A feature story by Bandipora-based journalist Shaizan Nadaf has been selected for the 11th edition of the Gender Bender Festival 2026, scheduled to be held in Bengaluru from November 19 to 22, reported Kashmir News Service. Titled 'Kashmir's Wular is Sick, and Its Women Know It', the story was published by Free Press Kashmir in August 2026. It examines the deteriorating condition of Wular Lake and its impact on women whose livelihoods depend on water chestnut harvesting. Festival organiser Sandbox Collective announced the selection on November 4. Nadaf's work will be showcased alongside other selected entries at the four-day event, which focuses on gender, identity and social issues. Reacting to the recognition, Nadaf said the selection was encouraging as it brought national attention to the struggles of local communities in Kashmir. He added that it would motivate him to continue reporting on underreported environmental and social issues.

Pushkar Singh Dhami, Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, has underscored the importance of fact-checking in journalism and announced measures aimed at improving journalists' welfare. Speaking at the Deepawali Mahotsav organised by the Uttaranchal Press Club in Dehradun, Dhami said the spread of fake news and misinformation has increased the responsibility of journalists to verify facts and provide accurate, unbiased reporting. (Please credit news source)  He said credible journalism helps prevent confusion and strengthens democratic values, while also highlighting the media's role in providing feedback on government schemes and development initiatives. Dhami announced plans to increase the number of accredited journalists at the tehsil, district and state levels, along with a hike in journalist pensions. He added that the Journalist Welfare Fund had been increased from 5 crore to 10 crore and said the government had taken steps to support journalists through safety measure

  “I hesitated several times about writing this piece. I didn’t want to be accused of self-indulgence or sensationalism. As most women in sport know, you feel you have to work twice as hard as your male colleagues to prove you belong,” wrote Guardian columnist and sports journo Anjali Joshi on Sunday.  In her attempt to expose the virtual and, at times, on-the-face harassment women in sports journalism face, Anjali seems to have opened the pandora’s box on the topic.  Influencing spoke to leading sports journos across the country on the topic only to be overwhelmed by the response.  Meha Bharadwaj Alter, an independent sports journalist and presenter who started in 2006-07, said the press box she walked into was “a bit of a boys’ club, a cosy boys’ club.”  “The venues were built the same way. There were some places where you had toilets for men, but the ladies’ toilet would at times be locked b

On Thursday evening, Influencing sponsored CPRA Newcastle's "Trust Under Pressure" panel discussion in which several media professionals discussed how individuals can navigate crisis communication situations.  Held at The Green Room in Merewether, the panel featured Sophie Anning from Cancer Council Australia, Lucas Coleman from the Port of Newcastle, Karen Dunnicliff from Salterbaxter and Herd MSL, and Nathan Avery-Williams from SWS Lawyers, who discussed the importance of Speed and Accuracy, Stakeholder Relationships, Business understanding and operational alignment and First-Hour response in such situations.  Please enjoy a collection of photos from the event. 

The Australian Financial Review’s Zoe Samios has been appointed the masthead’s technology editor, taking over from long-time editor Paul Smith. Samios announced the news in a LinkedIn post on Friday evening. “I am excited/nervous/humbled to announce that earlier this week, I became technology editor as the wonderful Paul Smith ended his 17-year (!!) reign,” she wrote. Samios (Left) has replaced Smith (right) as The Australian Financial Review's Technology Editor Samios said Smith will stay with The Fin’s tech team as senior technology correspondent, covering “the US tech giants, industry trends and the intersection of AI and government policy.” “His deep industry knowledge and expertise is invaluable and critical to our coverage moving forward,” she added.  Samios has been on the tech beat at The Fin since July and was a Business Reporter there since May 2023. Before the AFR, She’d worked for the Sydney Morning

The New York Times Company is in exclusive negotiations to acquire Letterboxd, a social platform for film enthusiasts, in a deal valued at about $330 million, reported Adgully. Founded in 2011 by Matthew Buchanan and Karl von Randow, Letterboxd has grown to around 30 million users, particularly among Gen Z audiences. Under the proposed deal, the platform's co-founders are expected to remain in charge, while Letterboxd would continue to operate independently. If completed, the acquisition would further expand the publisher's digital portfolio beyond news, following its earlier acquisitions of The Athletic, Wirecutter, and Wordle. No final agreement has been reached, and the talks could still collapse.