Skip to main content

Stories that can bring a positive change 'deserve to be called news': Binu Mathew

By Abhay Kumar*  
At a time when the Indian media is increasingly being controlled by the rich and dominated by the caste elites, Countercurrents.org has set up an example of giving space to multiple voices. On the 22nd birth anniversary of the news website, Binu Mathew, the editor, talks to Abhay Kumar on his two-decade-long journey.
The independent and critical news portal Countercurrents.org was established on March 27, 2002, after the Gujarat communal violence. It completed its journey of 22 years on March 27, 2024.
During this conversation, the editor says that his criterion for the selection of the news stories and commentaries is if they are going to change the world in a positive way in whatever little way they can.
In this interview, Binu Mathew expresses his views on a wide range of issues including the state of mainstream Indian media, the exclusion of the marginalized sections from the newsrooms, the challenges before independent and critical journalists as well as the international issues such as Palestine and the climate change. 
 ---
*Ph.D. (Modern History), Centre for Historical Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi

Comments

TRENDING

Bihar’s land at ₹1 per acre for Adani sparks outrage, NAPM calls it crony capitalism

By A Representative   The National Alliance of People’s Movements (NAPM) has strongly condemned the Bihar government’s decision to lease 1,050 acres of land in Pirpainti, Bhagalpur district, to Adani Power for a 2,400 MW coal-based thermal power project. 

Crowdfunding, a way to earn fast buck on the net, catches up among IT savvy Gujarati middle class youth

By Satyakam Mehta Crowdfunding, an internet-based practice of collecting money for small projects or ventures by raising small amounts from large number of individuals, is picking up as a craze in Gujarat’s penny-wise IT savvy youngsters. While many consider it as a way to earn a fast buck, one just needs to upload a project idea on a crowdfunding website, explain its concept, specify the funding you require, and just wait for individuals to transfer money to your bank account.

Gharapuri's discoveries: India finds a maritime past, ASI an app

By Gajanan Khergamker  The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has once again demonstrated an extraordinary talent for mistaking administrative housekeeping for institutional achievement. At the very moment excavations at Gharapuri are yielding evidence that could fundamentally reshape our understanding of India's maritime past, the institution has chosen to celebrate the rollout of QR-enabled audio guides and GPS-supported navigation at its monuments. The contrast could not be starker.