Shimla based Citizen Media Pvt. Ltd, is closing its Shimla operation and shifting its whole business to Delhi. Company has offered employees in Shimla an option to shift to its Delhi office.
Ankit Maheshwari, CEO and founder of the Company, confirmed the development and stated that step was taken to consolidate both offices.
Citizen Media, primarily was a blogging network-Instamedia Network – a lifestyle blog network, started its operation in Shimla in mid 2006 and by 2010 it had grown to one of the biggest blogging networks in Asia. Its blogs network had over 20 Million page views.
Once it had about 130 leading blogs on lifestyle and with the growing popularity over internet world, company had raised $4 million from the Times of India group for its content Network Instamedia.
However, growing Google filtration and dropping revenue, in mid 2012 Instamedia Network laid off over 100 employees in Shimla and Delhi. Later Citizen Media sold its blogging network to a Dubai based Media Company for undisclosed amount and in 2013 also sold its online luxury magazine BornRich to Canada’s internet conglomerate Valnet.
After shuttering its content business, the company had moved towards the development of publisher-oriented software BetaOut. However, the shutting down of the office in Shimla may not represent the best outlook for the endeavor.
