It took the power of News Corp to get Australia to bring in the world-first Under-16 social media ban - well, according to News Corp's tabloids it did. The ban comes into force today and it will see as many as half a million children under the age of 16 booted off a range of social media platforms. This morning Sydney's Daily Telegraph ('It's great to be a kid again'), Melbourne's Herald Sun ('Let us be kids'), Queensland's Courier-Mail ('Today childhood will be rebooted') and Adelaide's The Advertiser ('See u in realsies'), and even the NT News which generally likes to plough its own furrow up north has 'Digital media reboot' as its main story. It almost seems like a planned campaign...and of course it was and it is. Those Murdoch-owned papers give themselves a really good series of pats on the back today after their Let Them Be Kids campaign was heralded thus this morning in the Daily Telegraph 

With the aim of simplifying the Government of India’s development schemes, Oneindia has launched ‘Viksit Bharat’, a new government-focused content series. The initiative seeks to reduce confusion around major public programmes and present verified, easy-to-understand information for citizens. According to Medianews4U, two fictional characters lead every episode: Viksit, a young and curious Gen-Z voice, and Bharat, a wise elder who explains the purpose and importance of government policies. Viksit asks questions about government spending, while Bharat breaks down how each policy supports progress and impacts ordinary citizens. Each weekly episode will highlight one scheme, explaining its benefits for people, real-life applications, and national relevance. Viewers learn why a programme exists and how it contributes to India’s development journey. Episodes will premiere on Oneindia’s YouTube channel, which has 21.8 million subscribers, with additional in

The second edition of the Necc-Journalist Premier League (JPL) got underway at the MLRIT Cricket Grounds in Dundigal on Sunday, Dec 7, with former minister and MLA T Harish Rao declaring the tournament open. Rao launched the jerseys of all 10 media teams and conducted the ceremonial toss before the opening match. He also pointed out that journalists, along with politicians, police personnel and doctors are among the professions that constantly work under pressure and rarely find time for themselves as they continue to serve the public, Telangana Today reported.

The Supreme Court has asked the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to reply within three days to the bail request of journalist Mahesh Langa, who is in jail in a money-laundering case linked to an alleged financial fraud. A bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi also told senior lawyer Kapil Sibal, who is representing Langa, to file his response within two days after the ED submits its reply. The court will hear the case again on December 15. The ED’s money-laundering case is based on two FIRs filed by Ahmedabad Police, accusing Langa of fraud, cheating, breach of trust, and causing financial losses to several people. During the short hearing, Sibal told the court that the journalist is facing six different cases. The ED’s lawyer said Langa has been accused of extortion and sought a short delay as Solicitor General Tushar Mehta was not available. Earlier, on September 8, the Supreme Court had asked the Gujarat government and the ED to respond to Langa’s

Sorta Famous has officially launched in India, offering a fresh approach to brand communication. The agency wants to help companies stay relevant by combining traditional PR with today’s cultural trends. Sorta Famous has been founded by communications strategist Nandini Mahant. The agency will handle brand communication, media outreach, digital PR, thought leadership, creator partnerships, and reputation management for both new and established brands. Mahant said India’s communication space is changing fast, and brands now need more than standard PR. “Brands need cultural intelligence. We want to help them show up in ways that feel real and relevant,” she said. She added that the agency’s work will focus on clarity, creativity, and credibility. “We want to build long-term influence, not short-term hype,” Mahant said. Sorta Famous will work remotely across India for now, with plans to set up teams in major metro cities next year.

As passengers continue to suffer due to Indigo flight cancellations, the airline is likely to have its schedule cut by five percent and the same — roughly about 110 daily flights — could be given to other airlines that have the resources to add capacity. A livid govt is mulling incremental cuts to the schedule starting with five per cent, followed by additional five percent in coming days, if need be, adding that other actions are also being considered in the wake of the severe disruptions caused by flight cancellations.   Hot Off the Press In its reply to the DGCA’s show-cause notice, a “profusely apologetic” IndiGo has blamed a combination of five factors, including new flight duty time limitation (FDTL) rules and winter schedule-related changes, for its massive flight disruptions. The airline said given the scale of its operations, it is “realistically not possible to pinpoint the exact cause(s)” in the time given. It sought more

When journalist Shobana Radhakrishnan received a jury citation at the 15th Laadli Media & Advertising Awards for Gender Sensitivity (2025), she called the recognition both humbling and hopeful. “I’m glad it’s been recognised for a very important issue raised in the articles,” she said. “I’m grateful to Laadli and the Citizen Matters for supporting throughout the series. I hope this recognition takes the issue to policymakers, or to anyone who needs to notice it. It also encourages other journalists who work on sensitive issues.” Shobana’s award-winning series for Citizen Matters examined a critical but underreported question: how unplanned, state-led evictions in Chennai are linked to rising domestic violence in resettlement areas. Her interest in housing and displacement dates back to 2022. While reporting from different eviction sites, she repeatedly encountered the same troubling pattern, families pushed into remote areas and wo