The people of Beta 2023

Semafor

Singapore

Gina Chua is Executive Editor at Semafor, a new global news startup, and previously Executive Editor at Reuters. She transitioned in late 2020 while at Reuters.

Exile Hub

Norway

December Khaing is Communications & Advocacy Manager at Exile Hub. She has seven years in the international NGO sector with organisations such as ActionAid, WorldVision/VisionFund, and Partners Norway.

YouTuber

South Korea

Alpago Şinasi is a Turkish-born journalist, YouTuber, and stand-up comedian based in South Korea. His videos, mainly in Korean, have almost 5 million views on YouTube.

Creator

Philippines

Your Tita Baby is a hilarious drag content creator from the Philippines with a following across Instagram, YouTube and TikTok. She works with journalists against disinformation.

Sifter

Ethiopia

Maya is a freelance reporter based in Addis Abeba, Ethiopia, and runs a weekly newsletter called Sifter. She covers human rights stories with a special interest in women and labour rights issues.

The Gender Beat

India

Ankita Anand is a cross-border journalist, co-founder of The Gender Beat, and an editor with Unbias the News.

Newsworthy

India

Anubha Bhonsle is the founder of Newsworthy, a media startup creating social impact for businesses, the planet and people through strategy, design and storytelling. An author, journalist, and filmmaker, Anubha has a body of work intersecting rights, gender and politics.

Thibi

Myanmar

Yan Naung Oak is the founder of Thibi, a consultancy working in the space between data and design. He works with media and civil organisations across Southeast Asia to help them use data for storytelling and advocacy.

Josh Talks

India

Varun Khera leads the partnerships division at Josh Talks, an impact media platform. He works with partners such as Meta, Amazon, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to drive change.

Hong Kong Free Press

United Kingdom

Tom Grundy is the editor-in-chief and founder of Hong Kong Free Press. He has contributed to the BBC, Euronews, Al-Jazeera and others.

Kiripost

Cambodia

Tharum Bun is the co-founder of Kiripost, a modern media startup that covers business and tech in Cambodia.

Sanity by Tanmoy

India

Tanmoy Goswami is a mental health storyteller and the creator of Sanity by Tanmoy. He’s a LinkedIn Top Voice in social impact and a Reuters Institute Fellow.

Zamaneh Media

India

Sudeshna Chanda is Business Development and Innovation Manager at Zamaneh Media, an Amsterdam-based exiled media for Iran that co-founded the Network of Exiled Media Outlets.

YouTube Asia Pacific

South Korea

Stephanie Park is responsible for go-to-market strategy and partnerships with news and health organisations for YouTube across Asia Pacific. She executes on YouTube's efforts to elevate authoritative information-based sources in the region.

North Base Media

Serbia

Saša Vučinić is a Serbian journalist, the co-founder of North Base Media VC, and co-founder and former CEO and Managing Director of the Media Development Loan Fund.

Inclusive Journalism

The Netherlands

Sanne Breimer is a global independent journalism trainer, mentor, and founder of Inclusive Journalism.

Himal Southasian

Nepal

Roman Gautam is the Editor at Himal Southasian. He was earlier a Senior Editor at The Caravan.

Facilitator, interpreter, and translator

Myanmar

Pwint Hlwar is a facilitator, interpreter, and translator for different NGOs, including the civilian government in Myanmar for more than eight years. Pwint was also part of the team that adapted the MethodKit for Podcasts into Burmese.

Journalism business coach

United States of America

Phillip Smith is a veteran journalism business coach. His passion is helping newsrooms to make more money, helping news startups grow their audience, and helping journalists succeed as entrepreneurs.

AFP

Thailand

Nattakorn Ploddee is the head of digital investigations for Southeast Asia at AFP in Bangkok and has been training local journalists in AFP’s digital verification workshops. Previously, he worked as a journalist in Thailand.

Democratic Voice of Burma

Thailand

Mon Mon Myat is an independent writer and journalist from Myanmar with over 20 years of experience. She is the bureau chief at the Democratic Voice of Burma in Chiang Mai.

Hong Kong Free Press

United Kingdom

Mercedes Hutton is HKFP's executive editor. She has written for the Guardian and the BBC and previously worked at the South China Morning Post.

Pulitzer Center

Malaysia

Kuek Ser Kuang Keng is a digital journalist, data journalism trainer, and media consultant based in Kuala Lumpur. He is also a data editor at the Pulitzer Center, a U.S.-based non-profit supporting journalism.

Media Development Investment Fund

India

Koreel Lahiri is the Investment Director for Asia at MDIF. He has more than 15 years’ experience in media investing, strategy and editorial, and has served in senior investment, strategy, and operational roles in various large Indian media organisations.

YouTuber, journalist, and humanitarian aid worker

Japan

Kanta Hara is a Japanese YouTuber, journalist, and humanitarian aid worker who focuses on humanitarian causes in Africa. He's used his YouTube channel to put a spotlight on poverty and human rights issues in Uganda, Congo, and Sudan.

TNL Mediagene

Taiwan

Joey Chung is the Co-Founder and CEO of TNL Mediagene, a rapidly growing digital advertising, data analytics, and media platform in Asia.

Initium Media

China

Jin Ding is the CEO of Initium Media. She is an experienced journalist with expertise in global reporting, program management, fundraising, and inclusive journalism. Jin began her career in China as a sports journalist.

Journalist

Myanmar

Jack Aung, an award-winning multimedia journalist who went from reporting and editing at Mon News Agency to producing and reporting for BBC News, Aljazeera, and Asia Calling. He's also a pioneering mobile journalism trainer in Myanmar.

International Fund for Public Interest Media

United States of America

Irene Jay Liu is regional director for Asia and the Pacific at the International Fund for Public Interest Media, based in Singapore. Previously, she led the Google News Lab in APAC and was an investigative reporter and data editor at Reuters.

Hong Kong Free Press

Hong Kong

Hillary Leung is an HKFP reporter and editor. She reported on Asia – including on Hong Kong’s 2019 protests – for TIME Magazine and covered local news at Coconuts Hong Kong.