News Broadcasting
Frog Books publishes ‘The Rape of News’
MUMBAI: Frog Books has published its second book, The Rape of News, compiled and edited by Sunil K Poolani, a Mumbai-based journalist.
The theme of the book is: ‘Should papers sell editorial space?’ The book is the outcome of The Times of India’s announcement that it is marketing its editorial space in that paper and other publications the group publishes. As a result, corporates and individuals can pay money and feature in news columns or other editorial space. Is this ethical, the book asks. “Will – or should – other newspapers follow suit?
Those who have featured (29 writers) in the book comprise media critic Sevanti Ninan, veteran journalist PK Ravindranath, Mid-Day chief editor Aakar Patel, Newsweek senior editor Vibhuti Patel and columnist V Gangadhar.
Said Aakar Patel: “In the long term, this sale of news space is severely damaging to the credibility of news reporting and its delivery, and I do not think too many papers will wish to follow suit.”
R Jagannathan, senior associate editor, Business Standard wrote: “If advertisers push promotional material in the garb of news, the reader has no way of knowing which is which, and soon he may start distrusting news of all kinds.”
And a well-known media critic said: “Pushing advertising is deadly serious business. Maintaining editorial primacy is increasingly a losing proposition.”
News Broadcasting
Mihir Bhatt appointed as chief content officer at News18 Studios
The media veteran brings two decades of experience across television, digital and radio to one of India’s biggest broadcast networks, Disney+ Hotstar, Discovery+
NEW DELHI: Network18 has a new strategist in the building. Mihir Bhatt, one of Indian media’s more versatile operators, has joined News18 Studios as chief content officer, stepping into a role that will see him shape content strategy, build multi-platform properties and drive brand partnerships across the network.
Bhatt brings more than two decades of experience spanning television, digital and radio, with a track record of doing something rare in Indian media: combining editorial ambition with hard commercial results. At Times Network, where he served as managing editor and chief business officer of Times Influence, he built one of the industry’s more respected content studios, launching marquee properties such as the India Economic Conclave, the Times Now Summit and Leaders of Tomorrow. He also pushed the network into premium OTT territory through tie-ups with Disney+ Hotstar and Discovery+.
His resume stretches well beyond the studio. Bhatt has led Global Investor Summits for multiple state governments, worked alongside the World Economic Forum and played a pivotal role in launching the Indian Pickleball League. Earlier, as editor of Zee Business, he pioneered investor education initiatives that are still cited as industry benchmarks.
At News18 Studios, Bhatt will report to chief executive S Shivakumar and will oversee the studios execution vertical alongside revenue verticals covering emerging markets and campaigns. Sidharth Saini, Hemanth Kumar and Nimar Sarkaria will work under him.
Rahul Joshi, managing director and editor-in-chief of Network18 Group, made the announcement in an internal communication. “Mihir’s ability to build enduring brands, foster strategic partnerships and navigate a rapidly evolving media landscape will be instrumental as we continue to strengthen our position and explore new avenues of growth in the Studios business,” Joshi said.
In a media industry lurching between disruption and reinvention, Network18 has bet on a man who has spent two decades thriving in exactly that chaos. Whether he can do it again, at greater scale, is the question worth watching.
