Dhiraj 

Hi there, 

I found a “small little big problem” with the discussion of the rise of the right wing in Europe last Hafta. 

There was no mention of the amount of money put in by the whacko tech billionaires into these parties. That is THE ONLY reason for the rise. No money, no rise! As simple as that. 

A crypto billionaire just has £36 million to Reform, which is bigger than Labour’s election budget for 2024. At the same time, I would encourage you to see how the media here has also gone after Reform for alleged donations from the US. Reform has slumped in the polls. But this latest donation may well help them back on their feet. 

Another small little big problem - pun intended - I have not heard anything in Hafta on this IAS officer cracking down on Health and Safety in Mumbai. Not worth reporting? 

Anyways, keep up the good work. 

Dhiraj 

***

Sajeev

Hi NL,

I’ve been trying to recommend Newslaundry to colleagues and friends, but I’ve realised that I struggle to answer a simple question: “What has Newslaundry actually changed?”

Perhaps it’s time for a programme along the lines of “Newslaundry Talks About Newslaundry.”

A candid look back at Newslaundry since its inception—what you set out to change, what you believe you have actually changed, your most significant investigations and interventions, the impact you’ve had on the wider news ecosystem, and perhaps even where you feel you fell short.

Rather than another discussion about the news, it could be an opportunity to step back and examine Newslaundry itself: its journey, achievements, failures, and impact on Indian journalism and society.

I think such an episode would also give your listeners a much better answer to the question: “Why does Newslaundry matter?”

Regards,

Sajeev from a tiny part of Kerala

***

Rambilas

Dear Newslaundry Hafta Team,

Part 1 — How Shorts Shaped My Political Views

I have been using a smartphone since around 2019–20, and I mostly watched YouTube, including Shorts. I regularly came across “laser eyes” edits of S. Jaishankar, his one-liners, shorts of Modi walking, his security convoy and similar political content. This gradually created the impression that the Modi government was doing exceptionally well, especially in foreign policy.

At that time, I also had a very negative view of the Opposition. I mostly knew the Bharat Jodo Yatra through jokes like “Bharat Chhodo,” rather than understanding its purpose. Later, after I started reading newspapers and watching long-form videos, my understanding became more nuanced. I realised that impressive visuals and speeches are not necessarily evidence of actual diplomatic work. Similarly, after watching long-form interviews of Rahul Gandhi, my perception of him changed considerably.

Part 2 — Instagram, Algorithms and Short-Form News

Before the CJP protest, I did not use Instagram. Afterwards, I tried it only as an experiment and noticed that Instagram keeps showing similar content for much longer, while YouTube Shorts can eventually shift to completely unrelated topics.

For me, Shorts are useful for entertainment, but not for understanding politics or consuming credible news. I prefer newspapers and long-form videos because they provide more context and allow me to understand issues in greater depth.

My question is: Are short-form platforms actually helping young people understand politics, or are they mainly creating strong political impressions without enough context?

Regards,

A 22-year-old student

***

RB 

Hello,

Every generation has canon events that alter its world.9/11 was one such event for many millennials and older generations. I was 15 and had switched on the TV to watch Friends on Star World, only to find a live news broadcast instead. 

Watching the towers I saw on the show every day burn and fall was surreal. I'm curious whether the panel remembers what they were doing when they first heard about the attack. I go down a 9/11 rabbit hole every year, but this time the stories hit harder. It makes me think: will the world read about 9/11 25 years from now and feel the same? Will we have a memorial for the Gaza genocide 50 years from now? Somehow I feel the answer to both questions is no. What do you think?

***

Rakshita

Reference: Hafta Episode 604. 

The outside panel did an excellent job explaining the systemic rot leading to student deaths. But the internal panel suddenly later diverted to "individual capacities". Although you all kept saying the deaths are unfortunate, you did indirectly blame students and the IIT-D guy's diagnosis. Clearly, you didn't understand what Aksa and Sameena were saying. So here are my suggestions. 

1. Do an add-on to this episode with a trauma-sensitive psychologist as a panellist.

2. Or do a whole 'let's talk about' series on the subject of suicide and its prevention.

3. Get TNM to do workshops for all your staff on how to report on these topics. 

4.  Get a trauma-informed therapist as a consultant/ contractor to work with your staff on a 1:1 basis. When you all start nurturing your own mental health (it's health, not personality judgment), you will understand these issues more deeply. (Somehow, the women on your team are more in touch with their inner selves.)

A quarter-century of Modi governance calls for questions and a hamper. To mark the occasion, we have offers for subscribers and other readers.