Arnab Goswami takes on critics at Goafest 2015

Arnab Goswami, Editorial Director & Editor-in-Chief, Times Now answers why it is important for a journalist to have a point of view, play up important stories and be an activist on issues that matter

e4m by Simran Sabherwal
Published: Apr 11, 2015 10:00 AM  | 5 min read
Arnab Goswami takes on critics at Goafest 2015

Arnab Goswami, Editorial Director & Editor-in-Chief, Times Now takes on his critics and answers why it is important to have a point of view , play up important stories and being an activist for relevant issues.

Arnab Goswami, Editorial Director & Editor-in-Chief, Times Now started the second day of Goafest by saying, “I am here today not to defend myself for the journalism we do, I actually want to plead guilty today. Lot of people say about what we do and I won’t defend myself against it. I will rather plead guilty to everything that people say against us but I will tell you why we do it.” He went to say, “I am here to talk about why we do and what we do, why I do,  what I do, why I believe in the journalism we do and why I think that the journalism we do, as opposed to what other do and I don’t mince my words. I don’t say that we are a variant of their journalism, we are new journalists. There is journalism which is relevant and irrelevant and which people relate to and watch.” Goswami then went on to list what are considered to the foundation of journalism and why he believes it does not hold any stead today.

Never express your opinion

While the old school of thought was never to express your opinion as that was bad journalism. He stated, “The journalism I follow is a journalism of opinion, taking a stand and not of political correctness and does not advocate fence-sitting. It is certainly not a journalism that believes in the fake philosophy that stating opinion violates journalistic norms of neutrality.” Goswami said that when a journalist is confronted with a right and wrong, “Will you be a fence-sitter?” He added that being a good journalist meant being neutral and a position on what is right and wrong can’t be taken. Goswami stated that neutrality when there is something wrong is a weakness as it perpetuates a status quo and has no impact. If a journalist takes a neutral stand particularly on issues of corruption, violence etc, then journalism becomes an exercise in futility and has no impact and does not reach out to the people.

Playing Stories Up

Playing up stories, sensationalism are some of terms used for stories on Times Now. Goswami counters this and says if it weren’t for sensationalism, Prince – a small boy who fell in a borewell  in 2006, would not have been rescued. Goswami says, “The story of Prince was a story of apathy and government’s recklessness. The whole country watched it because we sensationalised and if this not journalism, then I challenge the journalism that say giving voice to the helpless, then I challenge those journalists who question this journalism.” The effect of this has been that journalism was not the same again and today officials are scared of the media and will actually do their job.

Trying to become an activist

Countering the second charge of being an activist and going after one story, Goswami asks why the line between journalism and activism is closed. He believes that activism on appropriate issues, and not just political issues, and relentless media coverage can help the victim get justice.  “it is only in this country when you are shamed and embarrassed and when you are told watch out as we are going to go after you, only in those circumstances do powerful people who carry out injustice respond and that is the fulcrum of the role of the media today.’

Becoming too involved

The charge of becoming too involved in a story, the greater the propensity to make mistakes or to takes sides. Goswami says that the channel was able to break stories on multiple scams, such as Commonwealth Games Scam, Devas iSRO scam, Aircel Maxis,2G scam, Adarsh Kargil for Profit scam, because the channel decided to get involved and dig deeper into the story. The quick unravelling of scams between 2011-12 was a “magical moment” in Indian journalism and Goswami says that journalism will never be the same again and has given birth to the current form of journalism. 

Don’t listen to the other side

Referring to his now-famous interview with Rahul Gandhi, Goswami said that he did let the other side speak. He adds that this interview was important for the Indian media as it sent out the message that Gandhi wasn’t  ready for the top job and set the tone for the general elections.

Don’t cover news like other mainstream media

Recounting an incident that led Goswami to realise of the journalism that he was doing wrong and re-examine media’s role in the society. When actor Sanjay Dutt was being transferred from a Mumbai prison, a contingent of media followed Dutt to Pune, and all channels covered this non-stop.  That afternoon, Goswami received a call from Bengaluru, from a gentleman whose friend, an army officer had been killed fighting militants on the border. The gentleman pointed out that except Doordarshan no other channel covered the funeral of Col. Vasant Venugopal, who died at 42, with army honours. This incident  changed Goswami’s approach to journalism and he says, “I had nothing to tell. Here, I was recovering Sanjay Dutt and the stark reality of what you are doing comes and hits you.”
 

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E4M Our strategy is to target younger audiences through Sports: Rajiv Dubey, Dabur

The Head of Media at Dabur India spoke exclusively to exchange4media on the World Cup, associating with Indian Idol, the company’s digital spending and much more

e4m by e4m Staff
Published: Oct 27, 2023 6:15 PM  | 1 min read
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With quirky campaigns, memes and moment marketing, timed with the ongoing World Cup and particularly the India-Pakistan matches, Dabur India has got considerable consumer attention for its popular brands – Red Paste, Cool King Hair Oil, Chyawanprash, Dabur Vita and the recently launched Bae Fresh Gel toothpaste.

The 140-year-old company is going big on key sporting events, World Television Premiere (WTP) movies and reality shows. It is now gearing up to become the title sponsor of popular talent show ‘Indian Idol’ on Sony TV for the first time, shared Rajiv Dubey, who leads the media strategy at Dabur.

