MxMIndia

Tag: Siddharth Varadarajan

  • … and that media surveillance by the government must be tolerated happily, what is left, asks Ranjona Banerji

    When the media decides that a fascist state is acceptable….

     

     

    By Ranjona Banerji

     

    Ranjona BanerjiThe New York Times last week added to the formidable work done on Pegasus Spyware through an investigation which revealed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi bought the controversial spyware from Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu in a deal done in 2017, as part of a larger arms deal.

     

    This interview with the New York Times reporter who broke the story, by The Wire’s Siddharth Varadarajan, has all the details, for those who do not have an NYT subscription:

     

    “The secret deal between India and Israel for the sale of Pegasus in 2017 was struck at the ‘highest levels’ of each country’s political and intelligence leadership and flowed from the Modi government’s ‘specific interest’ in and ‘specific emphasis’ on acquiring the controversial spyware, Israeli investigative journalist Ronen Bergman told The Wire on Monday.”

    https://thewire.in/diplomacy/indian-leadership-showed-specific-interest-in-pegasus-paid-millions-for-multi-year-contract

     

    (The Wire was part of the international media consortium which broke the Pegasus story last July.)

     

    This gives the lie to the Indian government’s claim that it has not used the spyware on citizens, especially journalists and civil rights activists and the statement in Parliament by the IT minister that “no unauthorised surveillance can occur”.

     

    The first response of the Modi government of course was to tarnish the New York Times. In an absolutely absurd statement, General VK Singh, minister of state for civil aviation, call the New York Times “supari media”. This is the cheap sort of Mumbai gangster language used by the BJP and its cohorts, whether in Constitutional positions or not, to try and discredit all critiques. Let us not forget that words like “presstitutes” are commonly used as slurs by such politicians, thus abusing anyone who is more honourable than them, whether journalists or sex workers. However, let us also remember that VK Singh is a much-medalled former army chief. Such high standards in his language!

     

    The fact unfortunately remains that there is substantial evidence that the Indian government used military-grade spyware developed by Israel’s NSO group for use against terrorists, to specifically target journalists, civil rights activists and a few politicians especially those critical of the Modi government and the BJP and possibly those within it had some reason to suspect.

     

    Of the nations mentioned in the Pegasus Project report by a consortium of international media houses including The Wire, led by French media agency, Forbidden stories and Amnesty International, most have instituted some sort of inquiry into the use of Pegasus by their own agencies. This ironically includes Israel. India is the one large nation which stands out for resisting proper internal investigation, has consistently cried ignorance and innocence. And now that the matter has gone to the courts is using the “sub judice” excuse to try and tide over the accusations.

    Pegasus: The new global weapon for silencing journalists

     

    For the media, however, the lack of understanding within of what this spyware means remains a massive obstacle. This is not just about spying and tracking and invasion of privacy. This is about false information being inserted into your electronic equipment, which can later be used to incriminate you. This is about the essence of democracy itself being subverted.

    https://www.thequint.com/podcast/pegasus-spyware-how-damning-are-the-revelations-of-the-nyt-report#read-more

     

    Sadly, as we have seen consistently since 2014, media cheerleaders of totalitarian rule are unable to see the massive threat to themselves if they allow governments – any governments – to get away with this. Governments can be brought down for less, and yet we in the media are unable to comprehend something as basic as this.

     

    Even now, newspaper and television headlines hide behind the “Opposition demands” “Opposition set to corner” form of news.

    https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/amid-the-latest-pegasus-spyware-revelations-the-budget-session-is-set-for-a-stormy-start/article38350039.ece

     

    What is the media’s own response however? We need more reports from the Indian media, more stories telling us what is going on, not less. Why should The New York Times have to be the one investigating this deal between Modi and Netanyahu? Where is the Indian media in this? What hat Modi wore to the Republic Day parade is hardly a substitute for proper journalism.

     

    Follow up stories are important and we have a few of those:

    https://indianexpress.com/article/india/digital-trail-points-to-pegasus-state-role-experts-told-sc-panel-7750425/

     

    But what we need is much more. When the media decides that a fascist state is acceptable and that media surveillance by the government must be tolerated happily, what is left?

     

    Ranjona Banerji is a senior journalist and commentator. She writes on MxMIndia on Tuesdays and Fridays. Her views here are personal.

     

  • If the government is upset that people are ungratefully dying, gasping for oxygen, medicines & hospitals, can its high-profile saviours & enablers be far behind, asks Ranjona Banerji

    All Praise for Thy Great Leader

    Cartoon by Satish Acharya
    Courtesy: Satish Acharya

     

    By Ranjona Banerji

     

    Ranjona BanerjiYou know how it is when a government messes up and people die and there is horror, fear and panic everywhere. The media is to blame. Because the media has exposed the government’s incompetence by giving voice to the suffering of the people. The pain of the people, for all fascist regimes, must be kept hidden and secret. The media must concentrate on flowers and happy songs and praise for the Great Leader and his Great Leadership.

     

    In most cases until now, most of the media has sunnily obliged. Mob lynchings, gang rapes, oxygen shortages in hospitals, farmers protests, citizenship protests, migrant workers walking hundreds of kilometres in the heat during a pandemic, demonetisation, voting machines behaving oddly, buying of party-hopping politicians, allegations of shady deals and corruption, have all been well covered up with toxic positivity and lies. See how much the Dear Leader cares, see how he feeds peacocks, see how long his n… sorry I mean beard has grown.

     

    Therefore, the Government of India turned on Twitter because it did not like photographs of mass cremations and mass burials being made public. Because how dare anyone, not just the media, criticise the Leader and the Great Government of India which does no wrong?

     

    https://www.thequint.com/news/law/government-twitter-bonhomie-in-stifling-critique-of-covid-inaction#read-more

     

    Twitter, which has been a source of information and solace during these terrible times succumbed to Modi government pressure because it has one policy for America and a contradictory one for India.

     

    It’s worth checking Trevor Noah on The Daily Show about the Modi Government’s demand to Twitter.

     

    How else do we cover up? Most of the world’s media, print, TV and digital, have covered the mess over the Covid second surge in India right now. But the Indian High Commission in Canberra has surpassed itself in the petulant, badly written letter to the editor of The Australian, for its criticism of the Modi government. The letter actually claims that Modi government’s approach to the crisis has been “universally acclaimed”. That BJP offices are part of the known universe is the only way anyone can justify that lie.

     

    https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/covid-19-crisis-govt-issues-rejoinder-to-australian-paper-for-scathing-article/article34420451.ece

     

    If the Modi Government is upset because people are ungratefully dying, gasping for oxygen, medicines and hospitals, can its various high-profile saviours and enablers be far behind? With its change of office-bearers and new-found confidence, the Editors Guild of India issued a strong statement on April 23.

     

    It reads: “The Editors Guild of India is outraged by suggestions from certain influential sections within media, who have been casually and irresponsibly asking for suspension of our fundamental rights to speech and expression, when instead greater accountability is needed from the authorities for gross mishandling of this monumental health crisis”.

     

    The rest of the statement is in the screenshot. It outlines just how difficult it is for the media to operate in such an authoritarian atmosphere. This is not the first time we have seen this. But this Covid Emergency is one of our worst times. All we can see is horrific stories and images of death and suffering and the pleas of both patients, their families, our health workers, and from amongst the public those who have tried to help. All we have seen from the Central government is “headline management” as Arun Shourie put it, grandstanding, politicking and scrambling finally to do too little to late. We have seen lies told to the people and to state governments. We have seen cruel contradictory policies in place over vaccine procurement, pricing, oxygen supplies and medical help. Bad news is what we face and what the people themselves experience.

     

    And of course, we’ve seen irresponsible electioneering. If only the bulk of the media could take courage from the Madras High Court:

    https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/madras-high-court-shreds-election-commission-should-be-booked-for-murder-probably-2422056

     

    A letter, possibly fake, has been doing the rounds, apparently written by the staff of Times Now to its star anchors, Rahul Shivshankar, Navika Kumar and Padmaja Joshi. It says, “Instead of asking questions to Prime Minister Modi for his callous attitude and misgovernance, the editors are hellbent on saving his image and protect him from getting a bad name.”

     

    Whoever has written this, at least feels the shame of bad journalism as practised by some of our worthies.

     

    At the end, a number of media workers have lost their lives to Covid, many in the line of duty. This is a heartfelt tribute written by Siddharth Varadarajan to The Wire’s manager, Radhakrishna Muralidhar who died of Covid complications on Monday, aged 63. Like many who contributed to The Wire, Mr Muralidhar impressed with his efficiency with payment and his kindness to questions from dimwits like me when it comes to money matters.

