The Panvel Taluka Journalists Development Forum has elected Rajendra Patil as its new president and announced its executive committee during a function organised to mark Journalists’ Day on January 6.  The new body was declared by outgoing president Mandar Donde, while the programme was presided over by senior journalist and forum advisor Madhav Patil. Addressing the gathering, Donde extended his best wishes to the newly elected team for its future initiatives.  On the occasion, members of the forum reaffirmed their commitment to ethical journalism and pledged to actively oppose unethical practices in the profession. Journalists’ Day is observed annually on January 6 to commemorate the publication of Darpan, India’s first newspaper, by Acharya Balshastri Jambhekar.  As part of the event, Madhav Patil paid floral tributes to Jambhekar’s portrait.  According to the announcement, Rajendra Patil will serve

A felicitation programme was organised at the Mangalwedha Police Station on the occasion of Journalists’ Day and the birth anniversary of Darpankar Acharya Balshastri Jambhekar. Speaking on the occasion, Police Inspector Dattatray Borgidde urged journalists to continue their work with courage and impartiality and play an active role in highlighting social issues. He said journalism plays an important role in strengthening democracy by bringing both achievements and problems in society to the public. Journalists present at the programme were felicitated by the police department, Sakal reported. Image: Sakal

Activists, social and political groups in Raikot have demanded that the Punjab government and Police withdraw an FIR registered against 10 journalists by the Ludhiana cybercrime cell. On Wednesday, protesters rallied in front of the Tehsil Complex and handed a memorandum to Sub-Divisional Magistrate Payal Goyal, warning that demonstrations would intensify if the case was not dropped.  The FIR was filed for allegedly sharing “false and misleading” data about Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann’s helicopter. Leaders including Raikot Journalist Club president Sanjiv Kumar Bhalla, BJP’s Sital Kumar, BSP’s Surinder Kumar Pappi Sapra and Punjab Kisan Sabha’s Baljit Singh spoke at the rally.  As per The Tribune, speakers accused the Mann government of trying to silence the media and curb public interest reporting. Ram Gopal Raikoti criticised the chief minister’s changing stance, saying he once encou

A delegation of journalists in Arunachal Pradesh has urged the state government to implement the Working Journalists’ Pension Scheme, which has remained pending since 2020 despite Cabinet approval. On January 8, representatives from the Arunachal Press Club (APC) and the Arunachal Pradesh Union of Working Journalists (APUWJ) met Chief Minister Pema Khandu to press for action. According to India Today NE, APC president Amar Sangno said bureaucratic delays have stalled the scheme, originally announced in the 2019–20 budget. The delegation also sought recognition for district press clubs, better coordination of media activities through them, and permanent office space for press bodies. Chief Minister Khandu acknowledged the media’s role in connecting the government with citizens and assured the delegation that their concerns would be examined. APC leaders described the meeting as encouraging and expressed hope for early action.

Image edited by Dinesh Raj M   With AI and LLM models penetrating and altering almost every aspect of our lives ever since OpenAI came out with first its ChatGPT models, can news business afford to remain the same in 2026? Experts believe this will be the year when there is a fundamental shift in the way news is consumed, thanks to AI. Imagine this: The big news across the globe today has been that a US seized a Russian oil tanker in the Atlantic. Traditionally, one would read this report from a newspaper or a digital news outlet you have subscribed to after being alerted by a notification. And perhaps, compare the same with other publications to get a balanced view. But, if the predictions in a Reuters piece titled "How will AI reshape the news in 2026?" is to go by, most consumers of news online in 2026 would actually ask their AI-enabled browsers to give details of the news by going through all available material on the same. To be more specific, those interest

Compass Communications has been named as the strategic communication partner for Tellado Villas, a Goa-based ultra-luxury real estate developer. Tellado Villas is known for its unique design style that combines modern aesthetics with heritage elements, with developments in Siolim, Mandrem, Morjim and expansion planned in Tiracol, southern Maharashtra. The agency will handle media relations, reputation management and thought leadership, promoting Tellado’s “Poetry in Stone” philosophy focused on design quality, transparency and meaningful holiday homes. Tellado Villas Founder Rahul Agarwal said the partnership will help connect the brand with customers seeking legacy homes. Rafi Q Khan of Compass Communications said the agency looks forward to building Tellado’s brand presence nationwide.

The Puducherry government has unveiled new welfare schemes aimed at providing financial and health support to media persons and their families during emergencies, The Print reported. Under the initiative approved by Lt Governor K Kailashnathan: Families of journalists who die while in service will receive up to 5 lakh in financial assistance. Journalists who suffer permanent disability preventing them from earning a livelihood will also be eligible for up to 5 lakh support. Those undergoing treatment for serious illnesses — including cancer, renal failure, heart disease requiring bypass or open‑heart surgery, angioplasty, brain hemorrhage, or paralytic attacks — can access up to 3 lakh in aid. Journalists sustaining serious injuries in accidents requiring hospitalization will be eligible for up to 2 lakh assistance. The scheme underscores the government’s effort to provide security and welfare support for the media fraternity in the union territory