Publication of Mumbai Mirror, Pune Mirror to cease due to coronavirus-induced economic crisis, says TOI

The Times of India Group said in a statement on Saturday that due to the coronavirus-induced economic crisis, it was ceasing publication of Mumbai Mirror and Pune Mirror, though Mumbai Mirror would be relaunched as a weekly, The Scroll has reported.

“Following months of discussions and deliberations, we have made this extremely difficult and painful decision to recalibrate our portfolio of publications,” the statement said. “We truly value the contribution of our journalists and other staff towards building such a strong brand in a relatively short time, and thank them for their hard work and great effort.”

The Times of India Group said that the newspaper industry has been hit not just by the terms of revenues, but also an import duty adding to newsprint costs. “With the long-held hope of a stimulus not materialising and the Indian economy now officially in recession, it is with a heavy heart that the group has decided to cease publication of Mirror in Pune and relaunch Mumbai Mirror as a weekly. They will, however, continue to have a strong digital presence,” the statement added.

The group said that Mumbai Mirror became an integral part of the city by “driving the narrative”. “Feisty and fearless, energetic and enthusiastic, playful yet punchy, it lived up to its name from the day it was born, mirroring Mumbai in all its myriad moods,” it added. “It was as local as Mumbai’s locals – the lifeblood that keeps the city on track and moving.”

Many Twitter users expressed their disappointment at the development through posts on the micro-blogging platform: