Newspapers appear cheap at the counter, but their cover price tells only half the story. A large share of a newspaper’s revenue comes from advertisements, local classifieds, retail ads, and brand promotions. If ads disappeared, the entire cost of reporting, printing, and distribution would fall on readers.

Without ad revenue, the price of a daily newspaper could rise dramatically, often 2× to 5× higher than today. In many markets, a paper that costs ₹5–₹10 per copy might need to charge ₹20–₹40 (or more) to break even. The exact increase depends on printing costs, newsroom salaries, paper prices, and circulation scale.

Higher prices would likely shrink readership, which in turn raises per copy costs even further, a tough cycle. Some outlets might switch to subscriptions, digital paywalls, or donations to survive. In short, advertisements subsidize journalism; without them, quality news would become a premium product, less accessible to the average reader.