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Reporters Without Orders
Reporters Without Orders Ep 303: Highs and lows of the news cycle in 2023
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!
Timecodes
00:00:00 - Introduction
00:04:10 - Wrestlers’ protest
00:07:09 - Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh
00:14:24 - Manipur violence
00:22:35 - Sachin-Seema love story
00:32:50 - Controversy over flats for MPs
00:39:49 - Manual scavenging in India
00:44:14 - Changes at NDTV
00:51:24 - Nuh violence
00:54:29 - Balasore train accident
00:59:21 - Real-life Dunki
Produced and edited by Saif Ali Ekram, and recorded by Anil Kumar.
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Reporters Without Orders Ep 344: Police raj and rift within BJP in UP
47:58|This week, host Anmol Pritam is joined by Scroll’s Ayush Tiwari.Ayush has reported on the increasing rift between Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and the BJP. He explains how the making of Yogi as a “tough and strong” leader has led to dissatisfaction among the cadre and created cracks within the party. He says the power has shifted from party workers and MLAs to police officials.Tune in.Timecodes00:00:00 - Introduction00:02:50 - Yogi’s Police Raj00:17:20 - Caste dynamics in BJP00:43:58 - RecommendationsRecommendationsAyushCardinal NumbersWhy the EBCs are the key to the 2024 electionGood Morning, VietnamAnmolLowering the Bar The RSS legal front’s increasing hold over the judicial systemProduced and edited by Saif Ali Ekram, recorded by Anil Kumar.Reporters Without Orders Ep 343: Assam citizenship test, Delhi air pollution
47:51|This week, host Pratyush Deep is joined by Scroll’s Rokibuz Zaman and Newslaundry’s Drishti Choudhary.Rokibuz reported on the Supreme Court’s judgement upholding the constitutional validity of Section 6A of the Citizenship Act, 1955 – a provision added exclusively for Assam. He says that the judgement upholds 1971 as the year of entry, which contradicts the government’s 2014 cut-off under the CAA. Drishti’s report was on the Delhi administration’s efforts and failures in tackling air pollution. She explained the measures undertaken by the Delhi government and that despite spending crores of money and sanctioning extensive resources, the situation has worsened. Tune in.Timecodes00:00:00 - Introduction00:02:38 - Citizenship laws in Assam00:25:45 - Delhi air quality crisis00:33:20 - RecommendationsRecommendationsDrishtiHippieRokibuzProvoked NarrativesPratyushModi Gov’t Produces Spurious Expert Opinion To Remove Health Warning on Fortified RiceProduced and edited by Saif Ali Ekram, recorded by Anil Kumar.Reporters Without Orders Ep 342: Bahraich violence, influence of money in Pune car crash case
53:45|This week, host Basant Kumar is joined by Newslaundry’s Avdhesh Kumar and Prateek Goyal.Avdhesh reported from ground zero on the communal violence in Uttar Pradesh’s Bahraich, which resulted in the killing of a 22-year-old man and mob-led arson of several local houses. He delves into the factors that led to the communal tensions and how they escalated. Prateek’s report was on the chargesheet in the Pune car crash case. He spotlights the details of the 90-page chargesheet, the sequence of events, and how power and money were used to suppress the justice system.Tune in.Timecodes00:00:00 - Introduction00:02:23 - Bahraich violence00:24:30 - Pune Porshe case00:33:08 - Lawrence Bishnoi00:46:35 - RecommendationsRecommendationsPrateekBahraich के अंदरूनी इलाकों में दंगाइयों द्वारा मचाई गई तबाही की पहली Ground ReportAvdheshBihar में बच्चियों को मारने और बचाने की चौंकाने वाली कहानी...A Professor's Diary - The Untold Story Of Higher EducationBasantRTI Kaise AayeeProduced and edited by Saif Ali Ekram, and recorded by Anil Kumar.Reporters Without Orders Ep 341: Indian army vs Yogi govt, Congress failure in Haryana
41:37|This week, host Anmol Pritam is joined by Newslaundry’s Basant Kumar and Shivnarayan Rajpurohit.Basant reported extensively on the Haryana polls from ground zero. He sheds light on the factors that didn’t work in favour of the Congress in Haryana. He also talks about how the exit poll predictions fell flat.Shivnarayan’s recent report was on the legal dispute between the Indian army and the Uttar Pradesh government over a stretch of land officially earmarked as a “notified” buffer zone for army field practice in Ayodhya. He explains what the dispute is all about and its Adani connection.Tune in.Timecodes00:00:00 - Introduction00:04:10 - Haryana election result00:12:25 - J&K election result00:26:35 - Army vs UP government00:37:30 - RecommendationsRecommendationsBasantArmy says its drills are ‘greatly limited’ due to ‘illegal’ encroachments in AyodhyaSimon & Schuster India R.A.W. HitmanShivnarayanLowering the Bar The RSS legal front’s increasing hold over the judicial systemAnmolMeri Jaan..Swanand Kirkire, Hansika Pareek, Shrey Gupta, BharathProduced and edited by Saif Ali Ekram, and recorded by Anil Kumar.Reporters Without Orders Ep 340: Delhi Commission for Women crisis, Dera cult as political force
