PRINT ALERT: Express Tribune Fired Editorial Staff Across the Country

Image Courtesy: Media Bites

Tazeen Hasan

Media Bites Editorial

According to a news story by Journalismpakistan.com, Express Tribune has fired 30 of its editorial staff members from Islamabad, Lahore, Peshawar and Karachi offices. The reason is apparently low circulation. The group is said to focus on digital media in future.

The startling move coincided with two other changes, one the rearrival of Bol TV after its owner Shoaib Shaikh has been granted bail and two the replacement of Kamal Siddique (who resigned from Tribune to take on a new role as IBA Director of Excellence in Journalism) by Fahad Hussain as the new Editor. 

he fired employees have been promised three months of salaries as compensation. Notably, the left over reporters of the Tribune are also distressed and uncertain about their future.

It is hard to comment who and what is behind the abrupt decision in the absence of any official statement from the group owners. If it is really low circulation or the management is scared of the rearrival of their rivals BOL TV which is totally focused on electronic media.

It should be noted that when BOL TV was sacked last May after a story was published in NewYork Times against the Axact owned by the same group, Bol TV accused Express Media group directly.

“It is clarified that NYT in Pakistan is partnered with Express Media Group to publish International NYT in Pakistan and receive earnings from the group… Hence Express Media Group to counter the success of BOL and to circumvent the court order has got this story published via its partner NYT in collaboration with some reporter called Declan Walsh,”  said the Axact Textual response to NewYork Times.

Media Bites Editorial – Tazeen Hasan