Bengaluru: A credible source having proximity to the Editor-in-Chief of the well known Kannada Prabha and Suvarna News 24*7 Vishweshwar Bhat, told Newskarnataka.com that Bhat is certain to resign from his post in these houses after rejecting the comparatively lower profile post of ‘Editorial Adviser’ offered to him by the mobile baron turned businessman, owner of the local news power houses and Member of Parliament, Rajeev Chandrasekhar.
Rajeev who runs Jupiter Capital, a financial services and investment company, has reportedly asked Vishweshwar Bhat to vacate the Editor-in-Chief space, in favor of another renowned journalist Sugata Srinivasaraju. Bhat had joined Kannada Prabha as Editor-in-Chief in 2011 and later he was tasked with being the Group Editor of Kannada Prabha.
However it is reliably learnt that Rajeev has offered Bhat the opportunity to continue in the group as an Editorial Adviser. Besides, a twitter handle, mediaface tweeted “Its almost confirmed, @sugataraju will taking charge of @kprabhadaily @suvarnanewstv. A big transformation expected”.
The source close to Vishweshwar Bhat told Newskarnataka.com that Bhat would be resigning today, May 5. The decision to change the editorship of both Kannada Prabha and Suvarna was taken after Bhat failed to meet stipulated target for circulation of the news paper and TRP (Television Rating Points) of the channel. Rajeev had tasked Bhat with attaining a TRP of 100 during the financial year 2014-2015.
During the financial years 2013-2014, Ananta Chinivara, a left leaning journalist held the Editor-in-Chief post, while Bhat served the company as the Group Editor. Also, another journalist, Laxman Hugar who also happens to be the left oriented in his views, was brought in by Rajeev as Associate Editor.
Though, Bhat (a right leaning journalist) was miffed by these inductions and reshuffle, he continued in the post of Group Editor. As ideological differences engulfed the news group, Chinivara and Hugar left the news house. Subsequently the management decided to handover the post of Editor-in-Chief to Vishweshwar Bhat.
It is learnt that Rajeev was not impressed with Bhat’s delivery and advised him to make way for Sugata Srinivasaraju. The source said Bhat managed to increase the circulation of Kannada Prabha from 1.6lcs to 2.10lcs and TRP of the channel from 30-65. Bhat was also unhappy with the ongoing scuffle between Rajeev and Manoj Kumar Sonthalia for the full control over Kannada Prabha.
When asked about upcoming plans of Bhat, the source said that he was mulling the launch of his own news house in the coming days. When Newskarnataka contacted Bhat for his reactions on the development, he said he was busy in a meeting and would contact the reporter later.
