Impact of Covid19 on Indian Media

Shutting Down or Discontinued

• The Economic Times Hindi and Sandhya Times have stopped publishing their Delhi editions

• Dainik Bhaskar temporarily closed their four pages pull-out. Gurugram and Faridabad news has been merged in the Delhi edition

• Amar Ujala’s Gurugram and Faridabad edition are shutting down

• Network18 has announced to shut down its lifestyle channel – FYI TV18 from 8th July. This channel is a joint venture of A+E Network and TV18 Group and launched in 2016

• Firstpost has shut its Business Desk

• TV Today Network announced ceasing operations and transmission of Dilli Aaj Tak with effect from 30 June 2020. The group may also close down all its niche products including Harper’s Bazaar, Cosmos and Mail Today

• The Telegraph formally announced the closure of its Jharkhand and North-East editions on 31^st May 2020. Anand Bazar Patrika Group, which also owns The Telegraph and Fortune India, sent an internal email announcing vacating their rented offices in Delhi, Bengaluru, Noida, Chennai and Hyderabad

• Sakal Media Group will be shutting down operations for Sakal Times and Gomantak Times. Sakal Times, the Pune-based English daily, is said to have published its last edition on May 27, whereas the Goa-based Gomantak Times will cease operations on June 1. The closure impacts 45 editorial staff at Sakal Times and 13 journalists at Gomantak Times.

• Bloomberg-Quint announced shutting down of its television division. The move leads to 100 people losing jobs

• Nai Duniya, owned by Dainik Jagran, suspended print operations

• Business-Standard.com has discontinued Auto Publishing of news from various wire agencies. They may not re-start it in future

Job Losses

• Hindustan, a Hindi national daily from HT Media, has laid-off more than 180 employees across the country. Hindustan Times Gurugram has already sacked 6-7 employees

• Hindustan Times has recently asked its 150 staff, around 27 per cent of the total staff, to resign. Managing Editor Soumya Bhattacharya and other senior editors such as Poonam Saxena, Manjula Narayan, Rezaul Laskar and Padma Rao were asked to resign. Patna and Pune editions will also close down

• ABP Digital laid-off an unconfirmed number of journalists on 26^th May 2020

• Vikatan Group has laid off 172 employees in Chennai on 21^st May. It is unclear how many journalists are affected. Will update when there is clarity

• Rajasthan Patrika’s lay-off list is ready with approx. 500 employees. They may announce it soon

Salary-cuts, Furloughs and Work without Pay

• Fortune India sent its 20-people strong editorial team on a three month leave without pay on 28^th April. The decision was communicated in an internal email. The email came with a consent form that the employees are expected to sign

• The Quint has sent an estimated 50% employees on a ‘furlough’

• The Caravan magazine announced salary cuts for the next four months in an internal email on 12^th May. The email further said salaries will be paid in parts during the period

• Network 18 announced salary cuts on 27^th May in an internal email. The cuts affect all Network 18 properties across television and digital

Other Updates

• The Hindu Business Line has re-opened bureaus in Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad; and its ePapers are now available. The Hindu Business Line is also offering free ePaper for 21 days.

• The Hindu is offering a 15-day free trial of its e-paper

• Mint is offering one-month complimentary access to ePaper

• The New Indian Express has put its ePaper behind a paywall beginning 1^st June 2020

• The Times Group pay-walled ePapers of all its English titles — The Times of India, The Economic Times and Mirror —on 15^th May 2020