TNBC Live is a news website that covers news pieces internationally. It was developed by News Broadcasting Corporation PLC started a publication and it has several features that make it stand out among the crowd.
I was lucky enough to get an interview with the CEO of this media house, Aninda Bhowmik, and I think aspiring journalists can a learn a lot from his advice; especially considering how the media today is notorious for being radical, biased and irresponsible.
Niha Khan (NK): What was your inspiration behind TNBC?
Aninda Bhowmik (AB): TNBC has been a very big dream for me ever since I become a journalist. When I was studying journalism for my degree, I came across many things that deeply saddened me. The noble profession of journalism was tarnished by the greed of money and fame. I saw different news agencies, who wrote news pieces that had no relation to reality, and were very misleading. I could see how a single article could cause a riot in the masses. Being a meek student at that time, I could only wish for someone to completely change the dynamics of media.
NK: What difficulties did you face in your journey to TNBC?
(AB): As soon as I started working on my dream, I was pushed against the wall by all my fellow journalists. They told me how there was no right and wrong journalism. Every news is news. You cannot stop the publication of false news stories. If you won’t publish them someone else will and you lose your business. This was very depressing for me as it was just the beginning. I also faced a lot of trouble in hiring a team that matched my morals and wanted to introduce India to the right form of journalism. But I didn’t let these factors diminish my dream.
NK: What made you continue your journey, despite facing the backlash?
(AB): The irresponsible acts of journalism kept boiling my blood. I could not stand the corrupt journalists affecting the opinions of their readers. I had to do something about so I kept working hard to bring TNBC where it is now.
NK: Who gave you the idea for TNBC live?
(AB): I was always amazed by the social media concept of two-way communication. I wanted to bring it to news broadcasts so that the audiences could interact and respond to the news provided. This engages the audience and creates awareness. I am very glad that the audience takes an active part in healthy discussions.
NK: What are your future plans for TNBC?
(AB): Well, I have been planning to make TNBC a global news platform to improve the image of journalists everywhere. I have many other things up my sleeve that you will find out soon.
NK: What would you advise the journalists in India?
(AB): To begin with, I would say, tell the news the way it is. Indian media is known all over the world for being misleading. They mould the story to put their agendas across. Journalism is a respectable field; kindly do not take out the respect element from it. If your news pieces are challenged for being provocative or riot-inducing, then the credibility of journalists will be lost all over the globe. Thus, to be a journalist, one must be very responsible and think about the public interest more than the ratings.
NK: What is the best part of being an owner of a news website?
(AB): It is very satisfying to know that at least someone in the media is telling the complete news without alterations. I work very hard in making sure the integrity is maintained and we do not stoop to cheap tactics to increase our readership. There is more to news broadcasting than making money.
NK: What do you concur will happen in the next ten years with regard to Indian news reporting?
(AB): Many students are now studying to be journalists and in their courses, they are also taught about the role of conduct a news reporter should adapt. I have high hopes for the Indian media, ten years from now. The youth is getting more and more interested in the politics of the country and are making informed decisions. They are hard to fool and very educated; this will hopefully improve our media and quality journalism will be depicted.
NK: Have you ever decided on starting a news channel?
(AB): For now, I just want to focus on the news website and bring new things to the table. The channel is not of my slightest concern. I want to perfect the website and increase my readership so that the world can see responsible news reporting. I will think about the channel after 3-4 years when my website is stable and I can pay attention to other things.
NK: What qualities do you look for in a team? What makes you hire people?
(AB): I hire people based on their originality; the most important thing for me is to have a distinct personality. In the field of journalism, you need to have a personal outlook so that you do not follow the herd and ask the same questions. When you have a unique personality, you ask unique questions that are creative and can shed some new light on the matter at hand.