Qwestion & Answer with Debanjali Bose, Associate Editor at Business Insider

Qwoted is committed to exploring the current state of the media by speaking to industry leaders and educating future generations of media professionals. What has social media and technological innovation brought to the table? What can we expect for the future of journalism?

Debanjali Bose began her career as a video producer for BuzzFeed News. For three years Bose created video content for social media channels, as well as short documentaries and collaborative shows with Buzzfeed partners Facebook and Snapchat. During this time Bose enjoyed working in video and meeting celebrity personalities. Her love for writing led her to a career change with Business Insider in early 2020, where Bose is currently an associate editor. Bose has composed and edited content while managing her team of reporters and is rewarded by the opportunity to share an important story with a wide audience.

Q: What do you see as some of journalism’s biggest potential pitfalls? And what gives you hope for the future of journalism?

DB: A young generation of journalists who are passionate about the field and the work they’re doing makes me hopeful for the future. It’s also heartening to see newsrooms adapting and expanding their outreach beyond more traditional platforms. Some excellent examples are Washington Post’s viral TikTok presence or NBC’s snapchat show Stay Tuned.

Q: What advice would you give to aspiring young writers and reporters?

DB: It’s important to know what you’re passionate about covering, and then ensure you’ve captured the proper audience for it. Once you’ve done that, always fact check and make sure you’re talking to the most relevant and experienced sources. Be sure to present your story in a way that truly captivates your audience’s attention – and keeps them interested. It’s very important to present your information in a palatable way, using conversational language. Work/life balance is also crucial – I consume a lot of news outside working hours, and boundaries can become less clearly defined.

Q: If there’s one thing you could change or improve about journalism—in any area—what might that be and why?

DB: I think newsrooms need to be better about promoting diversity from within and finding a sustainable way to support local news.

Q: What do you think about the role of technology in journalism?

DB: Technology is a very powerful tool. Most of us (including myself) have been working remotely since March, something that would have been impossible without technological advancements. Tools that connect me to trending topics and updates in real time, such as Twitter, CrowdTangle. and Dataminr are incredibly useful. At the same time, there’s an overwhelming amount of information on social media — not all of which is vetted or transparent about the sourcing, which makes it easy to spread misinformation and only find opinions that align with one’s beliefs.

Q: Where do you get YOUR news from? Which publications do you like to read?

DB: It’s usually the New York Times, Washington Post, CNN, and Bloomberg, with a healthy dose of AP and NBC. I spend a good amount of time on Twitter — though I rarely tweet myself — and I follow a lot of different journalists and newsrooms, so when any big news breaks, I usually see a tweet about it there but I am cautious about relying too heavily on it because I don’t want to get stuck in my bubble.