TRUST ME I KNOW WHAT I'm DOING

How do you go from anchoring primetime news on NDTV to leaving mainstream television, co-founding India's first short-form digital news platform, and bringing old-school editorial rigor to Gen Z — all while fighting algorithms and online polarization?

In this episode of TRUST ME I KNOW WHAT I'M DOING, host Dr. Abhay Dandekar sits down with award-winning independent journalist, former NDTV primetime anchor, and PEEK TV Co-Founder Priyanshi Sharma. Priyanshi shares her journey from mainstream television newsrooms to corporate business school at ISB, and her decision to build a new media model focused on unbiased, unsensational, fact-based reporting for global digital audiences.

Priyanshi also breaks down her philosophy on why "every generation deserves old-school journalism," how the definition of the "informed Indian youth" shifted from apolitical to deeply engaged, why the boundaries between journalism, activism, and social media influencers must remain distinct, and how PEEK TV is detoxing online discourse to keep the global Indian diaspora connected to true ground realities.

If you enjoy deep conversations on journalism, digital media, Indian democracy, technology, and identity across the global South Asian community, please LIKE, SHARE, and SUBSCRIBE!

--------------------------

CHAPTERS / TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 - Introductions and welcoming Priyanshi
03:43 - The Journalist's Detox & Managing 24/7 News FOMO
09:54 - The Informed Indian Youth: From Apolitical to Deeply Engaged
15:15 - Delusion vs. Hope: How Youth Protests Re-Energized Indian Citizenship
18:28 - Sponsor Break: TRAVELOPOD
20:28 - Journalism vs. Activism & Influencers: Why Credibility Matters
24:31 - Building PEEK TV: Short-Form Digital News Beyond Mainstream TV
28:13 - Sponsor Break: Lotus Lane Coffee & Timberdog Ruffrest
29:28 - Storytelling, Misinformation & "Detoxing the Discourse"
37:52 - Algorithmic Polarization & Unlearning the "TV Anchor Tone"
45:03 - Connecting the Global Indian Diaspora to Ground Realities
48:01 - Hope, Dissent, and the Future of Independent Indian Media
52:29 - Outro & Diaspora Community Shoutouts

--------------------------

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS & KEY TAKEAWAYS:
• Old-School Journalism in Short-Form: How PEEK TV brings rigorous editorial standards and fact-based reporting to short-form digital video platforms.
• Journalism vs. Activism: Why maintaining strict independence and objectivity is vital for stories to retain public credibility.
• Detoxing the Discourse: Overcoming algorithmic polarization, echo chambers, and sensationalism to deliver balanced perspectives.
• The Diaspora Connection: How independent digital media bridges the gap for global Indians seeking reliable, unvarnished news from the ground.

GUEST & HOST RESOURCES:
📰 Follow PEEK TV: India's first short-form digital news video platform
https://www.peektv.in/
🔗 Connect with Priyanshi Sharma on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/priyanshis/

Shout outs:
• Rakshabandhan — Celebrating siblings everywhere
• Dr. Pramod Varma — Celebrating 10 years of India's UPI revolution
• World Alzheimer's Month — Raising awareness and challenging stigma around Alzheimer's and dementia at
https://www.alzint.org/get-involved/world-alzheimers-month/
• Nepal Flood Relief — Sending support to everyone recovering from the recent floods in Nepal. Please help by visiting:
https://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/
https://pmdrf.nchl.com.np/


SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS:
✈️ Travelopod — Custom, personalized travel experiences for destinations like Africa, Japan, Antarctica, and India: https://vacation.travelopod.com
☕ Lotus Lane Coffee — Rooted in India, Roasted in Columbus:
https://lotuslanecoffee.com
🐶 Timberdog Ruffrest — Versatile portable dog beds for travel and camping:
https://timberdog.com/

Trust Me I Know What I'm Doing | Dr. Abhay Dandekar
A mirror and window for global Indians and South Asians through conversation.
Every week, we share chats with artists, leaders, musicians, chefs, experts, change makers, and innovators from the home and diaspora - sharing their journeys and motivations.

For enquiries 📧 Email : info@abhaydandekar.com

Find us on Instagram/ LinkedIn:
https://www.instagram.com/drabhaydandekar/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/abhaydandekar/

Listen to the podcast on your favorite podcast platform:
🎙️ Spotify : https://open.spotify.com/show/4ZReYDw6ta5zGuN4iLZ8Pt
🎙️ Apple Podcast : https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/trust-me-i-know-what-im-doing/id1635803563?uo=4
🎙️ Amazon Music : https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/acec47fd-da0e-4419-aab9-306503ea49c5
🎙️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TrustMeIKnowWhatImDoing

#PriyanshiSharma #PEEKTV #IndependentJournalism #NDTV #IndianMedia #DigitalNews #Journalism #AbhayDandekar #TrustMeIKnowWhatImDoing #SouthAsianJournalists #DesiDiaspora #IndianAmerican #Desi