Newslaundry Podcast

Ajai Shukla, Consulting Editor (Strategic Affairs), Business Standard, joins us for this week’s Hafta, as we discuss the Pathankot attacks. Were the counter-operations successful? Or should we have done much better? And, did the media go overboard yet again? Also, what will it take for the media to report on the Northeast? Was the violence in Malda under-reported? Then we discuss whether Arvind Kejriwal has any business meddling in the functioning of private schools. Finally: the odd-even and how Delhi has reacted and coped. And, of course, there’s the song of the week.For reference links visit www.newslaundry.comProduced by Kartik Nijhawan See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Read the story here http://www.newslaundry.com/2016/01/08/hope-and-afspa-in-manipur-journalist-anubha-bhonsles-new-book-on-the-state/ See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

It’s the first Hafta of the new year and we discuss what we hope to see in 2016. ​We share our take on the Free Basics debate and Facebook’s PR push for the initiative. ​Isn’t the Internet supposed to be free for all?​​The Delhi government's odd-even plan​ is in effect from today (January 1) and we discuss ​if the initiative ​is ​sustainable in the long run.Rajasthan has set a minimum educational qualification for contesting Panchayati Raj elections. We discuss what this means for democracy in India. We also have a special song for everyone welcoming 2016.​Please visit Newslaundry website for the reference links. www.newslaundry.comProduced by Kartik Nijhawan See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Development writer and international negotiations watcher, Biraj Swain discusses the WTO 10th Ministerial Conference in Nairobi with farmer and Farmers' Forum editor Ajay Vir Jhakar, trade analyst and journalist Devinder Sharma, Third World Network's Ranja Sengupta and CUTS International's Executive Director Bipul Chatterjee. They discuss the wins and losses at the WTO Summit, the fate of Indian agriculture and India public stock-holding for food security, the hard game that US and EU played and why did India give in. They wrap up with some crystal ball gazing if the market access obsession has killed multilateralism and international solidarity forever and the road ahead for Doha Development Agenda.Please visit Newslaundry website for the reference links. www.newslaundry.comProduced by Kartik Nijhawan See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this episode of NL Hafta, Ramanathan S, partner and journalist at The News Minute, joins us as we discuss the Chennai flood coverage and the relief and rescue work done by the News Minute team. Then, the team moves on to discuss the new Juvenile Justice Bill. We also discuss Facebook’s campaign to push Free Basics in India, Kirti Azad’s suspension from the Bharatiya Janata Party, Bajirao Mastani and more. It’s Christmas, so we have a special song for our listeners.Please visit Newslaundry website for the reference links. www.newslaundry.comProduced by Kartik Nijhawan See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this episode of NL Hafta, we discuss the Central Bureau of Investigation raid on the Delhi secretariat and Aam Aadmi Party’s allegations against Arun Jaitley. We then move on to discuss the attention Barkha Dutt’s book has been getting on Amazon. The team debates whether the word “presstitute” is offensive or not, and we also discuss the larger issue of taking offence. Was the cartoon in the Australian newspaper racist? We give our take on what constitutes stereotyping and racism. Madhu Trehan also shares with us her experience of being on the cover of India Today. In the end we dedicate a song to a bunch of people who have been making and breaking the news lately. Please visit Newslaundry website for the reference links. www.newslaundry.comProduced by Kartik Nijhawan See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Development writer and international negotiations watcher Biraj Swain discusses the recently concluded climate change conference at Paris with Mukul Sanwal, India's first chief COP negotiator, Darryl D' Monte, veteran environmental journalist, Aditi Kapoor of Alternative Futures, Raman Mehta of Climate Action Network South Asia. They discuss the outcomes of the conference, the stand-off between United States-European Union and rest of the world, the role India and China played. They also discuss India's pitch and participation and how does India's global championing of equity square up with its gross in-country inequity. They conclude with some crystal ball gazing on the road ahead beyond Paris. Please visit Newslaundry website for the reference links. http://www.newslaundry.comProduced by Kartik Nijhawan See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this episode of NL Hafta, Kanwar Sandhu, founder of Free Media Initiative, joins us as we discuss his cover story in Outlook magazine, “Confessions Of A Killer Cop”. Sandhu in his story gets Gurmeet Singh Pinky, a former “encounter specialist” of Punjab Police, to reveal in detail how hundreds were eliminated in staged killings as a preventive measure to tackle Sikh militancy after 1984. The team also discusses the uproar in Parliament over the National Herald case and whether the blanket coverage it received in the media was owing to a change in the government. We also discuss Delhi government’s recently-announced “odd-even formula” to tackle pollution in the capital and whether women should be exempt from it. Then we move on to discuss BJP MP Chandan Mitra’s remarks on Twitterati and NDTV’s report from drought-hit Bundelkhand. Finally, we discuss the Salman Khan verdict and dedicate a song to him. Please visit Newslaundry website for the reference links. http://www.newslaundry.comProduced by Kartik Nijh

