A Review of #NLhafta from Jaspreet Oberoi, Dheeraj Kalgutkar and Binoy Lewis

Hi Hafta team,

I will write this email in a point form as it’ll help me and the reader both. I hope Abhinandhan reads this in the next hafta because I’ll keep on sending this again and again if he doesn’t. Believe me, I will. (I’m a Punjabi)

1. Newslaundry– It’s a weird way that I came across NL. I take sky-train (Vancouver’s equivalent to Delhi’s Metro) every day to work and that gives me 45 minutes each way for listening to podcasts. I am the kind who wants to know about everything, they call it a Pantomath. It was comparatively easy to find decent podcasts on Canadian, US & World events but extremely hard to find one on India. All I listened to was NDTV shows that have been put on the internet as podcasts. By randomly typing in keywords in the search bar I happened to land on NL podcast. I listened to this one hafta episode and loved it. It’s been a routine since then. (It’s my 6th week now).

2. Subscription– It took me 5 weeks to realize how important it is to keep the News ad-free and how better NL is than Arnabs, Kanwals, Sawants, Sardanas & other wanna-be-journalists. So, I went to the NL website to subscribe but there was a glitch. I tweeted Sekhri & he actually replied back.

https://twitter.com/AbhinandanSekhr/status/789145640349540353

I don’t think he’ll reply otherwise, but because it was about subscription, he was quick! I managed to subscribe today and want to stress that the day I feel you guys aren’t doing justice to yourself, I will cancel the subscription.

3. Team– The Hafta team is really really good. I like Sekhri the most and Madhu the least. Sekhri, either because of the AAP bias that I have or because my girlfriend (she’s my wife now, but feels better) says he interviews like you would. Yes she’s hooked to NL too. Madhu the least, because many a times she dismisses facts by saying, ‘nothing is impossible’. As a Data Scientist myself, I hate when people dismiss facts. For example, in the last hafta when the team was talking about mosquitos in Delhi, she said Delhi can be free of them. When told how its very hard now because of population increase etc she kept on saying ‘No’. Having said that, I like everyone but just wanted to scale my likeness. All other members fall between Sekhri & Madhu.

4. Myself– I am a PhD scholar at Simon Fraser University. I live in Vancouver, Canada and I work for a Quantum computing company as a Machine Learning 
   & Data Science expert. I completed my B.Tech at Thapar University, Patiala. I’m out of Punjab right now but Punjab isn’t out of me (yet). I will like to write data based articles for NL (as a volunteer) so please let me know where can I start. In my Patiala days I used to write a lot to the editors of Hindustan Times, Tribune, Indian Express, Outlook etc. and I actually have an album with 32 cuttings, all that got published. 

Please continue the good work and best wishes!

I forgot to mention, somebody in the last hafta episode mentioned that Canada has seen lot of racism attacks on Sikhs because they were mistaken for Muslims. Completely untrue. Just like many comments on Trump and his speeches, you guys should say about stuff only after thorough research. 

Regards,
Jaspreet Oberoi

Hi NL team, 

Greetings of the day and thanks for your honest efforts to keep news free (of any influence and Corporate pressure). This is my third letter. And yes, I’m a subscriber!

This is with regards to Hafta 89 where Anand was whining (if I may say so) about single comment on his Chemistry Noble piece. And concluding people read less of Science or are less interested. I would like to differ here and blame it on less interesting pieces or writers. I had thoroughly enjoyed reading Anand’s piece. Shared it on SM and also with my college Chemistry professor who used to teach Chemistry in a very fun way. Also few of my classmates who were interested in the subject.

