Talat makes peace on one front

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 10 June 2012

Syed Talat Hussain has patched up differences with editor Zahid Mazhar following concerns about his program's ratings. However, new tensions have arisen with Geo TV's Najam Sethi over allegations of favoritism.

Summary

KARACHI:DawnNews anchor Syed Talat Hussain has reportedly patched up differences with Editor Zahid Mazhar, whom he had refused to meet earlier. Insiders tell JournalismPakistan.com that Talat, host of the program ‘News Night with Talat’, phoned up Mazhar to mend fences. The two subsequently met in Islamabad this week.

Talat may have had a change of heart because of his program’s falling ratings and perhaps also fearing he might be sacked amid reports that four of his colleagues at DawnNews Islamabad were about to be booted out, those close to him say.

Before Talat and Mazhar made peace, there were reports of the two having exchanged hot words on telephone with Talat opting not to meet the editor on two separate occasions in Islamabad. Following that snub, it is said Mazhar recommended Talat be fired. However, for now the differences between the two have been sorted out, our source says.

While guns on one front may have fallen silent, another one has opened up, the handiwork of Talat himself. Earlier this week, Geo TV anchor and prominent analyst/columnist Najam Sethi served a legal notice on Talat for leveling false and damaging accusations against him. In his program, Talat openly accused Sethi of being party to favor seeking from well-known property tycoon Malik Riaz.

It is reckoned professional jealousy also precipitated the fall out - Talat’s show lags behind Sethi’s in ratings and this apparently irked him enough to have a go at Sethi. He directly accused Sethi of taking favors from Malik and said it was from here that he got information on what was happening within the corridors of power.

In his own program, Aapas ki Baat, Sethi rebutted Talat’s allegations and accused him of being jealous and said it was but an attention-getting gimmick on Talat’s part. Talat on Friday revealed his bank statements on his program, saying he had not taken any illegal money from anyone.

KEY POINTS:

• Talat Hussain reconciled with Zahid Mazhar after previous conflicts.
• Concerns over ratings may have prompted the reconciliation.
• Najam Sethi served a legal notice to Talat for false accusations.
• Talat accused Sethi of seeking favors from a property tycoon.
• Sethi rebutted Talat's claims, calling them a publicity stunt.