J-POD: The Podcast on Journalists and Journalism

On the intervening night of June 15-16 this year,  20 Indian soldiers were killed by the Chinese People's Liberation Army in #Ladakh. Over 1,000 sq km of Indian territory was seized. Colonel #SushantSingh, a former officer of the Indian Army who was a deputy editor of the #IndianExpress newspaper, on how most of the media ignored the warning signs and failed to ask questions of the #NarendraModi government leading to the largest  loss of Indian land since the 1962 war. Col Singh is now a senior fellow at the Center for Police Research,  #CPR #PLA 

#LionelBarber, Editor of the #FinancialTimes, London, from 2005-2020, on his new book ‘The Powerful and the Damned', and his role in turning around the business newspaper into a digital-first, global news organisation at once admired, respected and feared by political and business leaders.

#AmitVarma, host of the long-form podcast 'The Seen and The Unseen', answers the Proust Questionnaire to mark the 200th episode of his show. And explains why more journalists should get behind a mic and start podcasting content of value.

#AmitRoy, longtime foreign correspondent of #TheTelegraph, Calcutta, on working for Britain's biggest titles #TheDailyTelegraph, #TheSundayTimes and #DailyMail---and why #ABP paterfamilias #AveekSarkar ranks alongside #DavidEnglish among the best in the business. #AmitRoy's father #BenoyRoy was with the #BBC Bengali Service and #AmritaBazarPatrika.

#DUmapathy, the veteran Kannada journalist and former Delhi Bureau chief of #KannadaPrabha #VijayaKarnataka and #PrajaVani, on #RaviBelagere, the founder and editor of the Kannada tabloid 'Hi! Bangalore', the multimedia wizard who electrified Kannada audiences in print, on television and online. This episode is in Kannada.

#UttamSengupta, former resident editor of #TheTimesOfIndia in Patna, and former Bihar correspondent of #TheTelegraph and #IndiaToday, on why the media fails to read the mind of the #Bihari voter, election after election.

#AnuradhaBhasin, executive editor, #KashmirTimes, who filed the landmark case in #SupremeCourt against the lockdown in #Kashmir, on being evicted from her apartment in #Jammu and her newspaper being evicted in #Srinagar. She says: "Today's challenge is the worst of my journalistic career. Kashmir is an experimental laboratory for everything in the rest of the country today."

#AunindyoChakravarty, the former #NDTVIndia and #NDTVProfit managing editor, who first revealed the TV ratings manipulation in India in 2008, on the TRP ratings scandal involving #ArnabGoswami's #RepublicTV and #RepublicBharat

#DrMarioGarcia, the Cuba-born CEO of #GarciaMedia, on the challenges of giving a "refresh" to the Delhi newspaper #HindustanTimes in the times of #COVID. With a hand in the design and redesign of 729 newspapers and magazines in 121 countries across the world---including Indian titles like #TheHindu, #MalayalaManorama, #Sakal, #Sakshi and #Mint---#MarioGarcia is the world's most prolific news design guru.

#KartikSahni, the 24-year-old Delhi-born millennial who inserted an obituary advertisement for Rs 1000 in #TheHindu, to announce the death of Indian media. The ad is a throwback to a similar classified advertisement inserted in The Times of India in 1975, by #AshokMahadevan, then 26, who later became the Editor of #ReadersDigest.

#KunalPurohit, one of the few Indian journalists closely tracking the role of social media in the rise of Hindu nationalism and Hindutva hate crimes, on 'The Wall Street Journal' expose of #FacebookIndia's #BJP bias through its chief India lobbyist #AnkhiDas.

#PatriciaMukhim, Editor of 'The Shillong Times', on the suspension of publication of the newspaper due to alleged violation of COVID protocols, and the pressures of doing journalism in the North East of India.

#AnanthKrishnan, the Mandarin-speaking Beijing Correspondent of #TheHindu, on his book "India's China Challenge", in the wake of #Coronavirus and the Chinese incursions into #Ladakh, and what the future holds for both countries.

#SeemaChishti, former #BBC broadcaster and #IndianExpress journalist, who was an eye witness to the demolition of the #BabriMasjid in #Ayodhya in 1992, on what it took to cover the story before the days of satellite TV and the internet---and how the event changed India's course.

