‘News Line Is It Anyway’ Cutting Through The Noise So That You Can Debate Both Sides

Today’s news is a careful balance between speed and accuracy. News Line is it Anyway gets it to you in a well thought out, nuanced way.

Gone are the days when you consumed yesterday’s news that was vetted by multiple editors and then carefully proof-read. The era of a crisp morning newspaper with a hot cup of coffee is slowly fading away as we consume ‘breaking news’ round the clock.

In the world of fake news and WhatsApp forwards, where we get our news from becomes an important contention point.

What is the story of News Line is it Anyway?

News Line is is Anyway is an Instagram page that tells people news but not in your traditional manner – they offer an in-depth analysis of a subject and allow people to debate/discuss the content in a productive manner.

Anshul Vohra

Anshul Vohra and Pushpal Maheshwari, alums from the Indian School of Business started News Line is it Anyway because they wanted a space for people to discuss current affairs, analyze them, and debate various topics. The page constantly tries to break away from the traditional ‘left-right politics’ debate that you generally find online, and instead focuses on the issue at hand, analyzing it in every possible manner.

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Pushpal Maheshwari

They also post many explainers around topics that are trending, thereby making this page a one-stop-destination for anyone who wants to not just know what is happening, but also internalize why it is happening and ultimately form a viewpoint about the issue.

What do the founders say about their platform?

We asked the founders five rapid questions about this platform – ranging from why they do what they do, and how it has changed the world of news. Here is what they have to say.

Why does News Line is it Anyway exist? What problem are you solving today?

We want our viewers to form opinions, engage in debates and conversations. Some posts have more comments than likes, and that is what we aim for – we want people to start talking!

It also exists to bring people a holistic view of what is happening – not just in India but worldwide. We try to cover some history about the issue, the country, and what is happening.

Tell us about your team. How do you choose who writes the news?

We have almost 20 writers in our team – we ensure that those who write about a certain topic are well-versed in it, or have worked in that industry. For example, a news piece in the healthcare industry is written by those who have worked in it.

The idea of building a big team instead of having few writers is to get different thoughts, opinions and be unbiased. Our writers have different opinions, political opinions, cultural backgrounds, and this bring to the table the different kinds of writing we intend to do.

How do you see mainstream activism on social media where conversations become more about name-calling people with other political opinions than engaging in constructive discussions?

We always need to believe that the other side is smart too. They just might not have all the points of view. That is why that rational argument is important—one without name-calling and harsh adjectives.

Social media activism is a bad trap because people eventually support things that they do not fully understand, or they do this just to look cool on social media. Eventually, you also get trapped in this bubble of news that serves you content that you are aligned to like.

The crux of News Line is it Anyway lies in understanding that human beings are rational, and that their arguments are worth understanding before forming opinions – even if they do not necessarily agree with you.

What would you tell someone who is confused about who to vote for?

• Come out of all the bubbles you might be a part of – this could be your family, friends, and the political conditioning you might have been subjected to. This also applies to the news bubble that you might be in. Try to listen to other political opinions as well.
• Ensure that you read the parties’ political manifestos and understand what laws they are trying to pass.
• Consume news from journalists and those who are experts in the field like lawyers, economists, etc. It is important to consume news from subject matter experts to get a holistic view. Remember that many other countries have gone through the phase that India is currently going through, and these opinions help you become aware of that.

What are your thoughts on women, and how they are today around financial/ political news?

One of the reasons women are not involved in financial/ political news is social conditioning – even in educated households, women are not involved in these conversations because it never occurs to them that they should be.

As they grow, they do want to learn about these things, but it so happens that they have to put in a lot of effort to get to where men are currently (given the exposure that they have had!). This again becomes a barrier to learning.

Image sources: Anshul Vohra/ Pushpal Maheshwari

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