Journalist Mehdi Hasan announces new media venture Zeteo, says "Ready to Make Some Noise"
Urges people to become paid members because 'freedom isn't free'
Journalist Mehdi Hasan, known for his work with Al Jazeera English and MSNBC, announced the launch of his new media venture, Zeteo. The unveiling follows his departure from MSNBC, as his show was canceled in a network reshuffle in November 2023. The final episode of his Sunday night show aired on January 7, where Hasan expressed gratitude for his tenure on MSNBC and disclosed his decision to seek new challenges.
“I’m so excited about the launch of this new media company of mine, Zeteo,” Hasan wrote in his official post.
Zeteo, derived from ancient Greek, meaning 'seeking out,' aims to confront the prevalence of "alternative facts," "fake news," and "gaslighting" in the current media landscape. Hasan emphasized the need for truth-seeking and sharing amid the challenges posed by misinformation.
“In this dystopian age of ‘alternative facts,’ ‘fake news,’ and constant ‘gaslighting,’ seeking out the truth and sharing it with others is more important than ever before. And so it is the primary goal of this new media venture of mine,” Hassan added in his statement.
In response to what he views as the mainstream media's reluctance to address critical issues directly, Hasan outlined Zeteo's mission to prioritize truth-telling over maintaining connections to those in power. He asserted that in an era of widespread deceit, speaking the truth becomes a revolutionary act.
“I hope that Zeteo will be revolutionary in that sense, a vanguard of a new media movement. One which prioritizes speaking truth to power over securing access to power.
“Don’t get me wrong. I have spent more than two decades working at some of the biggest media organizations in the West - the BBC, Sky News, and NBC, among them - and I will forever be grateful for the opportunities, and the platforms that they gave me. There are hundreds of outstanding journalists still employed at those corporations.
“But the corporate media itself is in crisis. The business models are failing, audiences are declining, and public trust is in freefall. Countless crimes and abuses are being committed in plain sight, both at home and abroad, while countless news outlets distract us with fluff, gossip, and nonsense,” his statement added.
Hasan acknowledged the challenges facing traditional media, citing failing business models, declining audiences, and dwindling public trust. He positioned Zeteo as an alternative platform for robust interviews, deep-dive monologues, podcasts, newsletters, and social videos. Hasan emphasized the platform's commitment to transparency about its opinions and biases while delivering truthful content.
Zeteo's business model revolves around a subscription-based model where users pay a nominal fee for exclusive content and to support independent journalism. Hasan encouraged his audience to become paid subscribers, highlighting the opportunity to contribute to building an alternative media outlet.
The journalist outlined three primary reasons for subscribing to Zeteo. Firstly, it provides an opportunity for individuals critical of mainstream media to actively participate in building an alternative. Second, subscribers can support Mehdi Hasan's journalistic endeavors directly. Lastly, subscription fees will contribute to assembling a diverse team of contributors, ensuring Zeteo's content goes beyond a one-person operation.
Zeteo's content, including newsletters, clips, and more, will be freely accessible in the initial weeks leading up to the official launch in April. Hasan concluded by emphasizing the importance of supporting independent media and urged those advocating for a free press to contribute financially to ensure the platform's sustainability.
It's worth noting that Mehdi Hasan's departure from MSNBC drew attention and garnered support, with many praising his coverage of critical issues and criticizing the network for removing one of the few Muslim hosts from its lineup.
“We will be rolling out my new video and audio shows in April, both on Substack and on YouTube, plus Spotify and the rest, as well as all the names on our roster of American and international contributors. Over the next few weeks, as we prepare for the big launch, all of the content you get from Zeteo - newsletters, clips, etc. - will be free.
“But not forever. Because, to put it bluntly, freedom isn’t free. If we keep saying we want a free press, and an alternative to corporate media, then we have to be willing to put our money where our mouths are,” Hasan’s statement added.
“Zeteo is all about looking out of that window. Over and over again. To seek out the facts, to tell the truth, to ask the tough questions. We are clear-eyed about our role and our mission: to be journalists and not stenographers; truth-tellers and not gaslighters. So… are you with us?” it added.
To subscribe to Zeteo News, CLICK HERE.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Traffic fraud: Fake 'no-entry' sticker racket busted in Delhi, mastermind among 3 held
New Delhi (PTI): Police here have busted a crime syndicate involved in traffic fraud and extortion, arresting three people including the alleged mastermind who sold fake stickers to help commercial vehicles bypass no-entry restrictions, an official said on Saturday.
The police said they dismantled a third organised syndicate linked to traffic-related frauds, with the arrest of Rinku Rana alias Bhushan, his associate Sonu Sharma and Mukesh Kumar alias Pakodi, who was also connected to another extortion syndicate.
According to the police, Rinku Rana was running a well-organised network that facilitated the movement of commercial goods vehicles during restricted hours by selling fake 'marka' or stickers for Rs 2,000 to Rs 5,000 per vehicle every month. The stickers were falsely projected as authorisation to evade traffic challans.
During raids, the police recovered Rs 31 lakh in cash, property documents worth several crores of rupees, over 500 fake stickers and six mobile phones allegedly used to operate the syndicate.
The crackdown followed a complaint filed by a traffic police officer in April this year after a commercial vehicle tried to evade checking by producing a fake sticker claiming exemption from enforcement action.
Investigation revealed that social media groups were being used to coordinate the illegal movement of vehicles and alert drivers about traffic police checkpoints, police said.
"A parallel system was being run to cheat drivers and vehicle owners while undermining traffic enforcement. On the basis of evidence, provisions related to organised crime under the BNS were invoked," a senior police officer said.
Sonu Sharma, the police said, managed social media groups through which stickers were sold and real-time alerts were circulated regarding traffic police movement. He also acted as a link between Rana and drivers operating in the field.
In a related development, Mukesh Kumar alias Pakodi, an associate of Rajkumar alias Raju Meena, who was earlier arrested under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA), was also apprehended.
Mukesh allegedly helped extort money from transporters and was involved in blackmailing traffic police personnel by recording enforcement actions, the police said.
Investigators alleged the syndicate led by Rajkumar deployed drivers to deliberately violate traffic rules and secretly record police officials during challans, later using manipulated videos to extort money under threat of false allegations.
The police said that in total, eight accused belonging to three different organised crime syndicates linked to traffic frauds and extortion have been arrested so far.
Further investigation is underway to trace the remaining members, conduct financial probes, and analyse digital evidence recovered during the raids, officials added.
