In the midst of the pandemic's uncertainty, The Probe took its first steps. During the lockdown, The Probe, founded by Prema Sridevi, started laying the groundwork for what would soon become a unique platform for slow journalism. The Probe was born from a desire to challenge the norms, to step away from the frenetic pace of breaking news and delve deeper into the essence of storytelling.

Prema Sridevi, with a career spanning over two decades, a large part of which was spent in some of India's bustling newsrooms, found herself at a crossroads just before the 2019 Indian General elections. Disheartened by the mainstream media's one-dimensional narratives, she chose to leave behind her senior role in broadcast journalism. Her vision for The Probe was clear: to create a space for journalism that moves beyond the superficial, seeking answers to the 'whys' and 'hows’ behind the stories that shape our lives.

The Probe, launched in April 2021, stands as a testament to the belief that journalism can do more than just inform; it can enlighten, it can challenge, and it can advocate for those often left unheard. Through stories that illuminate and evoke, The Probe aims to be a platform for change, prioritising investigation, solutions, impact, and development. These four pillars guide our approach, ensuring that our work not only highlights issues but also explores potential paths forward, aiming for real world impacts and broader development.

Independent journalism is the cornerstone of our identity. Unbound by corporate interests or political pressures, The Probe's loyalty is solely to its audience. Our commitment is to deliver journalism that holds the power to account, prioritise public interest, and tirelessly seek the truth.

In every story we tell, we strive to peel back the layers, offering a richer, more nuanced understanding of the world around us. We are dedicated to uncovering the stories that matter, driven by the belief that good journalism can indeed make a difference.

 

Our Funding

The amount of space dedicated to news both in print, television and the digital media is dwindling by the day. While many media outlets focus on events and advertisements, the space for news is only being used as a filler. Grabbing eyeballs of the audience to sell ads has become the norm for many media outlets. Therefore, at The Probe, we have taken a principled position on this. We don’t accept ads. This definitely has an adverse impact on our revenues but we believe that if we give value to the audience, the audience will add value to us by becoming paid members of our community.

Our membership model of news coupled with the social impact projects that we have undertaken helps us survive. In August 2021, within four months from our launch, YouTube selected our Founder and Editor-in-Chief, Prema Sridevi, as part of its worldwide partner program for independent journalists. Two months later, in November 2021, The Probe was selected by Google News Initiative Startups Lab to be part of their first ever cohort of news startups in India. In the same month, the Independent and Public Spirited Media Foundation (IPSMF) entered into a contract with The Probe to fund our public interest journalism.

 

 

 

 

 

THE PROBE is headquartered in Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India. You can follow The Probe’s social media handles here:

 

For more details, click on the links below: 

If you want to give us a lead, click here

If you want to write for us, here’s the place 

To communicate with The Probe’s Editor in Chief, click here

Click here for a career with us

If you want to support our Journalism, then click here to become a member of our growing community

To support specific social impact projects and contribute to meaningful change, consider funding our Truth Brigade initiatives. Your contributions empower us to continue uncovering and reporting on vital stories. Click here to contribute.

For further queries, contact us

 

GRIEVANCE REDRESSAL

Grievance Officer

Aryan Saini

The Probe

Fourth Estate Newscorp Private Limited

1st Floor, C-56/11, C Block,

Industrial Area, Sector 62,

Noida 201309, Uttar Pradesh

Tel: 0120 3115050

Email – [email protected]