The AFR’s Technology Editor, Paul Smith, has once again scored wins at the Lizzies, picking up two more at this year’s Samsung Australian IT Journalism Awards.  Smith at the 2025 Samsung Australian IT Journalism Awards alongside ACS' Troy Steer Smith won both the Graeme Philipson Best Columnist and the Paul Zucker Best Technology Industry Journalist categories. Smith’s winning entries for Graeme Philipson Best Columnist included “Australia must face down US tech bosses and Trump,” “How chaos unfolded again for Australia’s most disaster-prone company,” and “OpenAI deal shows the value of journalism to AI giants.”  Smith’s winning entries for Paul Zucker Best Technology Industry Journalist included “Former rock star and banker Kim Jackson wants to be the next Buffett,” “How this man went from a bike accident to $17b,” and “Max Marchione is 25. He plans to stay that way.&rdq

It was a surprise for the team at 7News Spotlight to win Best Video Program at this year’s Samsung Australian IT Journalism Awards, according to host Michael Usher. “It's not traditionally a space where we thought we'd be recognised, but it means a lot,” Usher told Influencing.  “Especially in keeping big tech companies honest… it's also recognition of AI workers in parts of the world who are fighting for recognition and who thought no one would listen to them.” Usher is referring to the Spotlight team’s winning entry – a 40-minute investigation into the African workers being exploited by AI companies. Usher interviewed ‘data labellers’ in Kenya, who are paid very little. He also spoke to a former employee of Appen based in the US who described his experiences in filtering extreme content for Google AI systems. Another Appen worker, based in Colombia, called for better pay and mental health support wh

As the clock ticks down for embattled Sydney community radio station 2SER, the mood seems to be turning both sad and angry. In a LinkedIn post, Media Diversity Australia CEO Paula Kruger described a town hall meeting at UTS involving 450 passionate supporters as “a room full of broken hearts”. “How does it feel when you donate hours of your time, create shows that bring joy, build a place where both audience and volunteers are heard and valued … only to be told it doesn’t amount to a value proposition? It is heartbreaking,” she wrote. Kruger directed those wanting to fight for 2SER’s continued existence to love2ser.com and a change.org petition.   Crikey managed to obtain a “partial recording” of the event after 2SER declined to provide a complete one. Daanyal Saeed reported that Station Manager Cheryl Northey and board co-chairs Chris Dixon and James Bennet were subjected to not entirely friendly questioning about why the

NDIS reset: biggest welfare cut in a generation Labor has unveiled a sweeping overhaul of the NDIS aimed at slowing runaway cost growth by tightening eligibility, introducing more functional assessments and cracking down on providers, with forecasts ranging up to 300,000 fewer participants over time and multi‑billion‑dollar budget savings. The significance is both fiscal and political: the government is spending serious political capital on a reform that will directly affect vulnerable Australians and test federal–state cooperation and service capacity. Covered by: Sydney Morning Herald, Australian Financial Review, The Australian, The West Australian, The Advertiser, The Age. Gender-neutral toilet rules ignite culture-war fight A proposed building code change that could see many toilets in new public buildings designated gender neutral is being framed as a safety and practicality issue by critics, and an inclusion issue by supporters. The debate matters because it&rsquo

Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), Dhenkanal, has opened admissions for its Post Graduate Diploma in Odia Journalism for the 2026–27 academic session.  The programme aims to equip aspiring journalists with professional skills and a strong grounding in regional media practices.  Regional Director Anand Pradhan said the course focuses on strengthening regional journalism by preparing skilled and socially responsible media professionals.  Graduates below 25 years of age (with relaxation for reserved categories) are eligible to apply. Applications can be submitted online and offline, with the deadline set for April 30, 2026.

The Bharatiya Janata Party's announcement of a proposed Rs 5,000 monthly pension for journalists in West Bengal has been welcomed by Press Club Kolkata, which called it a step towards addressing a long-pending demand from the media fraternity. State BJP president Samik Bhattacharya made the announcement at a meet-the-press programme at Press Club Kolkata on April 18, saying the pension would be introduced if the party comes to power following the assembly elections. Speaking to Influencing, Press Club Kolkata president Snehasis Sur said the demand for a journalist pension has been pending for years. "Many states have similar provisions, but the amount varies. If BJP comes to power in West Bengal and enhances the pension, that is welcome. We are asking for this enhancement from whichever government comes to power," he said. Sur reiterated Press Club Kolkata's position that any such scheme must go beyond accredited journalists to include the wider media fraternity such as desk staff

Image of the Day:   1) Migrants Race Home To Protect Vote: NDLS Teems With Factory Workers, Labourers And Others Rushing To Bengal Amid SIR Fears By Koushiki Saha, The Times of India · Page 3 Hundreds of migrant workers from West Bengal — factory workers, labourers, domestic workers — are rushing back to their home state ahead of the Bengal Assembly elections, fearing their names may have been struck off electoral rolls under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. The report captures ground-level chaos at New Delhi's railway station, with vivid first-person accounts from migrants who face a painful trade-off between losing a month's income and losing their voting franchise. The story contextualises the fear around SIR deletions, the uncertainty of citizenship documentation, and the political anxiety gripping Bengal-origin workers across Delhi-NCR. The story combines strong ground reporting at a live news scene — New Delhi Railway St