MOJO Story hacked: The career trajectory of veteran journalist Barkha Dutt has been a whirlwind. From a journalist at NDTV to becoming one of the most influential journalists in the country, her journey has been marked by remarkable growth. However, a recent episode surrounding her YouTube channel has set tongues wagging.
In this article we will ponder over the recent controversy associated with Barkha Dutt, and why this is nothing more than an attempt by Barkha Dutt to save her almost dead career.
MOJO Story: “My YouTube Channel was hacked!”
Barkha Dutt recently claimed that her YouTube channel MOJO Story was hacked, leading to the loss of over 11,000 videos. While on the surface it appears to be an egregious cyber crime, a deeper dive paints a more complex picture, raising questions about whether this might be a calculated move to claim digital victimhood.
Also read: Barkha Dutt exposes her sheer stupidity in a tweet on MP situation, gets trolled endlessly
Dutt’s YouTube channel, MOJO STORY, was allegedly established around 2020, though the About section claims its establishment to around 2017.
This reportedly hosts over 11,000 videos, supported by a seemingly trong subscriber base of over 970,000. Yet, the channel‘s average view count seems to tell a different story, amassing less than 1,000 views per month.
Here is an overview of the views generated by the Channel
Total views till date: 290 million, 198 thousand, 840 views
Number of Videos: Nothing less than 11000
Average View Per Video: 26381.71 views per video [approximately]
An old tweet from 2020 even suggests that at one point, Dutt’s videos were barely scratching 1,000 views each. As such, 26000 views per video is not something to be proud, especially if you someone as impactful as Barkha Dutt. If you divide the figure further, over the last 3 years, the views come down to some 24.1 views per video per day. So much for ‘independent journalism’!
The Revenue Game
Generally, a journalistic enterprise thrives on a triad of the following financial models:
• Advertising revenue,
• Government promotion,
• Alternative sources of income
Given her prominence, it’s estimated that Dutt would employ nothing less than around 50 journalists. The operational cost, including salaries, could easily amount to 50 lakhs per month. However, her YouTube channel’s under performance raises serious questions about the sustainability of her venture solely on ad revenues.
On top of this, considering Dutt’s well-known adversarial relationship with the current government, government-sponsored promotion seems highly unlikely. Even if such an opportunity was on the table, Dutt’s venture wouldn’t qualify under the current promotion system [DAVP system] employed by the government, as it mandates a minimum of 5 million views per month.
Her channel falls short, with an average of only 723 views per video per month from 2020 to 2023. Yes, 723 views per video for all her propaganda, including her special take on the second wave of COVID 19!
Why back a futile entity?
Further examining Dutt’s alternative revenue streams, her entrepreneurial venture MOJO Story seems to be a significant channel on paper. Yet, her earnings as a columnist for Hindustan Times and the Washington Post likely wouldn’t cover her office rent, let alone personal expenses.
Also read: Barkha Dutt and Rana Ayyub defame India globally
As for investors, a noteworthy one was Kapil Sibal, whose relationship with Dutt terminated post the 2019 elections following the Tiranga TV controversy.In this scenario, any investor would logically want to see some Return on Investment (ROI). But currently, Dutt’s venture appears to be generating more losses than profits. When comparing with peers such as Ravish Kumar, who has a robust viewership of almost a million views per YouTube video [in just the last 2 weeks], the contrast is stark.
The question thus arises: why would investors continue to back a venture that cannot even guarantee
While speculation continues, it seems clear that Dutt is on the brink of closing her venture. Given her significant clout in the industry, it’s likely that she’d want to avoid an unceremonious and disgraceful exit. Is it possible that the recent hacking drama is a strategic ploy for a dignified retreat?
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