DNPA Conclave 2026: Why getting Indian users to pay for news remains a tough sell

Leaders from media, technology, and policy convened on Thursday to chart the future of journalism in a rapidly evolving digital landscape, at the Fourth Annual Digital News Publishers Association (DNPA) Conclave 2026. Held under the theme “Rewriting the Playbook for a Resilient Digital Future,” the event highlighted conversations around trust, innovation, artificial intelligence, regulation, and sustainable growth, setting the stage for deeper debates on the structural challenges facing the industry.

During the final panel discussion of the event titled “Getting the Indian User to Pay,” executives from media, technology, and consumer platforms converged on a sobering reality: while subscriptions are widely seen as one of industry’s long-term goal, the path to scale remains complex.

Avinash Mudaliar, CEO of OTTPLAY, framed the struggle as fundamentally behavioural. Drawing a sharp contrast between news and streaming platforms, he argued that the gap is less technological and more psychological. “OTTs solve for dopamine, news solves for cortisol,” Mudaliar observed, suggesting that entertainment platforms are designed around reward cycles. “You're are not literally craving attention; you're are craving retention. That’s the bus we seem to be missing.”

He noted that OTT platforms simplify sampling for users. “News makes sampling so tough. If you read two articles, the third asks you to pay. OTT has it simple — sample for a month, watch multiple episodes, then decide whether to stay.”

Mudaliar also pushed back against the idea that video-led news subscriptions alone could unlock growth, citing the ad-supported success of platforms like YouTube. “News OTT won't work unless you approach it differently — with focus on the story, not just information.”

From a consumer-platform lens, Anurag P, VP Product at Swiggy, shared lessons from SwiggyOne’s subscription model. “We’re not selling free deliveries; we’re selling mental bandwidth to users,” he said, emphasising the importance of reducing user friction.

“How do you make the whole process friction-free?” he explained was the idea on his mind, adding that publishers must identify where friction emerges in news too, citing examples like rigid paywalls or overwhelming content abundance.

Subscriptions, the panel agreed, also need flexibility. Mudaliar highlighted experiments with pause features. “We introduced a pause. If you’ve taken a yearly subscription but want to pause, you can. It’s about being truthful to users.”

With Neeraj Sharma, Managing Director at Accenture, the conversation shifted a little, offering a pragmatic view on enterprise-scale subscription opportunities. “The simple answer is no,” he said when asked about the viability of B2B news subscriptions in India. “For any enterprise to invest widely, you need very unique content or depth. The same news is available everywhere.”

To build paying communities, Sharma argued, publishers must go deeper rather than wider. “Build depth content — like a community — with real-world opportunities and unique conversations. That’s when subscriptions might sell.”

Jaideep Karnik, Head of Digital and Editor at Amar Ujala, echoed the structural challenge. “Subscriptions are not working, really,” he admitted, pointing to the historical economics of Indian news.

“When people were paying for news, only a small fraction came from readers. The majority came from advertisers. We have not made people used to paying for news.”

Karnik underlined the behavioural hurdle: “If even one source of news is free, people will not pay. It is also about habit. This cannot change in one day.”

As the discussion went on, panellists outlined what they believed could realistically persuade Indian users to open their wallets.

Jaideep Karnik stressed that news alone may not be enough to drive payment behaviour. “People will not pay for news, but for experience. What will you give?” he said, pointing to the need for publishers to rethink value creation and options like packaged 'bundles' with multiple news-related products.

Neeraj Sharma argued that depth, not volume, could unlock subscription potential. “Depth,” he said, emphasising the importance of specialised, high-value content and community-led offerings.

Avinash Mudaliar highlighted accessibility as a decisive factor. “Ease of access,” he noted.

From a product standpoint, Anurag P offered a more personal view, pointing to the kind of utility-driven experience that could resonate with users. “I would pay for something that gives me the most important news in three minutes every morning, without clutter,” he said, which pointed to the viability in personalisation.

The discussion ultimately signalled that success may depend less on rigid paywalls alone and more on psychology, personalisation, and designing experiences users genuinely value.
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