In the glittering ceremony of the second edition of e4m Party Spokesperson’s 50, held in New Delhi, political luminaries Dr Sudhanshu Trivedi and Gaurav Bhatia of BJP, along with Congress spokespersons Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Pawan Khera, and Supriya Shrinate, as well as AAP’s Raghav Chadha and Sanjay Singh, emerged among the top ten.

The event, held on October 1, 2023, celebrated these eloquent architects of national narratives, acknowledging their role in shaping India's democratic discourse.

Dr. Annurag Batra, Chairman and Editor-in-Chief of BW Businessworld and Founder of exchange4media Group, highlighted the power of political representation, emphasizing that these spokespersons are not mere voices but influencers who echo their words in the corridors of power, impacting policies and public opinions.

e4m Party Spokesperson’s 50 initiative aims to recognize and honor the individuals who stand at the forefront of political communication, evaluate their effectiveness, and acknowledge their impact on the national discourse. By systematically assessing their articulation skills, credibility, and ability to engage with diverse audiences, we aim to shed light on the leaders who master the art of political representation.

The ranking process employs a comprehensive and unbiased approach. It considers various parameters such as communication style, media presence, knowledge of issues, and public influence. The assessment involves a thorough evaluation of their public statements, media interactions, and overall impact on shaping political narratives

The exchange4media 40 Under 40 English Journalism Awards were preceded by a conference where, among many other panels, Ruhail Amin, Senior Editor, BW Businessworld and exchange4media held a free-flowing dialogue with awards jury chair Sukumar Ranganathan, Editor-in-Chief, Hindustan Times, around the different media being used in an evolving newsroom.

Amin began by pointing to the immediacy of television news as opposed to the daily nature of print news and asked Ranganathan how print had navigated that sea change in news consumers’ expectations, where they could get news from their screens immediately while their newspapers came in once a day.

Ranganathan held a slightly different point of view, noting, “If you look at most news channels, and even the specialized channels, they have two kinds of information. One is information that is based on real-time. But by and large, if you look at the substantial stories that TV plays out in the course of the day, you've already read it in that morning’s paper. So rather than print following TV, the unfortunate thing that happens in our country is that TV follows print when it comes to the big stories.”

“This is not a print versus TV thing. Some of the smartest people I know work in TV. But maybe it's because they don't invest adequately in research, or in specialists who can tell them the areas that they need to be looking at. So, a lot of TV journalists end up looking at the morning's paper and saying, hey, this has happened and we've not really covered this; there are countless examples of this, especially with an exclusive story. And the good thing in print is still that when you invest in good journalism and good journalists and in allowing them to travel and spend time on stories, you will get interesting investigations and exclusives.”

Ranganathan added that these were the stories that TV news then plunged into and claimed, without giving any credit to the original person or publication that broke them. And then of course, there was the advent of digital media and its upending of the situation again.

“Now, the news is broken on digital media. TV shows you the news and discusses various aspects of it. And print gives you the perspective and gives you reinforcement and that is in an ideal scheme. But given the fact that many of these platforms are not functioning to their ideal requirements, the truth is actually very, very different.”

According to Ranganathan, “The biggest advantage that print has not just in India but anywhere else in the world is the fact that print, unfortunately, is still the only medium that believes in newsrooms. And it's the only journalistic medium which believes in shoe-leather reporting. It believes in the importance of reporting, it believes in the importance of getting people to where the stories are. It believes in having specialists and beats and everything else. TV does not. So irrespective of whether you're looking at an Indian television channel or an international television channel, you have to look at how many reporters they have.”

“If you take the Indian example, it's very glaring, because TV channels invest in anchors. They don't believe in investing in journalists and they don't believe in investing in reporters. They have anchors more than they have reporters. And the aspiration for everyone in TV, unfortunately, is to become an anchor. I don't think anyone wants to be a reporter. And without reporters, what journalism are you really going to serve?” he added.

Pointing to the business model taken up by industry benchmarks like the New York Times and its successful subscription service in the digital age, Amin asked Ranganathan how he thought the story of Indian print media would unfold.

“I know everyone keeps obsessing about the New York Times and The Financial Times and the Wall Street Journal. And I think it's very important to understand that especially when you're talking about business models, all business models have a temporal element to them. All the examples that we spoke about started off at a certain period in time. If they were to start trying to do the same thing now, I'm not sure the business model would work. A lot of the Financial Times’ subscriptions, even the digital subscriptions, still go to organizations. So if you're a Unilever, for instance, which is based in London, I think you'll probably take a few hundred corporate subscriptions to the Financial Times digitally and give it to your senior managers. Will they still be doing it 20 years from now is my question, because the entire generation of managers would have changed and they're not people who will probably get their information from the Financial Times.”

Noting that he wasn’t sure if that model would work if NYT and FT started them today, meaning that they definitely wouldn’t take in a market like India, Ranganathan said, “I've said this countless times before and people who've heard me before will probably think I'm repeating myself but at least I'm being consistent. The big digital news conglomerate in India is still waiting to be built. No one has built it yet. The big traditional media companies are still struggling with their models. We have our challenges. We are struggling with our own challenges. But the big digital New Age media conglomerate in this country is waiting to be built.”

“We live in a mass media or a social media age where the role of responsible media has acquired even more significance,” said Arif Mohammed Khan, Governor of Kerala. The Governor was speaking at the second edition of e4m English Journalism 40/40 Summit & Awards on September 30. He was the Chief Guest of the event.

In his address, Khan said that the modern trends in media led to a plethora of channels using various technologies to supply information and views. “We know that free media is absolutely vital for a healthy democracy. Media also has the duty to promote social harmony and national unity which are the prerequisites for any progress towards prosperity.  Objective free and fearless are the adjectives that have been used traditionally to articulate what people expect from the media but one is tempted to ask whether media organisations hire consultants who offer pre-scripted fear-based topics. How many media professionals can still afford to uphold the time-tested journalistic ideas?” he asked.   

Khan further said that the jargon used for this practice is known as stunting or just water reporting. “I do not ask about unbiased journalism because the majority of the journalists now do not really have a role in deciding what is to be printed and what is to be left out.” 

He expressed his deep appreciation for the sincere and hard work of the jury chaired by Sukumar Ranganathan, Editor-in-Chief, Hindustan Times,  to select the young leaders in English journalism.  “The lofty standard set by the jury to ensure that only the best of the best would figure in the list is evident from the fact which has been pointed out earlier that only 18 have been selected for the awards.” 

In his speech, he quoted American journalist H.L. Mencken who once said that freedom of the press is limited to those who own one. 

He further added that with business models in media being drastically altered, the struggle to survive profitably sometimes compelled media to resort to a form of sensationalism, or even fake or paid news. “As a result, we have progressed from stories to narratives. The saying at present is that fake news is cheap to produce and genuine journalism is really expensive. A solution to this needs to come from the media itself because it gives the media's self-respect and dignity that is now at stake and it is high time that it is restored.” 

Khan hoped that the award winners and their future work would contribute more to the restoration of the grand stature of the media. 

“The winners of today's awards can be genuinely proud of their achievements, especially in the light of the social impact of their work. However, the awards also put them in great responsibility with regard to ethical and professional standards, in news reporting, as well as the social impact of every word that is printed or broadcast.” 

He also mentioned that at this decisive juncture, the boundaries between news and views are blurring and marketing concerns override editorial propriety. “Those in the media have a duty to be vigilant to safeguard the reputation of journalists. Like everyone else, the journalists also have an obligation to perform their duties in a manner that serves the larger interests of the society and promotes the constitutional ideal of human dignity.” 

The second edition of e4m Party Spokespersons 50, which ranks the top political party spokespersons in the country, was held at a glittering ceremony in New Delhi on 1st Oct 2023.

In a vibrant democracy like India, political spokespersons play a pivotal role in shaping public perception, influencing policy debates, and driving the narrative for their respective parties. 

