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

"There's a lot of space in Singapore for honest journalism. I understand why people are fearful of saying certain things because of our history, but Singapore today is not Singapore under Lee Kuan Yew, when information was much more tightly controlled. The government hasn't necessarily been benevolent in opening up space—it’s been forced to do so by digital disruption. We have quite wide latitude to discuss different topics in Singapore today." - Sudhir Vadaketh, Co-founder and Editor-in-Chief of Jom

"What has worked really well is that as a writer and journalist, you naturally learn to form close relationships with your team and with the people you talk about, write about, and interview. You learn to form collaborative relationships with them. Not all journalists do—some have a very predatory relationship with the people they cover. The formal journalism I was trained in, certainly at The Economist Group and other places I worked, instilled in me a very collaborative approach to the people around me." - Sudhir Vadaketh, Co-founder and Editor-in-Chief of Jom

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.