     

    https://thewire.in/media/muralidhar-manager-and-sheet-anchor-of-the-wire-passes-away-of-covid-complications

     

    The list of those lost is long, the most recent being photojournalist Vivek Bendre, and we mourn them all.

     

    As we applaud the growing numbers amongst us who cover this tragedy honestly and without fear.

     

    Ranjona Banerji is a senior journalist and commentator. She writes on MxMIndia every Tuesday and Friday. Her views here are personal

     

  • It's an accolade that's for the truly well-deserving. And for the True Achiever of 2017 in the Indian Media, Advertising & Marketing arena

    It’s Arnab Goswami, Owner-Promoter & Editor-in-Chief, Republic TV

     

    By Pradyuman Maheshwari

     

    It’s D-Day. December 15, 2017. And since we don’t ‘conduct’ the award presentation offline, we aren’t dependant on venue availability and rates negotiations. Hence, we do the awards on a weekend, not a weekday… when the mood is just right. Celebrate if you are happy with the announcement, or just give us a pass. Or a few GRRRs.

     

    So how are we different from other awards?

     

    First, it’s not based on a survey. It’s not based on any industry poll. It’s based on a study conducted by us through the year. This makes the decision-making tougher, as we can’t pass the blame on to research. Or the collective view of the industry. Or of a jury.

     

    Second, it’s an A&M industry study. Agreed CEOs of big clients are important, but we are looking at CMOs and not CEOs of well-marketed organisations.

     

    Third, we look at performance through the year, and don’t base it on the highs of the last two quarters of a year which tend to influence any voting-based process at the yearend.

     

    Fourth, we give you a clear reason why we have chosen the winner

     

    Fifth, we are as sincere and honest about the awards as one can get. There were suggestions that we should make it an on-ground event. But then that comes with its own set of issues (and compulsions). We even had one large media group expressing its interest two years back. But we think it could’ve influenced our decision. Perhaps next year, with some more wisdom will happen in our blood streams.

     

    And sixth, it’s about achievement in 2017 – in this calendar year (well not the entire year, but at least the 350-odd days that have preceded today). There are some who may have been super achievers the previous year, but have fallen short of our winner in 2017. Similarly, there are some A&M barons who have been doing splendid work through the years, but there has been someone else who has been more spectacular. We only look at achievements of the current year.

     

    So: the MxMIndiaMediaperson of the Year 2016 is an online award. It’s an accolade that’s for the truly well-deserving. And for the True Achiever of 2016 in the Indian Media, Advertising & Marketing arena.

     

    With the backgrounders done, here’s  how we went about our task.

     

    Wemaintain an online notebook that records important developments of the year. It’s a drill that ensures one can do recaps etc with ease.

     

    For the Mediaperson of the Year, one reviews names, quarter-wise. This helps that the choice of the award doesn’t suffer from the recency factor.

     

    We looked at various names. We couldn’t miss the achievements of the Zee group captains Punit and Amit Goenkaand Viacom18 Group CEO Sudhanshu Vats as they celebrated major milestones this year.

    We also looked at the Big 35 media entities. For, it takes a lot to ensure that it’s business as usual. We then got to our second shortlist where we decided to look at five shortlists. And this is what it was:

     

    1. Piyush Pandey: Getting the Lions of St Mark with brother Prasoonis, as we wrote the other day, a significant achievement.

    2. The Wire Co-founders – Siddharth Varadarajan, Sidharth Bhatia and M K Venu: They’ve stood their ground in the very rough weather and have emerged as the biggest of the credible voices in journalism. Yes, more credible than most print badshashs.

    3. Uday Shankar: Star India Chairman and CEO Uday Shankar was elevated to President, 21st Century Fox, Asia. But the 21CF charge would be in addition to the Star India responsibilities. The year also saw Star bagging the IPL rights and perhaps for the first time ever getting its act together on the second channel – Star Bharat.

