Editor-in-Chief of English TV news channel Times Now has reportedly resigned from the channel, if the chatter on social media and a report by The News Minute are to be believed.
The nation wants to know why it happened and what will happen next. We try to give these answers to the nation, but suggest you to take it with a pinch of salt as there is no official confirmation of Arnab’s quitting yet.
Why he quit:
Times Group is often seen as being soft on Congress while Arnab was seen as enemy number one by the Congress party. Maybe this led to the relationship between Arnab Goswami and management being strained beyond repair?
Of late, Arnab had strictly disassociated himself with other Times Group brands, especially Times of India. He announced that he didn’t support the Aman Ki Asha campaign by the group. This could be another reason why his relationship with the management got strained?
Arnab Goswami realized that people don’t watch Times Now but watch him instead. He had grown bigger than the brand he was working for. Maybe he realized that it was time he worked only for his own brand? Entrepreneurship calling?
Arnab was increasingly being attacked by his own fraternity of journalists and there were concerted attempts to put him under pressure. Maybe he decided to take this battle to the next level by quitting and coming out as an independent warrior? Take the bulls by the horn?
Recently Mukesh Ambani – India’s richest man with investments in the media industry – publicly praised Arnab Goswami as the person he prefers to watch during the prime time. Was that a job offer that Arnab accepted?
What can he do next?
Join Network18 – the company that Mukesh Ambani bought a couple of years ago. Its TV channel continues to be laggard and needs rejuvenation. Who better than Arnab Goswami? Network18 has currently a CEO who was earlier with the Times Group, and many more high level ‘defections’ from Times Group have taken place in recent times.
Join Zee’s WION – Zee TV group has recently launched its English language TV news channel that aspires to be India’s first international news channel. Arnab too has earlier opined that the hegemony of the western media should end. Not entirely impossible, though looks uncertain as a possibility.
Help Rupert Murdoch launch Fox News in India – international media baron Murdoch did launch Star News in India way back when 24 hours news channels were new thing in India, but he quit due to FDI restrictions. Recently FDI restrictions were relaxed. So Arnab could help him make a comeback? Though that will be against his idea of ending the hegemony of the western media.
Start his own channel – with a name and following like his, money will not be a problem. And with distribution costs going down thanks to the DTH technology, starting a new TV channel won’t be such a hassle. The required government approvals could also come without hiccups as Arnab is not seen as any enemy by the current regime. When media people who are sworn enemies of the current regime are able to grow professionally and form their own ventures, Arnab surely can bank on no government roadblock to his plans.
Go entirely digital – maybe not a news channel, but Arnab starts a digital news venture. Arnab never joined Twitter, but he controlled what trended on Twitter. Digital is the buzzword today and he could get investors easily. No regulatory roadblocks or speed-breakers too unlike for a news channel. It could be a content generation company that syndicates content to Indian and global news platforms.
So what do you think? Maybe take out your crystal ball and tell us in the comments section.