In this episode of NL Hafta, Hartosh Singh Bal, Political Editor of The Caravan, joins us to discuss the magazine’s cover story on NDTV. We also talk about the Bhopal gas tragedy and the lives of the victims 31 years on. The team, then, moves on to discuss Chennai floods and how the national media covered it and the Delhi government’s recently passed Lokpal Bill. The incident of a family being forced out of a theatre in Mumbai for not standing up during the national anthem generates an interesting discussion on patriotism and what it means to different people. Finally, the team discusses journalists rushing to take selfies with the PM at BJP’s Diwali Milan.Please visit Newslaundry website for the reference links. http://www.newslaundry.comProduced by Kartik Nijhawan See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

R Jagannathan, former Editor-in-Chief at Firstpost, joins us this week as we discuss Aamir Khan’s statements at the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards and the media coverage they received. We also talk about people boycotting Snapdeal to protest against Khan’s views. We, then, discuss Smriti Irani’s latest interview to Barkha Dutt. Jagannathan also opens up about his tenure at Firstpost and tells us why his piece criticising Arun Jaitely was pulled down from the website. The team also discusses reporting on ISIS and why news organisations around the world are calling it “Daesh”. And, finally, a special song dedicated to Peter Mukerjea and Pahlaj Nihalani. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Development writer and international-negotiations watcher Biraj Swain talks to Leena Meghaney of Medicines Sans Frontiers', Pradeep S Mehta of Consumer Unity Trust Society, political commentator and trade analyst Devinder Sharma and Professor Sachin Chaturvedi of Research and Information Systems for Developing countries of Ministry of External Affairs, government of India, about the upcoming 10th Ministerial of World Trade Orgnisation (WTO) at Nairobi, Kenya. They discuss the agenda on the table, do a status check on the Doha round of trade talks, the Bali Ministerial and India's pitch and participation, especially the stake for Indian and developing countries' farmers. They also discuss the secrecy around trade negotiations and the need for parliamentary oversight and sunshine, and conclude with some crystal-ball gazing on the expectations from Nairobi. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this episode of NL Hafta, Prasanna Viswanathan, CEO, Sawrajya magazine joins us as we discuss the legacy of the magazine, Swatantra Party and C Rajagopalachari. Then the team moves on to discuss the Paris attack and how the Indian media covered it. Also, did Pahlaj Nihalani end up embarrassing Narendra Modi with his tribute song? Also: Mani Shankar Aiyar’s “solution” to resume bilateral talks between India and Pakistan. Finally, we discuss Subramanian Swamy’s allegations about Rahul Gandhi’s nationality. We end by dedicating a song from Modi to Amit Shah.Produced by Kartik Nijhawan See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this episode of NL Hafta, we talk about Bihar election results and how most TV news channels got it wrong. Then we move on to talk about sections of the Sikh community boycotting Diwali to protest against the desecration of the Guru Granth Sahib and the scant media coverage this received. The team also discusses the Australian government’s decision to scrap religion classes in schools. We conclude the podcast with a discussion on Bharatiya Janata Party leader LK Advani’s letter addressed to the party’s current leadership after the Bihar poll debacle. We also dedicate a special song to the party patriarch and BJP’s old guard.Please visit Newslaundry website for the reference links. http://www.newslaundry.com Produced by Kartik Nijhawan See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Development writer and international negotiations watcher Biraj Swain discusses with D Raghunandan from Centre for Science, Technology and Development, Vijeta Rattani, Senior Researcher at Centre for Science and Environment, Ben Phillips of ActionAid International and Nitin Sethi of Business Standard the Bonn Climate Talks, the upcoming climate summit, COP 21 at Paris, the developed countries’ role thus far, climate justice and inequality, India's pitch and participation, and if Indian NGOs were aping European national positions? They also