Paoninlkhon Daily, an Imphal-based evening newspaper, celebrated its 36th Foundation Day at Usha Hall Complex in Paona Bazaar. The event was attended by All Manipur Working Journalists Union (AMWJU) president Ashem Bhakta as chief guest and advocate Chongtham Romen as guest of honour, while editor CH Meghabarna presided over the programme.   Cash awards were presented to Takhelambam Asem Chandrasekhar, Pukhrambam Lamjingba and W. Inaotcha for their contributions during the year.   Bhakta appreciated the newspaper for continuing its service despite the growth of digital media, while Romen stressed the importance of fact-checking and accuracy in journalism. Meghabarna said the newspaper had continued to serve the public despite various challenges and sought continued support from readers.

  The Federation of Press Clubs, a national platform representing eight Press Clubs from across the country, was formally launched in Hyderabad on Saturday, August 22, by Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka. The Federation aims to strengthen cooperation among Press Clubs and work towards the safety, welfare and professional interests of journalists. Speaking at the launch, Bhatti Vikramarka stressed the need for a free press that questions those in power and said governments should have the courage to accept criticism. “The media has a responsibility to question discrimination. Journalism should not merely report incidents but also question their deeper implications,” he said. He said the Federation should evolve into a strong institution that protects journalists, particularly those working in districts and small towns. He also said the State government was examining the proposal for land allotment to the Press Club of Hyderabad and assured that it would

Live Times, positioned as India’s first global multicast news hub, has completed two years of operations, marking a milestone in its journey to deliver news and information to audiences in India and abroad. Influencing India had earlier hosted media entrepreneur and Live Times founder and CEO Dilip Singh for an Insider conversation a year ago, where he spoke in depth about his journey and vision for the news hub. Launched with a focus on accuracy, authenticity and credibility, the platform has established a presence in India’s evolving digital news landscape, with an emphasis on keeping truth at the centre of its journalism. Live Times has developed a newsroom approach that seeks to balance speed, reach and audience engagement while maintaining editorial credibility. Over the past two years, the platform has focused on delivering news across multiple formats and reaching audiences beyond conventional geographic boundaries.    

The Dainik Bhaskar Group has launched a free training-cum-job programme to train and recruit digital journalists at the district, block and panchayat levels across Bihar. The programme will cover mobile journalism, video production, social media tools and digital content writing, with top-performing candidates getting an opportunity to work with the group.  Working journalists, social media influencers, journalism students and newspaper agents are eligible to apply. To apply:  https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdKVWIW00Uly7GNbzVOwWMeELigSdSYAydhLpkFt7ikVrNllg/viewform  

The Press Information Bureau, Maharashtra-Goa Region, organised a press tour to New Delhi for three journalists each from Maharashtra’s aspirational Districts of Gadchiroli, Washim, Dharashiv and Nandurbar. The delegation visited ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute (ICAR-IARI) to learn about agricultural research, technological advancements and farmer-focused innovations. Dr RN Padaria, Joint Director (Extension), briefed the journalists on India’s agricultural transformation, ICAR-IARI’s contribution and Dr M.S. Swaminathan’s role in the Green Revolution. He stressed region-specific solutions based on climate, soil, water and cropping patterns and urged journalists to disseminate relevant technologies. Discussions covered declining soybean productivity, moisture stress, short-duration varieties, life-saving irrigation, mulching and improved land configuration. Scientists also explained India’s regulatory framework for GM crop research and genome editing. The del

  The Editors Guild of India has condemned the BJP’s description of senior journalist and former Guild president Rajdeep Sardesai as a “Dimagi Naxal” (Intellectual Naxal), calling the remark an attempt to target and discredit an independent media professional. In a statement issued on August 24, the Guild said the BJP’s social media handles had sought to portray Sardesai as an “intellectual Naxal” while also condemning the manner in which the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party has targeted journalists. The statement followed remarks by BJP MP and national spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi, who, at a press conference, allegedly referred to Sardesai and other journalists as “celebrated deaths of such intellectual Naxals” while responding to questions about the role of the media in reporting Parliament proceedings. The Guild said Sardesai, an editor with India Today TV, has spent a long public career as a journalist and television anchor, objectively presenting and analysing

Veteran Meghalaya journalist Patricia Mukhim has found herself at the centre of a social media backlash after an old article criticising unsustainable tourism resurfaced following violence during the Khasi Students’ Union’s black-flag bike rally in Shillong on August 19. Mukhim’s article, Maggi Noodles Tourism Killing Meghalaya, has been widely recirculated after an Assam-registered tourist vehicle was attacked during the rally. Some social media users have demanded an apology from her and sought to connect her criticism of tourism with hostility towards visitors from Assam. Speaking to Influencing India, Mukhim rejected that interpretation and condemned the violence, particularly the attack on a vehicle carrying children. “They started beating vehicles and in one of these Assam tourist vehicles, there were kids inside which I think it is very, very cruel to do that because those kids will be traumatized for life. So, that is condemnable. Any kind of violence is condemna