You live and die by your story and not by your sources: Venkat

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: Bengaluru International Centre aired its BIC Talks on the topic of Journalism Holding Big Tech Accountable. The main topic discussed was what defines good tech Journalism in India and what can be learned from the Wire incident and others.

The key speaker in the show was Venkat Ananth , a journalist with over 15 years of experience in journalism having worked in the Indian newspapers and business publications such as The Hindustan Times, Mint, The Ken, and, The Economic Times.

Ananth is also co-founder and CEO of The Signal, a free-to-read, daily, curated newsletter that helps understand the latest developments in technology, business, finance, economy, and policy. He spoke to returning host Pavan Srinath on what it takes from good journalism to hold Big Tech accountable, in light of the retracted X Check / Meta story published by The Wire.

Ananth began by saying how holding Big Tech Accountable isn’t just a way, rather journalistic accountability is imperative as well. A lot of good journalism is asking the right questions, he added. He further mentioned that what shook him about the story in The Wire was how the Editor let it pass.

“They didn’t review the authentication of documents, source verification is important and when a story is done of such a magnitude, you will have to check it multiple times as to how to make it right until the end “he added. “The failure in the Meta story by The Wire was they didn’t do the due diligence.

Good Editors can see through sources, due diligence, reporting, and writing which is at the end, and ask the question; how is the story holding up”, Ananth said. Challenges brought by Big Tech overall, and a problem it poses, is that overwrought by their power, Big Tech can do anything and they’re imbued with the gover nment, opined Ananth.

“It’s a harder subject to cover because it is big. One can’t write about Facebook without speaking of wherever they’ve had a societal impact if written without this detailing it won’t be a rich story”, he said.

Understanding the company journey, and problems are imperative when it comes to Big Tech stories, Ananth said, adding that his process and understanding in covering some of these Big Tech companies was to know the company and know it well.

“ People should talk to experts and engage with them outside work, communicating of free will and being persistent is a must, and if not there may be lapses happening “, he added.

According to Ananth, minimizing doubt and maximizing engagement with the company and researchers is must; if not one must put efforts into understanding the company and the efforts of workers in the company.

 “I see a lot of pride in not doing a great story than doing a story which doesn’t hold up,” he said “Tech platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Tiktok, and Twitter wield immense societal, economic, and political power across the world today.

Good tech journalism requires a deep knowledge of large multinational conglomerates, deep technical and business knowledge, as well as carefully cultivated access. As long as there is a lack of transparency on enforcement, we will see incidents such as The Wire coming upon them ”, Ananth concluded.