About US
Note From The Founding Editors
Instead of
the traditional models of family-owned, corporate-funded and controlled or
advertising-driven newspapers, websites and TV channels, can we reimagine the
media as a joint venture in the public sphere between journalists, readers and
a concerned citizenry? One in which decisions over what to cover and how, who
to hire and where to send a correspondent or photographer, are taken by editors
on the basis of professional judgment, without worrying about what a proprietor
or politician, official or advertiser might think or want.
In a
democracy, this is the least that readers or viewers expect. And yet, the
business model that underpins most Indian news media seldom allows editors the
freedom they need. Worse, it has slowly eroded professional standards of
reporting and contaminated the media ecosystem with toxic practices like
rampant editorializing, paid news and ‘private treaties’. Increasingly, media
houses are reluctant to spend money on newsgathering; and as they develop
secondary business interests and ‘no go areas’ proliferate, their newsrooms
suffer further collateral damage – especially as these interests often depend
on proximity to politicians and bureaucrats. Is it any wonder that readers have
begun to notice the erosion of professional standards, ethical breaches and
fall in quality? They now feel shortchanged.
The
founding premise of Hindi
Post Now is this: 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.
As a
publication, Hindi Post Now will be firmly committed to the public interest and
democratic values. Apart from providing authoritative analysis and commentary,
the aim, as our resources grow, is to build ourselves as a platform driven by
good old-fashioned reporting on issues of national and international importance
and interest. Being on the web also means using new media technologies to
change the way stories are told. With data and interactive charts, video and
audio as integral parts of the narrative structure when warranted.
We start
today on a modest note, constrained not by our vision but by our resources. In
the meantime, we make a simple appeal: read us, share and tweet our content,
and send us your feedback.
