ISLAMABAD: Just over 14
months after its launch, Islamabad
Dateline, the so-called
‘Capital’s daily’ was abruptly shut down Tuesday (April 3).
The disappointing news was broken to staff members Tuesday
evening by the management that had been struggling to keep the
ship afloat for the past few months.
Publisher Mustansar Javed, who was
in Dubai for the past one week, reportedly to persuade investors
to continue funding the paper, returned empty-handed.
The first signs that all was not well with the newspaper that
was launched in January 2011 came in February when four of its
pages were dropped – down to 12 from the original 16. An
attempt was made to compensate the thinness with a new layout
but it proved to a damp squib.
Also quite a few staff members were shown the door indicating
that the paper was sinking fast.
The newspaper never actually was able to find its feet despite
tall claims that it was out to “own Islamabad” and “connect with
the citizens over and above considerations for a sales pitch.”
Dateline Islamabad edited
by Kamran Rehmat had about 50 staffers, who have been promised
two-month salaries as compensation for the sudden closure.
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