Firstpost began in 2011 as an online news portal of Network18.[4] In May 2013, the news group was merged with the Indian edition of Forbes India whose four top editorial heads, including editor in chief Indrajit Gupta, were dismissed.[5][6] The event led to a media furor.[7] Thereafter on 31 May 2013, Firstpost took over a satirical website
Fakingnews.com for an undisclosed amount.[8] According to Scroll.in, "Network18, with its online outlet FirstPost, famously lost its primetime anchors in 2014 because of a
diktat against criticising
Modi."[9]
In 2015, The Caravan reported on censorship in Firstpost over criticism of political leaders such as
Arun Jaitley.[10] In January 2019, a weekly English-language print edition of Firstpost began,[4][11] and then ended in June 2019, with publication of Firstpost continuing online.[12] As of April 2020, Jaideep Giridhar is the executive editor of Firstpost in
Mumbai, while Sanjay Singh is the deputy executive editor.[13] On 26 January 2023, the prime-time show Vantage was launched, hosted by managing editor Palki Sharma Upadhyay, formerly of
WION.[14]
Fact-checkers have found the Firstpost to have posted incorrect information on multiple occasions. In 2023, it misreported photo of a grave with iron grille to be from Pakistan when it was from Hyderabad, India.[2] In 2023, it falsely reported that
Atiq Ahmed's vote had ‘Saved' the
UPA Govt in 2008.[15][1]