Sudhir Vadaketh: Building Jom, Managing Fear & Publishing Bravely in Singapore – E609

Sudhir Vadaketh, Co-founder and Editor-in-Chief of Jom, returns to BRAVE after four years to share how he built a long-form journalism outlet in Singapore. He and Jeremy Au discuss the journey from solo writer to team manager, the real risks and support systems behind independent media, and how Jom navigates Singapore’s evolving boundaries on speech. They unpack the emotional weight of managing editorial freedom, public fear of backlash, and what bravery looks like in today’s media landscape. Sudhir also explains how Jom could grow across Southeast Asia while staying rooted in local storytelling.

02:00 Sudhir founded Jom to fill a missing niche in literary journalism: After years of contributing to platforms like Mothership and RICE, Sudhir realized that Singapore lacked a long-form, English-language publication focused on literary, thoughtful reporting. He launched Jom with ambitions to serve not just Singapore but a growing English-speaking audience across Southeast Asia.

04:00 Building the team started with salary stability and trust: To attract good people and avoid early burnout, Sudhir promised his co-founders and first employee a two-year minimum runway with modest pay. He prioritized financial stability overgrowth, knowing many media ventures collapse when salaries can’t be sustained.

09:49 Collaborative journalism values shaped Jom’s internal culture: Sudhir brought the collaborative instincts from his journalism background into Jom’s management. Team members collectively weigh in on everything—from editorial language on sensitive topics to pricing event tickets—creating a shared sense of responsibility and editorial rigor.

12:25 The team’s reaction to POFMA exposed leadership blind spots: When Jom received three POFMA correction orders, Sudhir took it in stride, but his teammates—especially younger ones—were rattled. He learned that being a leader also means holding emotional space and directly addressing the team's concerns in moments of pressure.

22:53 Fear of online backlash affects contributors and limits open dialogue: Writers and interviewees are often hesitant to go public, even on non-political pieces, due to fears of doxxing, trolling, or professional retaliation. This culture of fear, fueled by social media and polarized discourse, creates challenges for independent media.

30:38 Jom’s expansion model will prioritize local content through decentralized teams: Sudhir envisions future Jom teams embedded in cities like KL, Bangkok, or Jakarta. Each would produce 80 percent local content and 20 percent regional stories, ensure relevance and avoiding a top-down, Singapore-centric approach to Southeast Asia.

Watch, listen or read the full insight at https://www.bravesea.com/blog/sudhir-vadaketh-bravery-in-print

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