From the days when politicians travelled to journalists for television interviews to an era where reporters are expected to chase viral posts and build personal brands, veteran journalist Maya Sharma has witnessed Indian television journalism transform from the frontlines. After more than 35 years in the profession, Sharma looks back at that journey in her book, *Good News, Bad News: A Life in Television*. In an Influencing Insider conversation, she reflects on her years in television, the challenges women journalists continue to face and why credibility and distance from power remain essential even as the industry changes around them. Sharma decided to write the book after stepping away from daily television news, when distance gave her an opportunity to reflect on a career that began with Doordarshan, then India's only television channel, and continued through the rise of private news and the digital transformation of journalism. “When I stepped back from the daily television

As audiences increasingly get their news from websites, social media and other digital platforms, the conventional newspaper bureau might appear to be losing relevance. Yet some Indian media organisations are still investing in physical newsrooms, reporting teams and new editions. The Pioneer recently expanded into Kerala with its Keralam edition and a bureau in Thiruvananthapuram, while India Unboxed is developing a newsroom serving both its print and digital operations. The Indian Express is also looking at print, online and e-paper formats as part of its expansion. What these investments suggest is that the physical bureau is not necessarily being built for print alone. It is increasingly becoming the reporting base from which journalism can be produced for several platforms. Moving beyond agency copy For The Pioneer, establishing a Kerala bureau meant replacing dependence on agency reports with original reporting from the state. “The Pioneer wanted a stronger presence

The Kerala High Court has quashed a criminal defamation complaint against a Malayalam media publication and its editorial staff, holding that journalists do not attract criminal defamation merely for reporting official law enforcement actions that cause reputational harm to litigants.  In his order, Justice C S Dias noted that a prosecution ‘under Section 499 of the IPC cannot be sustained merely because a statement is alleged to have affected the complainant's reputation. The complaint must contain specific averments disclosing that the accused made or published the imputation with the intention to harm the complainant's reputation, or at least with the knowledge or reasonable belief that such consequence would ensue.' The case pertains to a press conference held October 11, 2012, during which allegations were made against the complainant who was accused of alleged illegal possession of Indian Made Country Liquor. The media subsequently telecast the press conference.  The co

Friday, 14 August 2026 #1  ·  Times City  ·  Investigative MPD 2047 Redraws Floodplain As NGT Awaits Final Demarcation By Kushagra Dixit   ·   The Times of India, New Delhi  ·  Page 21 Delhi's Master Plan 2047, passed by DDA and sent to the Centre, divides the ecologically sensitive 9,934-hectare Yamuna O-Zone into two regulatory sub-zones despite a pending NGT-ordered scientific demarcation of the 1-in-100-year floodplain. The tribunal had set a July 31 deadline for DDA to complete the boundary exercise, but the agency sought an extension on July 15. Experts and ecologists warn the plan's zonal framework could legitimise existing encroachments and set a dangerous precedent for floodplain governance nationally. The story surfaces a direct legal-planning contradiction — DDA passing its own regulatory framework for the floodplain while an NGT-ordered demarcation of that very area remains incomplete &

A state-level consultation on strengthening child protection through ethical and responsible reporting was held in Dimapur on August 11, bringing together media houses and YouTubers. Organised by Prodigals’ Home with support from DKA Austria, the meeting highlighted the need for greater sensitivity, legal awareness and responsible editing while reporting cases involving children.  Journalists Prasanjit Dutta of Eastern Mirror and Musaraf Ali of Nagaland TV shared newsroom challenges and stressed that journalists must protect children’s privacy and dignity, particularly in cases involving children in conflict with the law and underage victims. Dr. Moalemba Jamir, Associate Editor of Morung Express, highlighted how indirect details such as schools, localities, family information, photographs and uniforms can reveal a child’s identity.  The consultation also emphasised legal safeguards under the POCSO Act, 2012 and Juvenile Justice

The Supreme Court ruled that the Maharashtra government cannot delegate its power to refer disputed wage claims of journalists and newspaper employees to Labour Courts under Section 17(2) of the Working Journalists Act, 1955, according to the Court Book.    The ruling followed challenges to the state’s 2016 notification authorising labour department officers to make such references in cases involving Dainik Bhaskar and All India Reporter.  A bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and Sheel Nagu held that while Section 17(1) allows delegation for undisputed dues, Section 17(2) requires the government itself to determine whether a genuine dispute exists.   Using Article 142, the Court directed Maharashtra to review all references made by delegated officers and record fresh satisfaction within six months. Valid cases will continue, while employees can pursue other remedies where references are not sustained.

Sikkim Express editor Amit Patro encouraged young students to develop a habit of reading, ask questions and remain curious during a mentorship session at Middle Syari Government Primary School in Sikkim. Patro interacted with the students as a distinguished guest mentor under the school’s School Development and Mentorship Initiative, which seeks to give students exposure to people and experiences beyond their immediate surroundings. Given the age of the students, Patro said he kept the session brief and conversational, allowing them to ask questions rather than turning it into a formal lecture. “I just told them that they should inculcate the habit of reading. It was more of an interactive session where they asked questions. I tried to encourage the idea of kids asking a lot of questions because it is very important during the learning phase,” he said. Patro also drew on some of the fundamental principles of journalism to speak about values that extend beyond th