158 personalities write to Zee Media against MJ Akbar’s appointment in WION

New Delhi: As many as 158 personalities, including journalists, artists and writers on Thursday wrote to Zee Media ’s English news portal WION against the employment of former union minister MJ Akbar in its newsroom, noting the sexual harassment charges against him.
Though his appointment has not been made official, Newslaundry had first reported that MJ Akbar was attending the editorial meetings from early August.
Also Read #MeToo accused MJ Akbar joins Zee Media’s WION; junior employees wary The 158 signatories said in a statement that “by allowing someone accused by multiple people of sexual harassment in its newsroom, WION and Zee TV are violating the responsibility they have to journalists who carry out the important mission of informing the public”.
Among popular signatories are journalists including Barkha Dutt, Harinder Baweja, Dhanya Rajendran, Kavitha Iyer, Maya Mirchandani, Rohini Mohan, Pallavi Gogoi and Rituparna Chatterjee.
Prominent voice of the #MeToo movement, singer Chinmayi Sripada too signed the appeal.
Journalists, writers, artists appeal to @WIONews & @ZeeNewsEnglish to make their newroom a safe place for women and remove @MJAkbar who has been accused of sexual assault by over 20 women. The statement also asks @IndEditorsGuild to speak up. 158 of us have signed. pic.twitter.com/gUx00NkWMw — Dhanya Rajendran (@dhanyarajendran) September 9, 2021 They said that WION is failing journalists and ignoring the traumatic experiences of more than 20 women who “have courageously spoken out about MJ Akbar’s despicable misuse of power.”