Reporters Without Orders

This week, host Tanishka Sodhi is joined by Shivnarayan Rajpurohit and The Quint’s Himanshi Dahiya.Shivnarayan talks about his profile of ANI and how it became the Modi government’s favourite media outlet. But the story isn’t that simple, he explains, because beyond ANI’s dismal coverage of the opposition are a number of contracts that the agency has signed with state governments. Himanshi reported on a Gujarat Dalit family that was “cheated” into giving a whopping Rs 11 crore in electoral bonds, of which Rs 10 crore was encashed by the BJP. She explains how the alleged scam took place and just how a company linked to the Adani group was involved. Tune in.Timecodes00:00:00 - Introduction00:02:05 - ANI’s journalism00:25:25 - Gujarat family’s electoral bonds 00:49:07 - RecommendationsRecommendationsHimanshiGita Press and the Making of Hindu India2024 Pro-Hindutva Films Were Funded By BJP-Linked People, Promoted by BJP NetasShivnarayanAamisTanishkaHow National Creators Award Winners Amplified BJP’s MessageProduced and edited by Saif Ali Ekram, and recorded by Anil Kumar. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, host Sumedha Mittal is joined by Newslaundry’s Anmol Pritam and The News Minute’s Jahnavi.Jahnavi talks about her report on businessman P Sarath Chandra Reddy, accused-turned-approver in the Delhi liquor policy case. She says his firms bought electoral bonds worth Rs 55 crore, later encashed by the BJP, and also explains the ‘South Group’ connection to the case.Anmol was on the ground during the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. He talks about the mood among the people, based on his interviews with locals, whether the Delhi police is being ‘biased’, and how the AAP believes their right to protest is being suppressed.Tune in.Timecodes00:00:00 - Introduction00:01:31 - Kejriwal’s arrest00:20:39 - P Sarath Chandra Reddy00:29:06 - RecommendationsRecommendationsJahnaviAnatomy of a FallAnmolMedia Control: The Spectacular Achievements of PropagandaSumedhaAamisThe arrest of Mr Kejriwal: A PMLA caseProduced and edited by Saif Ali Ekram, and recorded by Anil Kumar. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, host Pooja Prasanna is joined by the Ramnath Goenka awardees from Newslaundry and The News Minute, to talk about the four awards they won this year.While Ayush Tiwari and Basant Kumar won in the environment, science and technology category for the plunder of the Aravalli series, Hridayesh Joshi’s video report on arsenic in water triggering diseases in several villages, supported by the Thakur Foundation, was honoured in the Hindi broadcast category.The News Minute also won two awards. While Azeefa Fathima, Balakrishnan Ganesan, and Prajwal Bhat won in the civic journalism category for their five-part series on exposing manual scavenging, Prajwal’s reports on the 2022 hijab protests in Karnataka were awarded in the political reporting category.They look back at their work to discuss its importance and impact on society.Tune in.RecommendationsAyushThe Rise and Fall of the Third ReichBasant21वीं सदी : पहला दशकHridayeshबड़े शहरों में जंगल? बिल्कुल, खुद देखिए [Forest restoration in Delhi and NCR]The Cooking of Books : A Literary MemoirAzeefaACCESS DENIEDThese Precious DaysBalakrishna3 Body ProblemGita Press and the Making of Hindu IndiaThe Seven Moons of Maali AlmeidaPoojaLove Jihad and Other Fictions: Simple Facts to Counter Viral FalsehoodsThe GentlemenThe costs of Reliance’s wildlife ambitionsProduced and edited by Saif Ali Ekram; recorded by Anil Kumar. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, host Tanishka Sodhi is joined by Newslaundry’s Prateek Goyal and Basant Kumar.Both Prateek and Basant share their experience of investigating the patterns in political funding in India, and decoding the State Bank of India’s data dump on electoral bonds. They discuss how they found out about “a very strange pattern” of donation to political parties, with some companies donating or lapping up their donations after raids by central agencies. In some cases, the companies’ donations even surpassed their profit growth and revenue.Tune in.Timecodes00:00:00 - Introduction00:02:21 - Donations to parties00:05:18 - Electoral bonds00:25:22 - RecommendationsRecommendationsBasantProject Electoral Bond (Report)PrateekMaamla Legal HaiTanishkaPlunder of the AravallisProduced and edited by Saif Ali Ekram, and recorded by Anil Kumar. