BBC Revamps, ‘Collective Newsroom’ Takes Off In Bharat

Former BBC professionals float Indian media firm, run BBC six languages news operations along with Youtube channel 

Rupa Jha

A few colleagues and I working with the BBC in India decided to start our own venture, ‘Collective Newsroom’, an independent media company. But, it was not the most obvious and easy choice. It came out of a very real and difficult situation that our employer BBC in India faced.

Foreign Direct Investments in India will have to be capped at 26 per cent for digital news outfits. So far, over 99 percent of BBC India shares were owned by UK-based British Broadcasting Corporation.

This meant that the BBC could not operate the way it has for so many years in India. It meant hundreds of employees in India could lose jobs and space to do independent and credible journalism.

The thought itself was very demoralising. Why should I quit journalism or leave my country to do journalism. At end of the day, we wanted two things – continue to do trustworthy journalism and be in India. It became evident that this needed a very out of box thinking, courage and sense of entrepreneurship.

Four of us decided to quit The BBC and launch Collective Newsroom. We got five others as shareholders. As a fully owned independent Indians owned media company, Collective newsroom secured BBC as its first client.

It was a historic moment for us all and we embarked on this new venture with a clear vision to be home to India’s most credible, creative and courageous journalism.

The journey to our launch that happened on April 10 this year has not been without challenges. While we had to seek answers to previously unasked questions, work imaginatively and innovatively, I am proud that working collaboratively and closely with all those journalists working in different language in India; we have reached this milestone. The level of commitment, dedication and aspiration that the staff members have shown in recent months is evident.

Starting April 10, 2024, Collective Newsroom is the sole producer and publisher for BBC content in six Indian languages – Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Gujarati, Punjabi and Marathi.

We also run BBC Youtube channel in English for Indian audiences. It’s historic for the BBC to give a third-party license to operate its platforms. Therefore, I call this as a project in trust and innovation.

On personal front, it’s a huge learning curve for me. Being chief executive officer of Collective Newsroom, I’m certainly in a space which is very new, different and male dominated but what could be more exciting than breaking the glass ceiling!!

The fear of unknown stops us from taking an uncharted route. Is this scary? Of course it is!!  But with my team, I feel everything is possible. Do I fear? Yes, I do, but I will also overcome it. The Courage is resistance to fear and faith is a fundamental part of life and I lean on the faith that together with my team, we shall overcome.

I believe we have the skills and expertise to make Collective Newsroom a standout success in the market. As we say in our mission, we will lead with facts and bring audiences diverse voices through innovative and impactful journalism in public interest. It’s a formidable offer.

In a world inundated with breaking news updates, sensational and misleading headlines, Collective Newsroom is committed to authenticity, depth and empathy in storytelling. Collective Newsroom is committed to a digital-first strategy for modern newsrooms, producing superior quality stories spanning a myriad of platforms and formats, ensuring our reach are as diverse as communities that we serve.

What sets us apart is our unwavering focus on going beyond the headlines. We delve deep into the heart of stories, bringing in-depth ground reports and human narratives brimming with empathy and clearly marked by fairness and impartiality.

Our skilled, experienced and brave reporters go where many dare not—within India and around the world—all in pursuit of facts from the ground. Our fearless approach to storytelling ensures that we amplify voices of those often overlooked, putting humans at the centre of every narrative.

Our explainers and analysis make sense of the intricate tapestry of local, national and international events and offer valued reach for a meaningful growth trajectory. We use cutting-edge technology and innovate with media to produce unique stories you are not likely to see elsewhere. The accolades we’ve garnered, national and international   serve as a testament to our unwavering dedication to excellence.

Yet, more than any shiny trophy, it is trust of the audience that remains our greatest honour. This trust is reflected in the fact that our client, BBC has its largest international audience in India. Such recognition is testament to our shared commitment to truth, integrity, and the power of storytelling.

(Author is chief executive officer, Collective Newsroom, BBC News Indian languages)