Hi,
For the love of god, please get your shit together Newslaundry!

I was trying to find Naxal episode of “Let’s Talk About”, and there is no trace of it on the website or the app. The only way to find is to Google it, and then get to the link. The same is true for many Hafta episodes. It’s almost impossible to find the amazing podcasts you record, like a treasure hunt that you don’t want us to win.

If the app is buggy, at least get the episodes on the website. I told a friend about Newslaundry podcasts and he couldn’t find it, and he gave up. It’s very discouraging for potential subscribers to do so much just to get to the podcast they may or may not like. I also feel bad for the people who are working hard to create such informative and illuminating content, for it to just catch proverbial dust on some dark corner of the interweb.

Regards
Shoor Veer Singh

***

Abhinandan, I was quite aghast at the way you brushed away the demand of Kashmiri newspapers for newsprint.

It was unbecoming of a good journalist, which I believe you are. As long as Kashmir is a part of India, they have every right to write what they like, as long as they do not promote violence. You are the last person from whom I expected this type of comment. They are entitled to newsprint subsidy like everyone else.

You had a lady reporter in Srinagar some months ago, she used to write good articles and had a good grip of ground situations in Reporters Without Orders, which is one of OUR good podcasts. Where has she disappeared? You should find a good resource to tell us the real story in Kashmir.

Please clarify.

Incidentally, am I supposed to put my hand on my heart and shout “I am a subscriber” every time? It should be easy enough to verify with your subscriber database.

Cheers, keep up the good work.

Regards,
MV Subba Rao

***

Hello Team!

I have been a subscriber for a long time and keep introducing it to others, two of whom have become subscribers.

Delivery platform gripe: NL’s content delivery has declined significantly. Podcasts don’t get updated and things are difficult to find. If this continues your member retention rates will be horrible.  

Content: Most of the long form pieces published by NL are opinion pieces so it becomes difficult to recommend to people as opinion pieces are mostly derived journalism or forms of news commentary. I know NL Sena projects have been great but they have also centred around what can be called ‘fringe topics’ with a restricted reach. This is great and I love them but they may not help NL grow. Consider the example of the Wire which has a much larger Youtube presence and has just kept on multiplying its followers. I love podcasts but youtube seems to be the medium for prosperity and sustenance. Abhinandan has said that they are biased but I see similar bias in Newslaundry pieces as well and ek famous insan ne kaha hai ki journalism kabhi unbiased ho hi nahin sakta.

Kalikho Pul: It is glaring that a CM commits suicide and nobody does detailed reporting on this. This, despite the fact that he has mentioned the majority of his party colleagues which is the INC in his bribery allegations. This would make an excellent story to cover what is least covered and expose the entire system.

Media watchdog: I think it is time for NL to outgrow just the watchdog tag because the Indian media landscape has become so warped that it is ludicrous in itself and a watchdog lampooning it is going to have little effect while it continues to manifest the harm that its masters have created it for. The Game of Thrones white walker analogy pales (pun intended) in front of this vile media created by those in power, I hope one day this will backfire and bite their face off.

More power to Newsance and Constituition! Thanks for all that you do and I am hoping you and your model triumph and be the revolution that Indian news media so desperately needs! Love your book and podcast recommendations.

Thanks,
Ayush.