FOUNDATION MAGAZINE FINANCIAL ADVICE STOCKLETTERS PORTFOLIO PMS BOOKS
BUY
Blacklist Media Groups That Terminated Employees & Announced Closures Amidst COVID19: Mumbai Press Club
Moneylife Digital Team 16 April 2020
Economy & Nation
Coming out strongly against several media houses for shutting operations, firing staff and team and unilateral cuts in salaries of journalists and other employees, the Mumbai Press Club has asked the government to blacklist such media groups.
 
In a release, the Mumbai Press Club urged the union government to blacklist all media groups that have carried out illegal terminations of employees and closures, and bar them from benefiting in any way from the government’s rescue package or tax waiver schemes, as well exclude these companies from being recipients of government advertising. 
 
Mumbai Press Club says, "It has also come to our notice that despite this flouting of the law and killing of jobs by the media companies, they have on the other hand been appealing to government for aid. The Indian Newspaper Society (INS) has written to the union ministry of information and broadcasting (I&B) on 9th April seeking waiver of 5% customs duty on newsprint, two-year tax holiday for newspaper establishments, 50% increase in advertisement rate of Bureau of Outreach and Communication and a 100% increase in budget spend for the print media."
 
 
It says, "At a time when media employees are going through challenging times and braving the coronavirus to go onto the field, and risking their lives to keep operations going, they have been ‘rewarded’ for their loyalty by the handing out of pink slips. These firings and closure of departments are both contrary to the due process of law, as well as violation of the advisories put out by the central government."
 
"There is no doubt that business operations during the current lockdown are facing a crisis. However, it is expected that these companies should stand by their employees in this time of extreme crisis; and review their operations only when the situation eases. It is also not the case that all the media companies are in bad shape. The bigger groups like the Bennett, Coleman & Company (BCCL) or the Times Group, HT Media, the Bhaskar and Jagran Groups and ABP Ltd are profitable and doing well. The few months of losses cannot be held against their employees, especially when for years these are the very journos and employees who have slaved for them to turn in a profit," the Press Club says.
 
As per the release, Hamara Mahanagar shut operations on 18th March citing poor business viability, while Outlook and Forbes India suspended print operations on 30th March and 27 March 2020, respectively. About 15 journalists of the Sakal Group were asked to resign on 31st March, Indian Express and Business Standard announced salary cuts ranging from 30% to 50%.
 
A section of journalists at Quint were asked to go on leave without pay, others were asked to take a salary cut on 9th and 10th April. News Nation laid off its entire English digital team of 15 journalists and Star of Mysore suspended print operations on 12th April. Nai Duniya owned by Dainik Jagran suspended print operations on 13th April.
 
Some of the big groups including Times Group, HT Media, Network18 Group and India Today Group have cut back or abolished emoluments and perks and are planning the shut down some departments and supplements and retrenching staff to save revenue. If these go through, huge job losses are on the cards, it says.
 
It may be recalled that the Union Ministry of Labour and Employment had issued a circular on 20 March 2020 advising both public and private employers not to terminate employees or reduce wages. In his address to the nation on 14th April, Prime Minister Narendra Modi again reiterated in his ‘Appeal No.6’ to businessmen and companies not to terminate their employees at the time of crisis. 
 
"It is in flagrant violation of the government’s directions that media houses have gone ahead and sacked personal and closed operations. These actions are also in breach of the law which requires government permission for closure and notice pay and other compensation under Sections 25 (O) and (F) as well as other provisions of the Industrial Disputes Act before terminating employees," the Mumbai Press Club says. 
 
Comments
Meenal Mamdani
6 years ago
This is the time when the public needs more than ever truthful, dependable news and yet the media houses are putting profit ahead of their duty to their employees and the public.

The public should take matter in its own hands and send the newspapers/magazines a letter denouncing this move and in protest discontinue their subscriptions.
Reply
raviforjustice
6 years ago
There is a quip in Malayalam that would translate to 'removing the rafters when the house is on fire'. This is what seems to be happening everywhere in the time of this pandemic. Some people are yet to learn the biggest lesson that this season should be teaching us- of sharing, caring and the age old dictum of simple living and high thinking.
Reply
ICICI Pru
ICICI Bank credit card
  • EDITORS'
    PICKS
  • MOST
    POPULAR
  • MOST
    READ
Free Helpline
Legal Credit
Feedback
Buy Now!

Absolute Power

Inside story of the National Stock Exchange’s amazing success, leading to hubris, regulatory capture and algo scam

View Options

The Scam: Now in it's 12th Printing

29 Years Of The Scam: The Perennial Bestseller, reads like a Thriller!
#Scam92: Read the actual story.

Buy Now Gift Know More

Moneylife Online Magazine

Fiercely independent and pro-consumer information on personal finance.

1-year online access to the magazine articles published during the subscription period.
Access is given for all articles published during the week (starting Monday) your subscription starts. For example, if you subscribe on Wednesday, you will have access to articles uploaded from Monday of that week.
This means access to other articles (outside the subscription period) are not included.
Articles outside the subscription period can be bought separately for a small price per article.

Buy Now Gift Know More

Monthly Digital Access

Fiercely independent and pro-consumer information on personal finance.

30-day online access to the magazine articles published during the subscription period.
Access is given for all articles published during the week (starting Monday) your subscription starts. For example, if you subscribe on Wednesday, you will have access to articles uploaded from Monday of that week.
This means access to other articles (outside the subscription period) are not included.
Articles outside the subscription period can be bought separately for a small price per article.

Buy Now Know More

Full Archive access

Fiercely independent and pro-consumer information on personal finance.
Complete access to Moneylife archives since inception ( till the date of your subscription )

Buy Now

Stockletters in 5 Flavours

Outstanding research that beats mutual funds year after year

Buy Now Know More

MAS: Complete Online Financial Advisory

(Includes Moneylife Online Magazine)

Buy Now Know More
We are listening!
Reset
Success!

To continue

Please

or

With