Life changed for me on the first of January, 2010. No six-thirty Indian news updates from BBC to be cosily listened to with my cuppa chai. No familiar 'cock-a-doodle-do' announcing the Big Bang on Spin at seven am. No Country and Western music to keep me happy and contented while planning my day.
Worldspace India broadcasting channels went off the air on Dec 31st.
Worldspace India has said goodbye to the best part of450,000 subscribers, and according to one company staffer, Worldspace’s India coffers were “empty”. Worldspace is walking away from its subscription obligations and is refusing to refund payments. Subscribers who are owed cash are being told to file a bankruptcy claim in the US.
The closure decision is said to be because Liberty Media, which is in the process of acquiring Worldspace’s Chapter 11 assets has decided not to include Worldspace india in its purchase.
Staff at Worldspace are furious at the decision, and will not be compensated. One insider said: “The situation here in WS India is terrible and one would imagine that an American Company would have good business practices when dealing with employees or going about a liquidation process.”
An employee at WS India said that the last year has been a misery since there had been ZERO funding support from the US or a clear plan for the road ahead.
"All we knew is that they intend to shut us down. When? Where? How? We had no idea. Worldspace Inc did not communicate anything with regard to what they intend to do with the 450,000 subscribers. While it has been widely reported that India is mis-managed (which is surely true in the past, the way bad management burnt millions of dollars), I would say that the current WS India management have ensured that we got paid our salaries every month. Sure, there were delays and we got less some months but we didn’t really feel that bad considering that we know the present Indian management did their best to keep our spirits and hopes up with regard to paying us with whatever subscription revenue the company generated.”
While WS stopped selling subscriptions in November 2009,and the Indian coffers were empty, most WS subscribers, [myself included], had no idea what was going on.
In the meantime, WorldSpace Inc told staffers to pack their bags and leave. No severance. No full and final settlement. Not even the pay for the entire month of December which they worked for. WS staffers programmed and ran the stations up to the last day of 31st of December with "the same passion and commitment with which we have programmed all these years for the plethora of awards which WS Inc has proudly stuck on their US website.”
Worldspace India broadcasting channels went off the air on Dec 31st.
Worldspace India has said goodbye to the best part of450,000 subscribers, and according to one company staffer, Worldspace’s India coffers were “empty”. Worldspace is walking away from its subscription obligations and is refusing to refund payments. Subscribers who are owed cash are being told to file a bankruptcy claim in the US.
The closure decision is said to be because Liberty Media, which is in the process of acquiring Worldspace’s Chapter 11 assets has decided not to include Worldspace india in its purchase.
Staff at Worldspace are furious at the decision, and will not be compensated. One insider said: “The situation here in WS India is terrible and one would imagine that an American Company would have good business practices when dealing with employees or going about a liquidation process.”
An employee at WS India said that the last year has been a misery since there had been ZERO funding support from the US or a clear plan for the road ahead.
"All we knew is that they intend to shut us down. When? Where? How? We had no idea. Worldspace Inc did not communicate anything with regard to what they intend to do with the 450,000 subscribers. While it has been widely reported that India is mis-managed (which is surely true in the past, the way bad management burnt millions of dollars), I would say that the current WS India management have ensured that we got paid our salaries every month. Sure, there were delays and we got less some months but we didn’t really feel that bad considering that we know the present Indian management did their best to keep our spirits and hopes up with regard to paying us with whatever subscription revenue the company generated.”
While WS stopped selling subscriptions in November 2009,and the Indian coffers were empty, most WS subscribers, [myself included], had no idea what was going on.
In the meantime, WorldSpace Inc told staffers to pack their bags and leave. No severance. No full and final settlement. Not even the pay for the entire month of December which they worked for. WS staffers programmed and ran the stations up to the last day of 31st of December with "the same passion and commitment with which we have programmed all these years for the plethora of awards which WS Inc has proudly stuck on their US website.”
For many old time subscribers like me , who invested in WS in 2005, there are just no words to describe the sense of sadness and loss.
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