Mumbai: Senior journalist Palki Sharma has stepped down as Managing Editor of Firstpost, marking the end of a high-impact editorial stint that reshaped the platform’s global news positioning. The development was communicated internally to employees of Network18, according to a report by Exchange4media.
Sharma is expected to launch her own independent media venture following her exit, people familiar with the matter said.
She had joined Firstpost in early 2023 after a widely tracked departure from WION, where she created and anchored Gravitas—a show that helped redefine India’s international news commentary for digital-first audiences.
At Firstpost, Sharma launched and anchored Vantage, positioning it as the platform’s flagship international news programme. The show went on to become one of the most-watched daily global news formats in India’s digital news ecosystem, particularly on YouTube.
During her tenure, Firstpost significantly expanded its international reporting footprint, sharpened its editorial voice on geopolitics from an India-first perspective, and recorded strong growth across digital and video platforms. The newsroom’s global affairs coverage, in particular, emerged as a key audience differentiator under her leadership.
Sharma brings close to 25 years of journalistic experience, having previously worked with organisations including ITV Network, Network18, Doordarshan News and The Hindustan Times.
Following her exit, Firstpost has appointed senior journalist Binoy Prabhakar as Chief Content Officer to oversee editorial operations and steer the next phase of content strategy.
