Republic Is A Movement, Not A Channel, Says Arnab Goswami

"Republic is a movement, not a channel… it's not just a media venture, it's a revolution," Arnab Goswami, founder of upcoming news channel Republic said at the 4th edition of the Under 25 Summit in Bengaluru on Sunday. The summit claims to be India's largest youth festival that brings entrepreneurs, creators, designers, developers, musicians, and food enthusiasts - under one roof.

Goswami began by talking about the mass molestation incident in Bengaluru on New Year's eve which managed to touch the right chord with the youth who continued to applaud throughout his speech. Goswami took on the politicians who tried to "cover up" the molestation incident by blaming the nature of the festivals and western clothes.

In his gripping speech, Goswami sought support from the youth who will be the future decision makers and decide the kind of government who will rule them. He reassured the youth that Republic will be with them even if no political party or advertisers support the venture and in turn urged them to extend their support to his to-be-launched news channel.

Goswami said that Republic is for the children of the common people who work hard to get their education based on merit and not for the politician's son who gets a seat reserved for him/her in a reputed college.

He also touched upon the form of journalism which he strongly believes in but is rare in today's world - a form of journalism which refuses to accept the status quo, challenges every force that ought to be challenged, and makes a clear choice between the right and wrong. He said the centre of journalism must be taken out of New Delhi to other cities like Bengaluru, Pune, Hyderabad or Guwahati.

Goswami lamented the current sad state of media and journalism in India where the fear of the media is gone. "We will bring back the fear," he said as thousands of youth gathered at the event cheered him up.

Goswami resigned as the editor-in-chief of Times Now and ET Now on November 18 ending a 10-year-long relationship with the Times Group. His new venture Republic is expected to be launched in a couple of weeks.