Hi all at NL Hafta team,

I was planning to write a feedback since long but am too lazy to do so. However lately, Abhinanadan has pushed me to write this email. I don’t want to say what is good, what is bad, what I like or don’t like in NL Hafta, because that is not why I am writing this email. I am writing this email to tell NL Hafta team that in recent episodes Abhinandan has asked so many times to subscribe, that it has irritated the hell out of me, and just out of that irritation I am subscribing to NL now. I hope it has done the same to many other listeners and enough people would also be subscribing to NL out of this irritation, so that we get NL Hafta without Abhinandan shouting “SUBSCRIBE” in bold letters every week.

Also, I have been told that only if I praise Abhinandan in my letter, he would read this letter on Hafta so here it goes – I do not subscribe to any ideology that Abhinandan supports (Have had couple of arguments with him on Twitter), but his interviewing skills are something that glue me to my laptop screen. I hope he does more “I Agree” in near future. I really hope his interviews are seen by larger audience. (Joking ofcourse, I really admire the way he inerviews people)

Ms. Trehan, a lot has been said about your new haircut, so can we have a new DP on Twitter now 😉

Anand is the big reason why I have dived into data analysis of social issues. So big thumbs up to him. A big admirer of him. However, I don’t see his “Rahul Roshan sir, XX aur YY ladh rahe hai, jaldi aao” tweets anymore. Anand come on, you have to keep us on latest catfights of twitter.

Deepanjana and Manisha, I knew the answer of your question regarding Harry Potter quiz – “Who is panju?” I was just too lazy to answer. Later found out, nobody did answer that question. Only if I would have written to you then.

Keep it up Hafta team, next time any of you are in Germany, beer is on me. Also have a Saravana Bhavan here in Frankfurt so Anand can get his mysorepak 🙂

Hey Guys,

Well, I think i fit into the pattern of your typical subscriber,  half a tamizh-half a bong, a scientist by training and trying to get a start up to fly out of Lausanne, Switzerland. I am indeed a subscriber and i have a strange observation with regards to your subscription page, it does not let you give more than 60 dollars, maybe add an option for higher amounts?

Anyways i love listening to you guys and Hafta mostly comes out to be pretty balanced. Given that i am rather the sickular (atheist to boot) to use modern parlance, i like listening to views that are right-ish. In fact, i think the right has a crucial role to play in politics and its a shame that its represented by crazies all over the world in the present day, hafta gives a voice to the sane right through some of your participants and that makes me happy. Apart from that I think Anand is a valuable asset being a scientist. Science is very badly communicated world over and the amount of irrationality that is floating around is shocking as a result. Given Anands profile i think you could potentially add a small section in hafta where he could highlight something exciting in science every week and you guys as critical laymen can talk about it and give a perspective which is more accessible to the common man. This need not necessarily be technical stuff alone it could be policies and things that might affect the common man in a more immediate sense.

Apart from that, maybe this is something of my personal taste but i will let you know anyways, i find it irritating sometimes when in the middle of a discussion there is a digression into jokes etc. I actually “like” the jokes but maybe try to confine them to the interlude between discussions? Anyways, thats a quibble and you guys should not do something that obstructs your style in the big picture. On a slightly more serious note, this coming from the start up founder in me, I know that you do not want advertisers and i support that but you might want to consider advertising Newslaundry itself. I accidentaly found you and most people i speak to have never heard of you guys. Anyways, i know its a complex question with finances, philosophies and multiple things involved, was just a suggestion.

Overall, thanks a lot and as the title goes, kudos.

P.S – a special shout out to Dipanjana with the new podcast as well, I look forward to the “hello, hello” every week 🙂

Best

Sandeep

Hi Abhinanda,

I am Srikanth, writing from Germany, i work in Berlin.

I am a regular listener of NL Hafta. I have been listening to NL Hafta from the 1st episode to the 82nd.

It has informed me, challenged my opinions at times and helped me widen my perspectives on many issues. Thank you for producing and running this show.

I would like to share my thoughts in few sentences about all the participants of the show.

Manisha

• I often agree with her opinions, except for religious issues.
• Her best quality is that she wouldn’t talk unless she has something meaningful to add to the conversation. Its often under appreciated (Ask Abhinandan to know how difficult a skill that is :P)

Anand

• My views very closely match with Anand’s on almost all topics. I share his approach of constructive skepticism. Seeing the data before forming opinions.
• Our views diverge only when he starts with his “There comes a point in everyones life, which is a defining moment” logic. Which i completely disagree with 🙂

Madhu

• I watched some of Newstracks videos on youtube, in which Madhu presents news like a BBC anchor, in a very calm and collected tone, where reason takes priority over emotion. But on hafta she speaks like all of us, loud, often interrupting and with emotions over reasons. I want to ask her what caused this change?
• Her experience and insights into the past brings a lot of perspective to many issues being discussed.

Abinandan

• He makes the discussion more common man like as a true AAP supporter, with his high dose of emotional responses and “Hume aise bahut dekhe hai” arugments 🙂
• I like his humour and please keep the cuss words. They add some flavour to the discussions.
• I am a podcast addict and i like recommendations he comes up with every week.

Deepanjana

• She is a great addition to the team, she brings a touch of class to the discussion.
• A much needed Bengali representation in the team

I must say i miss Arunab Saikia, after he left there is no one who can challenge Anand as strongly and meaningfully as Arunab did.

My biggest grouse with all of you, is the lack of reporting/discussions on issues from South. I did not subscribe to NL until now in protest, but now i made the first move i have subscribed. Its your turn to cover south india news and issues.

When south indian pays for news south indian has to be served …..hahaha

Srikanth