Justin Thomson of KIX Country has been honored with the 2024 International Country Broadcaster Award at CMC Rocks in Queensland, Radio Info reported. Presented by the Country Music Association, this award recognizes radio broadcasters outside the U.S. who contribute significantly to the growth of country music in their region. Previous Australian winners include John Laws, Ray Hadley, and David Burton (2012). As National Content Director of KIX Country and iHeart Country, Justin has played a key role in bringing country music to global audiences, covering major events like CMA Fest, the CMA Awards, and the CCMA Awards in Canada. “There’s no higher honor in country music than receiving a CMA Award,” Justin said. “I’m grateful to work in an industry I love, and with the team at ARN, we’re leading the way in country music media.” Founded in 1958, the CMA promotes country music worldwide, recognizing international industry contributors annually. Justin can be heard o

K R Srivats, associate editor at The Hindu Businessline and a respected voice in economic and policy journalism, passed away on Monday night following a cardiac arrest. He was 53. Srivats spent nearly three decades with Businessline, covering finance, taxation, corporate law, and government affairs with depth and integrity. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman paid tribute, stating, “A senior and experienced journalist covered the Ministry of Finance with insight and journalistic integrity. His contributions to economic journalism will always be remembered.” The Press Club of India described his passing as “untimely” and extended condolences to his family and colleagues. Colleagues from Businessline remembered Srivats as a warm and committed journalist. “A remarkable professional and a wonderful human being with a kind heart,” wrote deputy editor Balachandar Gangadharan. Fellow deputy editor T.E. Raja Simhan added, “Everyone in Businessline will miss him badly.

Publishers can, and will, attempt to replace journalists with AI reporters, but Mi3 technology editor Andrew Birmingham believes they'll regret it. Birmingham devoted three months, including much of his Christmas break, to building a site called  Unprompted.news staffed by fifteen AI reporters. By the end of his experiment Unprompted.news was beginning to gain traction as a destination, having produced nearly 100 articles on topics ranging from politics, to technology and entertainment. And while Birmingham's experience has reaffirmed his belief Artificial Intelligence is a critical technology that journalists can, and should be using to do their jobs better; he concluded that the human element simply cannot be replaced. "I went into this thinking, can these tools make journalism better, rather than being tools that blow journalists up and get rid of jobs." "Publishers will definitely do that, and it's a big fucking mistake." Use AI as a smart word processor Birmingham

SXSW Games Festival Manager and Co-Chair of the NSW State of Play Advisory Board, Luella Moore, said the advisory board has been designed to address the “significant challenges” NSW game developers face. Moore told Influencing, “The advocacy board has been set up by a collective of game developers and game industry experts who notice the significant challenges and lack of opportunities for New South Wales developers. “When the advisory board first met, we decided to create robust data sets and chat with our community to determine what the requirements and needs of the game developers in NSW were so we can retain the talent that exists here instead of losing it to other states.” The Advisory Board's primary goal is to address the funding gaps plaguing the games industry in NSW.  “We want funding parity for game developers to access broader funds, such as production funds, that might be available to film or TV by making that open to game developers. “We also want N

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Communications and Information Technology has proposed merging the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB) with the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) to improve coordination on media and communication regulation. According to media reports, the committee also recommended stricter oversight of films and audiovisual content that allegedly promote alcohol, drugs, and violence, calling for a more robust policy framework to enforce compliance. However, industry groups are expected to oppose the move. The Indian Broadcasting and Digital Foundation (IBDF) has previously told TRAI that broadcasting differs significantly from telecom services in terms of its constitutional structure.

Knock, knock. It’s the bulldozer! When JCBs start replacing court orders and comedy sets trigger criminal probes, something deeper is at play. In India’s recent wave of demolitions, from Prayagraj to Nagpur, structures are being razed with a speed that seems to outrun the rulebook. Add to that the public and private vandalism over a stand-up comic’s joke or a popular blogger's residence and you’re left wondering: are we witnessing isolated crackdowns or a pattern where state muscle increasingly bypasses due process? In a series of stern admonitions, India's judiciary has now taken governmental bodies to task over recent demolition drives that have raised questions about due process and the rule of law. Hot off the Press The Supreme Court recently castigated the Uttar Pradesh government for its rapid demolition of homes in Prayagraj, remarking that the actions "shocked our conscience." Justice Abhay S. Oka and N. Kotishwar Singh highlighted the alarming speed at which