Malawi scandal paper ‘Weekend Times’ fades out amid lawsuits

Blantyre Newspapers Limited (BNL) also called Times Group has removed in circulation controversial tabloid The Weekend Times amid a pile of lawsuits and unclaimed losses.

The news will be welcomed with mixed reactions with its critics celebrating at pains of its admirers especially fanatics of erotic page, Action Girl that use to feature practically nude women.

It is suggested that the paper, which stopped circulating at the beginning of this year-a week now-has been removed from the market with the company Times Group putting much focus on Times Television.

“Of course it was circulating a few copies and it was a loss. Most advertisers were refusing to subscribe with the paper. And the paper has always been a source of potential law suits, but finally, the reason could be the focus on TV as more resources are going towards that,” disclosed our source.

Following the fold, the paper’s employees have been moved to the sister paper, The Daily Times (DT) with some of the segments now incorporated into that paper’s entertainment supplement, Weekend Fest, which comes out every Friday.

“Its senior reporter, Kandani Ngwira has been placed on National Desk at Daily Times while Howard Mlozi is on Arts Desk. Its Editor, Clifton Kawanga has retained his position as Daily Times’ Assistant Editor”.

The Weekend Times started three years ago taking the media industry with a bang with its hard-hitting stories mostly revealing scandals that rather go unnoticed by the daily papers.

While the company is dealing with the folding up of the tabloid, is on the other side struggling to retain its employees with mass exodus hitting it hard.

For the past three months, the company has lost senior newsroom and advertising employees with Times TV Andrew Chikusa and Chigo Gondwe being the latest to dump the company after growing frustrated with life at the country’s oldest media institution.

“Chikusa was frustrated and Chigo Gondwe is frustrated too and has since stopped reporting for duties. She is rumoured that she will not come again”.

In September BNL lost journalists, Suzgo Khunga who joined the competition Nation Publications Limited (NPL) and Simeon Maganga now public relations officer at Malawi Examination Board (Maneb).

Soon after Khunga and Maganga left, the company faced another set of resignation from its advertising team, Emma Mhoni and Vyness Simbi apart from several others from designing departments.

BNL is renowned for its hire and fire tradition. Just in 2013, the company has let go over 10 employees.

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