    4. CVL Srinivas: The GroupM CEO bagged the coveted ITC account along with a slew of others and some consolidation of the Indian operations. And then he was also made Country Manager India which is a significant capture of the faith WPP supremo Sir Martin Sorrell thinks of Srini

    5. And then our fifth shortlist…

     

    Ladies and Gentlemen, We have great pride in announcing that the 2017 MxMIndiaMediaperson of the Year Award goes to…

     

    Arnab Goswami, Owner and Editor-in-Chief, Republic World/TV

     

    Arnab Goswami

    Goswami quit Times Now last year and in superquick time he set up an all-new English news channel. Right from the start of this year, he has created a buzz in media circles about the channel’s launch. And his launch strategy was unique with videos released via digital media announcing that he’s coming soon

     

    This award goes to ArnabGoswami, the businessman and mediaperson. It’s not easy to launch a channel in some seven months, even if the decision to start anew would’ve been taken earlier.

     

    For the last eight-odd months, Republic TV has been the undisputed leader amongst English news channels. There have been attempts to undermine its rise by slicing of data in terms of age groups, time bands or select cities, but the lead of Republic over the others, Times Now in particular is definite.

     

    He has also led the channel’s drive to attract anchor advertisers with one-on-one meetings with a large number of them. He has of course also managed to line up a top deck of able hands in Vikas Khanchandani, Priya Mukherjee and Charu Thakur amongst others.

     

    The fact remains that Republic TV did take the dual LCN route to maximise reach in the early days as did a few others, but given the regulator’s intervention on the issue, the dual LCN route for upping connectivity has been stopped.

     

    There are allegations that Times Now and Republic TV have taken the landing route to boost viewership but we do not have evidence to prove both.

     

    While Times Now is still a significant force to reckon with, in terms of its content and presentation, it appears to be a poor cousin of Republic TV.

     

    But, given that the MxMIndiaMediaperson of the Year award is a qualitative award, it would be incorrect to mention that the nationalistic, pro-NarendraModi, pro-BJP biggies and hence the pro-BJP stance of Republic TV and Goswami in particular is a significant downer. While it’s not that there is no screaming and shouting on India Today or even NDTV in the recent past, Goswami takes the pitch to a new high every evening. We have had reservations about Goswami’s and Republic’s editorial stance. Yes, we do remember that he was very combative against Haryana Chief Minister M L Khattar after the unrest in the state some months back. He has taken on the BJP since launched, but these have been very few and far between.

     

    Perhaps there is reason for moderation. Perhaps there is reason to move away a bit from the debate formula and also include other news of the day in a little more detail.

     

    But for now, the formula is working wonders for Republic TV and its primary promoter and editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami.The viewing public, as is determined from the popularity of the channel, isn’t complaining.

     

    A truly deserving winner of the 2017MxMIndiaMediaperson of the Year Award. Taaliyaan!

     

     

  • ​Senior journalist Meena Menon's chronicles of her Pakistan stint as Hindu's correspondent in Islamabad will launch in Delhi today

    ‘Reporting Pakistan’ launches in Delhi today

    By A Correspondent

     

    ​Senior journalist Meena Menon’s chronicles of her Pakistan stint as Hindu’s correspondent in Islamabad will launch in Delhi at 4.30pm today (June 28). TCA Raghavan, former High Commissioner to Pakistan, will release the book at Indian Women’s Press Corps on Ashoka Road. Also speaking as part of a panel discussion will be Pamela Philipose, public editor, The Wire, Siddharth Varadarajan, former editor, The Hindu and founding editor, The Wire and Snehesh Alex Philip, deputy editor – strategic affairs at Republic TV. It was Varadarajan who had assigned Menon to be the Islamabad correspondent of Hindu and Philip was the other journalist who, along with Menon, was expelled.

  • The RedInk 'Best Media Start-up' award was previously won by Scroll.in, in 2015 and Fountain Ink of Chennai in 2014

    The Wire wins the ‘RedInk Start-up of the Year’ award

    By A Correspondent

     

    The Wire, a news and public affairs website, has been adjudged the ‘Start-up of the Year’ at the RedInk journalism awards instituted by the Press Club, Mumbai.The Red Ink Awards, in the sixth year now, have been instituted to promote best practices among journalists and encourage good quality writing, fair play and high ethical standards.

     

    MK Venu, Founding Editor of The Wire, said, “It is an honour to have won such a prestigious award. At The Wire, we believe that if good journalism is to survive and thrive, it can only do so by being both editorially and financially independent. This means relying principally on contributions from readers and concerned citizens who have no interest other than to sustain a space for quality journalism.”

