With the crucial five-state assembly elections just a few weeks away, the Press Council of India has issued a strict warning to print journalists against promoting paid news while releasing general guidelines to follow on election reporting. These include giving objective reports on elections, steering clear of communal or casteist campaigns, refraining from canvassing for a party besides observing all directions from the Election Commission of India. The PCI also warned news outlets against publishing opinion and exit polls unless notified by the Election Commission in an attempt to refrain from influencing public opinion. A key focus of the advisory was on curbing paid news. The PCI reiterated its definition of paid news as "Any news or analysis appearing in any media (print and electronic) for a price in cash or kind as consideration." It also listed the warning signs such as identical reports across publications, unverified allegations, and coverage disproportionate

Image of the Day:   Delhi targets water woes, Yamuna clean-up in summer action plan With another intense summer approaching, Delhi govt on Monday unveiled its Summer Action Plan 2026-27 to shore up water supply, tighten sewer management and accelerate the clean-up of the Yamuna, while rolling out digital tools to improve grievance redressal and transparency, writes Abhinav Rajput for The Times of India. Launching the plan at the DJB headquarters in Jhandewalan, water minister Parvesh Verma said the focus will be on maintaining peak production, plugging distribution gaps and ensuring accountability in tanker operations. “Supplying clean water and protecting the Yamuna are not just administrative tasks but a shared responsibility,” he added.  Dust, waste lapses in Delhi draw PMO warning Neha Mishra for The Times of India reported that the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has flagged “serious lapses” in Delhi’s dust mitigation measures an

Zeno Group has been appointed as the strategic communications agency of record for Redseer Strategy Consultants in India, following a multi-agency pitch process. Under the mandate, Zeno will manage integrated media relations and executive communications to strengthen Redseer’s positioning as a forward-looking consultancy in India’s fast-evolving consumer and digital ecosystem. The agency was selected for its strategic counsel, sector expertise across consumer, fintech, B2B, and investor domains, and its ability to translate complex insights into compelling narratives for stakeholders, including CEOs, CMOs, investors, and policymakers. Aanshul Agarwal, Marketing Director at Redseer, said the firm has built its reputation on speed and quality of thinking, helping clients make high-stakes decisions with conviction. He added that the partnership with Zeno would sharpen how the brand communicates its value. Abhishek Gulyani, Managing Director of Zeno India, said the collaborat

Former journalist Apurba Kumar Das, ex‑Vice President of the Goalpara District Press Club, has secured First Class First position in the postgraduate examination in Journalism and Mass Communication under Krishna Kanta Handiqui State Open University. In recognition of his academic achievement, Das was awarded a gold medal at the university’s 8th convocation ceremony held on March 25 in Guwahati. The medal and certificate were presented by Assam Governor and Chancellor Lakshman Prasad Acharya, The Sentinel reported.

Influencing held the 24th Annual Samsung Australian IT Journalism Awards last Friday evening. This year’s ‘Lizzies’ saw a range of different winners across journalist, beat, media and coverage categories and Gold Lizzie awards.  Congratulations to all our winners, as well as those who were finalists and who received a ‘highly commended’ nod from the judges. A massive thank you once again to our sponsors:  Samsung Australia, Cisco, MYOB, Meta, Optus, Kinetic IT, PEXA, ACS, ARMHub and Watterson. And to the Award supporters: Adobe, Aussie Broadband and Apptio.  Please enjoy some photos of this year’s Lizzie winners.  Alicia Camphuisen Best New Journalist: SBS’ Veronica Lenard, presented by Watterson Marketing’s Oisin O’Callaghan Best Security Journalist: The Age & SMH’s David Swan  Best Gaming Coverage: Edmond Tran accepting for This Week In Videogames Best Business Coverage: Andrew Birm

Front page news for Tuesday, 31st March, 2026   Dezi Freeman manhunt ends in fatal shootout Australia’s most wanted fugitive, alleged cop killer Dezi Freeman, has been shot dead by Victoria Police after a tip-off led officers to a remote hideout and a stand-off in which he reportedly refused to surrender and drew or fired a weapon. Beyond closing a seven-month manhunt, the focus now shifts to how Freeman evaded capture for so long and whether a network of supporters helped him stay on the run—raising fresh questions about extremist “sovereign citizen” ecosystems and policing tactics. Covered by: Herald Sun, The Age, Sydney Morning Herald, The Australian, The West Australian, Courier Mail, The Advertiser, The Mercury, Daily Telegraph. Labor’s fuel excise cut: relief now, inflation and deficit later The Albanese government will halve the fuel excise for three months from April 1, pitching immediate cost-of-living relief as petrol prices surge ami

Congress MLA from Rajouri, Iftkar Ahmed, has called for a government policy to curb the growing issue of fake journalists and fake news in Jammu and Kashmir. Speaking in the Legislative Assembly, he urged stricter regulation of social media content and action against individuals posing as journalists and spreading misinformation. Ahmed said the absence of a clear framework has enabled unchecked activity, where anyone can create social media pages and present themselves as media persons without accountability. He warned that misleading or fake videos often damage reputations without any mechanism for redressal. The legislator pressed for defining who qualifies as a media professional, introducing minimum standards or qualifications, and mandating registration of media entities operating on social platforms. He stressed that accountability must be fixed in cases where false information harms individuals or institutions. Ahmed added that established media organisations continue to pe