India has one of the weakest appetites for impartial news anywhere in the world. According to the Reuters Institute Digital News Report 2026 (Page 59), just 30 per cent of Indians say they prefer news from sources without a particular point of view, among the lowest figures in the entire 48-market study. Another 28 per cent say they prefer news that aligns with their own views, and 24 per cent want news that challenges them. The idea of "neutral news" as the default expectation is, by these numbers, no longer the consensus it once was. The shift is sharpest in digital spaces. Social media algorithms reward content that generates reactions, pushing emotionally engaging or opinion-heavy news into wider circulation. The report finds a clear negative correlation globally: in markets where social media is the main gateway to news, preference for impartial sources runs lower and India, where platforms like YouTube and WhatsApp dominate news discovery, fits that pattern. Traditio

Friday, 19 June 2026 #1  ·  Times City  ·  Investigative Infants Bought & Sold For Profit In Lakhs By Staff Reporter   ·   The Times of India  ·  Page 2 An inter-state child trafficking gang was busted by Delhi police, resulting in the rescue of five infants. The investigation revealed a sophisticated racket involving fake pregnancies, forged documents, and shady deals at a city hospital that faked births, with the operation spanning multiple states and involving key players including doctors, middlemen, and buyers. The story combines ground reporting with a detailed breakdown of the trafficking network's mechanics — including financial flows, hospital complicity, and the roles of individual operatives — giving readers a rare inside look at how such rackets function. The use of a 'Key Players' graphic and hospital card trail adds investigative texture beyond a standard crime report.

The Senior Journalists Forum Chandigarh (SJFC) will hold an interactive session between its office bearers, members and the Governor of Punjab and Administrator of UT Chandigarh, Gulab Chand Kataria, on Saturday, June 20, 2026. The interaction aims to provide a meaningful platform for senior journalists to engage with the Governor on issues of public importance, governance, the media, development initiatives, and matters concerning Punjab. SJFC comprises experienced media professionals from various print, electronic and digital platforms and works towards promoting professional excellence, ethical journalism and informed public discourse, Face2News reported.

Primex Media Services has been awarded the public relations mandate for Ajay’s Café, the rapidly expanding Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) chain known for its burgers and cold coffee. Under the mandate, Primex will manage strategic communications, media relations, and brand positioning as Ajay’s Café embarks on its next phase of expansion. Nitesh Desai, Founder & CEO of Primex Media Services, said: “We are delighted to partner with Ajay’s, a homegrown brand that has built a strong presence in the QSR segment. Ajay’s Café has emerged as India’s fastest growing vegetarian café chain, and we look forward to strengthening its communication strategy and expanding its brand visibility.”

Albanese’s tax backdown still can’t calm business Labor has wound back key Budget tax measures affecting capital gains and trusts—tightening ministerial discretion and expanding carve-outs for small businesses and certain trusts—in a bid to blunt backlash and secure Senate passage. But business groups are signalling the changes don’t go far enough, keeping political pressure on the Prime Minister while the Greens’ position remains a complicating factor for the government’s timetable. Covered by: Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, Australian Financial Review, The Australian, The West Australian, Daily Telegraph, Herald Sun, Courier Mail. WA’s real-time facial recognition push sparks privacy alarm WA Police is moving to a nationwide-first rollout of real-time facial recognition in public areas, using street cameras to identify and track people in Perth. The plan promises a new tool for catching offenders, but it also raises sharp questio

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) has published the draft Telecommunications (Television, Radio and Associated Services) Rules, 2026 for public consultation, seeking to create a unified regulatory framework for television, radio, DTH, HITS, IPTV, and community radio services under the Telecommunications Act, 2023. The draft consolidates multiple broadcasting guidelines issued under the Telegraph Act, 1885 into a single rulebook. According to the ministry, the framework is designed to simplify regulations, digitise authorisation processes, streamline procedures, and improve ease of doing business. It will also replace existing licensing guidelines and remove the requirement for signing Grant of Permission Agreements (GOPA). Industry stakeholders have welcomed the move towards administrative simplification, but noted that the draft largely preserves existing regulatory structures. Provisions relating to security clearances, compliance obligations, ownership restricti

Journalists and content creators from television, print, digital and social media were honoured at the Devrishi Narad Journalist Awards 2026, organised by Indraprastha Vishwa Samvad Kendra at the Constitution Club in New Delhi. Among the awardees: Pooja Rana (OpIndia) - Outstanding Young Journalist Award Garima Upreti (Know The Nation) - Journalism on Women’s Issues Himani Diwan (Kisan Tak) - Rural & Environmental Journalism Vimal Tyagi (Public Mitra) - YouTube Content Creator Mayank Baliyan - Content Creation on X Manojgya Tiwari - Instagram Content Creation Prabhat Ranjan Mishra (The Pamphlet) - Courageous Journalism Neeraj Kumar Dubey (Prabhasakshi) - Digital Journalism Nihal Singh (Dainik Jagran) - Print Journalism Dr. Ram Kinkar Singh (PTI Video) - Television Journalism Shashwat Panigrahi - Columnist Category Ramanuj Sharma (Hindusthan Samachar) - Innovative Journalism Each awardee received a citation, mement