#KGiriprakash, chief of bureau, #TheHinduBusinessLine, and author of 'The Vijay Mallya Story', on why business journalists couldn't smell the troubles of #VGSiddhartha, the founder of #CafeCoffeeDay, who died on July 31, 2019

#JairamRamesh, former Union minister, #Congress MP, and the author of 'A Chequered Brilliance: The Many Lives of V.K. Krishna Menon', on the India-China war of 1962. And how the pillars of Indian democracy---the government, the Opposition, the Army, the media---were markedly stronger and different, compared to the Chinese incursions under #NarendraModi in 2020.http://indianjournalismreview.com/2020/07/23/j-pod-podcast-in-1962-media-was-more-independent-less-subservient-it-lampooned-nehru-krishna-menon-mercilessly-modi-is-trying-to-snatch-victory-from-the-jaws-of-defeat-by-managing-headlin/

#ParulSharma, former spokesperson of #StarTV, and Delhi-based fine art photographer, who captured the last lap of hundreds of #COVID victims on an iPhone, on what it takes to document death---and what it has done to her.

#ParanjoyGuhaThakurta, former Editor #EPW, on why Google and Facebook want to piggyback on #RelianceJio---and the implications of an emerging oligopoly for Indian democracy. #EconomicAndPoliticalWeekly

#KanakManiDixit, Nepalese editor, activist, and founder of #HimalSouthAsian, on how "Indian Exceptionalism" has brought ties between India and #Nepal to a historic new low. And how Indian media is driving ultra-nationalism.https://indianjournalismreview.com/2020/07/13/j-pod-podcast-indian-tv-is-not-a-force-multiplier-in-nepal-its-a-force-subtractor-its-sexism-misogyny-and-ultra-nationalism-is-ruining-indias-ties-not-just-with-nepal-but-also-with-chin/

#RahulJacob, former Hong Kong bureau chief of the #FinancialTimes, on the Indian media coverage of the border conflict with #China, and the signals it sends to the #Chinese.https://indianjournalismreview.com/2020/07/01/j-pod-podcast-coverage-of-border-conflict-is-a-dangerous-new-low-it-signals-to-china-that-the-incursion-doesnt-matter-very-much-or-the-government-has-controlled-the-media/

#CoomiKapoor, consulting editor, #TheIndianExpress, and author, #TheEmergency, on media censorship during the darkest phase of India's post-independence history---and the heroes and villains of the Emergency.

#TheNetPaper, the world's first crowd-sourced newspaper, which navigates social media for you and delivers the news, the views and the juice, straight to your mailbox. http://thenetpaper.substack.com

#RukminiShrinivasan, host of #TheMovingCurve podcast, and former data editor of #TheHindu and #HuffPostIndia, on what India's #COVID numbers mean---and #DataJournalism as a career option.https://thenetpaper.substack.com/p/13-things-you-wanted-to-know-about

@AakarPatel, former executive director, #Amnesty, and former journalist and syndicated columnist, on #Twitter withholding his account without ascribing any reason, and what the #GujaratModel is all about.https://thenetpaper.substack.com/p/aakar-patel-twitter-hasnt-followed

#MagsaysayAward winning journalist #PSainath, founder of the People's Archive of Rural India #PARI, on why Indian media structures do not have room for farmers, labourers and migrant workers

#AlanRusbridger, former Editor-in-Chief of #TheGuardian, and chairman of the #Reuters Institute For the Study Of Journalism (#RISJ) at #Oxford, on journalism after #COVID, and role of social media in the 2020 #US Elections. Rusbridger is also member, #Facebook Oversight Board.https://indianjournalismreview.com/2020/06/03/j-pod-podcast-journalism-is-a-form-of-public-service-it-is-dangerous-to-undermine-institutional-news-all-of-us-need-to-become-more-critical-readers-and-users-of-social-media-alan-rusbrid/

