How to Start a News Website in India

A digital-only news website is not the same as a printed periodical, so do not buy a print-title registration package as permission to publish online. The current print framework is the Press and Registration of Periodicals Act, 2023, effective 1 March 2024, administered by PRGI.

The Press Registrar General's official FAQs define a periodical as a publication printed and published at regular intervals. The old page's reference to the 1867 Act is therefore not the current print-registration route. If the business also publishes a printed newspaper or magazine, obtain advice about that separate registration.

Digital publishing has its own obligations. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting publishes advisories on furnishing information under Rule 18 of the IT Rules, 2021; its 30 May 2025 information-furnishing advisory includes a format for digital news publishers. Information furnishing is not interchangeable with a print certificate.

This is a website launch guide, not legal advice. Before launch, ask qualified Indian counsel to confirm current digital-media requirements, any relevant court orders, grievance arrangements, privacy, copyright and the business's tax position. A domain or hosting invoice does not certify compliance.

Configure WordPress around stable story URLs, correct timestamps, named writers and a small editorial taxonomy before importing a large archive. A theme determines layout, but publishing settings determine whether the archive remains understandable.

1. Install WordPress and enable HTTPS. Set the publication name and Asia/Kolkata timezone in Settings → General.
2. Choose a permalink structure before launch; avoid changing published addresses without redirects.
3. Create sections that match your beat, such as City, Education and Transport, with a clear category description.
4. Give each writer an individual account and accurate public display name. Use the minimum role needed for their job.
5. Select a responsive theme and test articles, archives, bylines and navigation on a phone.
6. Check that article structured data uses the actual author, publication date and relevant modified date rather than invented fields.

The WordPress news theme guide helps compare layouts. Avoid installing multiple plugins that generate competing schema or sitemaps; choose a documented configuration and verify its output on a real published story.

A news website should cache public articles, monitor resource limits and maintain recoverable backups before relying on advertising income or live-event traffic. Reader visits and logged-in editorial work put different demands on the server.

Measure page-cache behaviour, response times and errors during normal publishing. A faster network label alone does not resolve exhausted PHP workers or database contention. The news website hosting guide covers capacity decisions; upgrade because measured limits require it, not because a visitor count has been guessed.

Test a backup restore and keep an independent copy of valuable reporting. Schedule updates when an editor can verify the site afterwards. For monetisation, evaluate AdSense, clearly labelled direct advertisements or subscriptions without assuming approval, a fixed revenue per visitor or a minimum article count guarantees acceptance.

Keep advertiser agreements, image rights and editorial independence documented. A sponsored story should not masquerade as independent reporting. Your budget must keep the newsroom operating even when network-ad revenue or Discover visits fluctuate.