Propagating a ‘Not For Sale’ advertisement: The Assam Tribune’s way

By Nava Thakuria 

Readers of a venerable newspaper in Guwahati were greeted with an unusual sight on 26 May 2026: a full front-page advertisement declaring that the English daily was not for sale. Occupying the most valuable space traditionally reserved for major news stories, the advertisement raised eyebrows among loyal readers who purchase the newspaper every morning for news, not corporate declarations. The management’s decision to use the front page for a matter that could have been addressed through other channels appeared excessive. The question naturally arose: why did the management of The Assam Tribune feel compelled to propagate an advertisement asserting that the acclaimed daily was not being sold? While intended to refute rumours circulating on social media, many media observers viewed the move not as a clarification but as an overreaction to speculation originating in alternative media platforms.

The strongly worded statement, carrying the emphatic headline “THE ASSAM TRIBUNE IS NOT FOR SALE,” claimed that widespread speculation regarding the newspaper’s alleged sale was baseless. “For the past 88 glorious years, The Assam Tribune has stood as an independent, credible and responsible institution committed to serving the nation and the people with integrity, courage and journalistic excellence,” the advertisement declared. It further warned that the management reserved the right to initiate legal action against any individual, group, or entity involved in creating, spreading, or promoting what it described as defamatory misinformation.

Earlier, through its verified social media accounts, the newspaper had argued that the rumour was amplified by prominent personalities and even media outlets, many of whom appeared to consider verification an unnecessary formality. “No official confirmation. No credible source. No due diligence. Just pure confidence and a share button,” the newspaper remarked. It further stated: “For nearly nine decades, The Assam Tribune has remained committed to preserving the trust of its readers, and it will continue to do so in the years ahead. In an era where everyone claims to value journalism and fact-checking, it is fascinating to see how quickly baseless speculation can be repackaged as ‘news’ simply because it trends online.”

The issue gained momentum during the fourth week of May when numerous Assamese social media users expressed apprehension that the prestigious newspaper had already been sold to industrialist Gautam Adani, Chairman of the Adani Group, for around ₹421 crore. The speculation was later amplified by several prominent individuals who also alleged that the management had failed to pay employees regularly for months and that more than 75 former workers were still awaiting their legally entitled dues, forcing them to seek judicial intervention. Many social media users expressed genuine concern over the apparent financial distress of the media house.

The history of newspapers in Assam dates back to January 1846, when the first issue of Arunodoi (Sunrise) was published from Sibsagar in eastern Assam by American Baptist missionaries. The Assamese-language monthly continued publication until 1879. The second Assamese monthly magazine, Asam Bilasini, began publication in 1871 from Majuli by Deva Dutta Goswami and survived until 1883. Numerous newspapers and magazines followed, with Dainik Batori emerging as Assam’s first daily newspaper in 1935 under tea planter Siva Prasad Baruah.

Eminent Assamese entrepreneur Radha Govinda Baruah founded the Tribune Group in 1939 and subsequently expanded it with several Assamese-language publications. Initially launched as a weekly from Dibrugarh, The Assam Tribune was shifted to Guwahati and converted into a daily newspaper in 1946. Its diamond jubilee celebrations were graced by then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on 7 December 1999. Later, its platinum jubilee celebrations were attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 29 November 2014, during which he highlighted the strength of the media and its positive role in transforming society.

In recent years, however, the oldest media group in Northeast India has faced severe financial difficulties. This was reflected in statements issued by the Assam Tribune Employees’ Union, which repeatedly alleged delays in salary payments and post-retirement benefits. The union organized demonstrations on the newspaper’s premises and held press conferences, claiming that a substantial amount of advertisement revenue remained unpaid by the Assam government’s Information and Public Relations Department. The management echoed similar concerns, stating that it was urgently awaiting the release of those pending funds.

Amid these developments, the management transferred responsibility for Dainik Asom, a sister publication, to another media house. When the new owner assumed control of the six-decade-old daily on 17 September 2025, he reportedly declined responsibility for more than 75 employees associated with the publication. The previous management was expected to settle all outstanding dues owed to the displaced employees, but this did not happen. Consequently, the affected workers sought legal recourse, and a court recently directed the Tribune management to clear their dues.

For decades, the Guwahati-based media house was widely regarded as a model of ethical journalism. The Tribune Group became the first newspaper organization in the country to implement the recommendations of the Majithia Wage Board in 2010. Yet, shortly before relinquishing control of Dainik Asom, the current management quietly allowed its seven-decade-old tabloid Asom Bani to disappear. The weekly was merged into Dainik Asom as a Sunday supplement. However, since the new owner did not acquire the weekly publication, it effectively ceased to exist. Asom Bani was last published on 12 September 2025, but the management issued no public statement regarding its closure.

The media group has witnessed and documented many defining socio-political developments in the troubled region, including the medium-of-instruction movement, the anti-influx agitation, the rise of separatist militancy, periods of social unrest, and the emergence of regional politics. Throughout much of its history, it maintained a strong commitment to the concerns of indigenous communities. Following the Covid-19 pandemic, however, newspapers across Assam faced an existential crisis due to declining circulation and advertising revenues. Media observers note that while the Tribune Group historically enjoyed credibility for its reporting, editorials, and public discourse, many believe those standards have weakened in recent years.

The Assam Tribune devoted extensive coverage to the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act movement in 2019, providing significant space to protests against the Union government’s initiative to offer citizenship to persecuted Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, and Christian minorities from Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Afghanistan. The coverage contributed to intense public debate and weeks of unrest in Assam’s Brahmaputra Valley, where many feared that the legislation would undermine the Assam Accord of 1985, which had concluded the six-year anti-foreigner movement.

Many in Assam also recall a series of controversial reports published ahead of a Guwahati Press Club election in 2020. Critics argued that the reports contained personal attacks against the club’s then secretary, thereby damaging the newspaper’s reputation for fairness. Subsequently, when the journalist in question received an international award from the Geneva-based Press Emblem Campaign in 2021, the newspaper’s editorial desk reportedly declined to provide coverage of the achievement.

While the current financial condition of The Assam Tribune appears precarious, it is difficult to attribute the crisis solely to the pandemic. Critics argue that years of questionable editorial decisions, a lack of accountability within sections of the newsroom, and internal institutional discord contributed significantly to the decline. They contend that some media professionals, despite enjoying the benefits of employment, fostered disorder within the organization, while the management remained largely passive. Whether through misjudgment, neglect, or complacency, this combination of factors appears to have deepened the challenges facing one of Northeast India’s most respected media institutions.

This version reads as a polished newspaper op-ed while preserving the author's perspective and arguments.