Job cuts have reportedly begun at Telugu news channel Big TV, creating fresh concern in the media industry. Employees from junior level to senior level are said to be losing their jobs one after another.
This is not a small or symbolic round of layoffs. The process is said to be happening on a large scale, with dozens of employees being affected.
According to the latest information, around 50 employees have already exited the organisation. Some of them were reportedly laid off, while a few others are said to have resigned voluntarily.
The layoffs are not limited to the television channel alone. The digital wing of the organisation is also said to be facing job cuts. There is also talk that more employees may be removed in the coming days.
Unlike the IT sector, employees in the media industry usually do not get significant compensation packages, making the situation even more difficult for those affected.
Interestingly, the issue does not appear to be due to a financial crisis within the management. In fact, the group has recently launched a new channel in Kerala as well.
This has led to speculation that the layoffs may be part of a larger internal restructuring or dominance strategy, rather than a direct cash crunch.
On its part, the management is said to be projecting the exercise as a planned restructuring move aimed at making the channel more aggressive, more efficient, and more appealing to viewers with a fresh new approach.
However, industry observers say the organisation had earlier recruited more staff than required, and the burden of that excess hiring may now be showing.
Whatever the reason may be, this latest development has once again created unease and fresh turbulence in the Telugu media industry.
