During the COVID-19 pandemic, the media industry faced significant disruptions, leading to widespread layoffs and retrenchments among journalists. According to a report by a press Council panel, an alarming 80% of the journalists who were laid off during this period reported that they were "forced to resign." This term implies that many of these journalists did not leave voluntarily but were pressured into resigning by their employers.

The report highlights that formal communication regarding these layoffs was scarce. Only 25% of the journalists who testified before the committee received formal emails from their companies informing them of their retrenchment. The vast majority—about 75%—stated that all communications regarding their job losses were conducted orally, without any written documentation.

Moreover, during the physical hearings, many journalists revealed that they were given little to no advance notice about salary cuts or retrenchments. This lack of formal communication and the coercive tactics used to force resignations left many journalists in a precarious situation, without the benefits or severance packages that might have been available had they been formally laid off.

The report underscores the vulnerability of journalists during the pandemic, highlighting issues of job security and the need for more robust labor protections in the media industry. The findings also raise concerns about the transparency and ethical practices of media organizations in handling layoffs during a crisis.
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Sindujaa D N

04/09/2024 11:57 AM