I always hated the News-hour with Arnab Goswami on Times Now. And as I look back, maybe I hated this person called AG routinely playing right. Doing what many of us would have wanted to be doing but are too afraid to do.
As I write this article with today’s debate in the background, I see a softer smiling Arnab Goswami telling the panelist ‘I have come after few days, that does not mean you can walk all over me’. It seems he has read the viewers mind. Maybe celebrating his own freedom to turn entrepreneur (that’s most likely), for a change, he took a backseat at times and allowed people more than 13 seconds of free speech. A sign that News-hour is changing even as he conducts his favourite game tonight. It will never be same!
With Arnab pulling himself back for few moments, the News-hour on Times Now is as bad as any other news channel.
Arnab Goswami PIC TIMESNOW
The passion continues, and you can see it right there on the screen. However, the voice is a bit slow in its famed rebukes. Is that an emotional not-in-control Arnab going through the notion. I am sure; it is not the case. On the cue, slowly, the martyr and nationalistic emotions make him warm up. I am liking this guy; I always hated.
Frankly, I never could stand what was going on by the name of debate. However, as a person interested in branding and running specialised workshops on ‘Brand-I’, there was always that dose of admiration and awe.
Arnab was the Baba Ramdev of Times Now. One who has brought the back of the pack on to the limelight? One does not make sense without the other. Both of them were driving changes in their area, in process redefining and repainting the canvas they operate in.
There are clearly defined boxes that only Arnab could tick.
A classic case of clear positioning, something very rare in the media world.
A well-defined promise of against anti-nationalist.
A well created platform of nationalism and patriotism.
A rich consistency in performance.
A polarity in response from stakeholders. You could love or hate him but never could be neutral to his style and work.
The ‘Y Security’ and threats were part that game along the path he decided to walk.
Arnab is a classic example of a person deliberately, consciously and successfully creating a BRAND-i. There was never a contender to what he was creating. And I doubt if there will be.
It was not a News-hour or debate; it was Arnab style of debate and journalism. The News-hour was just an external face of all the changes he was doing and the culture of journalism he was proposing.
It was only possible with the support of a media organisation like Times Now. Arnab could not have been Arnab without it. But, Times Now … the question will remain unanswered and hypothetical.
It allowed him the freedom to help him ensure that there was hardly any gap between the promise and delivery ‘Brand-i-Arnab’, between how he thought he was performing and how the outsiders saw him performing.
A true iconic role model in many ways.
Many want to be the next Arnab Goswami, unfortunately there never will be.
News-hour will not be the same at Times Now.
The next innings will be the real test of Brand Arnab Goswami.
Remember, the audiences have a very fickle memory.
It does not take long for the needs, demands and desire of the nation to swing a different way.
Arnab has the giant backing of viewers because of his nationalistic, patriotic, no-nonsense approach. At least on his hour, he seemed to believe in transparency, openness and very demanding interrogative journalism.
There are many like me who hate his apparent direct confrontation with pre-conceived notions. And there are many who applaud when he accepts his error (which is rare) or slams a politician for not respecting family members of a martyr or speaking frivolously to a lady panelist.
Somehow, I have a feeling (and I wish) it does not happen with Arnab, who seems to be an otherwise sane voice demanding a space for individualistic independent journalism.
However, the statement that News-hour on Times Now is not going to be the same for sure, is like a broken record. The organisation is expected to tide over this hitch and serve the Nation something they would want to watch. .
Meanwhile, there are some in the businesses around feeling relived temporarily. There still remains a mystery on why Arnab said Tata to the channel and who are his future partners.
In true Arnab style, though the nation wants to know, what made him exit and what he plans to do, it will be told only when he is ready to share.
His future actions and success with definitely be built around the passion and the support that he gets into the act, he puts up.
Arnab Goswani, Yeh toh Trailer Hai, Picture Abhi Baaki hai Dost.
