न्यूज एक्स और आउटलुक में भी मंदी के नाम पर सेलरी कटौती की गई है। सूत्रों से मिली जानकारी के अनुसार आउटलुक ग्रुप में 12 लाख रुपये सालाना तनख्वाह पाने वालों की रकम में से दस फीसदी की कटौती की गई है। यह कटौती जनवरी 2009 से लागू की गई है। न्यूज एक्स में पचार हजार रुपये और इससे कम तनख्वाह हर महीने पाने वालों को बख्श दिया गया है। इसके उपर के अधिकारियों-कर्मचारियों-मीडियाकर्मियों की सेलरी में कटौती की गई है। इस बारे में जो आंतरिक मेल जारी किया गया है, उसमें कटौती के डिटेल दिए गए हैं। इस अंग्रेजी चैनल को हाल फिलहाल नई दुनिया के मालिक विनय छजलानी और बिजनेस वर्ल्ड के पूर्व संपादक जहागींर पोचा ने स्टार इंडिया के पूर्व सीईओ पीटर मुखर्जी और इंद्राणी मुखर्जी से खरीदा है।
विनय और जहांगीर न्यूज एक्स को इंडी मीडिया प्राइवेट लिमिटेड के बैनर तले संचालित कर रहे हैं। सूत्रों के मुताबिक न्यूज एक्स को बतौर एडिटर संचालित कर रहे जहांगीर पोचा ने पिछले दिनों एक आंतरिक मेल जारी कर वेतन कटौती के डिटेल के बारे में जानकारी दी है। जहांगीर पोचा का संपूर्ण मेल इस प्रकार है-
Dear all,
Ideally, I would have liked to have talked with each one of you about this matter, but our numbers and distance force me to use email.
As you know, the cost-cutting imperative at News X (and indeed the entire media industry) has grown stronger as the economic scenario has worsened. All of us have talked openly and honestly about this and all of you have been extremely understanding and cooperative in the many measures we have already taken to reduce the channel’s rather bloated cost structure.
As Vinay and I have repeatedly said, the goal was to cut as many operational costs as possible before undertaking any personnel related actions. Hence, we have all worked tirelessly over the last two months to reduce non-people-related costs. However, the degree to which News X’s cost structure is out of sync with reality and increasing severity of the downturn have forced us to make the difficult decision to reduce the compensation of all employees and contractors.
On the following page you will find details on the same. I know it is hard to face pay cuts when so many of you have been working with commitment and passion to build this channel. But I know you also realize it is not really us who are making the decision but the economy. It is setting new rules for business and survival in a market economy means listening to what the market says.
There are a few other things you should know. We have made every effort to keep these reductions at the lowest level possible. We have also structured them so they are fair – with the largest reductions falling on those with the largest earnings. The simple truth is that without making these reductions, which many other enterprises are also making in an effort to make their business models more sustainable, it would have been virtually impossible for News X to pursue the growth plans we have all discussed and which are so crucial to our future.
That is where we need to focus if we are to fulfill the ambition of giving this nation a fresh, fearless, and unbiased source of news. As we have discussed, while I have no doubt that while this downturn will constrain us, it will disrupt competitors even more. Thus, the chance to win and keep viewers has never been greater.
As committed professionals, that is the goal we should keep in our sights all the time. Every day I feel happy and proud of the work we all accomplish, often under trying circumstances. Though the hard times will continue for a while, I am certain that we will achieve our goal. In the end, that will make all the bumps in the journey to building this channel worthwhile and fruitful.
Sincerely,
Jehangir
With immediate effect following graded salary adjustments would be effected.
PARAMETERS* % OF REDUCTION
CTC less than Rs. 50,000/- 0%
CTC Rs. 50,000/- and + 10%
CTC Rs. 100,000/- and + 15%
CTC Rs. 150,000/-and + 20%
CTC Rs. 300,000/- and + 25%
Specific adjustments would be ensured in borderline cases and it would be ensured that due to reductions, the CTC’s would not be reduced below Rs. 50,000/- per month.
