Gaming journalist and communications professional Dr Ben Schuster has joined video game developer Gameloft as Community Manager in its Brisbane studio, and says his appointment is surreal.  “I've admired this studio for years,” Schuster told Influencing after one week in the role.   “Gameloft has been one of the staple game developers here in Brisbane and is packed full of incredible talent. I've had the pleasure of knowing many people who work at Gameloft and it's surreal to be part of it.” A part of the marketing team, Schuster said his role as Community Manager is to assist in fostering the studio’s video games’ online community.  “A community manager fosters the online community of a game developer. I’ll have a lot of involvement with the player base, either through social media, reviews, player support or in-person events, ensuring players are a part of the community and feel heard.  “I’m also a conduit between the player and the development team. S

After nearly two decades of chasing headlines, Hitarth Pandya traded deadlines for classrooms — and found a new story in sustainability. The former journalist, now an environmental educator, founded Kids for Environmental Development Initiative (KEDI), a hands-on learning model that brings sustainability education into schools. Pandya’s journey began in Gujarat, where he grew up in the lush green colony of the Indian Petrochemicals Corporation Limited. “Growing up surrounded by trees, frogs, snakes, and chameleons, I saw nature up close. My father’s love for gardening also deepened my connection with the environment,” he recalls. Though his academic path was modest — a Gujarati-medium education followed by a master’s degree in sociology — his professional life was anything but ordinary. His first job was in marketing, selling Citibank credit cards in the early 1990s. But a small newspaper advertisement changed everything. “I joined a door-to-door survey campaign b

Lauren Deighton, ripe’s editor-in-chief. Lauren Deighton has spent much of her career helping others tell their stories, and now she’s launching one of her own. The founder of marketing agency Brandscend is preparing to unveil ripe, a new digital publication celebrating the best of regional Australia through food, travel and local discovery. “Ripe is set to become the go-to guide for discovering the best places to dine, sip, stay and explore across regional Australia,” editor-in-chief and founder Deighton says. “We want to inspire Australians to explore their own backyard, support local businesses, and celebrate the towns and communities that make this country so special.” The platform will showcase regional hospitality venues, accommodation, tours and experiences, alongside curated itineraries designed for every type of traveller, from road-trippers and foodies to luxury-seekers and retirees. “We understand that baby boomers may seek different experiences than mill

Kevin Blyton, founder of the Capital Radio Network, passed away aged 66 last Sunday, October 19 at Cooma Hospital following a heart attack. Blyton bought 2XL, his first radio station,  in 1978 at the tender age of just 19, laying the foundations for what would become one of Australia’s largest independent radio networks. The Capital Radio Network eventually grew to include XLFM and SNOW FM in the Snowy Mountains, 3GG in Gippsland, 2CA and 2CC in Canberra, GNFM and EAGLE FM in Goulburn, and 6iX in Perth, alongside digital stations including 60s Music and 70s Music. Blyton was also inducted into the Commercial Radio Hall of Fame in 2013, recognised for his lifetime of work and advocacy for regional broadcasters. Outside broadcasting, Blyton expanded the Blyton Group into tourism and hospitality, acquiring the Charlotte Pass and Selwyn Snow Resorts, the Kosciusko Chalet Hotel, and the Snowy Mountains Airport in Cooma.  

Morning and welcome to Tuesday. All of today's hard copy dailies - due to the time difference - weren't able to report on the much anticipated meeting between PM Albanese and President Trump at The White House, the public bit of which wrapped up just past 6am our time this morning. So a quick couple of links to the digital editions and then we'll get into the print papers proper, but long story short - no dramas and the signing of an $8.5bn rare earths deal between the US and Australia, plus confirmation AUKUS is on track and will continue. Oh, and confirmation Trump doesn't like ambassador Kevin Rudd - there was a bit of an exchange about that in the one awkward moment of the meeting - and Rudd apologised. For The Australian's digital edition, Geoff Chambers, who's in Washington, Joe Kelly and Anne Barrowclough did the honours with excellent rolling coverage, while Josh Butler at Guardian Australia, who is also travelling with the Australian press group, covered the unfoldi

Daily Cargo News (DCN) is Australia's longest-running daily national news publication and publisher Lindsay Reed talks about how it celebrates its enduring legacy while embracing modern media trends.  The publication's rich history dates back to 1891 when it was originally known as the Daily Commercial News to serve the dynamic shipping and maritime logistics industry. "We're very proud of that," Reed told Influencing Insider.  “It's been going in some format or other ever since 1891 and while there was a brief hiatus during wartime, which saw shipping data published retrospectively, DCN has consistently provided crucial information to its audience.” Today, the publication has fully embraced the digital age, with its online platform serving as the "absolute hub" of its operations, says Reed.  DCN publishes seven or more daily news stories throughout each day, covering the shipping and maritime logistics industry, on its website and via an 8am newswire. Beyond daily news,

Guardian Australia’s Ben Smee, (pictured) along with SBS’s Jennifer Luu, Jodie Noyce and Chloe Angelo, are the joint winners of the Queensland Journalist of the Year Award. The Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance announced the winners of the 2025 Queensland Clarion Awards, celebrating journalistic excellence across the state. The Journalist of the Year Award went to Guardian Australia’s Ben Smee, and SBS’ Jennifer Luu, Jodie Noyce and Chloe Angelo for their groundbreaking investigation In the Box: Inside the Isolation Cells where Australian Kids are Imprisoned. Judges described the documentary as “a powerful example of public interest journalism at its best”. “This investigation into children being locked up in Queensland watch houses combined compelling vision and high production values with well-researched and impactful storytelling,” they said. “In the Box captured the attention of the viewer, had an impact, and helped lead to change.” Marking the 30