PEOPLE’S INDEPENDENT PEOPLE’S INDEPENDENT MEDIA INITIATIVE (PIMI)MEDIA INITIATIVE (PIMI)

… Redefining the information agenda

TIME TIME May 28, 2007May 28, 2007

“The income disparity in the new India is massive: there are now 36 billionaires in India – and some 800 million people living on less than $2 a day.

Babasaheb AmbedkarBabasaheb Ambedkar

“For a successful revolution it is not enough that there is discontent. What is required is a profound and thorough conviction of the justice, necessity and importance of political and social rights.”

““My newspapers became for me a My newspapers became for me a training ground in self-restraint and training ground in self-restraint and a means for studying human nature a means for studying human nature

in all its shades and variations. in all its shades and variations. Without the newspapers a Without the newspapers a

movement like Satyagraha could not movement like Satyagraha could not have been possible.have been possible.””

Mahatma Gandhi

““If I were appointed dictator for a If I were appointed dictator for a day in the place of the Viceroy, I day in the place of the Viceroy, I

would stop all newspapers. With the would stop all newspapers. With the exception of exception of HarijanHarijan, of course.”, of course.”

Mahatma Gandhi

““What we in journalism need What we in journalism need is a spine transplant.”is a spine transplant.”

Dan Ratherformer CBS anchorman, arguing that American

journalism has “lost its guts” because of reporters’

unwillingness to ask tough questions and their

tendency to get too close to politicians

““I don’t go to press I don’t go to press conferences.”conferences.”

Bob WoodwardAssistant Managing Editor with THE WASHINGTON POST, he broke the Watergate

Scandal that forced Richard Nixon to resign as

president in 1974

““It’s a journalist's job to be a It’s a journalist's job to be a witness to history. We’re not there witness to history. We’re not there

to worry about ourselves. We’re to worry about ourselves. We’re there to try and get as near as we there to try and get as near as we can, in an imperfect world, to the can, in an imperfect world, to the

truth and get the truth out.”truth and get the truth out.”

Robert Fiskthe immensely celebrated and awarded Middle-East

correspondent for Britain’s THE INDEPENDENT, has

covered wars and their futility for more than three

decades

““I think journalism gets measured I think journalism gets measured by the quality of information it by the quality of information it presents, not the drama or the presents, not the drama or the

pyrotechnics associated with us.”pyrotechnics associated with us.”

Bob Woodward (right) with Carl

Bernstein. The two reported together on the Watergate

Scandal.

Are these qualities Are these qualities present in most Indian present in most Indian

newspapers and TV newspapers and TV news channels?news channels?

TV News: Its StapleTV News: Its Staple

Films & entertainmentCricketStand-up comicsDaily crimeFashion & glamourSupernaturalRelationships & passionCaste and caste-based discords

TV News: Its StyleTV News: Its Style

OftenLoud and over-the-topQuestionable perspectiveInsufficiently informedTwisted, dubious factsPartisan & propagandistEstablishmentarianNo connect with core issues

Core Issues? Read On…Core Issues? Read On…

India’s 1.1 billion are world’s sixth25% live on <Rs. 5,000/year33% live on <Rs. 15,000/year80% live on <Rs. 30,000/year1/3rd of global poor live in India46% children (<3 yrs) malnourished>20 million children not in school60% women anemic

Our AimOur Aim

To launch a People’s Network television news channel

About UsAbout Us

People’s Independent Media NetworkFree of government controlFree of private sector controlCivil society backingFree of profit motiveFree of commercial advertisingModel workplace

People’s Network: Its FocusPeople’s Network: Its Focus

Governance & accountabilityCorruptionSovereign resourcesPolitics & the marginalizedSocial justiceSocial inclusionGender, caste, social & religious inequalityHealth, education, employment,

environment

People’s Network: Its FocusPeople’s Network: Its Focus

International relations for the millionsGlobalization for the marginalizedCorporate Social ResponsibilityRight To InformationScience & Technology for national

advancement

People’s Network: Its StylePeople’s Network: Its Style

Watchdog & AdvocacySetting the agendaEthical journalism – free, frank and fairCompetent journalism – research to

deliveryPeople’s storiesPeople in content processes

People’s Network: Key TargetsPeople’s Network: Key Targets

Standing: Among the top three news networks

Audiences: Middle classes, politicians, bureaucrats, industry, the common millions

Positioning: Bold & rich pro-people content

Perception: National action leaderInfluence: Public opinion, government

action

People’s Network: Brand PlanPeople’s Network: Brand Plan

Across delivery platformsImpeccable stakeholdersInternational content & training tie-upsHigh visibility launchPrint media attentionInternational recognition reboundSelf-promotion of best practices & resultsContent accessibility

Way ForwardWay Forward

Appropriate operational mechanismCivil society buy-inDetailed business planFund raisingTimelineImplementation

““The Times will seek to substitute The Times will seek to substitute reason for prejudice, a cool and reason for prejudice, a cool and

intelligent judgment for passion… in intelligent judgment for passion… in all discussions of public affairs.”all discussions of public affairs.”

Henry Jarvis Raymond

Founder of THE NEW YORK TIMES, in his prospectus for the about-

to-be launched newspaper, circa 1851