Arnab Goswami's Republic launched: Twitter says 'don' is back, #LaluExposed

Twitterati responded to Arnab Goswami's allegations in customary Twitter style; memes flow

After much talk and media hype, Arnab Goswami’s Republic TV went live on Saturday morning - and even before viewers settled to listen to the anchor's 'Super exclusive', trends like #Republic, #May6WithArnab and #LaluTapeExposed were trending on Twitter.

Prior to the channel's launch, billboards had sprung up across cities with larger-than-life portraits of Arnab Goswami announcing the imminent launch of his new media venture. Then, there were short "see you soon" postcard videos of Goswami’s targets -- from Rahul Gandhi to Arvind Kejriwal -- put on social media.

The tagline went "the nation STILL wants to know". For today, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RLD) supremo Lalu Prasad was the target. Goswami hurled his bomb at him in the form of a tape in which Lalu Prasad is heard having a conversation with jailed criminal-turned-politician Mohammad Shahabuddin. 

Twitterati responded to his allegations in their customary style -- with memes. Some also welcomed the high-voltaged anchor back.

While a Twitter user joked on his channel's debut, saying: "Arnab is sounding like the principal of my school on Republic Day. Thanking everyone on behalf of the school," another dug out singer Sonu Nigam's case in which he condemned noise caused by "forced religiousness". The Twitter user said, "Waiting for Sonu Nigam to tweet against morning noise".

Many other users, veteran actor Anupam Kher among them, wished Goswami and his team well for a new beginning.

A Facebook users hailed Goswami as "don", and said, "Lalu is in trouble".

Here are some Tweets and Facebook posts on Republic's debut:

Arnab Goswami’s news channel Republic TV, meanwhile became the first Indian news channel to be streamed live on Star India’s digital platform Hotstar.

"Dear viewers, you've supported me over the years & Republic is the result of your faith. I am happy to tell you that Republic TV is a free to air channel. From Kashmir to Kanyakumari and Northeast to Gujarat, Republic TV is FTA (FREE TO AIR). My young, passionate, idealistic & committed news team needs your support. This committed news team is putting out a FREE TO AIR channel for you. Back them, contact your cable/DTH provider now," said Goswami.

Recently, Goswami held a session on Reddit, inviting people to ask questions. The questions redditors asked varied from Goswami's favourite interview and the car he drives, to Republic TV's international plans. 

On a question about Indian mainstream media having a politically left-liberal bias, he said, the whole left-liberal phrase is a charade. How can the Delhi Gymkhana circuit be leftist? Leftists cannot be liberal and those who are liberal cannot be leftists. So it is also an oxymoron.

The channel, owned by Arnab Goswami’s own company, ARG Outlier Media, has been mired in controversies since the announcement of its launch. Business Standard had earlier reported that Rajeev Chandrasekhar, a Rajya Sabha MP and vice-chairman of the National Democratic Alliance in Kerala, is one of the largest investors in the venture.

In January, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) National Executive member and Rajya Sabha MP Subramanian Swamy had written a letter to the Secretary, Ministry of I&B, asking them how a tv channel could be allowed to use the name Republic as the usage of the term is restricted under the Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act, 1950. (Read more)

In April, Times Group had sent a legal notice to Arnab Goswami asking him not to use the phrase, “nation wants to know”? The catch-phrase was popularised by the former Times Now anchor. Times Now is a channel owned by the Times Group and they said the phrase is their intellectual property, Business Standard had reported.