HT’s seven editions shut down from today; digital focus gains momentum

Close on the heels of winding up its business bureaux in Delhi and Mumbai, English daily Hindustan Times has now downed the curtains on seven of its editions – Kolkata, Ranchi, Bhopal, Indore, Allahabad, Varanasi and Kanpur – from January 9, 2017. 

A formal mail from HT Media, available with the media, states that the move comes in light of adapting to changing consumption trends and growing focus on the digital trends. It further explains HT Media’s need to invest in ‘Digital Future’ and the ‘creation of an ultra modern and hi-tech newsroom in Delhi’, according to a Newslaundry report. The group now aims to strengthen its prime editions in Mumbai, Delhi, Chandigarh and Lucknow. 

Meanwhile, in his tweet Vineet Jain, MD of HT’s arch rival The Times of India, stated, “I support ht. Wage board & demonetisation is hurting print industry. print needs zero rating in gst. #narendramodi”. 

To what extent the move to close the seven editions has been impacted by demonetisation is not known at present. The Q3 FY17 results will present a clearer picture. HT Media has informed the BSE that a meeting of the Board of Directors of the company will be held on January 24, 2017, inter alia, to consider and approve the un-audited financial results of the company for the quarter/9-months period ending on December 31, 2016.

HT’s move to shut down seven of its editions has been severely criticised by the Brihanmumbai Union of Journalists (BUJ), who have alleged that the move was to “circumvent the implementation of the Majithia Wage Board Award which was upheld by the Supreme Court by its judgment dated February 7, 2014”.

The Union has asked HT Media to revoke its decision to shut down the seven editions and sack journalists in various bureaus. In case its demands are not met, BUJ plans to draw the Supreme Court’s attention to these developments in the hearing slated for January 10, 2017.

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