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Swapan Seth's new book 'COOL' is out

The book is a reflection of the author's 'eclectic taste across categories'

e4m by e4m Staff
Published: Oct 27, 2023 6:07 PM  | 1 min read
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Advertising professional and art collector Swapan Seth has announced the launch of his new book COOL. The book is described as "a ready reckoner to the hip and the happening, of the known and the very unknown."

The book is a reflection of the author's "eclectic taste across categories: from boltholes to exotic hideaways."

COOL has been published by Simon & Schuster India and is available on Amazon.

Seth is an ad veteran with a long and illustrious career in the industry. He became the youngest-ever Creative Director at Clarion at age 24. He was VP at 26 at Trikaya Grey. Two years later, he started his agency Equus.

He writes for publications such as The Economic Times, Hindustan Times and India Today. This is his second book and he has previously published THIS IS ALL I HAVE TO SAY.

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Disney Star signs 9 sponsors for Asia Cup PAK

Charged by Thums Up, Nerolac Paint+, Amazon Pay, Jindal Panther, My11Circle, MRF, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5, Wild Stone and Thums Up come on board

e4m by exchange4media Staff
Published: Aug 26, 2023 11:48 AM  | 1 min read
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e4m Staff Disney Star has signed nine broadcast and digital streaming sponsors for the upcoming Asia Cup.

Charged by Thums Up, Nerolac Paint+, Amazon Pay, Jindal Panther, My11Circle, MRF, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5, Wild Stone and Thums Up have come on board for the upcoming tournament.
As reported earlier by exchange4media, Disney Star has sought Rs 26 crore for the co-presenting sponsorship on TV and Rs 30 crore for Disney+ Hotstar.

According to industry sources, the associate sponsorship on Star Sports has been priced at Rs 19.66 crore, whereas for the ‘powered by’ sponsorship on Disney+ Hotstar, the broadcaster is seeking Rs 18 crore.

As per the information available with exchange4media, Disney+ Hotstar has three sponsorship tiers-- co-presenting (Rs 30 crore), powered by (Rs 18 crore) and associate sponsorship (Rs 12 crore). The broadcaster is offering an estimated reach of 120-140 million for co-presenting sponsors, 90-100 million for powered by and 60-70 million for associate sponsorship.

A spot buy for 10 seconds has been priced at Rs 25 lakh for the India vs Pakistan matches, while for the non-India matches, the ad rate for 10 second is Rs 2.3 lakh. The India matches plus the final for ODIs has been priced at Rs 17 lakh per 10 seconds.

Asia Cup is scheduled to be held from 30 August, 2023, to September 17, 2023.

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Sorted 360 wins creative & social media mandate of Reliance Mall

The agency will manage offline and online campaigns for Reliance Mall

e4m by exchange4media Staff
Published: Aug 26, 2023 10:54 AM  | 1 min read
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Sorted 360, an integrated creative and social media agency, has won the mandate to providing brand solutions for Reliance Malls across India.

“Sorted 360 is set to enhance Reliance Malls' market presence with their unparalleled creative prowess and strategic thinking,” read a press release.

“Sorted 360's commitment to pushing the boundaries of creative communication aligns perfectly with Reliance Malls' ethos. With a pan-India presence spanning across 19 cities and growing, Reliance Malls has consistently captivated customers by offering an array of Reliance brands and third-party fashion & lifestyle brands. The mall has established an unparalleled connection with its patrons through superior quality, a remarkable value proposition, and an unmatched shopping experience,” it read further.

"We are thrilled to welcome Sorted 360 as our trusted partner in advancing our brand presence across the nation," said the Head of Marketing at Relaice Malls. "Their proven expertise in retail, shopping center management, and innovative creative strategies make them the perfect fit for our vision."

"Partnering with Reliance Malls is a testament to our commitment to shaping extraordinary brand experiences," remarked Prerana Anatharam, Co-founder of Sorted 360. "We are excited to leverage our strategic and creative acumen to further elevate Reliance Malls as the epitome of convenience, choice, and excellence."

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e4m by exchange4media Staff
Published: Aug 25, 2023 4:39 PM  | 1 min read

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e4m by exchange4media Staff
Published: Aug 25, 2023 4:38 PM  | 1 min read

KlugKlug onboards Hemang Mehta as Country Manager for Indias

Mehta was most recently Head of Agency Relationships at Network 18 Media & Investments

e4m by exchange4media Staff
Published: Aug 24, 2023 3:35 PM  | 1 min read
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KlugKlug has appointed Hemang Mehta as its Country Manager for India.

Mehta will play a pivotal role in driving KlugKlug's growth and expansion within the Indian market and be responsible for Sales & GTM Strategy

Prior to that, he has also represented organisations like Exponential (now VDX.tv), India Today Digital and Rediff.com. His expertise spans various domains including digital media sales, mobile marketing, media planning, and buying, social media marketing, and more.

Hemang Mehta expressed his enthusiasm about joining KlugKlug, saying, "I am thrilled to be a part of KlugKlug, a forward-thinking platform that is reshaping the influencer marketing landscape. As much as I look forward to collaborating with the exuberant team at KlugKlug, I am super excited to interact with the brands to deliver powerful data-backed Influencer solutions that will guarantee business outcomes."

Commenting on the appointment, Kalyan Kumar, Co-Founder and CEO of KlugKlug, stated, "We are excited to welcome Hemang Mehta to our team as the Country Manager for India. His extensive experience in digital media sales and marketing will be instrumental in driving our efforts to provide influencer marketing solutions to our clients. We believe Hemang's leadership will be key in scaling our operations and expanding our reach within the Indian market."

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