John Martinkus.   A couple of real stalwarts of Australian media have passed away this last week, one a war correspondent who spent time covering conflict from the jungles of south-east Asia and further afield, the other a leading TV broadcaster familiar to many.  I first met war reporter John Martinkus in 1998 when he had a brief stop in Sydney and was introduced by a mutual journalist friend. He was young - just 29 then - but earnest, softly spoken - we joked that was because he had to keep his voice down in the jungle - and he told us he was about to set off for East Timor.  In The Age, Kerrie O’Brien has put together a wonderful piece on John’s life - he was 56 when he passed away in Melbourne on Sunday. It’s well worth a read, not least to discover the path he took in journalism and the coverage he delivered, which in East Timor's case - where he embedded with the guerrillas fighting for independence - really did get the story out and tell it to the world with passi

Welcome to Thursday. The only connecting theme across our dailies this morning is the passing of actor Robert Redford, so let's spend a moment reflecting on his career, not least - for all us media tragics - his role as Washington Post journalist Bob Woodward alongside Dustin Hoffman as Carl Bernstein in the standout 1976 movie All The President's Men. Watching that in the last year of high school set me on my path to journalism. The following year, I began my journalism training. Fast forward to now, and across the pond, journalism - proper journalism - is under pressure like never before, multi-billion dollar defamation lawsuits flourish, while in the middle-east journalists are clearly seen as legitimate targets.  Alright, so let's get into our local news this morning, and The Australian has rolled out its very own line-up of star journalists to take a look at the failure - at the time of writing - of PM Albanese and Papua New Guinea's PM James Marape - to sign a mutual

Ahead of Durga Puja, Dharampal Satyapal Group (DS Group) and TV9 Bangla have launched Season 3 of Pujoy Pulse, running September 4 to October 8, 2025. This edition spotlights Pulse Golmol, an imli-flavoured candy positioned to blend nostalgia with Puja traditions. The theme, “GOL KA MOL,” celebrates the circular icons of Pujo—bindi, bangles, dhunuchi, rosogolla, and the puja thali—and places Bengal’s women at the centre as keepers of tradition and drivers of change. Key elements this year include an AI-powered storytelling film, a “real-life Durgas” roundtable, showcases of women artisans, and the Pujoy Pulse canter roadshow. Ashish Bhargava, Senior General Manager, Marketing, Confectionery, DS Group, said, “Pujoy Pulse Season 3 is a heartfelt tribute to the traditions of Pujo and the women who sustain them. With Pulse Golmol as the centerpiece, we celebrate resilience, artistry, and the timeless joy of togetherness.” Amritanshu Bhattacharya, Managing Editor and

          In yet another troubling incident that raises concerns about press freedom, BJP minister Jibesh Mishra has been accused of assaulting a journalist for asking a question on road conditions in Jale constituency. The alleged incident, which took place during the minister’s visit, has sparked outrage among media circles. A video, now widely circulated on social media, shows Mishra shouting at and allegedly manhandling the journalist, prompting questions about the protection of journalists from such assaults. Meanwhile, as reported by India Today, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader and Leader of Opposition in the Bihar Assembly, Tejashwi Yadav, on Monday, 15th September during a press conference in Patna, accused state Urban Development and Housing Minister and BJP leader Jibesh Kumar Mishra of misbehaving with the journalist and demanded that an FIR be lodged against him. Yadav played the purported video showing Mishra shouting at and manhandling the

  The Press Club of India (PCI) condemned what it called the targeting of the editor and journalists of Sakshi by the Andhra Pradesh Police, calling it an attempt to intimidate the media for routine reporting. It urged Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu to direct the police to avoid “fishing expeditions” against journalists acting in the public interest. Speaking to Influencing India, PCI president Gautam Lahiri said, “It’s a disturbing trend across the country where multiple FIRs are filed in different jurisdictions against journalists for publishing news that is seen as inconvenient to those in power.” He added, “The Press Club of India reiterated its longstanding position that editorial disputes should be resolved through civil legal processes rather than criminal prosecutions.” Lahiri remarked, “While the law must be upheld equally for all, it should not be weaponised to selectively prosecute the press.” According to the PCI, four FIRs have been filed in d

Image source: MDPI, The Hindu and TOI; Edited by Dinesh Raj M   In one of the worst natural disasters to hit Doon valley in recent times, at least 13 people died in rain-related incidents and 16 others were missing as torrential downpour across Dehradun district on Monday night and early Tuesday washed away bridges and markets, and damaged key roads. As another spell of heavy rains ravaged monsoon-battered Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, triggering flash floods and landslides, at least 18 people were reportedly killed in the two states.  Hot off the Press The worst-hit areas were Sahastradhara and Maldevta on Dehradun’s outskirts. At least 70 villagers were evacuated from Sahastradhara, a popular picnic spot, by SDRF, while debris washed away the area’s main market, carrying away with it several shops catering to tourists. Landslides damaged the Sahastradhara-Karligad motor road at more than nine locations while the raging Song River swept away a portion of the road at

Vertoz Limited, a global MadTech and CloudTech platform company, has secured the communications mandate for XLRI - Xavier School of Management, Jamshedpur, expanding its clientele across the education sector.   Vertoz will lead XLRI’s communication strategy across content, PR and digital platforms. The agency aims to build a strong communication framework for XLRI that goes beyond conventional communication, focusing on authentic storytelling, industry dialogues, and narratives that highlight XLRI’s contribution to shaping leadership in India and globally.  Hiren Shah, managing director of Vertoz, said, “This partnership is more than a contract – it is a new relationship built on trust and the power of meaningful communication and impact. As I have said earlier, education is the foundation of tomorrow, and when an institution like XLRI chooses to collaborate with us, it validates our belief that institutions don’t need more media; they need smarter media. We