     

    The Wire was launched in May, 2015 and was co-founded by MK Venu, Siddharth Varadarajan and Sidharth Bhatia. MK Venu has been an active economic and political writer and has held leadership roles in reputed newspapers such as The Economic Times, The Financial Express and The Hindu. He has written extensively on economic policy matters for over a quarter century after India opened up its economy in 1991. SiddharthVaradarajan was the Editor of The Hindu and is a recipient of the Ramnath Goenka Award for Journalist of the Year. Sidharth Bhatia was among the editors who launched DNA in 2005 and managed its editorial and opinion section.

     

  • Together they've got access to some of the best brains and writers in the country. And we are sure also some of the best monies from across the world

    Siddharth Varadarajan & Sidharth Bhatia launch ‘The Wire’

    By A Correspondent

     

    It’s been discussed over Old Monk and cigarettes at various Press Clubs and the India International Centre for a few months now. The two Siddharths – one with two ds and one with just a single d – have launched what’s called The Wire. Former editor of The Hindu and a familiar face on news television Siddharth Varadarjan and senior journalist-editor Sidharth Bhatia and also often on the nightlies are co-founders and founding editors (and we guess co-owners). SV is known for his journalistic integrity – we still remember his front-page note on how Akshay Tritiya is a sham (or some such) and SB is a walking encyclopaedia on everything… he can write on issues as diverse as art and atomic energy, Manmohan Desai and Manmohan Singh, etc etc.

     

    So one can hope to get an interesting mix of content in The Wire. It will surely be scholarly, but will be easy reading. Together they’ve got access to some of the best brains and writers in the country. And we are sure some of the best monies from across the world.

     

    But then having single malt with the rich and powerful is one thing and getting dosh for a business is another. Ask us. Our boss has been struggling to get the funding to fuel the business. Advertising after all isn’t enough in the early days. And it’s tough being credible and insist on integrity.

     

    Heck, this isn’t a story about MxMIndia. We’re discussing the birth of Messrs Siddharth and Sidharth’s The Wire. We can be sure it’ll have great content. The look-and-feel is a shade intimidating. Perhaps a lighter template would’ve been better. But these are minor issues.

     

    Once the bucks are in, they can go for a customised design.

     

    Thewire.in is where it is. Go for it.

     

     

  • In less than two months of the controversial coup that saw editor Siddharth Varadarajan and his exit, CEO Arun Anant’s next port of call has been announced

    Former Hindu CEO Arun Anant moves to Hindustan Times

    Arun Anant

    By A Correspondent

     

    He faced the axe at Chennai-based newspaper company for doing his job well. And in less than two months of the controversial coup that saw editor Siddharth Varadarajan and his exit, CEO Arun Anant’s next port of call has been announced.

     

    Mr Anant, the affable media former CEO of The Hindu, is all set to join HT Media this month. He is to take place in the Leadership Team of the group and will report to Executive Director Benoy Chowdhury. Although the nitty-gritty of his role has not been revealed, Mr Anant is likely to be taking up a top media marketing responsibility.

     

    Having successfully fought the onslaught of The Times of India in Chennai and also launched the Hindu’s Tamil edition, Mr Anant has had rich experience in multiple media entities. He was part of the launch of what is now Bloomberg TV India from 2007-08 and for two years with Myiris.com, a B2C financial markets portal. He had a decade-plus stint with Lintas India in various functions and in a start-up advisory for a few years post the UTV job.

     

    Mr Anant is an engineer from IIT-Varanasi (BHU) and a postgraduate in management from IIM Ahmedabad.

     

  • In Mediaah!, Pradyuman Maheshwari recounts a story on how some marketers had once wanted to shift the Mother's Day date and comments on Siddharth Varadarajan's outburst in The Hindu, Hoshie Ghaswalla’s advice to his editors and how Taproot ought to have won the Grand Prix at Goafest for Airtel.

    Mediaah! The business of Akshaya Tritiya & the plot to shift Mother’s Day to make money!

    By Pradyuman Maheshwari

     

    Many years ago, the CEO and promoter of a well-known consumer product company came to meet me at my office at Mid-Day. He brought with him a large volume and said he wanted to seek my advice.

     

    He said that a group of varied Indian organisations had got together to find a solution to a problem: find an appropriate ‘day’ for mothers. While Diwali and Christmas-New Year were good occasions for gifting,  Valentine’s Day had become a great success thanks to “their collective efforts”. There ws a long gap between Feb 14 and Diwali which falls in October and November. Now, the study conducted by a well-known market research firm said the person whom Indians love the most is the mother. So, what’s the problem, I asked.

