Seamus Byrne joins Influencing as Tech Editor-at-Large
By Phil Sim in Media News on Tuesday, 11th February 2020 at 11:28amComment from Influencing CEO Phil Sim
It gives me great pleasure to announce that Seamus Byrne has joined our team as Editor-at-Large to drive the reboot of our technology media and comms vertical.
Way back when I launched the MediaConnect business in 2000, we began with a website called ITJourno. I’d been a technology journalist and I thought there was a need for a website that made it easier for tech journalists to work with the PR community and vice versa.
Over the years, our business has grown and diversified. We scaled beyond tech and now do all kinds of cool, clever techie stuff in media engagement and monitoring.
However, the ITJourno community is still where my heart lies.
So in the year where we will celebrate our 20th anniversar...
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THE BRIEF: Pope mobile
By Tony Bosworth in Media News on Monday, 09th February 2026 at 6:06am
Yes, it seems the Pope is coming down-under, at least according to an exclusive by Josh Hanrahan which truly graces the front page of today's Daily Telegraph ('AMEN, SYDNEY'), complete with a pic of the waving pontiff. It's big news for Catholics, and anyone else who likes a spectacle, given there has been no papal visit to these shores for two decades, so Hanrahan reports. The visit is slated for 2028.
Also visiting, and it begins today, is the somewhat contentious arrival of Israel's president, Issac Herzog, for a four day trip to visit folks grieving over the Bondi attack which left 15 Jewish people dead. The Australian goes big on this with a main exclusive story (Plea for 'calm and respect') by NSW political correspondent Lachlan Leeming. The journo sets the tone in the first para: "Bondi beach massacre survivors have implored the nation and left wing activists to treat the visit of Israeli president Isaac Herzog wi
The pause that photojournalism lost
By Meena R. Prashant in Media News on Friday, 06th February 2026 at 8:16pm
There was a time when every photograph demanded patience.
Before digital cameras, before instant uploads and breaking news alerts, photojournalists worked with film, light meters, and darkrooms. Every frame cost money. Every mistake stayed. And every image carried intention.
Senior freelance photojournalist Prashant Nakwe remembers those days clearly.
“Film slowed you down and that was a good thing,” he says. “You didn’t just lift the camera and click. You’d first ask yourself, is this really worth a frame?”
In the darkroom, mistakes couldn’t be undone. You learned to respect light after burning or underdeveloping a negative and realising there was no undo button. That discipline, Nakwe says, still shapes how he shoots today.
“Even now, with all the technology in the world, I don’t blindly trust the camera. I trust my eye first. Film trained us to think before shooting. That’s something digital photographers have to consciously relearn.”
In the film
TRAI drops Regulation 15(2) as DPOs welcome fairer broadcast audit rules
By Staff Writer in Media News on Friday, 06th February 2026 at 7:28pm
Distribution platform operators (DPOs) and major TV distributors have welcomed the removal of broadcaster-driven audit powers under Regulation 15(2) while urging the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) to adopt balanced, clear broadcast audit rules. Calling the revised broadcast audit framework balanced, DPOs said the change reduces compliance pressure and operational disruption. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India has proposed updates to the Telecommunication (Broadcasting and Cable) Services Interconnection Regulations, 2017, with implementation expected in 2026.
As per StoryBoard18, operators such as Tata Play, Dish TV and Bharti Telemedia said broadcaster-initiated audits created unnecessary costs and operational strain. They believe audits should be handled only by TRAI-approved auditors. DPOs also praised plans to align audit cycles with the financial year and provide relief to smaller operators.
However, broadcasters and industry associations
Indian Institute of Mass Communication opens applications for Ph.D. Programme
By Staff Writer in Media News on Friday, 06th February 2026 at 5:55pm
The Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC) has announced the opening of applications for its Ph.D. Programme for the academic year 2025–26. Aspiring candidates in the fields of media, journalism, and mass communication have the opportunity to apply for this advanced research programme at one of India’s premier media education institutions.
The last date to submit applications is 10 February 2026, and interested candidates can apply online through the official IIMC portal at https://iimc.gov.in/admission-2025-2026
Candidates are advised to review the eligibility criteria and application guidelines carefully before applying.
Fourth Right: DD's Creator’s Corner is a gateway to a controlled media space
By Pragadish Kirubakaran in Media News on Friday, 06th February 2026 at 3:59pm
Image edited by Dinesh Raj M
When Prasar Bharati announced Creator’s Corner on DD News, the messaging was upbeat and deliberate. Prime-time visibility. Digital-first talent. A 90 per cent revenue share. And a clear promise that India’s creator economy would finally get a seat at the national broadcast table.
On the surface, this looks like long-overdue modernisation. Dig a little deeper, and it becomes something more consequential: the State formally stepping into an ecosystem that grew precisely because it stayed outside institutional control.
According to official statements carried by the Press Information Bureau and The Economic Times, the 30-minute slot will run five days a week at 7 pm, featuring four to six creator-led videos across news, culture, education, travel, science, and entertainment. Content will be vetted by an independent team, creators will receive full on-screen credit, and the model will operate on a revenue split heavily tilted in their f
Opposition slams DMK over MLA’s assault on journalist in Srirangam
By Staff Writer in Media News on Friday, 06th February 2026 at 2:34pm
A video showing DMK MLA M. Palaniyandi allegedly attacking a journalist in Srirangam has sparked controversy, with opposition leaders criticising the DMK-led Tamil Nadu government for failing to take action, South First reported.
The incident reportedly occurred while the journalist was filming activities linked to the MLA where aleeged illegal quarrying was taking place. Despite the footage going viral, the state government has not announced any disciplinary measures against Palaniyandi.
Opposition leaders including BJP state chief Nainar Nagenthran, PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss, and TVK head Vijay condemned the inaction, demanding accountability and warning that silence on the issue would send a dangerous message about press freedom in Tamil Nadu.
The controversy has intensified political debate in the state, with critics arguing that the government’s response or lack thereof undermines its commitment to protecting journalists and upholding democratic values.
Ripe in Town’s founder and editor-in-chief on best PR pitching approaches
By Tony Bosworth in Media News on Friday, 06th February 2026 at 1:49pm
For public relations professionals looking to land coverage with the recently launched travel and lifestyle masthead, Ripe in Town, founder and editor-in-chief Lauren Deighton offers a clear roadmap to success.
In an interview with Influencing Insider, Deighton underlined the importance of tailored pitches, authentic experiences, and building genuine relationships.
Deighton, who launched Ripe in Town less than three months ago, is keen to foster connections with PR professionals.
"I think relationships are fantastic," she says, adding, "I feel like the way I do business is, I’m a relationship person."
She believes connections lead to better pitches and ultimately, better content.
"It will produce better content if we know that PR person understands what we're trying to do as well."
For those looking to get in touch, Deighton suggests a multi-pronged approach.
"Email's great, we've got an editorial email, of course.” That’s editorial@ripeintown.com
But she also
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Welcome to Monday and in today's news: Pope on his way, Herzog arrives, chance of leadership move on Ley, 'Labor builds tariff wall', 'streets of fear' 'Brethren 'sex abuse' victim sued', 'Sydney bankrupt named in bribe case', and ACT police minister cops daily threats, plus more. Stories by Bageshri Savyasachi, Mark Buttler, Michael Bachelard, Alexandra Smith, Kate McClymont, Amber Schultz and Michaela Whitbourn, Michael Read, Ronald Mizen, Steve Jackson, Phillip Coorey, Lachlan Leeming, Peter Hartcher, and Josh Hanrahan. ... Show more
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