News Broadcasting
NDTV restructures biz & newsroom amidst reports of layoffs
NEW DELHI: Buffeted by allegations of tax evasion and money laundering, which are being contested in appeal tribunals, one of India’s first private sector TV news organization NDTV has said it is reorganizing newsroom set-up and resources available to adapt to changing technologies like MoJo or mobile journalism.
Stating that the restructuring was “not just about cost-cutting”, the Prannoy Roy-family promoted NDTV in a statement on Monday said, “Like other news broadcasters around the world, NDTV is reorganizing its newsroom and resources to focus on mobile journalism. NDTV has always been an early adapter of new technology and we are the first major network in India whose reporters are all trained in using mobile phones to shoot stories.”
The statement comes amidst media reports that NDTV has handed pink slips to about 70 staffers, comprising mostly technical personnel and camerapersons. Outlook magazine, quoting unnamed sources, in a report on its website said on Monday that the number of “retrenched staff is likely to be between 60 and 70 of which around 35 camerapersons have been made redundant with the introduction of high-grade smartphones”.
It must be clarified here that Indiantelevision.com could not independently verify or confirm the news on staff being laid off at NDTV.
However, NDTV’s official statement, also given to the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), on Monday dropped ample hints about retrenchment of staffers owing to funds crunch.
“This (the restructuring of business and newsroom ops to rely on MoJo) is not just about cost-cutting, though that is certainly, for us, like any other responsible business, an important factor in operations. Mobile journalism means reports are lightning-quick and much more efficiently produced, a priority for any news company,” NDTV said.
Pointing out it would be “irresponsible” to viewers and shareholders, apart from being “archaic” to maintain decades-old templates of how to shoot and edit, NDTV defended itself on collateral damages of restructuring.
“NDTV has long been valued for its commitment to its employees — our record on attrition across more than 20 years is testament to this and spoken of across the industry. We have ensured fair compensation for those employees affected by our restructuring,” the company stressed.
Dwelling on the need to revamp, NDTV clarified like all businesses, broadcasting models too change and evolve and, hence, the “need to restructure” and keep pace with the digital world of journalism.
What does MoJo mean? Live camera crews for coverage of finance minister Arun Jaitley’s briefing at Delhi’s Press Information Bureau, for example, have been replaced by a single reporter. The reporter doubles up as a journalist and cameraperson using high-end mobile phones and modern mobile networks to connect with the studio via Skype and other such similar services to cover the event or do a PTC (piece to camera, a TV jargon to explain when a TV news journalist comes on camera to report an event and answer queries from the studio).
The news of retrenchment and business restructuring comes close on the heel of news that a tax tribunal had, reportedly, upheld claims made by the tax department on taxes not paid by NDTV, which has, however, contested the claims saying it was witch-hunt unleashed by the Modi government for standing up to media arm-twisting.
“The court cases (relating to tax evasion) that are an attempt to punish NDTV for its award-winning objective journalism do not influence how we run and operate our newsroom. The emphasis on restructuring is rooted in the broader financial climate, our commitment to controlling costs and, most importantly, our move to consolidate on our core business, quality news content,” the statement said.
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News Broadcasting
CNN-News18 to host Kolkata Town Hall on Hooghly River
‘Bhalobasa Bengal Inspiring Bharat’ event on April 20 brings cultural icons, trailblazing women and leaders aboard a cruise to celebrate Bengal’s enduring influence.
MUMBAI: Bengal is about to make fresh waves on the Hooghly and this time the current is pure conversation. CNN-News18 is taking its iconic Town Hall format to the waters of the iconic Hooghly River on 20 April 2026 with a special edition titled ‘Bhalobasa Bengal – Inspiring Bharat’. The floating event will celebrate the state’s rich cultural legacy and how its ideas, creativity and spirit continue to shape the rest of the country.
The unique riverside setting draws on Bengal’s history as a cradle of reform, art and intellectual thought. The speaker line-up mirrors that diversity: cultural heavyweights Mithun Chakraborty and Sreenanda Shankar will share the stage with trailblazing “Devis” such as Tanya Sanyal (India’s first woman firefighter in aviation), Ipsita Chakraborty (Kolkata’s first woman bartender) and Reshma Nilofer Visalakshi (Nari Shakti awardee and marine pilot). Music will flow through the celebrated pianist-vocalist duo Sourendro and Soumyojit, while public life and governance will be represented by Smriti Irani, Leander Paes, Saira Shah Halim, Keya Ghosh, Rekha Patra, Roopa Ganguly and Babul Supriyo.
CNN-News18, editorial affairs director, Rahul Shivshankar, said the event honours voices that carry Bengal’s legacy forward. Smriti Mehra, CEO – English & Business News, Network18, added that Bengal’s stories resonate far beyond its borders, especially as the state heads into polls.
From the first woman to battle flames in the skies to legendary actors who shaped Indian cinema, the gathering promises a rich mix of inspiration, courage and candid dialogue. In a city where culture has always flowed as freely as the river itself, CNN-News18 is turning the Hooghly into a floating forum for ideas that matter.
Tune in on 20 April on CNN-News18, CTV and YouTube to catch Bengal’s heartbeat in full flow.
