REPORT

a range of social media channels, including most importantly Facebook and
Twitter but also YouTube and Instagram.
Fernandes argues that the heart of Scroll is their editorial profile built
by journalists who have been reporters and not just managers. Part of the
appeal, he says, is that the digital space enables new entrants to prove to
people that they deliver something that is distinct from – and perhaps better
than – what legacy media offer: ‘I think there is the realisation that we need
many more voices and the barriers to entry are relatively low in terms of new
technologies.’ But he also highlights this is an increasingly competitive space:
Everybody is digital these days. Our competitors are not the Quint or The
Wire but NDTV, The Times of India, The Indian Express. You know there are
a great many young people who don’t see the physical things. So, I think it is
an artificial distinction that everybody is drawing between these digital
platforms and what they are saying are mainstream media or legacy media. All
are playing for the same readers.
As a business, Scroll is based on the idea that there is an up-­‐‐market audience
in India that Scroll can serve and that will in turn be attractive to advertisers
who will increasingly turn to digital media as internet use and smartphone
ownership continues to increase. If the site offers a better quality digital
experience, in terms of content and technology, it can draw an attractive
audience that will enable it to sell advertising at higher rates than most others
while also benefiting from growth in internet use, smartphone access, and
digital advertising across India. The Scroll site is currently very light on
advertising, and Patil highlights native advertising and sponsored content as
the way forward. ‘The next step is not going to be Google ads but magazine
quality advertisement on the internet’, he says. 35 Patil also underlines that
content-­‐‐led e-­‐‐commerce has a huge potential to sustain this level. Scroll
already operates a shop on its website where people can buy ‘noteworthy
books and ideas’ based on editorial recommendations. In short, ‘creating
interesting experiences on the internet’ holds the key to remaining relevant in
this space. ‘The opportunity is huge,’ says Patil. Expansion beyond English
and a future investment in more video are also seen as prime opportunities
for Scroll.
In terms of editorial content, Scroll’s strategy is based around a
combination of in-­‐‐depth reporting and commentary for an up-­‐‐market
audience. Distribution is based on a mobile-­‐‐optimised website, a mobile app,
and social channels, and the business strategy on converting an up-­‐‐market
audience into advertising, e-­‐‐commerce, and other revenue streams.
35 Patil, interviewed by Arijit Sen.
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