BCCL, Sandesh in tie-up talks

Bennett, Coleman & Company Ltd (BCCL) is in talks with Ahmedabad-based The Sandesh Ltd, which publishes Gujarati daily Sandesh, for a strategic business arrangement involving joint circulation and advertisement.

The tie-up is in line with BCCL's strategy to strengthen its hold on the regional language news market. BCCL, which brings out national dailies like The Times Of India and The Economic Times, is also believed to be in talks with the Rs 144 crore Sandesh group for buying a small equity stake.

While senior BCCL officials could not be reached for comments, Sandesh Chairman and Managing Director Falgunbhai Patel, who is also the editor of the newspaper, denied equity sale.

The two parties had in principle agreed that Sandesh could undertake contract printing for BCCL's publications in whatever surplus capacities the former had, added Patel.