Tamil readers are among the most loyal newspaper readers in India. A handful of family-run dailies, some of them over eighty years old, publish editions from every major town in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, and from Bengaluru and abroad. For a brand or institution with a story in the state, these papers still set the day's agenda.
This list ranks the leading Tamil-language dailies. The first five follow the most recent full Indian Readership Survey (IRS 2019 Q4, MRUC), which orders Tamil Nadu's dailies by average issue readership. The other five have no comparable audited figure, so we have ordered them by footprint and influence. A section on Tamil news sites follows the list. If you are planning coverage, our Tamil press release distribution page explains how we write for and distribute to these desks.
Key takeaways
- Daily Thanthi is the most-read Tamil daily by a wide margin, with an average issue readership of about 7.2 million (IRS 2019 Q4, Tamil Nadu).
- Dinamalar and Dinakaran are close behind: Dinamalar leads on average issue readership, Dinakaran on total readership.
- Evening papers matter in Tamil Nadu: Maalai Malar is the most-read of them.
- Online, Vikatan, Puthiya Thalaimurai, News18 Tamil Nadu and the newspapers' own sites reach large Tamil audiences.
The list at a glance
| Newspaper | Founded | Publisher | Based in |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Daily Thanthi | 1942 | Daily Thanthi Group | Chennai |
| 2. Dinamalar | 1951 | Professional Publication Pvt Ltd | Chennai |
| 3. Dinakaran | 1977 | Sun Group | Chennai |
| 4. Maalai Malar | Late 1970s | Daily Thanthi Group | Tamil Nadu |
| 5. Hindu Tamil Thisai | 2013 | The Hindu Group | Chennai |
| 6. Dinamani | 1934 | The New Indian Express Group | Chennai |
| 7. Dina Boomi | 1999 | Thinaboomi | Madurai |
| 8. Murasoli | 1942 (daily since 1960) | DMK | Chennai |
| 9. Theekkathir | 1963 | CPI(M) Tamil Nadu | Tamil Nadu |
| 10. Viduthalai | 1935 | Dravidar Kazhagam | Chennai |
1. Daily Thanthiதினத்தந்தி
- Founded
- 1942, Madurai
- Publisher
- Daily Thanthi Group
- Based in
- Chennai
- Website
- dailythanthi.com
Daily Thanthi was founded in Madurai in 1942 by S. P. Adithanar and built its readership on simple language, big headlines and local news from every district. It publishes editions across Tamil Nadu and Puducherry, and abroad. The group also runs Thanthi TV and the evening paper Maalai Malar.
In IRS 2019 Q4 it recorded an average issue readership of about 7.2 million and a total readership of about 25.8 million in Tamil Nadu, more than twice its nearest rival on average issue readership.
2. Dinamalarதினமலர்
- Founded
- 6 September 1951
- Publisher
- Professional Publication Pvt Ltd
- Based in
- Chennai
- Website
- dinamalar.com
Dinamalar was founded in Thiruvananthapuram in 1951 by T. V. Ramasubbaiyer and expanded through Tirunelveli, Tiruchi, Chennai, Madurai and other centres. It is known for business, civic and consumer coverage, and for one of the strongest Tamil news websites.
IRS 2019 Q4 placed it second on average issue readership, at about 2.9 million, with total readership of about 12.5 million.
3. Dinakaranதினகரன்
- Founded
- 1977
- Publisher
- Sun Group
- Based in
- Chennai
- Website
- dinakaran.com
Dinakaran was started in 1977 and was acquired by the Sun Group in 2005, alongside the evening papers Malai Murasu and Tamil Murasu. It publishes editions across Tamil Nadu and is strong in political and general news.
In IRS 2019 Q4 its average issue readership was about 2.5 million, third in Tamil Nadu. On total readership, about 12.8 million, it was narrowly second, just ahead of Dinamalar.
4. Maalai Malarமாலை மலர்
- Founded
- Late 1970s
- Publisher
- Daily Thanthi Group
- Based in
- Tamil Nadu, multiple editions
- Website
- maalaimalar.com
Maalai Malar is the evening paper of the Daily Thanthi Group and the most widely read Tamil evening daily. Evening papers remain part of the reading habit in Tamil Nadu's cities, carrying the day's news before the next morning's papers.
In IRS 2019 Q4 its average issue readership was about 0.67 million, fourth in Tamil Nadu.
5. Hindu Tamil Thisaiஇந்து தமிழ் திசை
- Founded
- 16 September 2013
- Publisher
- The Hindu Group
- Based in
- Chennai
- Website
- hindutamil.in
Hindu Tamil Thisai was launched by The Hindu Group in 2013 as The Hindu Tamil and renamed in 2018. It brings The Hindu's measured, news-first approach to Tamil readers, with strong opinion, education and culture pages.
IRS 2019 Q4 recorded an average issue readership of about 0.56 million, fifth in Tamil Nadu.
6. Dinamaniதினமணி
- Founded
- 1934 (first issue 11 September)
- Publisher
- The New Indian Express Group
- Based in
- Chennai
- Website
- dinamani.com
Dinamani, first published in 1934, is one of the oldest Tamil dailies and belongs to The New Indian Express Group. It is respected for serious news, editorials and literary coverage, with editions across Tamil Nadu and in Bengaluru and New Delhi.
