Contrary to rumours, CNN-IBN executive editor Bhupendra Chaubey is neither resigning from the news channel, nor has he been taken off the 9 pm bulletin. Multiple sources in the channel said there was a disagreement between Chaubey and the channel’s president, Umesh Upadhyay, but that this has not led to any change of role for Chaubey.
This is what happened. On 28 September, Chaubey was reporting from Madison Square Gardens just before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s speech. While speaking to supporters of the prime minister, he also briefly showed a group of Indian demonstrating against Modi, and asked them why they were doing so. They replied that they were protesting against Modi’s alleged role in the 2002 Gujarat riots. Chaubey shot back saying that Modi had not been indicted about 2002 by any court of law.
Yet the channel’s management was unhappy that Chaubey let the mention of 2002 enter his report, even if for a few seconds. The management argued that no other channel had shown the protesters, and therefore CNN-IBN had not need to do so either.
Rumours about Chaubey’s exit had been fuelled when he tweeted this message.
However, later tweets indicated that he was staying on, and he categorically denied all rumours after Exchange4Media put out a story claiming he had already quit.
He also put out this tweet on Wednesday.
Chaubey, who was national affairs editor of the channel, was promoted to the position of executive editor only in September, just a few days before he went to the United States to cover the prime minister’s trip. The channel’s founding editor Rajdeep Sardesai and prominent anchor Sagarika Ghose had quit the channel on July 4 as a new management controlled by Reliance Industries took charge. This followed the decision of the channel’s founder, Network 18 head Raghav Bahl to sell his stake to Reliance Industries on May 30. Bahl quit the company himself.
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This is what happened. On 28 September, Chaubey was reporting from Madison Square Gardens just before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s speech. While speaking to supporters of the prime minister, he also briefly showed a group of Indian demonstrating against Modi, and asked them why they were doing so. They replied that they were protesting against Modi’s alleged role in the 2002 Gujarat riots. Chaubey shot back saying that Modi had not been indicted about 2002 by any court of law.
Yet the channel’s management was unhappy that Chaubey let the mention of 2002 enter his report, even if for a few seconds. The management argued that no other channel had shown the protesters, and therefore CNN-IBN had not need to do so either.
Rumours about Chaubey’s exit had been fuelled when he tweeted this message.
Been a while since I was home on a weekend. Who knows what future has in store for me?? Maybe long rest at home coming up
— bhupendra chaubey (@bhupendrachaube) October 11, 2014However, later tweets indicated that he was staying on, and he categorically denied all rumours after Exchange4Media put out a story claiming he had already quit.
He also put out this tweet on Wednesday.
I was; am and will always remain committed to my passion ; which is independent sharp journalism. Principles is what I lead my life by.
— bhupendra chaubey (@bhupendrachaube) October 14, 2014Chaubey, who was national affairs editor of the channel, was promoted to the position of executive editor only in September, just a few days before he went to the United States to cover the prime minister’s trip. The channel’s founding editor Rajdeep Sardesai and prominent anchor Sagarika Ghose had quit the channel on July 4 as a new management controlled by Reliance Industries took charge. This followed the decision of the channel’s founder, Network 18 head Raghav Bahl to sell his stake to Reliance Industries on May 30. Bahl quit the company himself.