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MAJOR UPHEAVAL IN HERALD
The Herald, Goa's largest selling English daily suddenly found itself facing a major upheaval on Monday afternoon.
The Times of India tsunami swept the Herald newspaper office unexpectedly with three reporters Vijay D'Souza, Guilhereme Almeida and Julian D'Costa switching allegiances to the bigger rival.
The three disillusioned reporters who form the backbone of the State news content in Herald tendered their resignation letters to the editor, Ashwin Tombat who in turn apprised the personnel manager, Vijay Gaonkar of the developments to help diffuse the crisis.
However, the management's damage control exercises came to a naught with all three reporters refusing to withdraw their letters.The Herald management knew of the impending arrival of the ToI Goa edition well in advance but has failed to act on it.The Herald MD, Raul Fernandes who has a past of breaking his assurances flew down to Goa on a chartered flight to take stock of the situation. As a face saving measure and to prevent the exodus of more employees, the MD sanctioned the raise in remuneration of its lower and middle rung editorial staff with effect from the current month.The TOI tremor caused enough fissures to make Raul hasten the process on which he procastinated for over six months.
The Times group has already been scouting for experienced manpower and is still tapping both vernacular and English newspapers for resources. Their logistical requirement of 20 copy editors is likely to leave a major dent in the three English dailies.
The newspaper managements are also apprehensive that the Times of India onslaught will eat into their advertising revenues. What happened in Herald is likely to have a domino effect on the other two English dailies also namely Navhind and Gomantak Times. With better prospects beckoning them in all aspects, managements of all three dailies are going hammer and tong to keep their productive employees behind. Unfortunately all of them are still unaware they are treading on unsteady ground which has enabled ToI to make waves on local shores.
A reader writes in...
MAJOR UPHEAVAL IN HERALD
The Herald, Goa's largest selling English daily suddenly found itself facing a major upheaval on Monday afternoon.
The Times of India tsunami swept the Herald newspaper office unexpectedly with three reporters Vijay D'Souza, Guilhereme Almeida and Julian D'Costa switching allegiances to the bigger rival.
The three disillusioned reporters who form the backbone of the State news content in Herald tendered their resignation letters to the editor, Ashwin Tombat who in turn apprised the personnel manager, Vijay Gaonkar of the developments to help diffuse the crisis.
However, the management's damage control exercises came to a naught with all three reporters refusing to withdraw their letters.The Herald management knew of the impending arrival of the ToI Goa edition well in advance but has failed to act on it.The Herald MD, Raul Fernandes who has a past of breaking his assurances flew down to Goa on a chartered flight to take stock of the situation. As a face saving measure and to prevent the exodus of more employees, the MD sanctioned the raise in remuneration of its lower and middle rung editorial staff with effect from the current month.The TOI tremor caused enough fissures to make Raul hasten the process on which he procastinated for over six months.
The Times group has already been scouting for experienced manpower and is still tapping both vernacular and English newspapers for resources. Their logistical requirement of 20 copy editors is likely to leave a major dent in the three English dailies.
The newspaper managements are also apprehensive that the Times of India onslaught will eat into their advertising revenues. What happened in Herald is likely to have a domino effect on the other two English dailies also namely Navhind and Gomantak Times. With better prospects beckoning them in all aspects, managements of all three dailies are going hammer and tong to keep their productive employees behind. Unfortunately all of them are still unaware they are treading on unsteady ground which has enabled ToI to make waves on local shores.
posted by Pen Pricks at
13:35
13 Comments:
In addition to Herald, GT has also lost two of its reporters Preetu Nair and Andrew Pereira apart from Paul Fernandes. And guys, just imagine, all these senior journos will be working under Raju 'Na(la)yak', designated bureau chief by TOI for its Goa edition with Resident Editor Ranjit Barua at the helm of affairs. The same 'Na(la)yak' who can neither pen flawless copies in English nor is able to speak the language properly. The same 'Na(la)yak' who contested Assembly elections way back in 1994 on a Congress ticket against the present CM Digambar Kamat then with the BJP.
Penpricks, do someting to open the eyes of our colleagues. All those joining TOI are heading for a disaster, are on the verge of committing professional suicide. Imagine, a bureau chief who can't file copies in impeccable English.
