Scroll.in

Scroll.in
Name	Scroll.in
Type	Digital news media
Founded	2014
Founder	Sashi Kumar; Jayadevan PK; Adam Woolf
Country	India
Headquarters	New Delhi
Language	English

Scroll.in Scroll.in is an Indian digital news publication based in New Delhi that focuses on national affairs, culture, sports, and investigative reporting. Launched in 2014 by veteran broadcasters and digital entrepreneurs, it positioned itself among Indian online media alongside outlets such as The Hindu, NDTV, Hindustan Times, The Indian Express, and India Today. Its reporting has intersected with major events involving entities like Reserve Bank of India, Supreme Court of India, Election Commission of India, Bharatiya Janata Party, and Indian National Congress.

History

The platform emerged during a period of digital expansion in India, contemporaneous with the rise of outlets such as The Wire, Catch News, Firstpost, Scroll competitors like Quartz (publication), and legacy transitions similar to BBC News digital initiatives. Founders including broadcaster Sashi Kumar and journalists who previously worked with institutions such as Doordarshan and The Hindu spearheaded the launch amid debates about press freedoms following incidents involving Press Council of India and reportage around the 2014 Indian general election. Early editorial projects covered legislative episodes linked to the Goods and Services Tax, judicial reviews in the Supreme Court of India, and investigative threads connected to corporate entities like Tata Group and Reliance Industries.

Ownership and Funding

Ownership and funding arrangements attracted attention as part of wider conversations about media independence comparable to scrutiny given to Bennett, Coleman and Company Limited and corporate investments in outlets like Network18. Initial investors included media entrepreneurs and venture entities similar to those backing startups such as Scroll contemporaries; funding rounds reflected broader trends seen with platforms like Rising Asia and philanthropic support modelled on grants from foundations akin to Open Society Foundations and corporate social responsibility initiatives associated with conglomerates such as Aditya Birla Group. Financial reporting on media ownership in India often references disclosures to regulators such as the Ministry of Corporate Affairs and filings in contexts comparable to debates around Foreign Direct Investment in Indian Media.

Editorial Content and Coverage

Editorially, the publication produced coverage spanning politics, culture, technology, environment, and sports, paralleling beats covered by The Times of India, ESPNcricinfo, Al Jazeera English, and cultural criticism found in outlets like The New Yorker. Its long-form features and explainers engaged subjects including banking actions by the Reserve Bank of India, legal decisions from the Supreme Court of India, electoral contests involving leaders from Narendra Modi to regional figures in West Bengal and Kerala, and human rights debates tied to institutions such as National Human Rights Commission (India). Cultural reportage referenced festivals like Diwali, film industries such as Bollywood, literature tied to authors like Arundhati Roy and Salman Rushdie, and arts coverage intersecting with events at institutions like the National School of Drama.

Notable Reporting and Impact

Investigations and data-driven projects reached audiences alongside reporting pipelines used by organizations including ProPublica and Reuters. Notable pieces touched on corporate governance at entities comparable to Sahara India Pariwar disputes, policy critiques affecting schemes launched by the Government of India such as demonetisation, and exposés that influenced journalistic debates involving the Press Council of India and advocacy groups like Committee to Protect Journalists. Coverage of high-profile trials and civic movements paralleled reporting on events like the Nirbhaya case, student protests at institutions such as Jawaharlal Nehru University, and environmental litigations tied to projects near Western Ghats and Ganges basin controversies.

Reception and Criticism

The outlet received praise for in-depth features and critical analysis in the company of investigative peers like The Caravan and The Wire, while also facing criticism similar to debates surrounding Times Now and Republic TV over perceived editorial stances. Media watchers and academics at institutions such as Jadavpur University, Centre for the Study of Developing Societies, and think tanks like Observer Research Foundation discussed its role in the Indian media ecosystem, examining concerns about funding transparency, sourcing practices, and political balance that echo critiques levelled at other digital outlets including Firstpost and Newslaundry.

Awards and Recognition

Reporting earned recognition in journalism circuits alongside winners from competitions administered by bodies such as the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, the Press Club of India, and awards like the Ramon Magsaysay Award-adjacent honors and national prizes comparable to the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards. Individual journalists associated with the publication achieved nominations and awards in investigative and feature categories similar to accolades given by the Red Ink Awards and commendations from journalism schools like the Indian Institute of Mass Communication.

Category:News websites published in India