Who Owns The Business Times (Singapore)?
The Business Times is owned by SPH Media, Singapore's not-for-profit media company limited by guarantee. Launched in 1976 as the country's first financial daily, it is Singapore's leading source of business, markets and economic news, published in print and digital editions with a weekend edition.
Parent Company
Founded
1976
Status
Private
Headquarters
Asia PacificOfficial Website
Who Owns The Business Times (Singapore)?
- Parent Company: SPH Media Trust
- Ownership Type: Wholly owned
- Company Type: Privately Held
| Brand | Parent Company | Ownership Type |
|---|---|---|
| The Business Times (Singapore) | SPH Media Trust | Wholly owned |
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History of The Business Times (Singapore)
- Founded: 1976
- Founders: Singapore Press Holdings (internal launch)
The Business Times launched in 1976, a deliberate SPH response to Singapore's growth as a financial center after independence. The rationale was straightforward: a rising international banking and trading hub needed a dedicated financial daily, and no local title covered markets, corporate news and economics at that depth.
Through the 1980s and 1990s it grew alongside the Singapore Exchange and the city's emergence as Asia's second financial center, adding specialist coverage of property, shipping (through the legacy of the Straits Times' commercial coverage), commodities and regional markets. Its Weekend edition expanded its audience beyond the trading floor to the wider professional class.
The paper's signature events cemented its institutional role: the annual Business Times Awards and the BT-Morningstar fund awards became industry benchmarks, and its corporate coverage is the primary record of Singapore Inc., the network of government-linked companies.
Digital transition mirrored the group's path: businesstimes.com.sg runs a metered paywall, and the title is bundled into SPH Media's all-access subscriptions. Under the 2021 CLG structure it has remained the group's premium-tier publication, commanding the highest subscription pricing of the portfolio given its professional readership.
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About SPH Media Trust
Who owns SPH Media?
SPH Media Trust is a company limited by guarantee with no shareholders. It is not legally state-owned, but it receives government funding and operates under ministerial oversight rules covering newspaper control.
Is SPH Media publicly traded?
No. Its predecessor, Singapore Press Holdings, was listed on the Singapore Exchange until the media business was spun off in 2021 and the remaining entity was later taken private.
What newspapers does SPH Media own?
It publishes The Straits Times, The Business Times, Lianhe Zaobao, Berita Harian, Tamil Murasu, Shin Min Daily News and tabla!, along with the Stomp platform that absorbed The New Paper in 2025.
When was SPH Media founded?
SPH Media Trust was incorporated on 19 July 2021 and began operations on 1 December 2021, though its flagship The Straits Times dates to 1845.
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How is SPH Media funded?
Through a mix of newspaper circulation and digital subscriptions, advertising, events, radio revenue and direct government funding provided since 2024 for public service journalism.
Does SPH Media own radio stations?
Yes. It operates five FM stations: Money FM 89.3, Kiss92, One FM 91.3, 96.3 Hao FM and UFM100.3, plus the Awedio streaming service.
Is SPH Media independent from the government?
Formally it is a non-profit private entity. In practice it receives state funding, operates under statutory newspaper controls, and is classified by press freedom monitors as closely aligned with the government.
- Founded: 2021
- Headquarters: Toa Payoh, Central Region, Singapore
- Company Type: Privately Held
- Revenue: Not publicly disclosed (company limited by guarantee)
- Employees: Approximately 3,000
Where Is The Business Times (Singapore) Made / Based?
- Headquarters: Toa Payoh, Central Region, Singapore
The Business Times (Singapore) Categories & Tags
Brands Owned by SPH Media Trust
Media EntertainmentBerita Harian
Owned by SPH Media Trust
Singapore's only Malay-language daily newspaper, published by SPH Media with roots to 1957.
newspapermalay-mediasingapore
Media EntertainmentLianhe Zaobao
Owned by SPH Media Trust
Singapore's flagship Chinese-language daily, formed by 1983 merger and owned by SPH Media.
newspaperchinese-mediasingapore
Media EntertainmentThe Straits Times
Owned by SPH Media Trust
Singapore's most-read newspaper and SPH Media flagship, published since 1845 in print and digital editions.
newspapersingaporenews
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The Business Times (Singapore) Ownership: Pros & Cons
Advantages
- +Non-profit structure supports in-depth business journalism without profit mandates
- +Category monopoly delivers premium subscription and advertising pricing
- +Shared SPH newsroom and bureau resources deepen coverage
- +Government funding stabilizes the title through ad cycles
Considerations
- -Government funding raises independence questions on coverage of state-linked companies
- -Niche professional audience limits volume growth
- -Global financial media competition is better-resourced
- -Print decline pressures the legacy revenue base
Frequently Asked Questions About The Business Times (Singapore)
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Sources & Further Reading
Competitors to The Business Times (Singapore)
These competing brands operate in the same categories and provide similar products or services. Compare key attributes to understand market positioning and competitive landscape.
