Q] Faye, in your recent cameo on Call Me Bae, you mentioned that ‘real journalism is not on TV anymore.’ How long did it take you to realise this shift, and what inspired you to transition into Digital?
I was in television news for 17 years—my entire career, actually. I spent some time on the radio before that. But fundamentally, my career was in TV news. In 2019, I made the shift after recognising a number of critical changes in the industry. An increasing number of young people were simply getting their news on their phones, and nobody was actually watching traditional television anymore. And I generally just felt that television was under the constant pressure to tow a certain line. It’s pretty clear, looking back from then until now, that what I predicted in 2019 has played out exactly as I anticipated. Anyone who’s been paying attention can see that. Whereas on Digital, all voices have found space, an audience, and a platform to share information and their content.
Q] Now that you’ve become a prominent voice in digital and independent journalism, what do you believe sets it apart from mainstream media?
Authenticity! The audience that follows you on digital media tends to follow an individual, not a company or a brand, and forms a personal connection with that individual. And in that relationship, you carry the burden of delivering authentic and credible information. But that doesn’t mean you won’t make mistakes. It just means that when you do make a mistake, you take accountability and apologise for that mistake. It’s like any personal relationship—people make mistakes, and you own up to them, apologise, mend your fences, and move forward! That is the beauty of digital news: the one-on-one relationship between the content creator and the content consumer. It’s personal. That’s the focus with which my team and I provide every piece of information that we put out. It’s okay if it’s a little late or not written in the most exciting way, as long as we’ve fact-checked it, trust it, and are confident it’s solid, reliable information.
Q] Which is one story in your career that you are really proud of?
Oh, lots of stories. In the digital space, we did really well covering the general elections this year on YouTube. And it was amazing because a few of my colleagues came over to my house; we sat together in that space and did the coverage right there. We didn’t have the fancy studios or the big graphics, but people watched us because they liked the breakdown that we were able to offer. And that was really nice. I’ve been working with the team at Quint. We’ve been collaborating a lot. During COVID-19, I covered stories inside KEM Hospital and with the Mumbai police, highlighting how they were managing the crisis. I also reported from Dharavi, showcasing how its internal structure was successfully combating the pandemic. These are stories I’m personally very proud of and grateful to have had the opportunity to tell.
Q] As a journalist who tackles hard-hitting news, how do you strike the balance between presenting the facts and ensuring audience engagement?
I have no interest in audience engagement! There’s no balance. I don’t think that there is any question at all about compromising facts to engage your audience. In fact, the evidence is in the work that we do. If you take a look, you’ll see that on a platform like Instagram, which is colourful and filled with photos and fashion videos, my team and I share drab-looking news—grey and black, written in a direct, no-frills manner, with headlines that aren’t designed to excite but to inform. It’s done in a way that won’t grab your attention. We purposely do it in a way that is exactly the opposite. Because for us, and for me personally, facts are paramount! And if you are putting out credible, dignified, honest-to-goodness work, that’s your audience engagement. You don’t have to do anything to engage with your audience.
Q] If not journalism, which other career would you choose?
I don’t know. Maybe I would do something with food or work with pets. I’m a big foodie and I’m a big dog lover. So, I feel like I’d be really good in that sort of pet care space—running a space where I can care for dogs.
