The News Minute| September 5, 2014| 11.30 am IST
Former Editor-in-Chief of CNN-IBN Rajdeep Sardesai is all set to unveil the title and cover of his book on Friday. But even as he seems busy with the book release, the media industry is abuzz with speculation about which media organisation he is headed to. The speculation gathered steam after he tweeted that his sabbatical is about to get over soon.
Rajdeep Sardesai and Deputy Editor Sagarika Ghose resigned from CNN IBN in July this year after Network 18 was taken over by Reliance Industries Limited.
Media insiders say he is contemplating more than two offers and is likely to sign on the dotted line very soon. According to reliable information, English news channel News X and the India Today Group have both made offers to Sardesai. Both have offered him an editorial position and a prime time show.
A leading business channel too has reportedly approached Sardesai with an offer, the details of which are not known.
“The offers being offered by News X and India Today are similar, but there is the question of brand. This is where India Today would be a better choice and this would give him the flexibility of writing for the magazine and doing television simultaneously,” says a source at India Today.
English channel News X has fared well on TRP ratings in recent weeks, but for senior journalists who are brands themselves, the brand and ownership of an organisation are huge factors to be considered while agreeing to an offer. Another top journalist, currently hosting a prime time show on Headlines Today, had almost signed a contract with News X, but backed out at the final stages.
All indications now are that Sardesai is considering the India Today deal of Editorial Director actively, and with meetings between the group and Sardesai getting over, they are now awaiting his decision. There is talk within the group that there have been discussions both about making him the editorial head of Headlines Today (which means he would be responsible for turning around the fortunes of the channel) or offering him an advisory position, with a prime time show to anchor.
“There are concerns about what his role would be as Aroon Purie’s daughter Kalie Purie takes care of TV operations. Someone of his stature has to be careful and would not want to exit from his position in a short period. There is also the difference that he and a team created the brand CNN IBN. But when joining an already established brand, entering in an advisory position is a wise move. Six months down the line, if he feels comfortable, he can take up a permanent position,” says the source.
On September 1, Aroon Purie, Chairman of India Today group had announced that senior journalist Shekhar Gupta who had joined the group as Editor-in-chief will act as Editorial Advisor.
The move to make Shekhar Gupta an Editorial Advisor had surprised the industry as Gupta had joined the group only a few months ago.
CNN-IBN under Rajdeep Sardesai's leadership went on air in December 2005. Sardesai, who had worked with The Times of India, later rose to become one of India's top anchors on NDTV and moved to CNN-IBN taking along with him a strong team of journalists
In his farewell email to colleagues at Network 18, Sardesai had wrote, "Editorial independence and integrity have been articles of faith in 26 years in journalism and maybe I am too old now to change. I would though like to look at the brighter side, the many happy times we have all shared. "
He signs off by saying, "P.S. am sorry if I would occasionally call at 3 am in the morning. Blame it on being a news junkie. And remember, every time there is a spelling mistake on the ticker, my ghost will haunt you!!"