Exemplars
This is not always the case: There are several sites that acquired external funds from founders with deep pockets or venture capitalists and set up reasonably-sized newsrooms to help with daily news reporting and publishing. Some examples that emerged as leaders are listed below, as much for the variety in the kinds of start-ups that function in India as for the work they’ve done and the impact they’ve had on Indian audiences.
1. Alt News: Started as a fact-checking website, the editorial team keeps constant tabs on social media and mainstream media to identify “incorrect/dubious news” and verify not only its authenticity but also context. This article in Nieman Lab explains a little bit more about the organization and the work they do. As fake news becomes a big issue in India, the site provides fact-checking for any false information that is passed off as real on social networks, especially the chat platform WhatsApp. This article on the AltNews site is an example of how they try to counter false information with verification.
2. The Wire: The founding editors of The Wire are former journalists who, tired of editorial interference from managerial and extraneous political/financial powers, launched The Wire as a not-for-profit independent venture. Describing the reason why they started the site, the founders wrote this in their note to readers: “The founding premise of The Wire 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.” Click here for an article on HuffPost that talks about not only the work of the site and the stories it has broken, but also what the author, Rasmus Kleis Nielsen, Director of Research at the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism and Professor of Political Communication at the University of Oxford, called “a creeping silence” in Indian journalism, which arguably independent news start-ups want to fight.
3. NewsLaundry: A website co-founded by former journalists, NewsLaundry identifies itself on its About page as “a media critique, news and current affairs portal and YouTube channel. We value independence and transparency and believe the two are integral to democracy and a healthy society.” It primarily focuses on news in English and Hindi and sometimes finds itself making news for winning reporting awards because it publishes stories that other news media refuse. It won its first national level investigative reporting award for this story.
4. CobraPost: This independent, non-profit news site, launched in 2003, was recently in the news for exposing the influence of financial objectives on editorial policies at India’s leading mainstream print and electronic news organizations. (See the page “Indian Press: Struggles with Trust” to learn more about this investigation carried out by CobraPost.) Their "About Us" page states: “From politics to corporate corruption, social issues to banking scams, CobraPost has covered myriads of arenas with their groundbreaking strategies and sophisticated news sense to bring its audience the truth.”
5. Scroll.in: This independent news site describes itself on its About page as “an independent news, information, and entertainment venture. We bring into sharp focus the most important political and cultural stories that are shaping contemporary India. Our goal is to add critical perspectives to these stories through rigorous reporting, objective analyses, and expert commentary.” They have won journalism awards for their grassroots-level and investigative reporting that focuses more on providing a diversity of common people’s voices rather than talking to authorities, as is usually the norm in journalism. More can be read about Scroll.in’s reporters and the stories that won them awards here.
Several other news sites such as The Quint, Youth Ki Awaaz, The Print, The Citizen, and The News Minute are similar such sites that report stories deemed relevant for the Indian public, but missed or purposely not covered by mainstream media. Most of these are based either in the national capital of India in the north, New Delhi, or the financial capital of the country in the west, Mumbai. They primarily report stories in English and Hindi to mostly urban audiences.
At the same time, there are other independent start-ups that focus on primarily rural news, an area that is largely uncovered by traditional media. Some of these are listed below:
6. CGNet Swara: This site is designed for people living in rural, tribal communities in Central India, to be able to call in and talk about issues important to them. It was created by founder Shubhranshu Choudhary to highlight issues faced by rural people and tribal communities mostly ignored by mainstream media. A voice portal, the site allows ordinary citizens to call in on a common number to report and discuss issues of interest to them. These voice messages are then posted on the site. Choudhary also won the 2014 Google Digital Activism Award for his work with CGNet Swara. This profile of him and his site provides in-depth information about him and his contribution to providing a diversity of voices in the Indian public sphere.
Other websites that deliver news primarily in Hindi to rural communities include women-led and run Khabar Lahariya, roughly translated as “Colorful News,” Gaon Connection, translated as “Village Connection,” and People's Archive of Rural India, that focuses on agriculture, village folk and their issues, as well as news and information that is relevant, important, and informative to them.
Additionally, sites such as ScoopWhoop, The Better India, and Chaaipani (the English translation for which is “Tea-water” but contextually, could be understood as having a leisurely conversation over some tea and water) focus on cultural and impactful stories that generally have a positive hue. These sites primarily target the globalized, urban audiences, including millennials and older citizens living in cities. Through their stories, these sites record the contemporary times of an emerging economy as well as the cultural change taking place in the country.
The important journalistic functions carried out by these sites are:
1. Providing a voice to those neglected by mainstream media.
2. Highlighting issues that are usually not covered by legacy publications and television channels due to conflicts with financial and political interests.
3. Endeavoring to create a public sphere where all—irrespective of the stratum they belong to—can knowledgeably participate in political discussions and activities.
