The Newsroom Builder

Specttrum Profiles: On any given day, a newsroom can resemble controlled chaos. Television screens flash breaking news, reporters call in from the field, editors debate headlines, and digital teams race to publish the next update. In the middle of this relentless rhythm, every newsroom depends on someone who can bring order to urgency without compromising editorial judgement. For more than two decades, Braj Mohan Singh has built his career around that responsibility.

His journey mirrors the transformation of Indian journalism itself. He has worked in newspapers when the front page defined the day’s agenda, in television when speed became the currency of credibility, and in digital media where news never sleeps. Through each transition, Singh has adapted to changing technologies while holding on to a simple editorial belief; credibility is a newsroom’s greatest asset.

When Singh recently returned to Chandigarh as Editor, CNN-News18, it marked a homecoming of sorts. Before that, he had spent several years in Bihar, leading News18 Bihar-Jharkhand in his home state. The assignment brought him closer to the political and social landscape that had shaped his early understanding of journalism.

As Regional Editor at ETV Bharat, Singh supervised editorial operations across Bihar, Jharkhand, Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan. Coordinating nearly 500 journalists across multiple states required far more than administrative ability. It demanded consistent editorial standards while respecting the distinct realities of each region. During this period, he encouraged the adoption of Mobile Journalism (MoJo), strengthened digital workflows and promoted innovative methods of news gathering. Even while managing one of the country’s largest regional editorial networks, he remained actively involved in major interviews and live broadcasts.

His editorial leadership had already been tested across different media organisations. As Founding Editor of Patrika TV, Singh helped convert an ambitious but long-delayed television project into a functioning news channel. The assignment involved building systems from the ground up; designing newsroom processes, training journalists and shaping the channel’s editorial identity.

Before that, as Deputy Editor at PTC News, he managed regional, national and international news content for audiences across India as well as the Indian diaspora in the United States, Canada and Australia. It was an experience that reinforced the importance of balancing regional concerns with a global outlook.

Much of Singh’s reputation, however, was built during his years in field reporting. Spending nearly eight years with NDTV as Special Correspondent, he reported extensively from Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Chandigarh. Politics formed an important part of his beat, but so did agriculture, rural development, governance and investigative reporting. His stories frequently focused on issues that affected ordinary citizens rather than simply following political headlines of the day.

Long before television and digital journalism came to dominate his career, Singh had established himself in print journalism. Between 2010 and 2013, as Resident Editor of Dainik Bhaskar’s Chandigarh edition, he led a newsroom of nearly sixty journalists and editors. Under his leadership, the newspaper expanded its circulation across Chandigarh, Panchkula and Mohali while successfully introducing hyper-local editorial initiatives that strengthened reader engagement.

His earliest years in journalism were spent with The Asian Age as Political Correspondent in Gujarat. There, he covered defining moments including the Gujarat earthquake, the 1999 Lok Sabha elections and several significant political developments. Those assignments provided him with first-hand experience of reporting both disaster and democracy; two enduring pillars of Indian journalism.

Even while handling demanding editorial responsibilities, Singh continued investing in academic learning. He earned a Gold Medal in his Master’s degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from Nalanda Open University. He also pursued Political Science at Panjab University, Chandigarh, besides undertaking professional training in television journalism and newsroom leadership.

I came to know Braj Mohan Singh after moving from journalism to public relations in 2006. Our early conversations were less about careers and more about rural India, development journalism and the changing priorities of the media. Those discussions gradually evolved into a lasting friendship.

Over the years, he often discussed his important career decisions with me; including his move to Dainik Bhaskar as Resident Editor and later to ETV Bharat at Ramoji Film City, Hyderabad. At one stage, on his suggestion, our families even chose to live in the same residential complex, allowing us to remain close despite demanding professional schedules. What began as a professional association gradually grew into a friendship that extended far beyond the newsroom.

Perhaps that explains why colleagues across organisations remember Singh not only as an editor but also as someone who invested in people. Young reporters found him approachable, colleagues found him dependable and friends found him remarkably unchanged despite the many cities and organisations his career has taken him through.

In an industry often measured by ratings, circulation figures and digital metrics, Braj Mohan Singh’s career offers a different perspective. It is the story of a journalist who has repeatedly embraced change without abandoning the fundamentals of the profession. Whether building a newsroom, mentoring young reporters or steering editorial teams through technological shifts, his work reflects the belief that journalism ultimately depends not only on breaking stories but also on building institutions and the people who sustain them.

Contact: brajmohan.singh@gmail.com I brajmohansingh.blogspot.in

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