Who We Are

Main Media (मैं मीडिया, Hindi for ‘I am Media’) is a hyper-local, video-first rural vernacular news platform based in the historically and politically marginalised Seemanchal-Kosi region of Bihar, India. Since our founding, we have expanded beyond the region to report stories from across Bihar and neighbouring districts of West Bengal, while remaining deeply rooted in the communities we serve.

Founded in 2018, Main Media was established on the belief that every community deserves to be heard. We are committed to reporting stories that mainstream media often overlooks, ensuring that rural voices, local concerns, and underreported issues receive the attention they deserve. Our journalism is grounded in the realities of rural India, where millions of people continue to face challenges that rarely make national headlines despite having a profound impact on their everyday lives.

Over the years, Main Media has earned a reputation as one of eastern India’s most trusted independent hyper-local news platforms by practising responsible, people-centred journalism. We believe the true story of India lies not only in its metropolitan centres but also in its villages, small towns, and underserved communities. Our mission is to amplify these voices, document their lived experiences, and ensure that their concerns reach citizens, policymakers, and institutions responsible for public welfare.

Our reporting focuses on issues that directly affect people’s lives, including systemic inequalities, agriculture, education, healthcare, climate change, governance, rural development, and employment. Alongside investigative reporting that exposes corruption, administrative negligence, and human rights concerns, we also highlight stories of resilience, innovation, and local success to inspire positive change. Through rigorous fact-checking, we work to counter misinformation, hate speech, and the vilification of marginalised communities. Every story we publish is guided by the principles of accuracy, fairness, editorial independence, and public interest.

At Main Media, we practise community-centred, non-extractive journalism. We believe journalism should be built with communities rather than merely reported about them. By spending time on the ground, listening to local voices, and reporting in the languages people speak, we strive to produce journalism that reflects the lived realities of our audiences with dignity, empathy, and authenticity.

Our work extends beyond the newsroom. We organise training workshops for aspiring rural journalists, equipping them with the skills to report from their own communities. Through media literacy programmes, we help citizens recognise misinformation and make informed decisions. We also host public screenings of our documentaries, creating spaces for dialogue, awareness, and civic participation around issues that matter most to local communities.

Today, Main Media serves audiences across Bihar, neighbouring parts of West Bengal, and the wider diaspora. We remain committed to ensuring that underrepresented communities are accurately represented and have access to credible, locally rooted journalism that strengthens democratic participation.

As we continue to grow, our vision remains unchanged: to become one of India’s most trusted independent hyper-local news organisations—placing rural voices at the centre of public discourse, championing ethical journalism, and proving that every story, regardless of where it originates, deserves to be told.

Who Owns Main Media

Main Media is operated by IMLEE MEDIA LLP (formerly Tanzil Utkarsh Rural Newsline LLP), a limited liability partnership incorporated on 28 July 2020 under Section 12(1) of the Limited Liability Partnership Act, 2008. The LLP Identification Number (LLPIN) is AAT-1061.

The organisation is led by its designated partners, Tanzil Asif and Umesh Kumar Ray.

The name IMLEE, the Hindi word for tamarind, reflects our roots and identity. Within our team, it also serves as a backronym for Independent Media Leading Ethical Engagement (IMLEE), representing our commitment to independent, ethical, and community-driven journalism.

Who Funds Main Media

Main Media is an independent news organisation supported through a combination of grants, journalism fellowships, platform programmes, and contributions from our audience.

In 2021, our founder, Tanzil Asif, was one of only six journalists from India selected for YouTube’s Creator Program for Independent Journalists. In the same year, Main Media was selected for the inaugural Google News Initiative (GNI) Startups Lab India, recognising our potential to build a sustainable local news organisation.

From 1 June 2022 to 30 September 2025, Main Media received support from the Independent and Public-Spirited Media Foundation (IPSMF) to strengthen hyper-local reporting on systemic issues across the Seemanchal region.

In 2022, we were also selected for the Google News Initiative News Equity Fund. Our work has since been recognised through programmes including DataLEADS’ FactShala Innovation Lab (2023) and the Earth Journalism Network (EJN) Asia-Pacific Media Grants (2025).

Alongside institutional support, a growing community of readers and viewers contributes through monthly memberships on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and directly via our website. These contributions play an essential role in helping us build a sustainable, reader-supported newsroom while preserving our editorial independence.

We are committed to transparency about our funding and firmly maintain that no donor, partner, or supporter has any influence over our editorial decisions. Our journalism is guided solely by the principles of accuracy, fairness, independence, and the public interest.