#KanchanKaur, dean, Indian Institute of Journalism & New Media, #IIJNM, and #AnandPradhan, professor, Indian Institute of Mass Communication, #IIMC, on the future of journalism education, student journalists and journalism after COVID.https://indianjournalismreview.com/2020/05/31/j-pod-podcast-every-year-over-20000-students-pass-out-where-are-the-jobs-big-media-is-trapped-j-schools-should-aim-to-produce-one-man-armies-prof-kanchan-kaur-of-iijnm-and-prof-ana/

#KSUdayKumar, a polio-stricken newspaper vendor in Mysore, on how COVID has changed his life---and why the #IndianNewspaperSociety needs to speak up for people like him. https://indianjournalismreview.com/2020/05/24/j-pod-podcast-commission-is-down-by-two-thirds-some-readers-look-at-us-like-untouchables-the-show-will-go-on-for-just-a-couple-of-years-a-paper-vendor-in-mysore-has-a-message-for-india/

Prof #SShyamSundar, #JamesPJimirro professor of media effects at #PennStateUniversity in Pennsylvania, and founding director, Media Effects Research Laboratory at PSU, on the role of social media during the COVID pandemic.https://indianjournalismreview.com/2020/05/20/j-pod-podcast-coronavirus-has-made-us-realise-how-networked-we-are-even-the-news-finds-me-generation-is-seeking-out-news-now-psu-media-effects-research-don-prof-shyam-sundar/

#SashiKumar, chairman of The Media Foundation which administers the #AsianCollegeOfJournalism and founder of India's first private news channel #AsianetNews, says technology is changing our notion of news and the old distinction between media and news media no longer holds true.https://indianjournalismreview.com/2020/05/17/j-pod-podcast-media-freedom-in-india-has-sunk-even-lower-after-covid-social-media-has-smashed-our-notion-of-what-is-news-the-time-has-come-to-reconsider-the-valorisation-of-news-media-ac/

#ShobhanSaxena, journalist and academic based in #SaoPaulo, on how social media has ruptured the media narrative, and the #SteveBannon playbook at play in #Brazil, #India and the #UnitedStates. https://indianjournalismreview.com/2020/05/13/j-pod-podcast-jair-bolsonaro-is-a-bad-version-of-donald-trump-social-media-has-ruptured-the-narrative-steve-bannon-is-the-common-thread-shobhan-saxena-on-brazil-india-the-us/

#SundarSarukkai, former Professor of Philosophy at the National Institute of Advanced Studies (NIAS), and Founder-Director of the Manipal Centre for Philosophy and Humanities, on the companionship offered by newspapers. https://indianjournalismreview.com/2020/05/10/j-pod-podcast-a-good-newspaper-is-a-companion-in-lifes-shared-journey-it-prepares-you-to-live-in-a-diverse-contentious-society-social-media-gives-you-a-hollow-sense-of-control-philos/

#JayantMammenMathew, executive editor and director of #MalayalaManorama, and former president of #IndianNewspaperSociety, on the crisis in print media due to #Coronavirus and what publishers must do to get out of it. https://indianjournalismreview.com/2020/05/08/j-pod-podcast-no-substitute-for-credible-journalism-media-has-to-cut-costs-get-into-new-areas-journalists-need-to-be-multi-skilled-in-new-era-ex-ins-president-and-malayala-manorama/

#MrinalPande, grand dame of #Hindi journalism, former #Editor of #Hindustan and former Chairperson of Prasar Bharati Corporation, on why Doordarshan and All India Radio are better off being returned to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. https://indianjournalismreview.com/2020/05/04/j-pod-podcast-hindi-media-has-swung-majorly-towards-modi-govt-big-newspaper-chains-have-become-monsters-like-google-and-facebook-news-desks-are-at-the-forefront-of-communalisation-ex-hi/

#BSrinivasan, managing director of the pioneering #Tamil magazine #AnandaVikatan, on how #Coronavirus has reaffirmed the value of print journalism. https://indianjournalismreview.com/2020/05/02/ananda-vikatan-chief-b-srinivasan/

#MehmalSarfraz, #Pakistani journalist and commentator, and #ImranKhan, #NarendraModi and how the two Prime Ministers have dealt with the #Coronavirus pandemic. https://indianjournalismreview.com/2020/04/30/j-pod-podcast-pakistan-media-has-not-tried-to-find-a-scapegoat-for-coronavirus-like-indian-media-imran-khan-has-handled-media-better-than-narendra-modi-mehmal-sarfraz-on-what-no-142-can/

