New Delhi: Former Zee Media Editor-in-Chief and CEO Sudhir Chaudhary has joined Aaj Tak as Consulting Editor, days after he quit Zee reportedly with an aim to found a media portal of his own.
Chaudhary, who anchored the prime-time show DNA, resigned from Zee Media on 28 June, apparently after some creative differences with the top management on DNA, now helmed by Zee Hindustan anchor Rohit Ranjan.
ThePrint reached Chaudhary on WhatsApp, mail and through phone calls, seeking his comment, but he did not respond until the time of publishing this report.
His appointment at Aaj Tak was announced in an internal email sent to colleagues by India Today Group Vice-Chairperson Kalli Purie.
“I know the mills have been hyperactive and this announcement should give a closure 🙂 The natural home for a household name in news is always Aaj Tak! He has one of the largest followings on social media and a galaxy of awards from every reputable organisation,” Purie wrote. “I am glad he has taken a call that will not disappoint his fans who are paramount for him.”
She confirmed through her correspondence that Chaudhary would work under news director Supriya Prasad, and that “Sudhir and Aaj Tak are collaborating to bring to our 100 million viewers an exciting new show anchored by him”.
According to an email exchange between Chaudhary and Subhash Chandra, chairman of Essel Group that owns Zee Media — which ThePrint has accessed — Chandra accepted his resignation on 1 July.
Chaudhary wrote about “parting ways” with a “heavy heart”, and that he “wished to start my own enterprise”.
In another mail sent to colleagues, accessed by ThePrint, Chandra mentioned that Chaudhary wanted to start his own venture and he did not want to come in the way of it.
He also wrote that people “should not read between any lines” and that the “position should be given more importance than an individual”, while referring to Chaudhary’s exit.
(Edited by Nida Fatima Siddiqui)
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