discuss if there is a disconnect between India's global role vis-a-vis intra-country role. And they analyse the newly-released report, Capitan America, US's Climate Goals: A reckoning and do some crystal ball gazing of the COP 21 outcomes.Produced by Kartik Nijhawan See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Shivam Vij joins us on the phone from Bihar as we discuss election coverage. Vij sheds light on the current mahaul in Patna and how it may affect the results. The team discusses the various connotations of ‘tolerance’ and why it’s so important. We then discuss why the media treats Amit Shah with kid gloves. It’s No Shave November and we discuss how this beard fascination has manifested in the media. We then go on to discuss what we particularly liked or disliked in the media. Finally, a song dedicated to Movember.Please visit Newslaundry website for the reference links.Produced by Kartik Nijhawan See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Saurav Datta, senior special correspondent at The Quint, and freelance columnist Rajyasree Sen join us for this episode of NL Hafta. The team discusses Times Now’s National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) debate and whether the NJAC is a bad idea as compared to the collegium system. We, then, go on to discuss “Award Wapsi” and Chetan Bhagat’s recent comment on Twitter pertaining to historians. We also talks about interesting reads that came out in the news media over the last week. The team wraps up with a special dedication to ladies celebrating Karva Chauth.Please visit Newslaundry website for the reference links.Produced by Kartik Nijhawan See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Development writer and international negotiations watcher Biraj Swain discusses with Prof Sanjay Reddy of New School of Social Research, New York, Prof John Clammer of UN University, Tokyo, Dipa Sinha of Right to Food Campaign, Nilachala Acharya of Centre of Budget and Governance Accountability and Prof Praveen Jha of Jawaharlal Nehru University, the definition, reasons and nature of renewed energy around universal social protection globally. They take stock of social protection programmes in India, budgetary allocations and weigh in if it is a political or financial question. They also discuss the moral and economic arguments for social protection, and India's track record. And they wrap up with the question if universal social protection will ever be a reality for all the 7 billion of the world and how.They also listen in to the 80s hit reggae band UB40 which has a social protection connection!Please visit Newslaundry website for reference links.Produced by Kartik Nijhawan. See acast.com/privacy for privacy

Vipin Pubby, former Resident Editor of the Indian Express in Chandigarh, joins us to shed some light on the desecration of Guru Granth Sahib in Punjab that led to violence in the state; why the mainstream media didn't pay much attention to it; and how the Punjab government has handled the situation. We then discuss whether Newslaundry should carry articles under pseudonyms. We then move on to discussing the pros and cons of basing outcomes of complex social and political issues on data alone. FInally other interesting stories that we read/watched/heard in the last one week.Please visit Newslaundry website for the reference links. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this special segment, Akshaya Mukul, journalist with The Times of India and author of the book Gita Press and The Making of Hindu India joins the Newslaundry team discuss to discuss the etymological history of “Hinduvta”. Also, how similar are Hinduism and Hinduvta? Mukul shares some insights on why the cow and women are integral to the idea of Hinduvta. Additionally: the role of the Gita Press in propagating Hinduvta. Produced by Kartik Nijhawan See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Akshaya Mukul, journalist with The Times of India and author of the book Gita Press and The Making of Hindu India joins us to talk about his book and how he went about researching for it. Then we talk about writers returning their Sahitya Akademi awards and the politics behind it. Then, has India indeed become more intolerant under the new regime? Finally, the song of the week: this time it’s dedicated to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Produced by Kartik Nijhawan See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.