In the second edition of this prestigious list five spokespersons of the Bharatiya Janata Party, three from the Congress and two from AAP featured among the top ten.

e4m Party Spokespersons 50 initiative aims to recognize and honor the individuals who stand at the forefront of political communication, evaluate their effectiveness, and acknowledge their impact on the national discourse. By systematically assessing their articulation skills, credibility, and ability to engage with diverse audiences, we aim to shed light on the leaders who master the art of political representation.

The ranking process employs a comprehensive and unbiased approach. It considers various parameters such as communication style, media presence, knowledge of issues, and public influence. The assessment involves a thorough evaluation of their public statements, media interactions, and overall impact on shaping political narratives

“Today we celebrate the power of eloquence and the art of political representation. These spokespersons are not just voices; they are architects of national narratives, shaping our understanding of democracy. Their words echo in the corridors of power, influencing policies and public opinions. The e4m Party Spokesperson’s 50 is not just a list; it’s a tribute to those who wield words with impact and we honor their exceptional contribution to our vibrant democracy," said Dr. Annurag Batra, Chairman and Editor-in-Chief, BW Businessworld and Founder, exchange4media Group.

Here is the full list:

In a glittering ceremony held at The Park on September 30, 2023, the second edition of the e4m English Journalism 40/40 Summit & Awards unfolded, illuminating the outstanding contributions of India's journalistic luminaries. The event, graced by the esteemed presence of Hon'ble Governor of Kerala, Shri Arif Mohammed Khan, celebrated the pinnacle of journalistic excellence. 

With a distinguished jury led by Sukumar Ranganathan, Editor-in-Chief of Hindustan Times, the awards recognized the exceptional work of media stalwarts, fostering engaging discussions on the dynamic media landscape. Other jury members included Sonia Singh, Editorial Director, NDTV, Rajdeep Sardesai, Senior Journalist & Consulting Editor, India Today Group, Bhupendra Chaubey, former Editor in Chief and CEO, Indian Ahead News, Vir Sanghvi, Editor, Columnist, Television Host & Food Critic, Vikram Chandra, Founder, Editorji Technologies and Rahul Shivshankar, Consulting Editor, Network18.

It must be mentioned that e4m English Journalism 40/40 Summit & Awards is an annual gathering that celebrates excellence in journalism, recognizes outstanding contributions to the field, and provides a platform for thought-provoking discussions on the evolving landscape of media and journalism. 

In a remarkable display of talent, the India Today Group emerged as the frontrunner, clinching an impressive nine awards, followed closely by NDTV.

Here is the full list of the winners:

ABP Network has announced "Roots & Rhythms" a musical concert scheduled to take place at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi on September 30, 2023. The event will start at 6 PM and promises an unforgettable evening of diverse musical experiences.

"Roots & Rhythms is a glorious celebration of India's rich musical heritage, thoughtfully curated to celebrate the ever-evolving soundscape of our nation. It embodies the very spirit of 'New India,' where music transcends boundaries, and artists craft their unique identities through a fusion of cultural experiences. This isn't just a concert; it's an exploration of the powerful stories that music can weave

"It is more than just a musical concert, it represents ABP Network's commitment to bridging the gap between culture and the present generation. In a rapidly evolving world, this event serves as a platform where everyone, regardless of age or background, can come together. It's a celebration of India's rich musical heritage while embracing contemporary sounds. This grand musical concert is where the past and present harmoniously converge, creating memories that resonate with India’s passion for music," said the network. 

The audience will see performances from top Indian artists such as Badshah, Shilpa Rao, Papon and others. 

BYJU's will be laying off nearly 4,500 staffers to cut costs, media networks have reported.

The decision follows Arjun Mohan’s appointment as the new CEO.

As per reports, Mohan plans to merge business verticals of the company and the changes will be announced soon.

Both permanent and contractual employees could be asked to go, the reports said.

This June, the ed-tech company laid off 1,000 employees citing measures to improve finances and increase profitability.