11

Sep

Journalists retrenched, Pushed into Financial Hardship During COVID-19 : PCI Report

image

Our Correspondent

New Delhi | Wednesday | 11 September 2024

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the media industry in India faced widespread job losses, leaving over 2,500 journalists unemployed. Many of these journalists were forced to resign, terminated without due process, and left in financial despair. The Press Council of India (PCI) has released a detailed report shedding light on the severe challenges journalists faced during this crisis.

The report, titled *“Retrenchment of Journalists by Media Groups During the COVID-19 Period”*, was prepared by a sub-committee of the PCI, which was formed in September 2023. It highlights the widespread layoffs, forced resignations, and terminations that took place during the pandemic, revealing the human and financial toll this had on media professionals. Based on depositions from 51 journalists across 17 media organizations, the findings paint a grim picture of the media landscape during that period.

According to the report, nearly 80% of the journalists who lost their jobs during the pandemic were forced to resign or were terminated without notice. The report highlights that most of these layoffs occurred without following formal procedures, pushing many journalists into financial distress and emotional turmoil. The retrenchment affected journalists working in English, Hindi, Marathi, and Bengali news outlets.

The sub-committee's findings reveal that the majority of the affected journalists were from major publishers such as Bennett Coleman & Co. Ltd., HT Media, and The Hindu Publishing Group. These media houses disproportionately represented those forced out of work, and the situation was exacerbated by the lack of formal communication. Only 25% of the journalists who testified reported receiving formal retrenchment notices. In most cases, the communications were entirely oral, and journalists were caught off guard by the sudden decisions.

 

Article at a Glance
The Press Council of India's report reveals the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the media industry, resulting in over 2,500 job losses. The report highlights the widespread layoffs, forced resignations, and terminations without due process, leaving journalists in financial despair.
Nearly 80% of those who lost their jobs were forced to resign or terminated without notice, with most cases lacking formal communication. The report shares heart-wrenching stories of journalists who faced significant financial and emotional hardship, including depression, loss of self-worth, and social withdrawal.
The PCI recommends implementing a model contract for journalists to ensure job stability and financial security, emphasizing that job security is critical to press freedom.

 

The PCI report highlights several cases of journalists who faced significant financial and emotional hardship after being retrenched. Kavitha Iyer, an independent journalist who had worked with Indian Express for 18 years, was asked to resign in a meeting where she was even required to leave her phone outside. She was left with no choice but to accept the offer or face termination.

Similarly, Ashish Rukhaiyar, a former markets editor at The Hindu, was terminated via a phone call in June 2020. In a LinkedIn post, he shared that the layoffs lacked transparency and professionalism. Many journalists were threatened with losing their entitled payouts if they did not resign. These tactics left many without proper severance and financial security.

Another journalist, Sunita Tewari, who worked for over 20 years at Hindustan Times, was asked to resign in August 2020. Her children’s magazine, *Nandan*, was discontinued, and the pressure of the situation led to a severe deterioration of her health. Tewari’s testimony also revealed that a colleague, Santosh Gupta, committed suicide after being retrenched, emphasizing the emotional toll these layoffs took on media professionals.

The report also cited the case of Deepak Turbhekar, a photographer with *Mumbai Mirror*, who was forced to resign over a WhatsApp call. Turbhekar, who had worked with the organization for over 16 years, was left struggling to support his family. He had to sell his wife’s jewelry to fund his daughter’s education and had been financially struggling for three years. Many like him have quit journalism due to the unsustainable financial conditions in the industry.

The emotional and mental toll on journalists was another key finding in the report. The retrenchments left 80% of the journalists emotionally affected, with many experiencing depression, loss of self-worth, and social withdrawal. Senior journalists were particularly vulnerable, with many breaking down during the committee’s hearings. The sudden loss of livelihood, coupled with financial insecurity, pushed several journalists into prolonged depression and emotional distress.

The report also criticized media organizations for ignoring government directives that listed media professionals as essential workers during the pandemic. Despite being recognized as essential for the dissemination of information during a crisis, journalists were retrenched without consideration of their essential worker status. News organizations failed to provide safety equipment to those working on the ground and neglected to offer financial compensation for out-of-pocket expenses incurred during coverage.

The report pointed out that both the Central and state governments did little to protect journalists from job losses, despite issuing directives that classified them as essential workers. In Maharashtra, appeals by journalists for job security and access to public transport during the pandemic were ignored by then-Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar.

The PCI report concludes with several recommendations to improve the working conditions for journalists and protect their job security. It urged the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and the Ministry of Law and Justice to implement a model contract for journalists with mandatory clauses that ensure job stability and financial security. These clauses include a minimum tenure of service, provisions for provident funds, gratuity, yearly salary increments, and a severance payout of at least six months’ salary in case of termination.

The report emphasized that job security is critical to ensuring press freedom. Without it, journalists remain vulnerable to exploitation, and the integrity of the media industry is compromised. The recommendations, if implemented, aim to create a safer and more stable environment for media professionals to work in.

The PCI's findings bring to light the urgent need for reforms in the media industry, ensuring that the sacrifices and contributions of journalists are respected, particularly during times of crisis.

---------------

 

  • Share:

About Us

We must explain to you how all seds this mistakens idea off denouncing pleasures and praising pain was born and I will give you a completed accounts..

Contact Us

Contact Info

  • 70, Gyan Khand- 4, Indirapuram, Ghaziabad. Uttar Pradesh.
  • +91-9810533682
  • info@mediamap.co.in
  • Week Days: 09.00 to 18.00 Sunday: Closed