The Karnataka Union of Working Journalists- R (KUWJ-R) has condoled the death of veteran journalist Bandigadi Nanjundappa, editor of Voice of Shivamogga, recalling his dedication to journalism and his contributions to journalists’ organisations. Nanjundappa remained committed to KUWJ and actively supported the growth of the journalism fraternity. He as well served for several years as president of the Newspaper Editors’ Association and as a member of its national council, taking an active interest in the activities of journalists’ organisations. Even at the age of 75, Nanjundappa enthusiastically participated in sports events and won prizes. Known for his friendly nature, he maintained cordial relationships with everyone and remained active throughout his life. Describing his death as an irreparable loss to the journalism fraternity, state president Shivanand Tagadur said his contributions and commitment would be remembered.  

Chalmers flags a “year of pain” as populist politics bites Treasurer Jim Chalmers is warning Australians to brace for tougher economic conditions, while urging progressives not to sneer at One Nation voters as cost-of-living pressure reshapes the political map. The message underscores Labor’s vulnerability heading into the next election: economic headwinds are colliding with cultural division and a rise in protest voting. Covered by: Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, The Australian. Labor’s trust tax hits fresh resistance as states baulk Labor’s proposed 30% minimum tax on discretionary trusts has run into another obstacle, with states resisting a federal push to waive stamp duty for people and businesses forced to restructure out of trusts. The standoff raises the risk the reform becomes politically toxic and practically unworkable, threatening a key budget measure and adding to caucus nerves. Covered by: Australian Financial Review, Australian Financia

Nathanael Cooper has swapped The Daily Telegraph for The West Australian, joining as editor of The Sunday Times Magazine. The magazine is the weekly Sunday lifestyle supplement to the paper, covering fashion, food, society and popular culture.  Cooper told Influencing that he spotted the role advertised, reached out to his old boss Chris Dore to express interest, “and then it all moved very quickly”.  Cooper said the magazine, now in its 21st year, is a great resource “whether you want to know where to get a great meal, or where to buy the latest fashion, or who matters in Perth”. Cooper said his aim was “to take that incredible legacy and continue it and expand on it.” “I think there are amazing opportunities with digital for people, not just in Western Australia, but all over Australia to learn more about the great things that are happening here.”  Cooper said PRs can best get a read on what to pitch by reading th

Monday night’s Media Watch segment titled “Tick of Approval” looked into retirement expert Rebecca Wilson’s level of disclosure when it came to her partnerships with super funds.  The story centres on the launch of Wilson’s The Retirement Tick, which assessed super funds on what they do for members in retirement. It featured in her columns for The Sunday Age and in her TV appearances on Nine’s Today Extra. Host Linton Besser cited Wilson’s column, which said the report was to “give consumers a way to identify the super funds that were truly doing a good job.” Eight funds earned her tick of approval. Besser focused on AMP Super, noting Wilson singled it out three times during a TV appearance. Besser revealed that AMP Super had partnered with Wilson, pointing to an AMP Super press release and a LinkedIn post from Wilson about a podcast episode with an AMP Super executive. The post carried the hashtag #ad. The host also cit

The Federation of Press Clubs has called for a structured mechanism to provide free legal assistance to journalists facing legal challenges arising from their professional work, with a particular focus on independent journalists who lack institutional backing. The decision was taken at the Federation’s Governing Council meeting in Indore during the three-day Bharatiya Patrakarita Mahotsav, organised by the Madhya Pradesh State Press Club recently. The need for institutional support was highlighted by journalists Amarkant Chauhan and Shashikant Goel from Bhind, who spoke about the challenges of ground-level reporting and the legal assistance extended to them by the Press Club of India and the Madhya Pradesh State Press Club. Their experiences underlined the difficulties journalists can face while discharging their professional responsibilities, particularly when they do not have the financial resources or institutional support to access legal services. The matters they referr

Artificial intelligence is becoming part of everyday newsroom work, helping journalists transcribe interviews, process information, translate content and prepare stories under tight deadlines. While these tools can reduce workloads, journalists say their growing use is also changing the skills newsrooms require and raising questions about creativity, independent thinking and editorial judgment. Similarly, a WARC report cited that 56% of strategists fear AI could replace their roles, while 65% say it frees up time for deeper strategic thinking. Though focused on strategists, the findings reflect a wider debate about AI’s impact on professional roles, including journalism. For Praveen Kumar, senior correspondent at Pudhiya Thalaimurai, one concern is the effect of AI on a journalist's individual writing style. “AI tools such as Gemini and ChatGPT can imitate the writing styles of publications or individual authors through specific prompts. While this makes writing fa

Jessica Foss Howard steps up at Campus Jessica Foss Howard has been promoted to account manager at Campus Group. “Since starting the transition into Account Manager responsibilities in April, it’s been a busy couple of months - from managing the UNiDAYS, New Balance and Samsung O‑Week activations across New South Wales, to delivering an Auckland University brand activation and media campaign for The Ordinary, as well as leading the Airbnb Uni Rep campaign, the first of its kind in Australia,” she wrote on LinkedIn.  She previously worked at ThisThat, Caramel Ltd in London before joining Campus in 2024.  Montana Scott elevates at MCMPR Montana Scott has stepped up to a senior account director at MCMPR.  She has been with the agency since 2022 and previously worked at Eleven, onetwo agency, KOOKAI Australia, and Graffiti Experiential. BYD ANZ seeks PR manager BYD ANZ is looking to hire a PR manager based in Mulgrave. Based at BYD Australia'