iWorld
Erosion of credibility of mainstream media gave birth to ‘Facts First with Faye’
MUMBAI: She has been a vociferous anchor on primetime news. She has been a fierce role model for women in the media industry. And now she’s embarking on a new journey as an independent content creator. Faye D'Souza, former Mirror Now executive editor, spilt the beans about her new channel ‘Facts First with Faye’ that launched last week in a joint venture with Firework India – a short-video sharing app.
Facts First with Faye is an information-based channel, wherein the firebrand journalist will speak on global and national news stories in 30-seconds.
D’Souza, speaking to Indiantelevision.com, said, “Though the format of news sharing is 30-seconds, the offering is credibility as there has been an erosion of credibility of mainstream media. And, that’s causing the audience to look outside for news that’s not adulterated by any sort of compulsion.”
Adding further, she said, “Don’t see mainstream media as competition at all. And, if mainstream media was able to hold its audience, it wouldn’t be looking for information in independent digital sources.”
D’Souza clarifies that she isn’t an employee of Firework India. Rather it is a partnership through a revenue-sharing model. She added that the primary aim is to get as much as the traction of premium and intelligent consumers on the channel and eventually on the platform.
Terming it as an exciting journey to work with Firework India, D’Souza explained, “The challenge for me, especially, coming from the television is to tell news in 30 seconds and I believe we are doing fairly well so far and hope the audience resonates with it.”
Going forward the channel will also have an interactive chat session through conversations with the audience of all the important stories of the day. “Rather than watching a debate on television, the audience can participate in the conversation with the help of a new chat feature,” she revealed.
On Firework, content generation is not measured in hours. For now, her channel is posting an average of four stories per day. The content is information-based and not opinionated that audiences can watch ‘on the go’.
D’Souza clarified that Facts First With Faye is one of the projects she is working on multiple content creation platforms.
The channel has already garnered at least 727 followers. The videos shared are simple and have her giving a piece-to-camera interspersed with graphics.
Firework launched its video network in India in October 2019 and takes pride in its two-step moderation protocol. While its moderation is largely based on AI algorithms, its content also goes through careful human moderation.
eNews
Piyush Thakur steps down as Inshorts’ chief revenue officer
Former vice president and cro says exit marks a new chapter after close to a decade of building revenue and partnerships at Inshorts Group.
NOIDA: Piyush Thakur has stepped away from Inshorts Group after nearly 10 years with the company, marking the end of a long tenure that culminated in his role as chief revenue officer.
In a farewell note, Thakur said he was “turning a new page” after almost a decade at Inshorts, calling it one of the hardest professional decisions he has made. He added that his exit was not driven by uncertainty about the future, but by reflection on a long association with the company.
Thakur joined Inshorts in October 2016 as vice president and spent around seven years in the role before being elevated to chief revenue officer in April 2024, a position he held until April 2026.
He said his tenure was defined by “thousands of mornings, late nights, product debates and breakthrough moments”, as the company evolved into a large-scale digital news platform used by millions.
In his note, Thakur emphasised that Inshorts’ growth was a collective effort across teams, adding that engineers, designers, sales teams and customer support staff all contributed to building the platform. He said the company’s success was not the result of individuals but of “everyone who stayed, passed through, and left their mark”.
Before Inshorts, Thakur worked across several digital media and business development roles. At ESPN, he served as senior regional manager from October 2015 to October 2016, focusing on growth initiatives, strategic opportunities and video distribution.
At Times Internet, he worked for nearly three years, including as head of business development from April 2015 to September 2015 and chief manager from January 2013 to March 2015. His responsibilities included monetisation of mobile platforms, managing media and developer partnerships, and driving revenue across digital properties such as The Times of India and The Economic Times.
Earlier, he worked at Brandmovers as head of business development from June 2012 to June 2013, handling digital, mobile and social media marketing solutions, client development and strategic consulting. During this period, he also worked on advertising revenue, brand strategy and CRM-based solutions.
At Inshorts, Thakur’s role focused on revenue strategy, mobile and media partnerships, and growth initiatives across platforms. His profile highlights experience in mobile product management, digital business models, partner ecosystems and revenue expansion in high-growth environments.
