Pradyuman Maheshwari

pradyumanm@exchange4media.com @Pradyuman Maheshwari

It’s vital for a sector that asks for fairplay on controversial copyright amendments also learns to stop using pirated wares, writes Pradyuman Maheshwari.

Pradyuman Maheshwari Dec 15, 2009 7:51 AM

While the inaugural episode should see NDTV Imagine generate ratings, ‘Raaz Pichhle Janam Ka’ with Ravi Kissen as anchor could irk the Government, writes Pradyuman Maheshwari.

Pradyuman Maheshwari Dec 8, 2009 7:25 AM

Paid news, courtesy individuals, corporate and politicians, is liberating. It gives power to the people, thereby ensuring that publication of news isn’t just the preserve of editors, muses Pradyuman Maheshwari.

Pradyuman Maheshwari Dec 1, 2009 8:01 AM

November 26 marks the first anniversary of the Mumbai terror siege. While there was outrage over what the terrorists did, after the crisis blew over, much venom was directed at the media coverage. Pradyuman Maheshwari reviews the points of discord.

Pradyuman Maheshwari Nov 24, 2009 9:08 AM

The I&B Minister’s indicator that news will be allowed on private FM as long as it is sourced from All India Radio will do little to grow the medium, rues Pradyuman Maheshwari.

Pradyuman Maheshwari Nov 10, 2009 7:55 AM

Not all is lost for the world of magazines, writes Pradyuman Maheshwari, on the eve of the Indian Magazine Congress 2009. There are enough reasons for them to prosper and thrive in a world dominated by newspapers, television and the Web.

Pradyuman Maheshwari Nov 3, 2009 8:22 AM

Is this the right time to be in the news business and is it a good idea to take it up as a career? Not in the way many of our news enterprises conduct themselves currently, introspects Pradyuman Maheshwari.

Pradyuman Maheshwari Oct 27, 2009 7:48 AM

It’s been a year since the slowdown struck Indian media, but there is little hope for cheer, writes Pradyuman Maheshwari, as he hums the lyrics of the film ‘Paigham’s song: ‘Kaise Diwali manaayein hum Lala, Apna toh barah mahine Diwala!’

Pradyuman Maheshwari Oct 12, 2009 8:11 AM

Or so tweeted Rajdeep Sardesai and Barkha Dutt on the current crop of the Sunday newspapers. While it’s too early to predict whether The Times of India’s new weekend paper Crest will do well, it was clearly not a case of love at first sight with the paper, writes Pradyuman Maheshwari.

Pradyuman Maheshwari Oct 5, 2009 7:05 AM

That Congress leaders asking for the sack of Minister of State for External Affairs Shashi Tharoor for a controversial tweet is unfortunate. While statements on public forums like Twitter and social networks are liable for scrutiny, it’s important for political parties to be democratic and allow for a free exchange of views, writes Pradyuman Maheshwari.

Pradyuman Maheshwari Sep 22, 2009 8:48 AM

Newspapers and news channels need to reinvent themselves, writes Pradyuman Maheshwari as he managed to survive without consuming them for over a week, yet keeping himself adequately informed in the period.

Pradyuman Maheshwari Sep 14, 2009 8:00 AM

While news channels and papers don’t think twice about damning governments, politicians and entertainers for a bad job, they get offensive when appraised, rues Pradyuman Maheshwari.

Pradyuman Maheshwari Sep 7, 2009 8:25 AM

In a bid to be the undisputed number uno Hindi GEC, Viacom 18’s Colors has launched an all-new offensive: megastar Amitabh Bachchan is roped in to turn pop philosopher with Season 3 of reality show ‘Bigg Boss’. CEO Rajesh Kamat tight-lipped on ad rates premium and marketing budgets.

Pradyuman Maheshwari Sep 5, 2009 8:42 AM

Media owners and editors needn’t get defensive about dumbing down their newspapers and channels. For, current affairs can be as much of an insight into what’s happening in politics and government as it is with the latest on how a Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor are doing, writes Pradyuman Maheshwari.

Pradyuman Maheshwari Aug 31, 2009 7:45 AM

As all stakeholders get set for NewsNext 2009, Pradyuman Maheshwari lists the key issues that the news television industry must grapple with to survive and thrive.

Pradyuman Maheshwari Aug 24, 2009 8:11 AM

Although our democratic institutions ensure that we have a free press, business and personal interests of stakeholders impact the news media from practicing what it preaches, writes Pradyuman Maheshwari.

Pradyuman Maheshwari Aug 17, 2009 8:31 AM

Just when one thought that the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting under Ambika Soni was being very progressive in its outlook on broadcast content, yesterday’s statement by Justice GN Ray, Chairman of the quasi-judicial Press Council of India, that television tends to sensationalise news is worrying, writes Pradyuman Maheshwari.

Pradyuman Maheshwari Aug 10, 2009 7:45 AM

‘Wired’ Editor-in-Chief and writer Chris Anderson’s assertion that newspapers and news journalists will fade away thanks to the likes of the Twitter may not be entirely untrue, writes Pradyuman Maheshwari.

Pradyuman Maheshwari Aug 3, 2009 8:11 AM

Media education in India needs some fresh thinking if it has to produce highly skilled, job-ready journalists, who can move across media, writes Pradyuman Maheshwari.

Pradyuman Maheshwari Jul 27, 2009 7:46 AM

While it’s okay for an MP to raise issues about the content on television channels, the Government must show restraint and not attempt to police the media, feels Pradyuman Maheshwari.

Pradyuman Maheshwari Jul 23, 2009 9:42 AM

‘Sach Ka Saamna’ indicates the Star India leadership’s willingness to experiment and innovate their primetime programming, writes Pradyuman Maheshwari. But not before Star Plus and the other GECs ‘faced the truth’ when Colors launched last year and broke the rules.

Pradyuman Maheshwari Jul 20, 2009 8:35 AM

The first 40-odd days of Ambika Soni as Minister of Information and Broadcasting have been excellent, writes Pradyuman Maheshwari. She’s made no tall promises and has been making the right statements… like her views on regulation of news channels and the use of child artistes on television shows.

Pradyuman Maheshwari Jul 13, 2009 8:40 AM

Should Indian newspapers be worried about their future? Yes, writes Pradyuman Maheshwari, if they continue to treat online media with disdain. While print in India will not face the same problems in the near future as they do in the US, rapid developments in cellphone technology and democratisation of the space, thanks to Twitter and blogs, necessitate that newspaper professionals embrace the Web.

Pradyuman Maheshwari Jul 6, 2009 7:58 AM

Don’t embrace the social media and you will stay disconnected with your consumers! That was the take-out from the just-concluded Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival, writes Pradyuman Maheshwari.

Pradyuman Maheshwari Jun 29, 2009 10:01 AM

The world’s biggest modern-day mystery is about to get solved. Doomsayers wondering how microblogging service Twitter is ever going to earn revenues have reason to be relieved. For, Biz Stone, a Silicon Valley serial entrepreneur who co-founded Twitter in 2006, and was speaking at the Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival, thinks he has found the magic potion.

Pradyuman Maheshwari Jun 23, 2009 7:37 AM

<i>Bambaiyya</i> Hindi, one would’ve said <i>Izzat ka ho gaya royal falooda</i>. But for our big and prosperous PR industry, or at least for observers like yours truly, it’s kind-of the same as India not reaching the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup.

Pradyuman Maheshwari Jun 22, 2009 7:40 AM

Ahead of the launch of its television avatar, the Economic Times launched a Code of Conduct last week. This, writes Pradyuman Maheshwari, augurs well for Indian journalism and is possibly an indicator that the times are surely a-changin’ at the Times.

Pradyuman Maheshwari Jun 22, 2009 7:32 AM

The Union Budget on July 3 should abolish all duties on computers, telephony, cables etc in order to build a strong and affordable information infrastructure. Online and social media are as vital as print and electronic, writes Pradyuman Maheshwari

Pradyuman Maheshwari Jun 15, 2009 7:26 AM

Did newspapers sell their souls by allowing a Reliance GSM ad to occupy more than half of their front page? Perhaps not, as innovations don’t really devalue editorial space, writes Pradyuman Maheshwari.

Pradyuman Maheshwari Jun 8, 2009 8:31 AM

Given the growth of platforms like Facebook and Twitter, it would’ve been good to have a socially networked Information and Broadcasting Minister, writes Pradyuman Maheshwari.

Pradyuman Maheshwari Jun 1, 2009 8:03 AM