I can’t speak for general public if they don’t care about Science or are interested or not but one thing which I can comment upon is the standard of science pieces. The power of Anand’s piece was anecdotes and fun writing – the fluidity in which his sentences move from one full stop to another. In fact I was amazed of this attribute with Guha article. The point is, most Indian writers who write on science sound so scholarly (not in a good way) and are kind of pompous using too many scientific words (I understand them but then I can’t recommended them to friends who have not read Chemistry or Biology!) when they could have used simple day-to-day words. For example, when I first posted your piece in our school whatsapp group, few people without opening the link said who would dive into ‘messy’ chemistry again – I had to tell them the good parts of your piece and so more stuff. And later some people who read, appreciated it. Again, what I’m meaning to say is we need people like you who write about science in more fun and simple ways where we can relate it to our lives. Politics interests us because it is after all story about people similar to who we have seen around us. Science in real sense is similar too but few people at the cost of sounding elite/learnt write it in ways which is ‘wow’ but seriously, one that puts you to sleep! I miss reading stuff like Hawking’s “The Theory of Everything” or lines from Carl Sagan. I had physics professor who would relate theories around reality and teach. Something like that. People need to shed the coat and teach or write not to impress but spread the message! Hope you guys are getting what I wish to convey. My friends always tell me my thoughts are so scattered that I travel hundred miles to utter a simple point!

Rest, when are you guys starting Hindi NL. In some old Hafta when there was a Hindi letter you guys said you’ll. If you guys have any plans, I would like to read Ravish Kumar every weak on NL website. Anything, need not be political. He used to write interesting stuff on FB and all but has stopped now. So he can pour his heart on NL instead… Believe there would be many like me who admire Ravish!

For funding and awareness about NL, why don’t you guys organize events in colleges – fundraiser of sorts.

Also, when I speak this, I know I’m speaking for all. Make Anand write more, do more episodes of ‘Nichod’. And get him back on Twitter. We already miss Ravish. And you now.

Finally. Thanks all. Abhinandan, Manisha, Deepanjana, Madhu, Anand, Karthik and others whose names I may not know but am sure are putting great efforts for this medium to survive.

Thanks and Regards, 
Dheeraj Kalgutkar

Hello Team NL Hafta,

I hope you guys are doing great. My name is Binoy Lewis and I am a proud NL subscriber. I live in the beautiful but slowly decaying city of Bangalore and I am an Electrical Engineer by qualification. I’ve been a keen listener of the show and I eagerly wait every Friday evening for the uploads.  (I hate it when the the episodes are uploaded late, especially when it is uploaded on Saturday mornings).

I’d like to start off by thanking you for the immense service that you guys are doing for so many of us. The NL Hafta is revolutionary and quite honestly one of the best things to have happened in the world of Indian Journalism. The format is addictive, it is after all a group of friends discussing politics over chair or coffee- depending on which part of India you’re from. What draws me in is the frankness of the conversations. It helps me, as a listener, feel like I’m right there with you at the taping. Kudos to everyone for doing a splendid job.

I’ve been a keen follower of NL Hafta since NL Hafta 74. I became a proud subscriber around Hafta 84 or 85, when Abhinandan gave that important statistic on how much is earned versus how much is spent. I realised that if I’d like to keep listening to this show, subscription was the only logical choice. I hope to soon graduate to the Liberator in your subscription model and one day be the Game Changer.

I thought of writing in this week because I came to a disturbing realisation. In this week’s Hafta, Abhinandan was off to the hills on vacation – I guess- and so Madhu was the host. Secretly I was a little happy, I thought the debate would be more focussed and for once there wouldn’t be anybody shouting or drowning out the others. Here’s the problem- it was exactly that and I started missing Abhinandan’s  brand of hosting. In a twisted way, I missed the chaos and drama that Abhinandan brings in. The debate was too sophisticated and dainty and I just couldn’t connect to anyone. Strangely it wasn’t the discussion among friends that I was used to hearing- it felt one sided. I guess what I’m trying to say is that the thing I disliked was actually what kept me addicted to NL Hafta in the first place.

