Soobramoney says, "I am fully cognisant of the weight this role plays within our own organisation as well as that of the South Africa media industry."

"The responsibility is not to be taken lightly. I would like to thank Nair for her contribution to the office of the ombudsman, our colleagues and Iqbal Survé for the opportunity," adds Soobramoney.

"The cornerstone of self-regulation is public trust. We need to ensure that we hold ourselves accountable to the standards that define excellence within our industry, so we may provide our audiences with high-quality, accurate content that builds trust," says Soobramoney.

"I shall, therefore, endeavour to build on the example and foundation — set by Nair and her team — to further promote trust and journalistic ethics and standards across the group, so that our readers can count on us for objective and impartial reporting as well as their review requests," Soobramoney adds.

According to Independent Media, the new press ombudsman's credentials and substantial experience lend themselves to taking up this important role within the organisation. Soobramoney's career has spanned numerous roles, giving him a unique insight into the media house and the media landscape itself.

Soobramoney joined Independent Media in 2011 as a reporter at POST after a stint in community radio and newspapers. In 2013, he conceptualised and led an award-winning civic journalism campaign that received national acclaim.

After taking a hiatus in 2014 to pursue learnings in digital convergence at the Thomson Foundation in the United Kingdom, Soobramoney was appointed team leader of mobile journalism on his return.

He developed and lead Africa's first mobile journalism newsroom that trained young journalists in how to create digital content using smartphones. His mobile journalism unit scooped multiple local, continental and international awards for their innovation in storytelling and journalism.

Soobramoney subsequently played a role in training journalists and editors within the group on:
  • digital content
  • multimedia creation, and
  • digital storytelling.

As a globally recognised media trainer, he has also conducted digital storytelling and mobile journalism training for journalists in several countries across Europe and Asia.

Leading several media innovation projects within the group, he has also held numerous senior editorial roles including:
  • group head of multimedia
  • deputy editor of business report
  • head of digital content
  • national editor of live news
  • editor of enterprise and development, and
  • editor of Africa and world.

Iqbal Survé, non-executive chairperson of Independent Media, says, "Soobramoney is a highly skilled media professional who has proven his worth and versatility across the group. I have no doubt that, as Independent Media's press ombudsman, he will bring his professional conduct and oversight to bear and ensure that our independent internal processes maintain their utmost integrity."

"I am pleased he has accepted this role and thank him for his continued dedication to upholding excellent journalistic standards," concludes Survé.

For more information, visit www.independentmedia.co.za.