In a May 2009 interview with senior journalist Anil Thakraney in Impact magazine, former editor, columnist and television personality Vir Sanghvi said the following on being asked about who’s his favourite TV journo — Arnab, Rajdeep or Barkha: “Barkha. Because of her range of programmes. I think she’s India’s best reporter. She does ‘The buck stops here’, which is a serious political programme. She also does Oprah-like ‘We the People’. Rajdeep is a brilliant journalist, but I can’t see people opening up and crying to Rajdeep. And Arnab is very good at just one thing, doing that one discussion show, but that’s it.”

Nearly five years later and four years after the Radia tapes controversy, I would say Vir’s words still hold true. Barkha Dutt is undoubtedly better in doing certain kind of shows. Indeed she isn’t as argumentative and offensive as Arnab Goswami is. She’s possibly not as versatile as Rajdeep is who is as comfortable with a cricketer and a film star as he is with politicians.