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, host Basant Kumar is joined by Newslaundry’s Pratyush Deep.Pratyush reported on the Assam police increasing security and barricading in anticipation of protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act, which the government this week said it would soon implement. He says there’s a huge difference in intensity of protests between 2019 and 2024. But Basant points out the government laid the groundwork to make sure no protest could take place.Basant talks about his report on Uttar Pradesh appointing a chief information commissioner and 10 information commissioners last week. At least four have links to the BJP or are favourable to Chief Minister Adityanath, he says. He also explains his interview with Indrajeet Ghorpade, a 32-year-old techie and activist from Pune who has filed over 50 complaints against hate speech on news channels. Watch. Timecodes00:00:00 - Introduction00:05:53 - Cops try to quell Assam’s CAA disquiet 00:24:10 - Appointments of information commissioners in UP 00:33:42 - Interview with Indrajeet Ghorpade 00:34:48 - RecommendationsRecommendationsPratyushIn 15 more donors of BJP, 4 shell firms, 11 companies that faced central action by Prateek GoyalBasantPoacher on Amazon PrimeProduced by Prashant Kumar, edited by Parikshit Sanyal, and recorded by Anil Kumar. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, host Tanishka Sodhi is joined by Newslaundry’s Pratyush Deep and The News Minute’s Nidharshana Raju.Pratyush reported on Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma’s media conglomerate, Pride East Entertainment, which is also the Northeast’s biggest media network. He delves into the hold of Sarma’s family on the media outlet and how its political leanings change as Sarma switches sides.  Nidharshana talks about her report on the killing of a 22-year-old Dalit man by his caste Hindu brother-in-law in broad daylight in Chennai. She says the city has been witnessing crime against Dalits, but had not witnessed such a caste killing in recent years.Tune in.Timecodes00:00:00 - Introduction00:01:12 - Himanta’s media empire00:11:25 - Caste killing in Chennai00:36:26 - RecommendationsRecommendationsPratyushULFA: The Mirage of Dawn NidharshanaKaruvadu: the wet world of dry fishTanishkaIndia’s iPhone factory is keeping women workers isolatedProduced and edited by Saif Ali Ekram, and recorded by Anil Kumar. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, host Sumedha Mittal is joined by Newslaundry’s Prateek Goyal and The News Minutes’s Korah Abraham.Prateek and Korah were part of Newslaundry and The News Minute’s joint investigation on political funding. They found that in a five-year period, donations of nearly Rs 335 crore were made to the BJP by at least 30 companies that faced action by central agencies during that time period. They explain this unique pattern – and what happens when the companies skip donating to the BJP for a couple of years.Tune in!Timecodes00:00:00 - Introduction00:02:00 - Political funding00:10:10 - Companies and BJP00:25:34 - RecommendationsRecommendationsKorahThe Caravan February 2024 - The Military Under ModiPrateekPoacherSumedhaWhy Hindutva groups want to reshape Birsa Munda’s legendProduced and edited by Saif Ali Ekram, and recorded by Anil Kumar. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, host Basant Kumar is joined by Newslaundry’s Aryan Mahtta andThe Quint’s Fatima Khan.Fatima reported on Muslim vendors and delivery agents employed by online platforms that leave them vulnerable to discrimination and hate speech. She says bigots use technology as a tool to spread hate and fintech companies do nothing to stop them. To some people, she says, simply being a Muslim vendor is a “crime”.Aryan reported on the ongoing farmers’ protests. He says it devolved into a stand-off between farmers and security personnel, since the forces were using a “very aggressive” approach towards the protesters. Tune in.Timecodes00:00:00 - Introduction00:03:52 - Boycott of Muslim vendors00:26:15 - Farmers’ protest00:43:22 - RecommendationsRecommendationsAryanRed Love: The Story of an East German FamilyFatimaThe Day I Became a Runner: A Women's History of India through the Lens of SportBasantUnfiltered by Samdish ft. Vikrant Massey | Powered by WoodlandProduced and edited by Saif Ali Ekram, and recorded by Anil Kumar. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, host Shivnarayan Rajpurohit is joined by Newslaundry’s Avdhesh Kumar and Prashant Kumar.Avdhesh talks about his report on the ongoing farmers’ protest at Shambhu border in Haryana’s Ambala, where thousands of farmers have gathered to march to Delhi. He delves into the police crackdown on protesters, demands of the farmers, and why they are accusing the government of fooling them. Prashant reported from ground zero at Uttarakhand’s Haldwani, where violence erupted after authorities razed a mosque and madrasa citing “encroachment”, despite the matter being subjudice. He talks about the chaos and police action that unfolded in the locality, reportedly resulting in several Muslim residents leaving the locality.    Tune in.By the way, general elections are around the corner, and Newslaundry and The News Minute have ambitious plans together. Choose an election project you would like to support and power our journalism. Click here.Timecodes00:00:00 - Introduction00:01:23 - Farmer Protest00:08:36 - Haldwani Violence00:39:46 - RecommendationsRecommendationsAvdheshJobless Youth : Jharkhand CGL Exam Paper Leak के चलते रद्द हुआ, तैयारी करने वाले छात्रों का हाल...PrashantMUJHE CHAAND CHAHIYEShivnarayan‘Govt concealing facts’: Caravan notice points to ‘absurd confidentiality’ of takedownhttps://caravanmagazine.in/crime/indian-army-torture-jammu-and-kashmir-poonch-bjp-gujjar-bakkerwalProduced and edited by Saif Ali Ekram, and recorded by Anil Kumar. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, host Sumedha Mittal is joined by Newslaundry’s Tanishka Sodhi and The Caravan’s Sagar.Tanishka reported on the push for Ram temple consecration celebrations by resident welfare associations in Delhi. She talks about the discriminatory policies practised by many RWAs, resulting in the isolation of non-Hindus.  Sagar talks about his reports on the Ram temple trust in Ayodhya. He delves into the “undeclared” collusion between Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra's trust and the government, and says the trust is involved in murky land deals.Tune in.Timecodes00:00:00 - Introduction00:01:08 - RWA’s discriminatory “rules and regulations00:18:02 - Shady deals in Ayodhya00:43:43 - RecommendationsRecommendationsSagarPeaky BlindersTanishkaA thank you where it's dueNL@12 musicalSumedhaThe RSS: A Menace to IndiaProduced and edited by Saif Ali Ekram, and recorded by Anil Kumar. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, host Tanishka Sodhi is joined by Newslaundry’s Sumedha Mittal and Mid-Day’s Neerja Deodhar.Neerja reported on India’s slipping rank in the Academic Freedom Index, placing it behind Sri Lanka and Pakistan. She says this is a result of the growing “culture of surveillance” on professors and faculty members which affects campus integrity.Sumedha reported on how prisoners jailed under the Public Safety Act in J&K are granted bail, but aren’t released since authorities want “clearance letters” that take time. Doesn’t this go against court orders? Listen to find out.Timecodes00:00:00 - Introduction00:02:04 - Academic Freedom Index00:24:06 - PSA prisoners00:35:21 - RecommendationsRecommendationsNeerjaAbbott ElementarySumedhaOur StruggleTanishkaMerry ChristmasProduced by Saif Ali Ekram, edited by Umrav Singh Gurjar, and recorded by Anil Kumar. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, host Basant Kumar is joined by Ayush Tiwari from Scroll and independent journalist Srishti Jaswal.Ayush reported on shady land deals in Ayodhya, where a firm linked to the BJP sold ecologically sensitive land to the Adani group. He explains how there have been other “crazy” land deals over the past years.Srishti talks about her report on the BJP’s data collection app, Saral, and what the party hopes to achieve from it. She says data manipulation in India is “too easy”.Tune in!Timecodes00:00:00 - Introduction00:01:20 - Land deals in Ayodhya00:20:41 - Data collection in India00:44:55 - RecommendationsRecommendationsSrishtiFaiz Ahmad FaizAyushThe windfall gains made in the name of the Ram templeYour Face Belongs to Us: A Secretive Startup's Quest to End Privacy as We Know ItBasantIn Ayodhya, firm linked to BJP leaders sold ecologically sensitive land to Adani – for a big profitAyodhya: Temple is inaugurated, ‘Balak Ram’ consecrated. What next?Produced and edited by Saif Ali Ekram, and recorded by Anil Kumar. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, host Shivnarayan Rajpurohit is joined by Newslaundry’s Basant Kumar and Avdhesh Kumar along with independent journalists Shweta Desai and Kashif Kakvi.Shweta was in Ayodhya to report on locals’ fear and excitement over the Ram Mandir project. She says they’re happy it’s being built but are worried about the city’s ‘redevelopment’ wrecking their homes and livelihoods. She also explains why there’s tension between Ramanandi akharas and the temple trust.Basant spoke to youths in the temple town for their views on the BJP and Ram Mandir, and also visited the site of the proposed mosque – to find nothing there.Away from the Ayodhya mayhem, Kashif reported on the release of a Muslim teenager in Ujjain, five months after he was jailed for purportedly ‘spitting’ on a Hindu procession. He says there was no evidence and hostile witnesses, but the administration had bulldozed the accused’s home anyway.Finally, Avdhesh talks about why students were protesting at Jantar Mantar and why they’re upset with the government’s Agnipath scheme.Tune in!Timecodes00:00:00 - Introduction00:01:34 - Ayodhya’s redevelopment00:11:06 - Battle to control the temple00:19:53 - Land acquisition in Ayodhya00:34:31 - False cases in Madhya Pradesh00:49:57 - Negative impact of Agnipath Yojna00:53:53 - RecommendationsRecommendationsAvdhesh'मैला ढोने, गटर में जाने वाले दलित...', Bezwada Wilson सरकारों पर बरस पड़े! Manual Scavenging |GITNShwetaAyodhya: The Dark NightBasantDhimi Wali Fast PassengerKashifCity Of My HeartShivnarayanExclusive: AAP govt procured drugs from 2 blacklisted pharma firms with many failed quality testsProduced and edited by Saif Ali Ekram, and recorded by Naresh Kumar. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, host Sumedha Mittal is joined by Newslaundry’s Basant Kumar and Shivnarayan Rajpurohit.Basant reported on an ANI senior editor who allegedly “infiltrated” a dozen Indian army internal WhatsApp groups. He talks about how he stumbled upon the story and dug deep into the controversy of journalist Ajit Kumar Dubey entering these groups “by hiding his identity”. Shivnarayan talks about his report on Rohit Godara, the gangster who claimed the responsibility of the murder of Karni Sena chief Sukhdev Singh Gogamedi and gang operations. He traces Godara’s journey from being a mobile technician to becoming a gangland godfather associated with gangster Lawrence Bishnoi. Tune in!Timecodes00:00:00 - Introduction00:00:59 - ANI’s ‘infiltrator’00:12:54 - Rohit Godara00:30:38 - RecommendationsRecommendationsShivnarayan96BasantThree of Us12th FailMrityu KathaSumedha​​The rise of Narendra ModiProduced and edited by Saif Ali Ekram, recorded by Anil Kumar. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s the last episode of Reporters Without Orders for the year, so we’ve got a special episode featuring an all-Newslaundry panel. Hosts Tanishka Sodhi and Basant Kumar are joined by Avdhesh Kumar, Pratyush Deep, Sumedha Mittal and Prateek Goyal to pick through their reportage in 2023 and discuss what worked, what didn’t, and what impact they had.The panellists share behind-the-scenes experiences from their time on the field. They also tell you exactly why independent media outlets are vital to India’s democracy today.Tune in!Timecodes00:00:00 - Introduction00:04:10 - Wrestlers’ protest00:07:09 - Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh 00:14:24 - Manipur violence00:22:35 - Sachin-Seema love story 00:32:50 - Controversy over flats for MPs00:39:49 - Manual scavenging in India00:44:14 - Changes at NDTV00:51:24 - Nuh violence00:54:29 - Balasore train accident00:59:21 - Real-life DunkiProduced and edited by Saif Ali Ekram, and recorded by Anil Kumar. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, host Basant Kumar is joined by Avdhesh Kumar from Newslaundry and Ayush Tiwari from Scroll.Ayush reported on the impact of the Ram Mandir construction on Ayodhya’s residents. He says some residents were evicted with poor compensation while others had their homes demolished by authorities.Avdhesh talks about his report on NDTV’s shrinking digital viewership. Comparing data before and after the Adani takeover, he says “more than 50 percent of viewers” have moved on from NDTV.Tune in!Timecodes00:00:00 - Introduction00:01:36 - Ayodhya’s development00:15:14 - NDTV’s shrinking viewership00:29:25 - RecommendationsRecommendationsAyushAyodhya The Dark NightAvdheshUPSC Wala Love - Collector SahibaBasantTelgi: A Reporter's DiaryProduced by Saif Ali Ekram, recorded by Naresh Kumar, and edited by Samarendra K Dash. