People
Janmat Abhiyaan continues once spots the trapdoors to death
Mumbai 10th July 2006. The Janmat Abhiyaan crusade against the city’s bad roads and open manholes has now been taken one step further. From 10th July 2006, JANMAT along with campaign partner LOKSATTA, Maharastra’s premier daily newspaper, continues the campaign with a silent protest against the open manholes by spotting Mumbai’s 10 most dangerous manholes and deploying human banners that will be stationed at each of the spot asking the authorities as to when these manholes would be covered ?. The channel will also make arrangements to het the common man’s view on the issue.
It is a well-known agenda of the BMC, that once work is done on manholes, the BMC never replaces the lids on time, leading to scores of unaccounted deaths by drowning during waterlogging. Recently, a suo moto action was accepted by Mumbai High Court, based on a complaint filed by Dr Sandeep Rane in 2005. The High Court accepted a PIL on this issue. On 7th June 2006, the High Court ordered the BMC and Thane Municipal Corporation to complete the repairs within 7 days. Instead of getting the work done, the BMC applied for an affidavit stating that the repair work was already carried out.
In actual reality, lot was left to be desired. When Janmat’s team visited hot spots as recently as Tuesday, 27th June in areas ranging from Bandra to Dahisar, hundreds of manhole covers were found missing, with no repair work attempted at all. So what was the BMC affidavit all about? It appears that contempt of court is small change for BMC.
The Janmat Abhiyaan launched recently throughout the city of Mumbai has received a very positive response from concerned citizens who have left their imprint in the widespread signature campaign they had undertaken. Many celebs from Bollywood and the TV industry joined in to extend their hand of support for a better Mumbai. Known for its in-depth and prompt reportage, JANMAT along with LOKSATTA, has gone a step ahead and will continue in it’s fight for a better Mumbai to make a change in the way citizens engage with their leaders and make them accountable for their actions.
JANMAT has taken upon itself not to stop at only promoting news and views but instead go beyond the obvious. The channel has gone BEYOND NEWS; to occupy a space that takes the active support of the citizens to change the way governance is handled in India.
List of 10 dangerous manhole spots:
– Vile Parle (E), Western Express Highway.
– MMRDA Office, Western Express Highway, Towards Vakola
– Juhu Circle
– Kandivaili, S.V Road
– Dahisar, Western Express Highway, (3 Manholes)
– The Hub Mall
– Andheri Flyover
– Mith Chowky signal, Malad
– Milan Subway, Vile Parle
– Borivali, S.V. Road
Launched in November with a vision to empower every Indian, ‘Janmat’ provides an opportunity for a pro-active working for a resolution of issues. India’s first 24-hour views channel, Janmat, makes the audience the hero.
For further information please contact:
Rina Dasgupta: 9821142424
Verus Ferreira: 9819510183
Riddhi Kapadia: 9867390985
People
Senior exec Madhu Soman reflects on stepping away from Indian TV news
Sometimes the toughest story in a newsroom is the one about the newsroom itself.
MUMBAI: For Madhu Soman, a media executive whose career spans more than two decades at global news organisations including Reuters and Bloomberg, the decision to step away from India’s television news industry followed conversations with several leading networks.
Soman returned to India in 2022 to take up a senior leadership role in television news.
He transitioned to the business side of the industry in 2014, joining Bloomberg in Hong Kong to lead broadcast sales, news syndication and strategic partnerships across Asia-Pacific. He held the role for nearly eight years before returning to India.
“WION and Zee Business were the reason I chose to return to India after long years with Reuters and Bloomberg, transitioning from telling stories to selling them,” Soman said.
“The landing strip back home was always narrow, but it was one I was happy to take.”
The stint at Zee Media Corporation Ltd., however, proved shorter than expected.
“It didn’t take very long to realise that my runway within Zee (Media) was going to be rather short,” Soman said.
“Let’s just say I was a cultural misfit.”
Even so, he says the experience had its rewards, including exceptional colleagues and a few good friends.
After stepping away from the organisation, Soman was in discussions about potential roles.
“I spent the better part of the last two years in conversations with a few leading networks, long enough to realise the difference between being unemployed and being unemployable.”
Some of the feedback, he says, was unusually candid.
“Two of them informally told me I’m perhaps one of the best media executives in the television news business. But someone like me fronting a television news network would be considered a business risk,” Soman said in conversation with IndianTelevision.com.
For Soman, the implication was clear.
“A news network fronted by someone whose instincts were formed in journalism rooted in independence, accuracy and editorial distance from power was unlikely to find much favour with the powers that be.”
Beyond the personal dimension of his decision, Soman says the experience reflects broader pressures shaping the news industry today.
“Journalism’s job is simple: ask hard questions and hold power accountable. Keep it honest,” he said.
Quoting former Washington Post editor Marty Baron, he added: “We’re not at war with the government. We’re at work.”
“That principle applies to anyone in a position of influence, whether in government, business, sport or entertainment.”
At the same time, he says the industry faces growing pressures.
“Authoritarian regimes that resist scrutiny, along with rapid technological change including AI, are reshaping and often undermining journalism’s traditional business model.”
“There’s also a growing credibility deficit, as the race for eyeballs rewards whoever delivers the news first rather than whoever confirms it best.”
Having worked on both the editorial and commercial sides of the industry, Soman says he is acutely aware of the economic realities media organisations face.
“Running a media organisation today means being a pragmatic P&L owner. The challenge is to keep investing in strong journalism while making the economics work at a time when a growing share of the industry’s revenue is increasingly being captured by technology platforms.”
“If we drop the ball on accuracy and trust, we do a grave disservice to the democracy we’re meant to serve.”
His experience straddling both content and commerce has shaped his view of how the industry must evolve.
“Good journalism and good business strategy are not opposites,” he said.
“The best media businesses are built when editorial integrity, audience trust and sustainable economics reinforce each other.”
“And ultimately, none of it works without strong teams. Leadership in media is as much about building people and institutions as it is about building products.”
Soman is now preparing to return to his hometown of Trivandrum, barely four years after returning to India.
“Delhi NCR has a way of testing your patience, your stamina and occasionally your sanity,” he says. “But it also leaves you with stories that will last a lifetime.”
“So as I pack up and head home to Trivandrum, I do so with no complaints and no regrets.”
“I didn’t sell my soul. Some things, after all, aren’t for sale.”
Soman’s reflections underscore the tensions between editorial independence, commercial realities and political pressures shaping television news today. His experience offers a window into the challenges facing media leaders navigating a rapidly changing industry. For him, the decision marks a moment to step back after decades spent across global newsrooms and media businesses.
