Jharkhand Governor Santosh Kumar Gangwar emphasised that journalism plays a crucial role in strengthening democratic institutions and raising public awareness. Speaking at the Media Cup Cricket Tournament 2026 inauguration in Ranchi, he described the media as the fourth pillar of democracy and appreciated journalists for highlighting public-interest issues. He also noted that sports like cricket promote patience, teamwork, and coordination.

Picture Credit: Odisha Diary  For nearly a decade, Indian journalists investigating powerful corporate interests have found themselves fighting legal battles instead of pursuing stories. Since 2017, the Adani Group and its subsidiaries have filed a series of civil and criminal defamation cases against reporters and media outlets, a pattern Reporters Without Borders (RSF) describes as strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs). At least 15 journalists have been targeted through multiple proceedings. While none of these cases has resulted in convictions, several courts issued interim gag orders that temporarily silenced reporting even before hearing the defence. According to RSF, the aim is not necessarily to win but to exhaust journalists financially and psychologically, turning the legal process itself into punishment. So far, RSF has documented at least ten major cases, many concentrated in Gujarat. Nine journalists remain caught in ongoing litigation, including in

The Tripura Legislative Assembly on Tuesday, Feb 03, felicitated a group of journalists, including veterans and photojournalists, for their professional excellence, reported Northeast Herald. However, the event quickly became controversial, drawing sharp reactions from both journalistic and political circles. Questions were raised over the Assembly authorities for allegedly not inviting Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ratan Lal Nath, despite the programme being organised by a constitutional institution. The event was attended by Governor Indrasena Reddy Nallu, who presented honours to the selected journalists. While there was no major objection to the choice of journalists, some sections of the local media reportedly attempted to undermine the contributions of those honoured, allegedly out of professional rivalry. The absence of the Leader of the House and the Parliamentary Affairs Minister, however, triggered widespread discontent and political deba

Image edited by Dinesh Raj M   During a recent conversation with a leading PR professional here in Chennai on how to make press releases reach the right audience by embracing latest technology, this scribe was given a lesson in new-age journalism: Just register a dozen websites, subscribe to leading agency wire services, and flood the site with all their updates. Your site will begin to show good rankings in a while, and you have a dozen credible avenues to publish all your client's press releases.  "Nobody needs to know who owns these sites," he suggested.  A random Google search of any news item would reveal the number of outlets vying for the reader/viewer's attention.   The mass-firing of Washington Post journalists across the world is arguably as a direct fallout of this trend of "overabundance" of news. The Post's Executive Editor Matt Murray described the layoffs as “painful but necessary”, saying the pa

  Under the updated framework, the Nagaland government has decided that the accreditation will now cover satellite television channels, electronic media organisations dealing with news and current affairs, digital media platforms, as well as freelancers and technicians associated with electronic media, in addition to print journalists, following the Nagaland government’s notification of the Nagaland News Media Accreditation (Revised) Rules, 2025, EastMojo reported. The revised rules were issued through Government Notification No. IPR/MEDIA/6-2/2016 after Cabinet approval conveyed via letter No. CAB-1/14/2023 dated December 18, 2025. Officials said the move is aimed at making the accreditation process more inclusive and ensuring broader representation of media personnel engaged in news dissemination and related services across Nagaland. The revision comes amid the rapid growth of digital and electronic media, recognising their increasing role in public communication and informa

  India’s PayTV distributors have raised concerns with the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), accusing telecom operators and broadband service providers of harming the linear television business by bundling content with mobile and internet plans. Industry bodies and leading distribution platform operators (DPOs) said such practices are distorting competition, as the same broadcaster content is sold to telecom companies at lower prices while PayTV operators remain bound by strict tariff regulations. They claim subscribers are moving away from both PayTV and paid OTT services in favour of bundled telecom offerings. Executives said this pricing disparity has weakened the entire paid content ecosystem, with PayTV and OTT platforms struggling to retain subscribers. DPOs also flagged regulatory imbalance, noting that while they operate under TRAI’s New Tariff Order, telecom operators face no equivalent framework governing content bundling. They have urged policymakers t

The Danish Siddiqui Foundation has invited entries for the Danish Siddiqui Journalism Award 2026, instituted to recognise journalism that reflects integrity, courage, empathy and a commitment to truth. Established in memory of Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist Danish Siddiqui, the award honours reporting that engages deeply with complex realities, upholds ethical standards and contributes meaningfully to public understanding through impactful storytelling. The jury for the 2026 edition comprises veteran journalist, writer and critic Om Thanvi; Siddharth Varadarajan, founding editor of The Wire; Suhasini Haidar, Diplomatic Editor at The Hindu; senior investigative journalist and author Josy Joseph; Prof Sabeena Gadihoke, Director of AJK MCRC, Jamia Millia Islamia; and Saurabh Dwivedi, former founding editor of The Lallantop. Established in 2025, the Danish Siddiqui Foundation works to advance value-based journalism by empowering aspiring and experienced journalists through cur