The algorithm is the new master of media: Aroon Purie

Speaking at the 25th FICCI Frames, India Today editor-in-chief Aroon Purie highlighted a troubling trend with digital advertising. “Their master is the algorithm. The algorithm doesn't reward depth, accuracy or nuance, it rewards outrage, speed and virality.”

He lamented that this has transformed the information ecosystem “into a battleground for attention, contaminating public discourse in the process.”

Newsrooms that once invested in reporters now must invest in specialists tracking trends. Editorial reading has become as much about what is trending as what is important. “The old master was the advertiser; the new master is the algorithm.”

Purie warned of an even deeper threat: artificial intelligence. “What happens to the original news organisations, the ones who pay reporters and fight court cases to bring you the news, when that content is scraped, synthesised and regurgitated without credit or revenue? This is an existential threat to the very creation of credible information.”

The antidote, he said, is for the industry to stop apologising for the value of its work. “We must innovate, not just in our content, but in our business models.”

News organisations must convince audiences that credible, well-researched news is a public good and that this comes at a cost. “A subscription is not just a transaction. It's a vote for the kind of media you want to exist.”

Describing the news business model as “cracked”, he argued that the rise of digital offered a chance to fix it and build a direct relationship with readers. Instead, the industry replicated old mistakes on a global scale. “We gave our product away for free, chasing scale and eyeballs. We chased them because the new gatekeepers demanded it.”

Nodding to Facebook, Google, X (earlier Twitter), and YouTube, Purie said these platforms produce no journalism but control its distribution and monetisation. “They are the real media companies of this country, with over 70% of total media revenue. They're eating the breakfast, lunch and dinner of media companies, leaving only crumbs for publishers and broadcasters.”

Purie also lamented the entry of large industrial houses into the news business. For them, he said, “news is not a business at all, but it is a tool of influence and access.” He warned that their deep pockets distort the economic models of news channels, threatening not only profitability but also the quality of journalism.

Purie added that their presence fosters public cynicism, making people believe every channel is a mouthpiece for vested interests. He reminded the audience that 99% of news channels lose money.

For Purie, the challenge today is not merely surviving the next wave of disruption but building a future in which journalism is not only viable but valuable.

“We should not be intimidated by new technologies. We use them to tell stories in a more memorable and truthful way. In an era of post-truth, telling the truth matters even more. The future of truth in India, and indeed the health of our democracy, depends on it.”