“I am going to fight for what I think is right, from the core of my heart,” said Arnab. It is the job of a journalist to champion the ordinary person, and tell people’s stories. When it involves a scam like the Commonwealth games scam, or Lalitgate, theres a huge risk factor involved, but that should not stop articulation of opinion, because that is what will shape the future of the nation. In these times of expansive media, before a riot starts two cameras will reach there, and that is where accountability of media lies.
“I have brought my profession to a very fundamental premise, that you choose right between right and wrong, when facts are staring you in the face. Don’t exclude people, emotions, your opinions, feelings,” said Arnab.
When there is an issue that everyone feels strongly about or that involves the welfare of the mass, it should be brought forth. In a position to influence the policymakers, presenting the story is the one and only responsibility. If it is worth attention, it will create impact. The ego of the journalist should have absolutely no place in his voice.
In answer to a query by Anurag Batra, Chairman, Businessworld and exchange4media, on how he ensures there is a story to tell every day, Arnab said that there was never a dearth of content, but it was a matter of where you seek relevance. Limiting boundaries to certain closed groups of people is what takes a journalist away from his roots, the masses. “When we try to define what is news, then there is no news. People are living their lives, experiencing pain everyday, you just need to talk to people,” was his opinion.
He expressed that India is looking at a bright future, with the BJP government, doing okay on the security and economic issues. Social issues, though, were still on troubled waters, and therefore campaigns for triple talaq, an unified social court, and against RSS religious bigotry were under way.
“I think this country is going to change and I have a dream to build an independent media not answerable to anyone. Merged with digital, direct connection to audience, there would be no reliance on anyone’s money,” Arnab spoke of his vision in near future, “and the reach of that independent media would be global, at par with CNN and BBC.”
For all the other aspirants who had a dream and a mission, his advice was ‘to always accept faults, discard ego, to never compromise ethics, and build good partnerships on a long term.’ Behind what seems engrossing is a lot of heart, a lot of feeling, a lot of nationalism, and risk.
Arnab, who is an industry of storytelling and experiences in himself, left the listeners with a lot to ponder about, one of them being a fiery promise to break certain biggest scandalous defence deals in the country. “I have got papers that prove. If you compare what we are going to break in the future someday Augusta Wasteland is not even 1 percent of it. The story will be broken, it is only a question of when.” Now is that the whiff of another groundbreaking session on the Times Now? Event managers could take a leaf or two from his book on 'building anticipation’.
BW Reporters
I have completed my graduation from St. Xavier’s Kolkata and Master’s from University of Pune. The key to my heart lies in laughter. I like to explore- be it new cities, new cuisine, new subjects, languages, or sports. I am an avid reader and music-lover.