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, host Tanishka Sodhi is joined by Basant Kumar from Newslaundry, and Astha Savyasachi and Tapasya from The Reporters’ Collective.Astha and Tapasya had reported on how the Haryana government turned the state pollution control board “into a body that serves the potential polluters” by including it in the Right to Service Act. They explain how Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar weakened the agency and regulations to stay on top of the centre’s ease of doing business rankings.Basant reported on operational changes at BBC India – it’s metamorphosis into a new firm called Collective Newsroom that will be wholly owned by Indian citizens. He tells the panel why this had to happen to conform with Indian FDI rules. Tune in.Timecodes00:00:00 - Introduction00:01:19 - Haryana’s state pollution control board00:18:30 - Changes at BBC India00:27:27 - RecommendationsRecommendationsBasant The inevitable evisceration of Sansad TVAsthaGandhi's Assassin: The Making of Nathuram Godse and His Idea of IndiaTapasyaPrincess MononokeTanishkaMasks are still being worn by some individuals—but not for health reasonsProduced by Saif Ali Ekram, edited by Umrav Singh Gurjar, and recorded by Naresh Kumar. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s 300 episodes of Reporters Without Orders! So it’s a full house this week, with hosts Sumedha Mittal and Basant Kumar being joined by Newslaundry’s editor-in-chief Raman Kirpal and Newslaundry reporters Prateek Goyal, Shivnarayan Rajpurohit, Pratyush Deep and Avdhesh Kumar.The panel talks about the ups and downs of reporting, the challenges and the opportunities. Raman talks about how the field has changed over the decades, the ethical issues that crop up, and why it’s hard to be a good reporter today.Tune in!Produced by Saif Ali Ekram, recorded by Anil Kumar, and edited by Samarendra Kumar Dash. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, host Sumedha Mittal is joined by Newslaundry’s Shivnarayan Rajpurohit and Pratyush Deep.Shiv talks about the experience of reporting from Rajasthan on the assembly elections. He compares strategies used by the BJP and Congress to influence voters, from Gehlot’s welfarism plank to the BJP’s sprawling WhatsApp enterprise. Pratyush then explains his report on Delhi Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar – his controversies and his tussles with the AAP government. Pratyush says the AAP has a litany of woes against Kumar, though Kumar himself says these allegations are “false”.Tune in.Timecodes00:00:00 - Introduction00:01:03 - Rajasthan assembly polls 00:22:22 - Delhi Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar00:36:11 - RecommendationsRecommendationsPratyushEditor Missing: The Media in Today's IndiaShivnarayanA thorn in Kejriwal’s side: The controversies of Chief Secretary Naresh KumarSumedhaFacing pressure in India, Netflix and Amazon back down on daring filmsProduced and edited by Saif Ali Ekram, and recorded by Anil Kumar. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week, host Tanishka Sodhi is joined by Sukriti Vats from Land Conflict Watch and E Bhavani from The News Minute.Sukriti talks about her report on land acquisition in Jharkhand for coal mining, and how even 22 years on, many are running from pillar-to-post for land compensation. She discusses that bureaucratic incompetence and a tussle between the centre and the state have resulted in the displacement of nearly 87,000 people in Jharkhand since 1973.Bhavani delves into her report on Dalit-centred schemes introduced by Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao, and their poor implementation which might work against him in the assembly polls. She talks about the political undercurrent among the Dalit activists of the state.  Tune in.Timecodes00:00:00 - Introduction00:05:05 - KCR’s unfulfilled promises00:13:53 - Land acquisition in Jharkhand00:29:52 - RecommendationsRecommendationsSukritiThe Fall of the House of UsherBhavaniA movie on Razakars’ violent history in BJP's arsenal for TelanganaTanishkaWhy Mumbai’s shoeshine workers are fighting the railways in courtProduced by Saif Ali Ekram, edited by Umrav Singh Gurjar, and recorded by Anil Kumar. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.