There is no IRS 2019 Q4 figure for Dinamani, so it is placed here on standing and footprint rather than audited readership.
7. Dina Boomiதினபூமி
- Founded
- 1999
- Publisher
- Thinaboomi
- Based in
- Madurai
- Website
- thinaboomi.com
Dina Boomi is a Madurai-based daily founded in 1999, with editions in several Tamil Nadu cities including Chennai, Coimbatore and Tiruchirappalli. It covers general news with a strong focus on the southern districts.
No IRS figure is available for Dina Boomi.
8. Murasoliமுரசொலி
- Founded
- 1942; daily since 1960
- Publisher
- DMK
- Based in
- Chennai
- Website
- Not listed
Murasoli was started by M. Karunanidhi in 1942 and became a daily in 1960. It is the official organ of the DMK, and its editorials are widely quoted in Tamil Nadu's political coverage.
No IRS figure is available for Murasoli. It is read for its political weight rather than its spread.
9. Theekkathirதீக்கதிர்
- Founded
- 1963
- Publisher
- CPI(M) Tamil Nadu
- Based in
- Tamil Nadu, multiple editions
- Website
- theekkathir.in
Theekkathir began in 1963 as a weekly funded by mill workers in Coimbatore and became the paper of the CPI(M) in Tamil Nadu. It covers labour, agriculture and policy issues in depth.
No IRS figure is available for Theekkathir.
10. Viduthalaiவிடுதலை
- Founded
- 1935
- Publisher
- Dravidar Kazhagam
- Based in
- Chennai
- Website
- viduthalai.in
Viduthalai, first published in 1935, is the daily of the Dravidar Kazhagam and describes itself as a Tamil rationalist daily. It is closely associated with Periyar's self-respect movement.
No IRS figure is available for Viduthalai.
Tamil news sites to know
Much Tamil news reading now happens on phones. Alongside the newspapers' own sites (dailythanthi.com, dinamalar.com, dinakaran.com and hindutamil.in among them), these digital brands reach large Tamil audiences:
- Vikatan: the Vikatan Group's news and magazine site, which comScore ranked as the most visited Tamil news site in January 2021.
- Puthiya Thalaimurai: the TV news channel and digital brand of New Generation Media, part of the SRM Group.
- News18 Tamil Nadu: Network18's Tamil channel and site.
- Thanthi TV: the Daily Thanthi Group's news channel, with a strong digital presence.
Other Tamil dailies worth knowing include the evening papers Malai Murasu and Tamil Murasu, and Makkal Kural.
How we ranked these newspapers
The Indian Readership Survey is the industry standard for readership. The last full round, IRS 2019 Q4 (published by MRUC in 2020), lists five Tamil dailies for Tamil Nadu, ordered by average issue readership: Daily Thanthi, Dinamalar, Dinakaran, Maalai Malar and The Hindu Tamil. Those are our first five.
Dinamani, Dina Boomi, Murasoli, Theekkathir and Viduthalai have no comparable audited figure, so we have ordered them by footprint and influence. We have not used circulation figures, because published numbers are not consistently audited.
How to get coverage in Tamil newspapers
Three things decide whether a Tamil desk runs a story. The first is local relevance: a named town, a local benefit, a local voice. The second is language: a release written in Tamil by a native writer reads as news, while a translation reads as an advertisement. The third is the edition: Tamil dailies run many district editions, and a story placed in the right one often does better than a statewide pitch.
For fixed-date announcements, Tamil press release distribution and clearly labelled sponsored formats are dependable. Editorial coverage cannot be bought or guaranteed; we pursue it only. For campaigns across South India, see our regional PR distribution options.
Frequently asked questions
Which is the most-read Tamil newspaper?
Daily Thanthi. In IRS 2019 Q4 it recorded an average issue readership of about 7.2 million in Tamil Nadu, more than twice that of Dinamalar, the next paper.
Is Dinamalar or Dinakaran bigger?
It depends on the measure. In IRS 2019 Q4 Dinamalar led on average issue readership (about 2.9 million against 2.5 million), while Dinakaran led narrowly on total readership.
Which is the most popular Tamil news website?
Vikatan was ranked the most visited Tamil news site by comScore in January 2021. The newspapers' own sites, such as dinamalar.com and dailythanthi.com, and channels like Puthiya Thalaimurai and News18 Tamil Nadu also reach large audiences.
Are there Tamil evening newspapers?
Yes. Maalai Malar is the most-read Tamil evening daily, and Malai Murasu and Tamil Murasu are also published in the evening.
Can I get my press release published in Daily Thanthi?
Editorial coverage is decided by the paper's journalists and cannot be guaranteed. Press release distribution and sponsored formats are available for fixed-date announcements. For editorial coverage, media relations builds the story and takes it to the right desk.
Should a press release for Tamil media be written in Tamil?
Yes. A release written in Tamil by a native writer is far more likely to be used than an English release or a machine translation.
