Asian Standard News

What Asian Standard News does

Asian Standard News is a free weekly newspaper serving the British South Asian community, published by RF Media & Publishing under the leadership of co-founders Fatima Patel and Rokaiya Patel. The publication operates five regional print editions across the UK — Bradford, Kirklees, Leeds, North East, and London — with the London edition launched at the Houses of Parliament in October 2023. Distribution is via free physical newsstands and retail locations, complemented by a digital presence through a WordPress-based website, e-paper edition, and active social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, X, YouTube).

The publication's core products are the regional print newspaper and a digital e-paper. Underlying technology is conventional web publishing infrastructure with no proprietary platform components or AI/ML capabilities identified. Content covers regional news, business, politics, opinion, sports, reviews, and health, organized around a vertical segmentation approach focused entirely on the South Asian diaspora.

The business model is advertising-supported and event-driven. There is no subscription or paywall — readers receive the paper free, and revenue is generated entirely through display advertising, sponsored content, and event sponsorships (notably the annual Asian Achievers Awards, in its 19th edition, which raised £150,000 for charity). The primary customer segment is British South Asian community members; commercial customers are advertisers and event sponsors. Geographic expansion is actively underway, with public plans to launch six additional regional titles by 2025 and editorial coverage already extending into Manchester, Birmingham, Leicester, Sheffield, Wales, and London boroughs.

Name

Asian Standard News

Legal name

Asian Standard News

Website

https://asianstandard.co.uk

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Asian Standard News is a free weekly newspaper and digital publication serving the British South Asian community across five UK regional editions, monetized through advertising and event sponsorship.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Newspaper Publishing

NAICS

Newspaper Publishers (513110), Newspaper Publishers (51311)

SIC

Newspapers: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2711)

akta.pro primary industry

Community, Ethnic & Multilingual News Publishers (MPAJADAG)

Keywords

• Community newspaper publishing
• Ethnic media publications
• Free weekly newspaper
• Regional news coverage
• Digital news platform

Headquarters

HQ city

Bradford

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Advertising: Revenue generated through display advertising and sponsored content placements within the free weekly newspaper and digital platforms. The publication features advertisement sections throughout the newspaper and website.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Asian Standard News is a free weekly newspaper (print and digital) that publishes regional news, business, politics, opinion, sports, and community stories targeted at the British South Asian community across multiple UK regions. The newspaper is distributed free to readers at newsstands and through its website, with revenue generated from advertising and sponsorship partnerships. The publication also operates a digital E-Paper edition and produces flagship community events such as the Asian Achievers Awards.

Product overview

Asian Standard is a free weekly newspaper focused on Britain's South Asian community. The publication operates multiple regional editions (Bradford, Kirklees, Leeds, North East, and London) and offers both print and digital (E-Paper) formats. The newspaper covers regional news, business, politics, opinion, reviews, and sports content targeting the South Asian community in the UK.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Asian Standard Print Newspaper Britain's leading free weekly newspaper focusing on Britain's South Asian community, distributed free across regional editions including Bradford, Kirklees, Leeds, North East, and London. Covers regional news, business, politics, opinion, reviews, sport, and community stories.
• Asian Standard E-Paper Digital edition of the Asian Standard newspaper accessible online, allowing readers to view the publication through the website.

Quantifiable outcome

• 19th Annual Asian Achievers Awards raised £150k for charity
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Asian Achievers Awards Sponsors and PartnerscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsors and partners supporting the annual Asian Achievers Awards, which raised £150,000 for charity. Sponsors gain visibility and engagement with the South Asian community through the flagship Asian Standard News event.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Eastern Eye (Asian Media Group): Publisher of Eastern Eye and related Asian-focused UK media titles. Comparable as a multi-title ethnic media operator competing for the same UK South Asian advertising market.
• Metro (UK): UK free national newspaper distributed in print and online. Comparable business model (free distribution, advertising-funded) but serving a general rather than ethnic audience.
• BBC Asian Network: BBC's national radio and digital service dedicated to British Asian audiences. Comparable as a major media brand reaching the same UK South Asian demographic, though distributed via broadcast rather than print.

Direct peers

• Desi Express: UK regional free newspaper serving South Asian communities with weekly print editions. Directly comparable in business model (free distribution, advertising-funded) and target demographic.
• Asian Lite: UK-based newspaper covering the South Asian diaspora with news, opinion, and lifestyle content. Comparable to Asian Standard in audience focus, free distribution model, and reliance on advertising revenue.
• Eastern Eye: UK weekly newspaper serving the British South Asian community. Directly comparable as a free/paid print-plus-digital ethnic newspaper targeting the same demographic with similar regional news, politics, business, and cultural content.
• Jewish Chronicle: UK weekly newspaper serving a specific ethnic/religious community, combining print and digital distribution. Comparable as a free-to-read or low-cost community newspaper with advertising-based revenue and strong community engagement.
• Asian Sunday: Sister/related UK publication to Asian Standard (linked from the Asian Standard homepage as 'Asian Sunday & Style'). Comparable as a UK South Asian lifestyle and news brand with overlapping readership.

Regional players

• Leeds Live / Yorkshire Evening Post: Regional news brands covering some of the same UK cities (Leeds, Bradford) where Asian Standard has editions. Comparable as regional UK news sources competing for local advertising budgets.
• Garavi Gujarat (Sabras Radio): UK Gujarati-language media outlet serving a specific linguistic South Asian community. Comparable as an ethnic-focused media brand in the UK serving an adjacent diaspora audience.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Asian_Standard
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCwCF3sqrkN6ZcEp3SV5HIRg
• Facebookfacebook.com/AsianStandardBradford
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/asian-standard-news
• Instagraminstagram.com/asianstandardnews

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Asian Standard News