TheProbe | About Us
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.
With an outstanding track record, Prema Sridevi was part of some of the biggest news breaks of the country in a career spanning 20 years. She was a member of the core team of two of India’s leading television news brands.
Over the years, as an investigative journalist, she has reported on several subjects related to accountability, transparency, corruption, misuse of public office, terrorism, internal security to name a few. Many of her stories were taken cognisance by India’s investigative agencies and government bodies.
Prema Sridevi started off her journalism career by publishing a weekly neighbourhood newspaper in Bangalore in early 2000. She was associated with The Times Group for 12 years until 2016, becoming News Editor of its English news channel Times Now. She joined Republic TV in 2017 as an Editor and Special Investigation Team head. Disillusioned by the one-sided coverage of news by mainstream television channels, she took a principled stand and quit television journalism just days before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. She floated her company Fourth Estate Newscorp Private Limited in 2019 and in 2021 she finally launched her independent digital news media company The Probe. Read more
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Prema Sridevi
Founder | Editor in Chief
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Recognition Earned
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The Probe’s public interest journalism is being supported by Independent and Public-Spirited Media Foundation (IPSMF)
“Independent and Public-Spirited Media Foundation has engaged The Probe / Fourth Estate Newscorp Private Limited for the purpose of reporting and publishing stories of public interest. IPSMF does not take any legal or moral responsibility whatsoever for the content published by The Probe / Fourth Estate Newscorp Private Limited on their website or on any of its other platforms.”
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In November 2021, The Probe was selected by Google as part of their first ever cohort of Google News Initiative Startups Lab in India. We partnered with Google to advance our commitment to high-quality reporting, focusing on deep dive, long-form journalism that shines a spotlight on stories from under-served communities.
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In August 2021, YouTube selected our Founder and Editor in Chief Prema Sridevi as one of the 49 partners around the world who worked closely with YouTube as part of their content creator program for independent journalists.
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FACTIVA – DOW JONES
The Probe is also part of Factiva Limited, owned by Dow Jones, whereby The Probe has granted non-exclusive, worldwide rights to Dow Jones to publish its contents. Factiva is a business information and research tool owned by Dow Jones & Company.
Dow Jones & Company, Inc is an American publishing firm owned by News Corp. The company publishes The Wall Street Journal, Barron’s, MarketWatch, Mansion Global, Financial News and Private Equity News.
Google News Initiative - Indian Languages Program
In 2024, The Probe was selected for the GNI - Indian Languages Program.
The Probe Joins Shakti: India Fact-Checking Collective
In December 2024, The Probe became part of Shakti: India Fact-Checking Collective, a collaborative initiative to combat online misinformation and deepfakes. Supported by the Google News Initiative, the project is led by DataLEADS in partnership with fact-checkers and news publishers across India. The effort aims to enhance early detection of false information and expand the reach of fact-checks in regional languages.
THE PROBE is headquartered in Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India. You can follow The Probe’s social media handles here:
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For more details, click on the links below:
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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]