| Brand | Parent Company | Country | Founded | Market Position | Primary Market | Gender Target |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sph Media | Singapore | 1957 | Mass market | Asia pacific | All Genders | |
| Sph Media | Singapore | 1983 | Mass market | Asia pacific | All Genders | |
| Sph Media | Singapore | 1845 | Mass market | Asia pacific | All Genders | |
| Dmg Media | United Kingdom | 1896 | Mass market | United kingdom | All Genders | |
| Forbes | United States | 1917 | Mass market | Global | All Genders | |
| Dmg Media | United Kingdom | 1999 | Mass market | United kingdom | All Genders |
Learn More About Competitors
Media EntertainmentBerita Harian
Owned by SPH Media Trust
Singapore's only Malay-language daily newspaper, published by SPH Media with roots to 1957.
newspapermalay-mediasingapore
Media EntertainmentLianhe Zaobao
Owned by SPH Media Trust
Singapore's flagship Chinese-language daily, formed by 1983 merger and owned by SPH Media.
newspaperchinese-mediasingapore
Media EntertainmentThe Straits Times
Owned by SPH Media Trust
Singapore's most-read newspaper and SPH Media flagship, published since 1845 in print and digital editions.
newspapersingaporenews
Media EntertainmentDaily Mail
Owned by dmg media Limited
Britain's best-read mid-market newspaper, published since 1896 by dmg media, owned by the Harmsworth family.
newspaperuk-mediatabloid
Media EntertainmentForbes
Owned by Forbes Media LLC
American business media brand founded in 1917, majority-owned by Hong Kong investment group Integrated Whale Media since 2014, based in Jersey City, New Jersey.
business-newsmagazinemedia
Media EntertainmentMetro (UK)
Owned by dmg media Limited
Britain's free weekday commuter newspaper, published by dmg media since 1999 and distributed across UK cities and transport networks.
newspaperfree-newspapercommuter
Competitive Analysis
Market Positioning: The Business Times (Singapore) competes with 6 brands in the same categories, ranging from mass market to luxury positioning.
Geographic Distribution: Competitors are headquartered across multiple regions, indicating global competition in this market segment.
Brand Heritage: Competitor brands range from established heritage brands to newer market entrants, with founding years spanning several decades.
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Independent Alternatives to The Business Times (Singapore)
Looking for brands with different ownership structures? These similar brands are not owned by SPH Media Trust, giving you alternative choices that support different corporate structures.
Media EntertainmentForbes
Owned by Forbes Media LLC
American business media brand founded in 1917, majority-owned by Hong Kong investment group Integrated Whale Media since 2014, based in Jersey City, New Jersey.
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Forbes operates independently without a large parent corporation.
Media EntertainmentAxel Springer
Owned by Axel Springer SE
Berlin media company behind BILD, POLITICO, BUSINESS INSIDER, and Morning Brew, family-owned by Friede Springer and Mathias Döpfner since 2025.
publishingnews-mediagermany
Privately Owned
Axel Springer operates independently without a large parent corporation.
Media EntertainmentSimon & Schuster
Owned by Simon & Schuster LLC
Major American book publishing brand founded in 1924, owned by KKR since 2023 and a member of the Big Five trade publishers.
publishingbooksbig-five
Privately Owned
Simon & Schuster operates independently without a large parent corporation.
Media EntertainmentAdvergic
Owned by Advergic
Islamabad-based ad optimization company founded in 2021, the first Google Certified Channel Partner in Pakistan.
ad-techad-optimizationheader-bidding
Privately Owned
Advergic operates independently without a large parent corporation.
Media EntertainmentAEG
Owned by Anschutz Entertainment Group, Inc.
Global sports and live entertainment brand of Anschutz Entertainment Group, owner of major venues, festivals including Coachella, and sports teams such as the LA Kings and LA Galaxy.
live-entertainmentsportsvenues
Privately Owned
AEG operates independently without a large parent corporation.
Media EntertainmentAscendeum
Owned by Ascendeum
Ad tech strategy consulting and managed operations firm founded in 2015, headquartered in Bordentown, New Jersey with delivery teams across India.
ad-techconsultingprogrammatic
Privately Owned
Ascendeum operates independently without a large parent corporation.
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