#MGRadhakrishnan, Editor-in-Chief of #Malayalam TV news channel #AsianetNews on why the #media should put on its critical lens even in the time of a pandemic like #COVID, and act as a check and balance on state power. https://indianjournalismreview.com/2020/04/28/j-pod-podcast-this-is-not-the-time-to-get-co-opted-by-the-state-media-must-stay-vigilant-and-keep-a-critical-eye-on-government-asianet-news-editor-m-g-radhakrishnan-on-what-so-cal/

#NRam, former Editor-in-Chief of #TheHindu, and Chairman, #TheHindu Publishing Group, on the future of print media after #Coronavirus, whether #TheHindu will be printing a newspaper 50 years from now, and the two pieces of advice for #journalism students

#VishweshwarBhat, editor-in-chief and managing director of the #Kannada newspaper #VishwaVani---former editor of #VijayaKarnataka and #KannadaPrabha---on what is in store for #Kannada journalism and journalists after #Coronavirus https://indianjournalismreview.com/2020/04/23/vishweshwar-bhat-on-state-of-kannada-journalism-after-corona/

#GurbirSingh, president of #MumbaiPressClub, on the paradox of newspaper managements in India seeking sops from government to wade through #Coronavirus, but blithely playing around with the lives and livelihood of journalists. https://indianjournalismreview.com/2020/04/19/mumbai-press-club-president-on-what-journalists-should-do-to-save-their-jobs/

#OmThanvi, former editor of Hindi daily #Jansatta from the #IndianExpress group, who is now vice-chancellor of the Haridev Joshi University of Journalism and Mass Communication, Jaipur, on the challenges ahead of #Hindi journalists after #Coronavirus. https://indianjournalismreview.com/2020/04/16/j-pod-om-thanvi-says-big-hindi-newspapers-communalising-coronavirus-coverage/

#KrishnaPrasad, publisher of #Churumuri, on why #SharadaViswanath would not be celebrating the temporary closure of #StarOfMysore despite its #Islamophobia editorial in the #Coronavirus season https://indianjournalismreview.com/2020/04/13/j-pod-a-podcast-on-journalism-why-my-mother-would-not-celebrating-the-suspension-of-publication-of-star-of-mysore-despite-its-islamophobic-editorial/

#GowharGeelani, journalist and broadcaster from #Kashmir, on how #Coronavirus has affected #Kashmiri media which was already wilting under a 250-day #lockdown. https://indianjournalismreview.com/2020/04/10/j-pod-a-podcast-on-journalism-lockdown-after-lockdown-gowhar-geelani-on-the-double-whammy-suffered-by-kashmirs-long-suffering-journalists/

#PremPanicker, former editor of rediff.com and former managing director of yahoo India, on the digital options before #journalists whose careers are threatened by the media meltdown due to #Coronavirus https://indianjournalismreview.com/2020/04/12/prem-panicker-on-digital-options-for-journalists/

#ChidanandRajghatta, US correspondent of #TheTimesOfIndia, on #DonaldTrump, #NarendraModi and how the two countries are joined at the hip of #Coronavirus---and why Indian TV #journalists should stop wearing the #KantLangot

#SylviaKarpagam and #MytreyiKrishnan of Centre for Ethical Reporting in Media, on how #Kannada journalism communalised the #Coronavirus pandemic

#AndrewWhitehead, former #BBC correspondent in Delhi, on how #Coronavirus has affected the media in #Britain, and what young journalists and student journalists can do to firewall their future

Reporting the plague in Russia

#KrishnaPrasad, publisher of #Churumuri, on the churn in #Indian media thanks to the onset of #Coronavirus. https://indianjournalismreview.com/2020/04/04/we-are-all-in-a-deep-mess-the-time-has-come-for-every-business-to-press-the-reset-button-especially-print-media-newspapers-and-magazines-in-the-age-of-gocoronago-going-going-gone/

#KrishnaPrasad, publisher of #Churumuri, on the challenges facing Indian print media in the wake of #Coronavirus