     

    Well, he said, the issue is that Mother’s Day falls in May in India and that’s when most schools and colleges are shut. And then he dropped the bombshell. So, we were wondering if we can shift the Mother’s Day to sometime when educational institutions are open as kids pick up the maximum of cards and soft toys etc?

     

    I must confess I was struck by the ingenuity of the idea and how some of the most discerning names in Indian industry had got together to consider this.

    The CEO-businessman wanted my views on the issue, and whether the media would pan the move. They had even looked at alternative dates and were considering August 28 since it coincided with Mother Teresa’s birthday.

     

    This meeting happened sometime in June and I wondered how it could be done since we had already had a Mother’s Day that year? No problem, he said. We’ll have two this year, and told me that the group spearheading the move had considered this and didn’t think it would have any problem. We then spoke of how Shivaji Jayanti was observed on two different dates in Maharashtra and it didn’t bother people.

     

    After this meeting, I kept waiting for a fresh date for Mother’s Day that year and in the next, but figured that wider sense had prevailed and the companies didn’t change the date.

     

    A few years later, when I had relocated to Pune, I discovered that Akshaya Tritiya was being celebrated in a big way.  I was told that it was the next auspicious festival after Gudi Padwa for Maharashtrians, and thought it was essentially Pune thingie. Two years later, when I was back in Mumbai, I found that the day had taken roots here too. And now we have most of the country celebrating it. A festival had come out of nowhere.

     

    I have been somewhat radical with some of my religious beliefs, and had faced some heat from colleagues. I think Karva Chauth is regressive and since this occurred to me a decade-and-a-half back, I have ensure that all the publications that I have worked with didn’t carry any pictures of the celebrations. But I was quite pleasantly surprised to read this outburst by Hindu editor Siddharth Varadarajan (courtesy Sans Serif).

     

     Read this carefully:

    “We carried a ‘jacket’ on Monday in our Tamil Nadu editions that featured a message – laid out in the form of an in-house advertisement – to readers on the occasion of Akshaya Tritiya on behalf of “The Hindu”.

     

    “Neither I, as Editor of The Hindu, nor anyone from the editorial side, was involved in the drafting of this message. Nor did we know of, let alone approve, its contents.”

     

    Makes sense, you would say. But the clincher is Para 3:

    “For the record, it is not The Hindu’s editorial position that Akshaya Tritiya, an occasion that has risen to prominence only relatively recently, is one of “the most auspicious days in the Hindu religion.” Nor can we possibly endorse this statement – “The belief that buying gold on this day would make you prosperous throughout the year is shared by one and all” – or others contained in that message.”

     

    One doesn’t have to dream much to figure what Siddharth Varadarajan’s sentiments are on Akshaya Tritiya. And I don’t think he’s incorrect. I don’t read Hindu since I don’t get it in Mumbai, but am surprised that this announcement was carried. So while it would be interesting to know what CEO Arun Anant has to say on his editor’s comment on what his marketing team would’ve done, there’s no denying that the festival has become as big as it has today thanks only to the collective zeal of some marketers.

     

    **

     

    I am delighted to inform that not all business-to-business publications are giving in to the demands and diktats of advertisers. Especially when it comes to editorial content.

     

    Hoshie Ghaswalla

    My friend Hoshie Ghaswalla, recently appointed CEO of the Cybermedia group (publishers of Dataquest, PC Quest, CIOl etc) has now issued an advisory to all his editors that they oughtn’t worry about the whims of large corporations who love bullying trade media. Note: these are my words, not his.

     

    Hoshie and his editor noticed some misgivings among employees of a laaaarge software corporation on salary raises even as the company had declared huge dividends to shareholders. CIOL went to town on the issue a fortnight back, and if the corp hasn’t done it already, it will soon announce wage revisions.

     

    Hoshie tells me that he has advised his editor on a similar story with a large international computer hardware company. “The problem,” he confesses is “that journalists have for far too long been not wanting to upset large companies who are also big advertisers”.

     

    I jumped to defend his editors and said this must be because of his editors who’ve worked in the past would’ve on their own or were told by his predecessors on not damning the big advertisers. Puff pieces only.

     

    Hoshie didn’t agree. I didn’t complain at all. It’s good to see a sales-driven CEO ask his editors to screw erring companies (who may be existing or potential advertisers). This especially in the trade media where there are many who are known to compromise on editorial integrity and ethics.

