Listen "EP-355 | Sudhir Chaudhary on ‘Nano Chip’ Controversy, Fake News Case, Govt Pressure & TRP Race "
Episode Synopsis
Sudhir Chaudhary is one of India’s most prominent television journalists, known for his sharp news analysis, bold opinions and decades-long career in broadcast media. He has been at the forefront of Indian journalism’s evolution and its many controversies.In this episode of the ANI Podcast with Smita Prakash, Sudhir Chaudhary opens up like never before, on the TRP-driven state of TV news, the pressure anchors face from political and corporate forces and the criticism that comes with being one of the highest-paid figures in Indian media.He speaks candidly about the ‘nano chip’ controversy, fake news allegations, the Naveen Jindal sting case and how every court eventually gave him a clean chit. Sudhir also reflects on his journey, his mistakes, what he’s learned from them and why he joined DD News after working at Zee News and Aaj Tak.*Timestamps*00:00 – Introduction01:20 – Is Sudhir Chaudhary the Highest-Paid Anchor?02:44 – TRP vs Reality in News Channels08:16 – Debates vs Real News Reporting09:46 – Editorial Freedom & Connecting with Viewers16:38 – Evolution of News Anchoring19:03 – Journalism Ethics in War Reporting21:53 – Challenges as a Ground Reporter24:38 – Misinformation During Op Sindoor27:11 – Rs 2000 Notes 'Nano Chip' Controversy30:14 – Uma Khurana TV ‘Sting’ Operation37:05 – Naveen Jindal ‘Extortion’ Case55:07 – Trolls, Labels & Comeback59:42 – Newsroom Politics Before 20141:11:04 – Politics & Professional Boundaries1:17:30 – The Red Tie Selfie with Trump1:21:40 – Organic Reach on Social Media1:23:49 – Career Moves & Running Own Show1:32:45 – Indian Work Culture & Values1:36:20 – YouTube Journalism vs Traditional Media1:41:26 – Deepfake Threats to Journalists1:45:10 – Working in Private Channels vs Public Broadcasting1:50:23 – Sudhir Chaudhary Making a Film?1:53:00 – Hollywood vs Bollywood Storytelling1:58:08 – Staying Real in Media Spotlight2:06:22 – Friendships in Media World
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