disclosed. The audience is horizontal — English-speaking urban readers and Tamil-speaking viewers across South India interested in politics, current affairs, and investigative journalism — served through a product-led and community-led GTM motion emphasizing free content for awareness with premium subscriptions for monetization. The company operates with 1-10 employees and has no disclosed PE, VC, or parent company backing; its only recorded external capital consists of two grant-type funding rounds in 2015 (Quintillion Media) and 2017 (Independent and Public-Spirited Media Foundation).

Notable sub-brands and franchises include South Central (political podcast), What's Your Ism (identity/caste podcast), In Public Interest (video interview series), LME Reads (written explainers), LME Shorts (short video), Powertrip (premium political analysis), Flix (entertainment section), and Yen Endra Kelvi (Tamil video). Founders include Chitra Subramaniam, Dhanya Rajendran (editor-in-chief), and Vignesh Vellore (Co-Founder & COE). The company celebrated its 12th anniversary in February 2026 and continues to operate as an independent, founder-owned digital media outlet.

Name

The News Minute

Legal name

The News Minute

Website

https://thenewsminute.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The News Minute is a Bangalore-based independent digital news platform founded in 2014, delivering multi-format journalism — articles, podcasts, and video explainers — focused on South Indian politics and current affairs across five states (Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh), monetized through premium subscriptions and advertising.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Digital News Media

NAICS

Newspaper Publishers (513110), Periodical Publishers (51312)

SIC

Newspapers: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2711), Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)

akta.pro primary industry

News Agencies & Wire Services (General & Specialized) (MPAJADAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

News Streaming Platforms (MPACAAAF)

Keywords

• Digital news platform
• Regional journalism
• Investigative reporting
• Podcast media
• Explainer videos

Headquarters

HQ city

Bangalore

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Digital Subscriptions: Premium subscription model offering subscriber-only content including exclusive investigations, long-form features, and in-depth political analysis.
2. Digital Advertising: Display advertising on the website and video content.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The News Minute operates a South India-focused digital news platform delivering breaking news, in-depth political analysis, and investigative journalism across dedicated sections for Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh. It publishes content in multiple formats including articles, podcasts, and video explainers in both English and Tamil, supported by a premium subscription tier that gates exclusive long-form and investigative reporting.

Product overview

The News Minute is a South India-focused digital news media platform offering a multi-format journalism portfolio. The core offering is the news website delivering breaking news and in-depth reporting. The platform provides content across multiple formats including podcasts (South Central, What's Your Ism), video series (Let Me Explain, In Public Interest, Yen Endra Kelvi, LME Shorts), and long-form investigative journalism. A premium subscription tier offers exclusive content. The platform also features dedicated sections for entertainment news (Flix) and opinion pieces. The portfolio is unified under the TNM brand, with content available in both English and Tamil.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• South Central: A podcast series covering political and social issues in South India
• Let Me Explain (LME)
• LME Reads
• LME Shorts
• Powertrip
• What's Your Ism
• In Public Interest
• Yen Endra Kelvi

Products and services

• The News Minute Website/Portal The primary digital news platform delivering breaking news, in-depth reporting, and coverage of politics, social issues, and current affairs focused on South India (Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh).
• South Central (Podcast) Flagship podcast series providing in-depth political analysis and news commentary on South Indian politics, featuring host Dhanya Rajendran with regular episode releases covering current events.
• What's Your Ism (Podcast) Podcast series exploring identity, caste, social justice, and progressive movements in India through interviews and discussions, hosted by Sudipto Mondal.
• Let Me Explain (Video Series) Video series hosted by Pooja Prasanna providing explanatory journalism on complex news stories, current affairs, and policy issues affecting India, with regular episode releases.
• In Public Interest (Video Series) Interview-based video series focusing on accountability journalism, human rights issues, and investigative reporting through conversations with activists, experts, and affected individuals.
• Yen Endra Kelvi (Tamil Video Series) Tamil-language explanatory video series covering Tamil Nadu politics, elections, and current affairs, hosted by Shabbir Ahmed.
• LME Shorts Short-form video content providing quick explanations and analysis of news stories in condensed format, typically 1 minute in duration.
• Long Form Journalism In-depth investigative and narrative journalism articles providing comprehensive coverage of major stories affecting South India.
• Premium/Subscriber Content Subscriber-exclusive journalism featuring exclusive interviews, investigative reports, and in-depth analysis not available to non-subscribers, offered through an annual recurring subscription.
• Flix (Entertainment) Entertainment news section covering film industry news, movie reviews, celebrity interviews, and coverage of cinema across South India and Bollywood.

Quantifiable outcome

• South Central podcast reached Episode 84 by July 2026
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• WhatsAppminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe News Minute maintains an official WhatsApp Channel for direct audience engagement and content distribution to subscribers. Users can join the channel to receive news updates and article links directly.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Newslaundry: Indian independent, subscription-driven digital media outlet covering politics and media criticism. Closely comparable to TNM as a founder-led, subscriber-supported news brand built around podcasts and long-form journalism in a niche Indian market.
• The Wire: Independent digital news outlet covering Indian politics, policy, and current affairs with investigative reporting and a subscription-supported model. Directly comparable to TNM on editorial independence, multi-format publishing, and paywalled premium content.
• The Print: Digital-first Indian news outlet founded by journalists, offering reporting, explainers, and opinion across politics and policy. Comparable to TNM in its digital-first, journalist-led positioning and broad use of explainer and video formats.
• South First: Digital news outlet focused specifically on South Indian states with political analysis and regional coverage. Closely comparable to TNM as a head-to-head regional digital news competitor serving the same five-state geography.
• The News9: Digital news platform covering Indian politics and current affairs with strong video-led storytelling. Comparable to TNM in its digital-first, multi-format approach (articles plus video) and subscription/membership revenue model.

Broad incumbents

• The Hindu: Established South-India-focused English-language newspaper with a large digital presence covering politics, policy, and current affairs. Comparable to TNM on regional South-India editorial focus, but operates at much larger scale and as a legacy incumbent.
• India Today: Major pan-India digital news brand with deep political coverage and digital video output. Comparable to TNM in producing explainer journalism and political analysis, but with a national audience and significantly larger scale.

Regional players

• Deccan Herald: Long-running Karnataka-focused English news brand with national digital reach. Comparable to TNM as a Karnataka-centric news competitor, though Deccan Herald is an established incumbent with print heritage rather than a digital-native outlet.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@thenewsminute
• Xx.com/thenewsminute
• Facebookfacebook.com/TheNewsMinute
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-news-minute

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The News Minute