Ground reporting is the ultimate high in journalism: Vikram Chandra, Editorji

“Doing what's difficult, uncomfortable, and reporting from the ground is the ultimate high in journalism," emphasized Vikram Chandra, Founder of Editorji Technologies, at the e4m NewsNext Summit 2024.

He continued, "It is not about being a studio anchor or sitting in comfortable air-conditioned studios. If you want to do election reporting, you cannot do it in an air-conditioned studio; you have to come into the field. That's where you will eventually find the high."

Chandra was one of the keynote speakers at the summit. He addressed the audience on the topic- In an anchor-driven news business, is ground reporting still the ultimate high?

Chandra further expressed concerns about the industry crisis, acknowledging that certain aspects are going awry. He emphasized the necessity of finding solutions, as biased and opinionated news tends to be more popular. 

He remarked, "Journalism should be about being balanced, unbiased, and credible. It should be about telling people what's actually happening out there. That's the reason all of us got into journalism. Unfortunately, it doesn't quite work that way." 

He elaborated, "TRPs don't come from being factual and accurate; they come from being opinionated, with people shouting and screaming at each other in studios. That's where TRPs come from." Continuing, he highlighted the disappointment with digital media, stating, "Digital media, which many of us thought would be the solution, also didn't work as hoped. Biased news, opinionated content, and sensationalism drive clicks, mirroring TRP trends. We live in a tribal society; we engage with content that aligns with our beliefs. That's just the reality." 

Chandra emphasized the need to create new ecosystems, acknowledging that the current period is challenging for journalism. He noted that while good journalism isn't economically rewarded in revenue terms, it remains crucial despite the difficult circumstances.

“Good journalism doesn't get rewards economically. Will that be the situation forever? I hope not. Will there be new paths that will be found, I hope so, and therefore that's really what we've been trying to do at Editorji. Try and find new ecosystems, ways in which you can use technology, AI to try and build the ecosystems of the future,” he added.  

He also announced that Editorji has appointed Nitin Chopra as CEO to focus on building technology and scaling at Editorji. With this move, Chandra aims to dedicate his time to finding new ecosystems for journalism to thrive. He expressed excitement about returning to the field, as his responsibilities at Editorji are now in capable hands.

He criticised the declining emphasis on hands-on fieldwork in journalism, observing that, while balance is frequently cited as a concern, the act of getting one's hands and feet muddy in the field has begun to fade. Chandra emphasised the significance of going out into the field, getting dirt on one's shoes, and seeing what's going on firsthand. He questioned the disappearance of this fundamental aspect of journalism. 

He elaborated on the decline of such journalism, pointing out that, like balance and the absence of bias, it doesn't bring in financial rewards. He questioned why companies, television channels, and others would invest time, effort, and money in extensive fieldwork when it's simpler, cheaper, and financially more rewarding to host debates in a studio where guests shout at each other. He highlighted the unfortunate reality that sensationalism often outweighs genuine reporting in terms of financial gain. 

Now that's, how do you do it? Asked Chandra. “I get back to that question because unfortunately with journalism in India, what we all know to be correct eventually bumps up against the business model.” 

He added, “Where do TRPs come from? Where does the revenue come from? Where does advertising come from? Where do the clicks come from? Sensationalism, hysteria, bias, clickbait and tabloid stuff; that's what the business model is telling you. I'm afraid we're looking in various directions but at the end of the day, the issue right now is that the business model rewards bad journalism, not good journalism. That's just the way the business model is.” 

He focused on where that change may come from which is also the hope for the future. 

“We are heading for a world where the business of creating content will increasingly become commoditized. And it's going to happen with AI if nothing else. Within a year or two, the task of content creation will not necessarily be the prerogative of media channels or established journalists. If content creation is not going to be the preserve of established journalists or media houses, what is going to be important then? Our view at Editerji, for example, and others may have a similar view, is that the real differentiation will come from curation, from the credibility that comes by saying, I trust this person to tell me what is happening.” 

According to Chandra, trust, credibility, and therefore curation and the belief that this is somebody who will tell me the truth, may eventually become the differentiating factor in an AI-driven world, where there'll be billions—not hundreds and thousands—of stories coming at you every single day. 

“How will somebody give you the ability to navigate through that? That is going to be the differentiating factor. That's what we're trying to build, and that is where your lack of bias, your ability or your desire to go out into the field, could well prove to be the differentiating factor.”