Short-form news is here to stay, but core journalistic values must endure, say Hyderabad panelists

A panel discussion in Hyderabad on Saturday examined how the rise of social media and Big Tech is transforming not just where news is consumed, but also how it is produced. The conversation, held at Goethe Zentrum, focused on the need for news organisations to adapt to shorter formats and algorithm-driven attention spans without abandoning the foundational principles of the profession.

The first session, titled 'News Gathering in the Age of Big Tech: Safeguarding Truth, Accountability and Justice', featured Priyanshi Sharma, co-founder of Peek TV, and Naresh Fernandes, Editor of Scroll. Anjali Lal Gupta, Assistant Professor at the University of Hyderabad, moderated the discussion.

Sharma noted that digital journalism cannot simply be a transfer of television-style reporting to platforms like Instagram. She said her organisation initially tried to adapt its existing approach to social media, but soon discovered that the tone, writing, and storytelling methods required substantial changes to be effective.

Fernandes, who has worked across print, television, and digital media, argued that while the technology for delivering news has evolved, the essence of journalism remains unchanged. He described the core of the profession as engaging a thinking audience in a public-spirited manner, and telling people things they might not otherwise know, including information that powerful interests might prefer to keep hidden.

Sharma also highlighted a growing challenge: digital news outlets are no longer competing only with other media organisations. They now face competition from influencers and content creators, who often present news in a more immediate and definitive style.

The second panel, 'Tech Design and Policy: Navigating Algorithm, Surveillance and Ethics', extended the discussion to broader societal implications. It featured Rakesh Dubbudu, founder of Factly Media and Research, and Aniket Alam, who teaches history and social sciences at IIIT Hyderabad. Usha Raman, a researcher and writer on digital cultures, moderated.

Raman pointed out that the impact of digital infrastructure goes beyond journalism. Ordinary citizens posting on social media or YouTube can face curtailed expression or surveillance, often without the institutional protections that journalists might have.

Dubbudu observed that the world is at an inflection point in its relationship with digital technology, though regulatory responses vary by country. He noted that India has not yet seen the same level of public demand for tighter regulation of the digital economy as the United States, partly because digital infrastructure has delivered significant benefits and allowed individuals with limited resources to reach audiences independently.

Alam cautioned against framing the digital environment as a simple conflict between powerful technology companies and a centralising state, with citizens caught in between. He urged a more nuanced understanding that considers history, knowledge production, and community.