History of Eenadu in Timeline

Eenadu is a major Telugu-language newspaper in India, primarily circulated in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Founded in 1974 by Ramoji Rao in Visakhapatnam, it has become a prominent voice in Telugu journalism. Ramoji Rao served as the chief editor until 2020. The newspaper has been known to support the Telugu Desam Party and its leader N. Chandrababu Naidu.

August 1974: Eenadu Launched

In August 1974, Eenadu was launched in Visakhapatnam by Ramoji Rao, who previously had success with Priya Pickles and Margadarsi Chitfunds.

1974: Eenadu Founded

In 1974, Eenadu, a Telugu-language daily newspaper, was founded by Ramoji Rao in Visakhapatnam, India.

1975: Eenadu Expands to Hyderabad

In 1975, Eenadu expanded its operations to Hyderabad, employing targeted distribution strategies, including free distribution for a week.

1976: Admitted into Audit Bureau of Circulations

In 1976, Eenadu was admitted into the Audit Bureau of Circulations, with a circulation of 48,000.

1978: Eenadu Surpasses Andhra Prabha's Circulation

In 1978, Eenadu surpassed the circulation of Andhra Prabha, becoming a leading regional newspaper.

1979: Magazine Expansion

In 1979, Eenadu expanded its publications to include Sitara (a weekly film magazine), Vipula (a monthly magazine with short stories), Chatura (a monthly novel), and Annadatha (a farmer's monthly).

1982: Expanded to Smaller Towns

In 1982, with the introduction of offset printing, photocomposing software and computers, Eenadu was able to launch editions in smaller towns like Tirupathi.

1982: Support of Telugu Desam Party

Since the Telugu Desam Party's foundation in 1982, Eenadu has supported the party due to Ramoji Rao's relationship with N. T. Rama Rao and his disdain for the Congress government.

1983: Support During 1983 Elections

During the 1983 elections, Eenadu supported Rama Rao's campaign, providing positive coverage, advice, and advertisement design, leading to increased subscriptions and Rama Rao's victory.

1989: Introduction of District Dailies

In 1989, Eenadu introduced 'district dailies (tabloid edition)' to expand its presence into district and taluka towns, based on market research indicating that heavy local content would generate new readers and boost advertising revenue.

1989: Concerns Expressed About Rama Rao's Leadership

Towards the end of the 1980s, specifically in 1989, Eenadu began expressing some concerns about Rama Rao's leadership in response to his continued loss of public support and the Congress victory in the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly election.

1995: Rivals Fold

In 1995, Eenadu saw two of its rivals, Andhra Patrika and Udayam, fold, leaving Eenadu with a dominant share of the Telugu dailies' audited circulation.

2004: Investigation of Margadarsi

In 2004, during the reign of Congress governments, an investigation of Margadarsi for irregular financial practices took place.

2008: Launch of Sakshi

In 2008, Sakshi was launched under Jagan Mohan Reddy's ownership as a response to the perceived biased news from traditionally TDP-supporting papers.

2017: Magazines Stopped Circulation

In 2017, the Eenadu magazines Sitara, Vipula, Chatura and Annadatha stopped circulation due to declining demand and a shift towards web content.

2018: Media Ownership Monitor Report

According to the 2018 Media Ownership Monitor report, Ramoji Rao and family own 97.56% stake in Ushodaya Enterprises, with Ramoji Rao holding 42.26%, Cherukuri Kiron holding 28.36%, and Cherukuri Vijayeswari holding 25.38% shares.