Palki Sharma quits Firstpost to launch her own venture

Palki Sharma has decided to step down from her position as managing editor of Firstpost to launch her own venture. 

This was among the developments announced at a town hall for Firstpost employees on Thursday evening, sources said. 

Santosh Menon, chief content officer at Network18, told staff that Sharma would step down but will stay with the company until March. Binoy Prabhakar, the former chief content officer at Hindustan Times Digital, will take over as chief content officer at Firstpost, and Rakesh Rai, executive editor at Firstpost, will be promoted to managing editor of News18.com, according to sources.

On Menon’s request, Palki Sharma also addressed Firstpost employees, reflecting on her three years with the outlet and confirming her plans to start a new venture, Newslaundry has learnt.

“It is with a heavy heart that I share an important leadership update at Firstpost. After a remarkable tenure as Managing Editor, Palki Sharma has decided to step down,” Menon wrote in a subsequent email to the group’s platforms.

“During her time with Firstpost, Palki played a vital role in launching our prime-time show, Vantage, and contributed significantly to shaping its editorial tone. She anchored the show with clarity, insight, and an unwavering commitment to presenting global news through an Indian lens, earning widespread acclaim. Beyond her role on air, Palki helped establish a strong editorial team and foster a culture of journalistic excellence. We thank her for her contribution and wish her the very best in her future entrepreneurial pursuits,” he added.

Regarding Prabhakar’s appointment as chief content officer at Firstpost, Menon described him as a “highly seasoned editor with a strong track record across prominent media organisations such as Hindustan Times, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, and our own Moneycontrol and CNBCTV18.com”. Prabhakar will “guide and strengthen our editorial direction during the exciting, and next phase of the brand,” added Menon.

Before joining Network18, Sharma had a contentious departure from Zee Media, where she was a popular anchor on their English-language channel, Wion. On September 2, 2022, after five and a half years with the channel, she announced her exit on X (Twitter). But the company took her to court because she didn’t serve the required 90-day notice period, according to company policy. Read the details here. 

The Delhi High Court in November 2022 refused to restrain the journalist from joining or continuing employment with Network18.

At Newslaundry, we believe in holding power to account. Our journalism is truly in the public interest – funded by our subscribers, not by ad revenue from corporations and governments. You can help. Click here and join the tribe that pays to keep news free.