This got me worried. What if the subscriptions (2015% by the latest advertisement) that Arnab Goswami and the Times Group proudly parade are pretty much based on a similar addiction. What if people watch Arnab Goswami only because the shouting and yelling makes them feel like they’re having a discussion with a strongly opinionated friend. We all have that one friend who shouts out his view even when it isn’t required. It is usually misinformed, jingoistic and bombastic. We love to listen to that idiotic friend just for the drama. However if you listen long enough, such characters often influence our views and colour opinions.

 Anyone who watches the Newshour agrees that Arnab shouts over others and that he is a bully. Some agree that his views are one sided and do not the facts to back it up. Yet everyone faithfully continues to tune in everyday at 9. My fear is that while the chaos brings them there, what if the Newshour brand of news is what they leave with? While some people are able to distinguish between drama and reality what if given time this line becomes thin? What if people eventually start looking at Arnab as the source of news and not drama? He just got Y level security so you can clearly see that this line is getting thinner as we speak.

What do you guys think?

Don’t worry I will continue to visit  Hafta for the discussions and information, Abhinandan or no.

This also got me thinking. I know that you guys are trying to come up with ways to entice people to subscribe. What if you invited one subscriber each episode to share his or her thoughts or comments on a topic? People love to be heard and would grab any opportunity to voice their opinion. And no, this is not me asking to be on your show. This would give you guys and opportunity get a pulse of the common man.

Coming to the guests you have each week- I do not see much representation from the conservative right. Though I identify myself as a Centrist, I would like to hear someone who can give me an insight into that world. I remember hearing such a guest on Hafta 74 or 75. While you and I may not agree with their views or policies, it’s important to get an idea of that mindset if we are going to address their concerns.

Coming to the panel every week I feel like I already know each and everyone of you because of the way you guys carry yourselves on the show; there is no falseness. While I approve of using language on the show Abhinandan, I feel that you kind of get carried away sometimes. Remember language is okay as long as you are not belittling a person with it, which you sometimes do. And please do let Manisha speak- you cut her off pretty often.  But other than that, please do not change anything; you are doing an awesome job as a host.

Madhu, I like the way you keep everyone in check and how you are unafraid of voicing your opinion. You bring a lot of information and context to the topics which really helps one understand the underlying causes- case in point the Kashmir Unrest. 

Manisha, I really wish you’d stop letting Abhinandan bully you into silence and speak your mind. I remember that there was a discussion on Irom Sharmila in which you just snapped but then you went back into silence for the most part of the show. I’ve read some of your articles and I think you have some pretty informed views- please share them with us listeners as well.

Deepanjana, I enjoy the way you counter someone when you are on the opposite side of the debate. You never lose your cool and keep your argument focussed and to the point. There are times during the Hafta where I’m screaming in my head- yelling out a rebuttal- but you are always composed and poised in your answers. I’ve learnt a lot from you over the last few episodes, so thank you for that!

Sir Ranganathan is someone who plays the role of the child in the story of the Emperor’s New Clothes. He isn’t afraid to criticise and always backs his opinions with fact. I try and read all the articles he plugs-in at every Hafta. In today’s day and age of half knowledge, you are among the few who bothers to research on the topic before sharing your views.  Thank you sir for your fine contribution to the Hafta.

A shoutout to Karthik, the producer of the show and all the team that works tirelessly behind the scenes or rather the mic. You guys are the real driving force behind everything we love about NL Hafta- Thank You!

Before I part, I would like to leave you guys with one more suggestion- please focus on the issues in the south and not just as a passing glance. We’ve had a citizen’s campaign running against a steel flyover in Bangalore City for more than a week now, yet nobody has given it its due coverage. This govt. project is basically a local version of the 2G scam- opaque tender processes, big industry working behind the scenes, politicians raking in crores and the common man suffering at the end.  Sadly I’ve not seen much airtime devoted to this topic. There are so many topics like this which often get swept under the rug just because it is to do with matter that are south of the Vindhyas. Please don’t be like every other news organisation- give the South its due.

Regards,
Binoy Lewis