We don’t need a big media network to do journalism anymore: Sanket Upadhyay

In today’s time, there is massive liberalisation when it comes to news media. For journalists, this is a golden era to be in, said Sanket Upadhyay, Co-Founder, The Red Mike, at exchange4media’s NewsNext conference 2024 held in New Delhi on Saturday. This is because journalists do not need a big media network to do journalism anymore and there is nothing that could be more positive than this, he said.

Upadhyay believes it is also not bad to have biases. “Whoever tells you they are truly neutral in the current scenario is lying. This is because there is only one condition where we can be truly neutral, and that is when we are dead.”

There is only one important condition to keep in mind, and that is, whatever your biases and opinions are shall be based on absolute facts. This problem that arises in newsrooms is that rather than facts, the opinions become absolute truths and then the facts are retrofitted, he added. 

In easy words, it is almost like one has already formed their truth and then they hunt for facts that back their version of truth or opinion. And this is exactly what started happening in newsrooms, Upadhyay opined. 

The whole news media industry works on the concept of popularity. But in the blind race for chasing popularity, truth becomes the causality, he shared.

Highlighting another loophole in the system, Upadhyay said not every popular opinion is true but every true fact may or may not be popular, and if the opinion, whether true or untrue, doesn’t garner advertisers then the ultimate business goals aren’t met. It’s a risk that newsrooms have to take and these are the basics of journalism.

Most journalists feel they haven’t done justice to their job when the truth is compromised. This is more like the self-respect versus EMI battle that most of the people have to fight in their jobs daily. 

Upadhyay shared, “This is why we started The Red Mike to make sure we say what is right.”

Now, an opportunity is born and most media houses and journalists are busy capturing these ecosystem-driven catchment areas, be it political or economic. This creates space for content that speaks the truth, whether popular or not. 

People have stopped watching news channels because they want to hear the truth, not what is popular. This segment of audience is the silent majority. 

Nevertheless, Updhayay is really grateful to the big media houses for the way they have behaved themselves and created an entrepreneur of a person who would have never thought of becoming one. He expressed, “I was so ensconced in the comfort of my job that I never thought of becoming an entrepreneur while being a journalist.”