Dear Arnab, the Republic of India doesn't need a messiah
Come 6th May and it doesn't matter if the nation wants or doesn't want to know, Arnab Goswami will resurface from his long sabbatical to tell the nation, what he thinks that the nation should know. Reddit AMAs, sleek looking campaigns, a dash of controversy and promises of prime-time entertainment or news, whichever fits. Arnab is back and so are the questions.
The stark contrast shouldn't escape notice
Deccan Chronicle is struggling under debt; NDTV is considering selling off its strategic assets to make ends meet and other news media houses are pushing ads after every line to survive. But Republic TV and Arnab are strangely immune to all these problems; for a man who says he drives a 13-year-old Corolla, his new venture is surprisingly comfortable if not over-funded.
What's with the subtle heckling?
Arnab has been making the right buzz at the right point of time saying exactly what he intends to with cleverly calculated steps. A series of videos, carefully orchestrated and sporting #ArnabWithYouSoon has him writing letters to people. He has had feud in the past; these videos chide them in seemingly innocuous words, heralding his return. A journalist is back sir, not the mafia.
Patriotism of Indians now needs a certificate from Arnab
The Twitter handle of Republic TV has "ARNAB ASKS" followed by a random question that stokes patriotism and gives a subtle premonition of what might happen if anyone disagrees. Recently, Arnab landed up in Man's World magazine, which is highly unlikely for journalists, as they are usually found sitting smugly on the cover of Open or Tehelka, and we got to see something interesting.
Why not Arnab? The nation wants to know
It pays to read the fine print. Arnab's MW interview's disclaimer read, "We were told to avoid two questions. The first dealt with the ownership of Republic TV and Rajeev Chandrasekhar, on whether the MP's closeness to the BJP militates against the independent character of the channel. Secondly, about Goswami's own position vis-à-vis the legal fight between Chandrasekhar and The Wire." Why not Arnab?
The irony is not lost on us
Republic TV lacks nothing in terms of resources-Hotstar will live stream, Vivo will sponsor, Mindshare and Ogilvy will chalk plans, Microsoft India will join as technology partner and it's a land of the bountiful, supporting a man, whose only weapon is the truth. In the same breath, Wikipedia owner is also asking for a meager funding to tell you the news with factual accuracy.
Dear Nation, you probably didn't want to know
Arnab says he is working "only for journalism" and says "media houses are not built on money or clout, but on belief" but strangely seems to have both at his disposal. He believes, "there is no pressure; the pressure is on others", but will have PR pulling stunts to get things moving. Nation, I hate to let you know, 6th May is the date.
