The Pahalgam terrorist attack not only shook the nation but also reignited scrutiny over how national crises are reported across television, print and digital media. As headlines and hashtags shaped public sentiment, questions emerged about whether the media prioritised facts or fuelled fear. Influencing India spoke to senior journalists and media professionals to unpack the media narratives surrounding the tragedy. Nilesh Khare, editor-in-chief of Sakal Media Group, observed that overall, the coverage reflected humanity and balance. “Many news channels presented human-centric coverage of the attack, whereas some regional channels leaned towards sensationalism,” he said. “The opposition also took a balanced stand and the media houses are positive about the government’s reaction to the incident.” Addressing criticisms about repetitive visuals on television, Khare added, “The biggest news of the day is telecast repeatedly. This is not to create sensation but to present

Tamil Nadu Forest Minister K. Ponmudy and Electricity, Prohibition and Excise Minister V. Senthilbalaji resigned on Sunday (April 27, 2025) night after courts made strong remarks against them. Hot off the Press In the case of Senthilbalaji, a Supreme Court Bench took objection to his induction into the Cabinet and Justices A.S. Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan on April 23 said Senthilbalaji’s continuation as a Minister placed him in a position of influence with regard to witnesses, and he could derail the trial, reported The Hindu News Bureau. Justice Oka remarked that the Bench would even record in its order that it had been a “mistake” to grant him bail and observed that he had been given bail not on the merits of the case but because the court stood up for the fundamental right to personal liberty under Article 21 of the Constitution. Former minister Ponmudy ran into trouble after the Madras High Court directed its Registry to take up a suo motu writ petition with respect to a d

Journalists Osman Faruqi and Scott Mitchell have launched Lamestream, a new independent podcast and newsletter tackling what the duo say is 'the crises facing Australia’s media landscape'. Each week, the show will dive into issues such as declining trust in legacy outlets, the ABC’s struggles with younger audiences, the rise of influencers replacing journalists, and the impact of global politics, including Donald Trump’s influence on Australian media culture. Faruqi and Mitchell, who have held key roles at The Sydney Morning Herald, The Age, Schwartz Media, and the ABC, bring considerable experience to the project, having produced programs like 7am, The Culture, The Drop, You Can’t Ask That, and Hungry Beast. Faruqi said the idea for Lamestream was born from witnessing the industry “crumble from within” over the past decade. “Young Australians deserve a news product that’s smart, accessible and doesn’t talk down to them,” he said. “Legacy media has largely g

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has issued an advisory urging OTT platforms and digital publishers to make their content more accessible for people with disabilities. This follows a Delhi High Court order in the Akshat Baldwa & Anr vs Maddock Films and Ors case, which pointed out the lack of inclusive features like captions and assistive tools on streaming platforms. The ministry reminded platforms of their responsibilities under the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016, and the IT Rules, 2021. It stressed that equal access to entertainment and information is not just ethical—it’s a legal requirement. The advisory highlights the need for features such as same-language subtitles, audio descriptions, and navigation tools that cater to people with visual or hearing impairments. It also cites the Code of Ethics, which encourages digital publishers to make “reasonable efforts” to improve accessibility.

PRmoment India has launched the PR Confidence Survey 2025 to assess the outlook of the public relations industry amid rapid shifts driven by AI adoption, talent movement, and the changing media landscape. With an increasing number of solo PR consultancies emerging in India, led by seasoned professionals, the survey invites responses from both PR agencies and in-house communications teams. Participants are encouraged to share their expectations and perspectives on the future of PR in 2025. The survey aims to map the optimism, challenges, and evolving priorities shaping the communications industry.

Journalist Emily Holgate reveals the pros and cons of striking out on your own.  After two years as a staff writer at the Herald Sun, Holgate took what she saw as the biggest risk of her career. With savings in the bank and a supportive partner by her side, she felt as ready as she'd ever be to venture into the unpredictable world of freelance journalism. “It is a risky decision, giving up as I did full time, a full time salary, a regular salary, knowing where your next pay cheque is coming from, super contributions, things like that, it's all things to consider and particularly financially is the biggest risk. So I would say it's really important to ensure you have a plan there and at least have a backup option financially, particularly if you are paying rent as I was or a mortgage.” Holgate said the first few months were a rollercoaster of emotions.  “Something that I had to really get used to was rejection, which is something I think people in media, and particularly

“What we're looking for ABC-wise is it's got to be grounded in a person more than anything else,” ABC’s Gianni Di Giovanni said when he appeared on Influencing Insider, last Thursday. “If you tell me about the person from Adelaide who now works on World of Warcraft, we can talk about how he has this uncommon path into making games at Blizzard. That's an interesting story for me. So it's finding an interesting connection to the person making the topic.” One particular story of interest for Di Giovanni  at the moment is the world of virtual reality.  “I am very interested in virtual reality and whether or not it is up to scratch, whether or not it'll ever make it. I think it's been a good number of years and the technology is pretty good. It's cheaper now than it's ever been but I just don't think most people play VR.” He’s also keen on a range of local games soon to be released.  “There's an interesting game that's just been announced. It's the team from Summ