I used to purchase the TOI Mumbai edition. I found too many advertisements in it.
At the time they were engaged in price war with their rivals. Unfortunately the quality also took a beating.
I suppose TOI will engage in some predatory pricing.
Who's this Barua? Does the TOI believe that there is no local talent, for this highly remunerative job?
Or does TOI have the mindset of Bollywood with respect to the portrayal of the people of Goa?
Now there is fun and Darwin's principle will come into force. Only the best will survive
For long the local newspaper managements had taken the best of its employees for a ride. The general stand was "If you are not happy.quit". Thanks to TOI things are changing not just for good Journalist but also for bad and mediocore editors and equally bad management which never valued talent. People may cry sour and talk big about ethics and morals and claim that working with TOI is suiciadal move but tell me can we talk about ethics and morals and an almost empty stomach, working with local managements whose sell their editorial space to local politicians during elections whose reporters conduct interviews for paid advertorials. Herald did it, NT did it and even the image conscious GT carried an advertorial interview by its sister concern's Chief reporter Sadguru Patil. So moral guardians of great local jourunalism, when u can't change things or help struggling journalists, don't preach.After all the priciple of nature is simple
WHEN ELEPHANT (TOI) WALKS , DOGS BARK.
How much one has to pay to get the Sangam award?Please do inform us the procedure.
TOI is not a newspaper but a commercial rag which sells editorial space for a consideration. Pick any issue and see how advertorials rule. So also semi-nude pictures and populist titilating news. I only hope and pray the Herald movers spruce up their proof checking skills. However I feel that competition will benefit the cause of goan journalists and the advertising industry which is atrocious.
I read the ad for sub-editors in the Herald. I wonder how much they pay?
Is it worth joining em?
GT is becoming Sakaal Times...
Hi guys... we got this mail from a gyu who calls himself Penprick... and has this gmail id penprick@gmail.com
Just so that you guys know...
Journalism in Goa has always been dominated by the chums of editors and fellows who have been kicked out of some organisation . None of the postings in Penpricks mentions about Journalists whose careers got screwed under these Editors who used all their dirty tricks to stay afloat.
Let me point out to Goajourno it never mentioned even a single job posting of Times of India. Eventhough TOI was carrying out interviews and very recently it mentions about the grand ethics of earning and other issues.
What will Journalist do if they have bad editors at the helm of affairs with no creative ideas who have their own chums most of them racketeers. What will you do... the only option is to leave Goa ... or roam around with these fellows who claim to be great moral guardians.
The Times of India needs experienced sub-editors and desk personnel in Goa. Those in the Goan media and outside may rush their applications to
derick.dsa@timesgroup.com
Derick is the Resident Editor of ToI Mumbai and is looking at the recruitments. Mark your applications with The Times of India Goa - Vacancies on the Desk
This is a nice opportunity for Goans working in the Gulf and other places to return home.
Anon at 14 February 2008 18:41
What are the payscales/incentives?
How is efficiency judged without bordering on chamchagiri?
How does TOI address concerns expressed in earlier posts?
Will they stay in Goa if they run into initial losses?
To sum up...Please tell me how TOI is better?
The alleged 'insider' who gave the account of so-called events in the Herald seems not to know very much at all. Raul, the Herald MD, has been in the Philippines since mid-Jan, and certainly hasn't taken a 'charter flight' to Goa.
If he's got this so wrong, many of his other sensational disclosures are likely to be wrong too.
hey people
it is rediculous the way u r toking about ToI. It will only make the Sushegad goans a bit more professional which m sure, they lack. and guys.. i hail from Goa. so dont take it as an outsider's dig at goans. for culture and behaviour. we r the best. but in professionalism, we r way too far.
TOI will raise the quality. and advertisements r important for u to read the paper at rs. 2 or 4. will anybody pay rs 20 for a paper, which is the cost of the printing?
and advertisements r informative as well. we know about the things to be bought and all that through advertisements..
DONT CLOSE UR EYES and dont rely on wat others say..
TOI is a revolution in goa.. Why the hell r u against the generation of employment?
GUYS.. CHANGE UR OUTLOOK and look beyond wat u have,,,
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