     

    ***

     

    Agnello Dias

    It’s been over a week since Goafest happened. While I am happy that the Abby went through peacefully, I was surprised that Taproot didn’t win the Grand Prix for the Airtel ad. It deserved every bit of it, and although the Agnello Dias and Santosh Padhi were pretty cool about it when my colleague spoke to him soon after the awards (see link), he has shared his disappointment in an interview with Anil Thakraney (see link). Though not in so many words.

     

    I sincerely hope that Taproot continues to bring us great advertising, attracts some $$$s (okay, let’s make it $$$$$$$$$$$$$s!) from the Big networks and is always rooted to the real world.

     

     

    Buzz me if you have a story to tell. Confidentiality assured. There are various ways you can reach me: pradyumanm[at]mxmindia.com, BBM 23050B5D, Gtalk pradyumanm@gmail.com, Twitter @pmahesh and of course the mobile: 98338 76278.

     

    Disclaimer: Although he is CEO and Editor-in-Chief of this site, Pradyuman Maheshwari’s views in Mediaah! are not necessarily those of the rest of the team and MxMIndia.com. And decidedly not those of the sales team 🙂

     

  • Outgoing Editor-in-Chief also asks new incumbents not to let trivia outweigh credible, investigative journalism.

    Don’t be complacent: N Ram’s goodbye letter

    By Tuhina Anand

     

    On his last day as the Editor-in-Chief and Publisher of The Hindu, Business Line, Frontline, and Sportstar, N Ram bid his colleagues farewell and exhorted them to seize the opportunities of the media world and face the challenges of the tough business environment the media faces today.

     

    Mr Ram’s mail states that Siddharth Varadarajan, D Sampathkumar, R Vijayasankar, and Nirmal Shekhar, all Editors, will take over, with effect from January 19, 2012, as Editors of The Hindu, Business Line, Frontline, and Sportstar respectively responsible for the selection of news under the Press and Registration of Books (PRB) Act of 1867.

     

    K. Balaji, Managing Director of Kasturi & Sons Ltd, takes over as Publisher of all Hindu Group publications and also as Printer as applicable. Ram informs that he will continue to be a wholetime Director of Kasturi & Sons Ltd.

     

    He states in the letter- “These changes on the editorial side are significant, indeed milestones in our progress as a newspaper-publishing company. On the one hand, they represent a conscious and well-prepared induction of fresh and younger blood at the top levels of our editorial operations, not of course as one-person shows but as captains of teams of talented professionals who work on the basis of collegiality, mutual respect, trust, professional discipline, and cooperation. On the other hand, these editorial changes are a vital part of the process of professionalization and contemporization under way in all the Company’s operations. I am clear that this is the only way to face the future – the opportunities as well as the challenges.”

     

    In the letter he also mentions, “About us it will certainly be no cliché to say: individuals come and go, the institution goes on.”

     

    He talks about the current situation of print press and broadcast television being in crisis across the developed world. He mentions Indian media being fortunate, “The chief differentiating characteristic of this media world is that printed newspapers (and also broadcast television) are in growth mode, some of us in buoyant growth mode. How long this duality will endure is a matter of conjecture. But there are exciting opportunities out there in our media world and they must be seized strategically and with deft footwork. Digital journalism – good journalism on the existing and emerging digital platforms – is an exciting domain where a combination of quality, reliability, interactivity, creative ways to engage the reader, and growth with commercial viability will be key. There are, equally, tough challenges – especially a hardening business environment and rising commercial pressure on editorial values and on the independence and integrity of editorial content, seen, for example, in the recently exposed notorious practices of paid news and private treaties. The negative tendencies that have surfaced in the Indian news media have been sharply criticized by the Press Council of India Chairman, Justice Markandey Katju; and Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen has reflected on the problem in a rather different way. The last thing we need is complacency.”

     

    “In my understanding, the two central functions of a trustworthy and relevant press (and news media) are (a) the credible-informational and (b) the critical-investigative-adversarial. A third is the pastime function, which is important, especially for engaging the reader in a wholesome way; but it must be constantly kept in perspective and proportion and must not, in my view, be allowed to outweigh, not to mention squash, the two central functions.”

     

    He concludes by thanking people he has interacted during his tenure and assures that after completion of the process of editorial succession, The Hindu publications will be in able and trustworthy hands and their values as strong as ever.