Times Bridge and South China Morning Post Announce Strategic Partnership

MUMBAI, India and HONG KONG, Oct. 22, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Times Bridge, the global investments and partnerships arm of The Times Group, India's oldest and largest media company, and South China Morning Post (SCMP), a leading global news media company that has reported on China and Asia for more than a century, today announced a strategic partnership.

As a part of this alliance, select content from SCMP will be published on Times of India's digital, mobile and web platforms, and Times of India will be SCMP's primary partner in India for content syndication. This partnership will be the first of its kind between SCMP and any media company in India. The unique alliance will give Times of India's readers access to international news from China and Hong Kong.

India has the world's second largest English-speaking population and a rapidly expanding internet user base, which is expected to reach 850 million by 2022. This partnership is a bold step towards the growing base of Times of India's digital platforms, which has a significant number of monthly readers across web and mobile.

SCMP is undergoing a significant transformation as it expands from being Hong Kong's paper of record to a global media company. It has added three digital media platforms to its portfolio – Abacus, Inkstone and Goldthread – and entered into partnerships with key media around the globe. This partnership also bolsters SCMP's recent expansion in the Southeast Asia region, which includes new hires and its first China Conference outside of Hong Kong, to be held in Kuala Lumpur this October.

Margot Ling, GM, Greater China, Times Bridge, said, "It brings us immense pleasure to be a part of this unique alliance. In this era of connected worlds, Indian readers are always on the lookout for news from across the globe, and this partnership will enable them to easily access content from Greater China, due to Times of India's high reach."

"As an independent, English newspaper reporting on China, India is a natural market for SCMP," noted Gary Liu, CEO, SCMP. "In our increasingly interconnected world, this partnership will give Times of India readers further insight into China and will continue to expand SCMP's global reach."

Puneet Gupt, COO – News, Times Internet, said, "As the leading digital news platform in India, Times Of India is dedicated to bringing both local and global insights to its readers. This strategic partnership with SCMP creates a gateway for our readers to understand more about Greater China via our digital platforms.

About Times Bridge

Times Bridge is a leading investments firm with a mission to bring the world's best ideas to India and share India's best insights with the world. Its current portfolio includes Airbnb, Coursera, Houzz, Uber, Thrive and MUBI, among others. By providing unmatched market leadership to its select partners and by harnessing the assets of The Times Group, India's largest media company, Times Bridge accelerates growth and immersion across the Indian subcontinent for leaders who believe in winning in and learning from India.

For more information, visit http://timesbridge.com and follow @timesbridge on Twitter.

About South China Morning Post

South China Morning Post is a leading global news company that has reported on China and Asia for more than a century. Founded in 1903, SCMP is headquartered in Hong Kong, where it is the city's newspaper of record, with a growing correspondent staff across Asia and the United States. SCMP's vision is to "Elevate Thought" and its mission is to "Lead the global conversation about China". Additionally, SCMP publishes a portfolio of premium lifestyle and fashion titles in Hong Kong including Cosmopolitan, ELLE, Esquire, and Harper's BAZAAR. SCMP is also home to Abacus, a digital news brand focused on China's tech industry; Inkstone, a daily news brief for those curious about China's growing impact around the world, and Goldthread, a social first, video-driven platform created for digital explorers and the globally curious.

SOURCE South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd.