After discontinuing its Sunday edition and laying off around 60 of its employees in locations across the country, Business Standard, has on Friday fired 25 more employees from Mumbai and Delhi bureau. The decision was communicated over the phone and the sacked employees have been offered a 'decent' severance package, sources told Newslaundry.
A senior Business Standard employee added that the leading financial newspaper has also cut down two pages of its English edition — Opinion (which was published every day) and Personal Finance (which was carried every Monday).
Earlier, Shivendra Gupta, Executive Vice-President of the organisation had told NL that the due to business and financial stress caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, they have laid off a few employees. He also said that they have discontinued the newspaper's Patna and Raipur Hindi editions from July 1.
"The Sunday Business Standard will also be discontinued with effect from July 5, 2020, and the Weekend pullout will no longer be published on Saturdays from July 4, 2020," he had added.
Meanwhile, Business Standard isn't the only media organisation affected due to the pandemic. The Times of India, Hindustan Times, The Hindu, News Nation, The Indian Express, The Outlook, The Quint etc. have also taken "measures" amid the pandemic and laid off their staff.
