Renowned journalist and founding editor of the Assamese fortnightly Prantik, Pradip Baruah, passed away on Wednesday, January 14, following a cardiac arrest. He was 88. Pradip Baruah founded Prantikin 1981 and remained at its helm for over four decades, shaping it into one of Assam’s most respected and influential literary and cultural magazines. Under his leadership, the publication became a platform for serious journalism, literature, and intellectual debate. Over the years, Prantik played a crucial role in nurturing and encouraging generations of Assamese writers, poets, thinkers, and social commentators. Known for his fiercely independent editorial vision, Baruah was widely admired for upholding high editorial standards and for keeping the magazine free from commercial and political pressures. Speaking to the media after his demise, his daughter said, “My father was always independent. He never wanted to work under anyone. For him, Prantikwas like his child. We will do ever

The District Magistrate of South Tripura, Muhammad Sajad P, recently held a meeting with journalists from across the district. During the meeting, various issues concerning the media fraternity were discussed, including the infrastructural development of press clubs and a proposal to allocate a new site for the Santirbazar Press Club. Following the meeting, journalists expressed optimism that their concerns would be addressed, Tripura Chronicle reported.

Image edited by Dinesh Raj M   Any journalist worth his or her salt would have a long file of defamation suits they have faced over their career. Some even consider it as a mark of honour for fearless reporting and, more often that not, these cases end up in a compromise after the initial showdown. In India, reporters and editors frequently face defamation lawsuits, often as a tactic to silence critical reporting, with cases involving public figures, corporations, and even police alleging harm to their reputation though legal defenses like "truth" and "fair comment" are crucial for journalists, who argue their work serves the public interest and should be protected, even if facts are "unpalatable". Though rare, there are certain situations when a journalist is forced to file a defamation suit to protect his or her reputation in this era of social media outpour when everyone with an opinion has a mouthful to offload. Last week, the Delhi High C

  A controversy has erupted after journalists were allegedly insulted and manhandled during a press conference attended by senior Cabinet Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya, NDTV reported. The incident occurred at a private hotel during an event linked to the Vikasit Bharat Rozgar Evam Aajeevika Mission Guarantee Scheme (VB‑JIRAMJI). Journalists present said tensions began even before the programme started, when the minister’s social media in‑charge, Lakshmi, allegedly created a dispute over seating arrangements. After the press conference concluded, reporters attempted to ask questions about the Bhojshala‑Kamal Maulana Mosque issue ahead of Basant Panchami (January 23) and the Congress’s Nyay Yatra. Vijayvargiya reportedly left the stage without responding. Soon after, journalists allege that his social media in‑charge and security staff misbehaved, used abusive language, and physically pushed some reporters. The incident sparked anger among media persons, wh

MLA Asif (Raju) Sait said “Journalists should act as the voice of North Karnataka and help inform the public about the many issues faced by districts in the region” in Belagavi on Monday. As per The Hindu, he said journalists must raise questions about the injustice faced by North Karnataka under successive governments. According to him, this has created a situation where some people are demanding a separate North Karnataka state. While he does not support such demands, he believes strong and concrete steps are needed to address the problems and correct the situation.

Two senior journalists from The Federal Karnataka have been honoured with prestigious journalism awards in recognition of their outstanding work.   Naveen Ammembala, Associate Editor and head of The Federal Karnataka’s Kannada edition, received the Bengaluru Press Club Annual Award (2025) for his impactful special reports and editorial excellence. With over 28 years of experience, Ammembala’s extensive reporting includes coverage of major events such as the IISc terror attack and the murder of an IT professional in 2005, as well as significant investigative work on issues like the Kolar tomato farmers’ distress, the MUDA scam and the disappearance of key government documents. His award was presented by Basavaraj Horatti, Chairman of the Karnataka Legislative Council, at a ceremony recognising distinguished media professionals.   Prabhu Swamy Natekar, Senior Correspondent with The Federal Karnataka, was selected for the Karnataka Media Academy A

Chris Griffith has gone bigger and better with his AI Chatbot, the Griffbot, releasing a second upgraded version.  The Griffbot was initially launched in August as a way for Griffith’s website guests to ask questions about any of his reporting efforts, with the journo referring to it as “a Q&A session.”  But he says V2 is even better.   “It’s faster and more reliable,” he told Influencing. “I went to a more specialised platform in BotPress, which is a fairly powerful development platform for AI chatbots. It was pretty reliable and uses localised databases.”  In his experience using the BotPress platform, he found that a user is able to extend capabilities by adding code themselves.  “There’s the ability to ask for a transcript, or email from within, and that could be extended to a business or a user who wants to download some standard documents instead of contacting people via phone.”  He added, “If you build up your own repertoire of add-ons,