Pankaj Jha

Bureau Chief of Uttar Pradesh

Coordination with news assets and sources throughout the state of Uttar Pradesh

Doing highly sucessful digital shows for the organization

Responsible for tracking & covering all important political as well as social events for the network

Leading digital properties Andar Ki Baat, Afsharsahi and TV9 Cafe for the network

- Andar Ki Baat: Story behind the story. 1. How the story shaped up? The behind the scene stakeholders are interviewed on the same. 2. Explainers on the burning issues, newsy items.

- Afsharsahi: The much elusive bureaucrats, IAS & IPS, are brought on camera and are made to speak on their first pen to the love of their lives. These officers are selected on the current events, social media trends and social buzz.

- TV9 Cafe: The household stars, OTT celebrities, speak out their minds on the show. Keeping the show light and entertaining they speak out about the lesser known facts of their lives.

Looked after the most important & politically sensitive Bureaus of UP, MP, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan and Chattisgarh. Newsgathering from these bureaus were my responsibility, apart from executing the requirements for conclaves in these states. Conceiving, planning and execution of special shows from these states, both political and other newsworthy subjects.

Anchored many weekly and daily shows for the group. Pankaj Ka Punch, Narmada Yatra, Ram Yatra, Sutradhar, Kaun Banega Mukhyamantri were some of the main shows.

Was responsible for the newsgathering of the Metro Bureau and Political Bureau. This was the period when the high decibel 2019 General elections took place. It was my responsibility to coordinate all political inputs with my bureaus.

Was responsible for the states of Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

Primary responsibility included, newsgathering, coordination with reporters & stringers, organizing conclaves, important-big interviews & shows.

Was responsible for newsgathering in the state. It was a very newsy period, with Nitish Kumar led NDA coming to power after a long regime of RJD; at the same time crime was at its peak and Bihar was in every news wheel.

One of the toughest state for a political reporter; politically dull and it was hard to get a package in the national news wheel. I took it as a challenge and shifted my lens from political reportage to human interest stories - poverty, wildlife, migration etc.

It was with my posting in Bhubaneshwar when Zee News started its state Bureau. I established the bureau, from appointing stringers, to getting contacts. Learnt a new language in the process - Odiya. This was the period when Super Cyclone had hit the state; Congress was defeated in the elections and Navin Patnaik took charge.

I was a part of the programming team. This was the time & place where I learnt the art & craft of TV. Learnt the fact that programming is the mother of TV industry.

During the period I was looking after the programme Ek Aur Nazariya.