35:44|This week, host Shivnarayan Rajpurohit is joined by Newslaundry’s Basant Kumar and Drishti Choudhary.Drishti reported on the crisis facing the Delhi Commission for Women. She says that at present, the commission does not have any office bearers, its helpline numbers are defunct, and many of the staffers and NGOs have not been paid for months.Basant covered the Haryana elections and reported on the influence of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Ram Rahim on the polls. He talks about the political dynamics between different parties and workers on the ground and how Ram Rahim followers vote en bloc. Tune in.Timecodes00:00:00 - Introduction00:03:44 - The dark side of Haryana’s sports success00:09:00 - Haryana elections: ground zero00:14:04 - Crisis at the Delhi Commission of Women00:19:28 - Ram Rahim’s effect on elections00:33:20 - RecommendationsRecommendationsShivnarayanRam Rahim is silent ahead of Haryana polls. But his dera's message is set to ring out loudDrishtiIndependenceBasantUlajhProduced and edited by Saif Ali Ekram, recorded by Anil Kumar.Reporters Without Orders Ep 339: Kashmir’s media crisis, Adani’s violation of NGT orders
45:05|This week, host Tanishka Sodhi is joined by Newslaundry’s Manisha Pande and Shivnarayan Rajpurohit.Manisha reported on press freedom in Kashmir from ground zero. She speaks about her interviews and conversations with journalists in the valley, who described an intensifying clampdown on media, a sense of suffocation, and censorship, particularly after the abrogation of Article 370. Shivnarayan reported on an Adani-operated coal mine in Chhattisgarh that received environmental clearance despite a National Green Tribunal order. He delved into how these clearances were granted and the loopholes used to violate orders passed by the NGT. Tune in.Timecodes00:00:00 - Introduction00:01:26 - Media in Kashmir00:27:16 - Violation of NGT orders00:39:52 - RecommendationsRecommendationsShivnarayanThe Great Nicobar BetrayalManishaThe Case Against TravelThe Rohingya Suffer Real Horrors. So Why Are Some of Their Stories Untrue?Loving LiesTanishkaIndian village midwives make a shocking confession - BBC World Service DocumentariesProduced and edited by Saif Ali Ekram, recorded by Anil Kumar.Reporters Without Orders Ep 338: Haryana politics ahead of polls, Jammu voters
34:47|This week, host Pratyush Deep is joined by Newslaundry’s Basant Kumar and Anmol Pritam.Basant and Anmol are currently on ground zero to report from poll-bound Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir, respectively. In Haryana, Basant has so far examined the progress of the Smart City Mission, issues of one of the most backward districts, and Olympian Vinesh Phogat’s political contest in Julana. Meanwhile, Anmol has reported on the divide over issues such as Article 370 in Jammu’s Doda. Tune in.Timecodes00:00:00 - Introduction00:00:51 - Haryana election00:13:53 - J&K election00:29:52 - RecommendationsRecommendationsAnmolSYMPATHY -RARE BIRD 1969BasantFaridabad Smart City का सूरत-ए-हाल: करोड़ों खर्च का दावा पर जमीनी हकीकत खस्ताहाल | Ground ReportPratyushBut I Am One of You: Northeast India and the Struggle to BelongProduced and edited by Saif Ali Ekram, recorded by Anil Kumar.Reporters Without Orders Ep 337: Rift within BJP in UP, Yogi vs top leadership
46:39|This week, host Sumedha Mittal is joined by independent journalist Sunil Kashyap.Sunil reported on the purported rift between Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and the BJP workers. He delves into the changes in party dynamics after its lukewarm performance in the state in the Lok Sabha polls. He adds that despite the turmoil within the BJP and the tussle between Adityanath and the party’s top leadership, there is no anti-incumbency in the state. Tune in.Timecodes00:00:00 - Introduction00:01:19 - Yogi vs BJP00:45:45 - RecommendationsRecommendationsSunilChitralekhaSumedhaClerical Error Adityanath’s loosening grip on Uttar PradeshProduced and edited by Saif Ali Ekram, recorded by Anil Kumar.Reporters Without Orders Ep 336: Madhabi Buch’s ‘conflict of interest’, political tussle in Jharkhand
46:23|This week, host Basant Kumar is joined by Scroll’s Ayush Tiwari and independent journalist Anand Dutta.Ayush reported on the controversies surrounding SEBI chief Madhabi Puri Buch. He delves into the allegations against Buch in the Hindenburg report and why the undisclosed information about her association with her former firms is a “conflict of interest”.Anand talks about his report on the ongoing political tussle in Jharkhand, focusing on why former chief minister Champai Soren departed the JMM for the BJP.Tune in.Timecodes00:00:00 - Introduction00:03:00 - SEBI chief and Hindenburg00:18:46 - Champai Soren and Jharkhand politics00:42:33 - RecommendationsRecommendationsAyushWatch MADOFF: The Monster of Wall StreetHusband of a FanaticAnandLaal LakeerWalking with the ComradesBasantSkandal! Bringing Down WirecardProduced and edited by Saif Ali Ekram, recorded by Anil Kumar.