Recommendations and hedged bets

By Seamus Byrne in Media News on

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Journalists pay last respects to senior journalist Periyasamy at CPC

By Staff Writer in Media News on
Senior journalist Mr Periyasamy passed away following a prolonged illness. His mortal remains were kept at the Chennai Press Club (CPC), where members of the media fraternity gathered to pay their last respects. Many senior journalists, editors and young reporters shared memories of Periyasamy, recalling his valuable contributions to journalism and the lasting impact he made throughout his career. Colleagues described him as a respected figure whose work and guidance influenced generations of journalists, leaving behind a legacy of commitment to the profession.

Why Polites tore down Infinite Lives’ Paywall

By Will McLennan in Media News on
Harrison Polites has dropped the paywall on his gaming Substack, Infinite Lives, in a bid to bolster the publication's growth, and is part of a wider rethink as to what monetisation looks like for the publication.  Polites introduced the paywall last year under a model that allowed readers to access new stories for a limited time before they moved behind a subscription barrier. He told Influencing most paid subscribers signed up to support his work rather than gain access to archived content. That noted, access to the archives did tempt some people, “But what [people] did was sign up, read the article, and then unsubscribe, which wasn't necessarily the plan.” Polites said the paywall had nevertheless achieved its objectives. “It proved that my writing was worth paying for… It also proved that people believe in the mission of what I'm doing, which is trying to find a way to make gaming journalism more sustainable”.  Polites said Infinite Lives' subscriber base had ne

"Shallow grave" comments lead to Walkley Awards chair change

By Staff Writers in Media News on
The Walkley Foundations have confirmed that former ABC journalist Ben Butler has resigned as head of the chair of the Walkley judging committee, following allegations that he was heard to say a colleague should be ““killed and buried in a shallow grave”. He has been replaced by Gay ­Alcorn of The Age. Alcorn is a three-time Walkley Award winner and a senior writer with Good Weekend magazine. Butler’s resignation follows The Australian’s media editor James Madden reporting on allegations of the offensive comments made during a “heated phone conversation” in the ABC’s Melbourne newsroom. Butler resigned from the ABC following the incident, but Butler told The Australian that the events “appear to reflect a distorted version of an overheard private conversation. I resigned from the ABC following a series of short-term contracts.”  Announcing the change of the chair, the Walkley Foundation would only confirm that “Ben Butler has resigned as the chair of the

Upfront: Iran-linked terror warning, Stefanovic exit whispers, Housing slide politics.

By Staff Writers in Media News on
ASIO sounds alarm on Iran-linked plots and a worsening terror landscape ASIO Director-General Mike Burgess has warned the “probable” terror threat setting may understate the real danger, flagging a more volatile mix of ideologies and the prospect of Iran-aligned networks attempting violence in Australia. The intervention sharpens pressure on government to recalibrate public threat messaging and bolster counter-terror and foreign-interference settings amid heightened community anxiety. Covered by: The Australian, The Age, Sydney Morning Herald, The Australian. Karl Stefanovic fallout deepens as Nine weighs exit after far-right podcast storm Channel Nine is grappling with reputational and commercial blowback after Karl Stefanovic’s podcast interview with British far-right activist Tommy Robinson, with reports ranging from negotiations over his departure to claims he has already been dropped from the Today role. The episode underscores how quickly talent controversies can trigger

Climate Action Live invites pitches on climate solutions reporting

By Staff Writer in Media News on
Madhur Singh, founder of Climate Action Live, has issued a call for pitches from journalists, researchers, and practitioners across the climate ecosystem. The platform is seeking evidence-based stories focused on climate solutions, including AI and climate transition, grassroots innovation, emerging climate technologies, policy and accountability, and the global climate transition. Formats welcomed include reported features, investigations, explainers, profiles, data stories, and visual journalism. Interested contributors are invited to send a 200–300 word pitch, along with a reporting plan, key sources, and links to previous work, to info@climateaction.live. writing and news media.   

Padma Vibhusban awardee P. Narayanan advises young journos to bring common man's issues to light

By Meena R. Prashant in Media News on
Ask a man who has just received the country's second-highest civilian honour what he would tell the next generation, and you expect a speech. P. Narayanan gave the opposite. "I'm not a big person to advise anyone," the 90-year-old told Influencing, with the flatness of someone who means it. Then, almost reluctantly, he allowed himself one line: journalists, he said, should try their best to bring the issues faced by ordinary people to light. That is the entire instruction. No talk of influence, access or legacy. Just the work, pointed outward, away from the journalist and toward the people the journalism is supposed to serve. For anyone who has watched Narayanan's six decades in Malayalam journalism, it is less a piece of advice than a description of what he has always done. Narayanan was conferred the Padma Vibhushan in the field of Literature and Education, one of only five recipients of the award this year. He was presented the honour at a ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan in Delh

NDTV.com retains top spot in Comscore English News rankings

By Staff Writer in Media News on
NDTV.com has retained the top position among English news websites in the latest Comscore MMX Multi-Platform rankings for May 2026, marking its fifth consecutive month at No. 1 since January.  According to the May 2026 Comscore rankings for desktop and mobile platforms, NDTV.com recorded 45.5 million unique visitors, maintaining its lead during a month dominated by intense news coverage, including state elections, geopolitical developments, conflict, and global events.  The rankings reflect the platform's sustained audience engagement across a wide range of news categories, including politics, business, international affairs, and breaking news.  Commenting on the achievement, Managing Editors Abhinav Bhatt and Padmaja Joshi said May was an exceptionally busy news month, with the newsroom closely tracking developments in India as well as major international events, particularly the conflict in West Asia. They said retaining the top position for the fifth consecut

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"Shallow grave" comments lead to Walkley Awards chair change
The Walkley Foundations have confirmed that former ABC journalist Ben Butler has resigned as head of the chair of the Walkley judging committee, following allegations that he was heard to say a colleague should be ““killed and buried in a shallow grave”. ... Show more

Upfront: Iran-linked terror warning, Stefanovic exit whispers, Housing slide politics.
In Front Page News Today: ASIO warns of Iran-linked plots; Nine rocked by Stefanovic podcast fallout; House prices fall amid tax-rate fears. ... Show more

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