News Broadcasting
Salman-Ash tapes: How many had them?
NEW DELHI: Bollywood hero Salman Khan’s alleged dalliances with the underworld, which, reportedly led to an acrimonious separation from his arm candy and former world beauty queen Aishwarya Rai, not only made Hindustan Times’ Mumbai debut much talked about, but also gave TV news channels some spicy stuff to follow up on 14 July.
Even as news channels clamoured to put together a story, which was broken by HT yesterday, at least two of the channels claimed to be first with the news on the small screen, including visuals.
What is more surprising is that some of the news channels also claimed to be in possession of the tape (conversation between Salman and Ash) on the basis of which HT lead with a story in its inaugural Mumbai edition.
“We had the tape for some time, but held it back from airing it as we were doing some more investigation,” Jagran TV COO Piyush Jain told Indiantelevision.com today. Ditto for India TV chairman Rajat Sharma, who said, “We anyway have done controversial stories in the past and as usual wanted to verify the veracity of the Salman-Ash tape before putting it out.”
The Mumbai police has now gone on record saying the tape would be investigated as also the alleged connection of the underworld with Bollywood. Salman’s lawyer has dubbed the tape a ‘doctored’ one as Salman is a “soft target” for people with vested interests.
If, as claimed by two news channels, they had the tape, why did they wait for HT to show them the way? Explained Jain, “We were doing some additional investigations to be 100 per cent sure of the facts. When HT broke the story, we thought we might as well put out the story.”
Though by early afternoon most news channels had started running stories on the alleged Salman-Ash-underworld affair, how did the news channels acquire a copy of the tape is itself a mystery. Nobody is ready to admit the source.
“We haven’t given any news channels any tape, though it’s nice of some TV news channels to give us the credit,” HT Mumbai resident editor Avirook Sen said.
While Star News acknowledged HT’s contribution in breaking the story even though later in the day doing its “own value additions,” HT’s Sen appeared on a NDTV channel for a programme hosted by Abhigyan Prakash.
Meanwhile, Indiantelevision.com has learnt that the HT correspondent who broke the story actually had been working on the matter for some months when he was, reportedly, working for a TV news channel. The tape was in his possession since then. And, then the journalist hopped over to HT in Mumbai taking along with him the tape and the story that had all the ingredients of a Bollywood potboiler.
The rest, as they say, is history!
Still, what is rather odd about this whole affair is that the “leak” of the tapes has been to more than one media outlet. While answers are not forthcoming at present over why the Mumbai police “sat over” the matter for over four years, it is also clearly evident that more than one party that had access to the tapes have been sitting on it for varying periods of time.
Mumbai eveninger Afternoon Despatch & Courier put forth an interesting point in its Diary column today: “If, indeed, Salman does know the underworld as closely as he claims, and he is truly their main man in Mumbai, then where is the wisdom in letting him run around loose and unchecked? Are the police sitting on the tapes because they want to use them at a later and appropriate date? Perhaps, to their own advantage? Or do the police know that the tapes are not genuine, after all, but are enjoying the tamasha of the media carrying out this witch-hunt against a star they have never really liked?”
Questions, questions…
News Broadcasting
BBC to cut up to 2,000 jobs in biggest overhaul in 15 years
Cost pressures and leadership change drive major workforce reduction plan
LONDON: BBC has unveiled plans to cut up to 2,000 jobs, roughly 10 per cent of its global workforce, in what marks its biggest downsizing in 15 years.
The announcement was made during an all-staff meeting led by interim director-general Rhodri Talfan Davies, as the broadcaster moves to tackle mounting financial pressures and reshape its operations.
Between 1,800 and 2,000 roles are expected to be eliminated from a workforce of around 21,500. The cuts form part of a broader plan to save £500 million over the next two years, aimed at offsetting rising costs, stagnating licence fee income and weaker commercial revenues.
In a communication to staff, BBC interim director-general Rhodri Talfan Davies said, “I know this creates real uncertainty, but we wanted to be open about the challenge,” acknowledging the impact the move would have across the organisation.
The restructuring comes at a time of leadership transition. Former director-general Tim Davie stepped down earlier this month, with Matt Brittin, a former Google executive, set to take over the role on May 18, 2026.
While some cost-cutting measures are being implemented immediately, the majority of the structural changes are expected to roll out over the next few years, with full savings targeted by the 2027–2028 financial year.
The broadcaster had earlier signalled its intent to reduce its cost base by around 10 per cent over a three-year period, warning of “difficult choices” as it adapts to shifting economic realities and audience expectations.
With operating costs hovering around £6 billion annually, the BBC’s latest move underscores the scale of the financial challenge it faces, as it balances public service commitments with the need for long-term sustainability in an increasingly competitive media landscape.
