A parliamentary panel has flagged the spread of fake news as a “serious threat” to public order and democratic processes, urging stronger legal and institutional measures to counter misinformation. In a draft report adopted on 9 September, the Standing Committee on Communications and Information Technology, chaired by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, recommended amending penal provisions, increasing fines, and clarifying accountability for creators, publishers and platforms that propagate false content. The report has been submitted to the Lok Sabha Speaker and is expected to be tabled in the upcoming session. The recommendations, also addressed to the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), aim to strengthen mechanisms across print, digital, and broadcast media. Key proposals include newsroom fact-checking mechanisms and internal ombudsmen; collaboration among government bodies, private media, and independent fact-checkers; licensing requirements for AI c

Image source: India Today, NDTV and Telegraph India; Edited by Dinesh Raj M   Uncertainty over the formation of an interim government in Nepal following the fall of the K P Sharma Oli government deepened Thursday with Gen Z protest groups divided on who should hold the temporary reins of power. Talks to decide on a temporary leader for the Nepal government ran into another gridlock on Thursday, even as the restive nation’s president appealed for peace and the army loosened some of the restrictions put in place to snuff out the violence that broke out earlier this week. In his first comments since the ouster of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on Tuesday, President Ram Chandra Paudel said he was “making every effort to protect democracy”. Hot Off the Press The President’s stance complicates efforts by Nepal Army chief General Ashok Raj Sigdel to ensure an interim dispensation takes charge soonest. A day earlier, General Sigdel had asked former Chief Justice Sushila Karki

Thursday saw the very first Influencing Live event, with 150 journalists, public relations professionals, and specialist media experts getting together to discuss the industry we all love. The event is Australia's only media relations conference and during the day we explored how AI and the shift to video and rich media will disrupt and transform the media and communication landscape. Organised over four streams - B2C, B2B, Tech, and Media - the day featured panels of experts, including some of the country’s top journalists and editors, discussing the future direction for media.  Keynote speaker, the ABC’s Tracey Spicer, introduced herself using an uncanny AI version of the veteran newsreader, and gave an insightful and entertaining presentation to kick the conference off.  Then it was on to Influencing CEO Phil Sim who gave his thoughts on emerging technology for both the media and PR industries and stressed now was the time to embrace evolving technologies including AI and

NDTV Profit unveiled its new positioning, ‘For Your Profit’, at the NDTV GST Conclave on September 9. The concept is set to reflect NDTV’s ambition to become a platform that empowers every Indian to participate in the nation’s growth. According to Adgully, Rahul Kanwal, CEO and editor in chief, said the channel’s purpose is rooted in people’s aspirations: “Profit begins with people. Every story and every insight is aimed at empowering lives.” Sajan Raj Kurup, Founder & Chairman of Creativeland Asia, added: “From Dalal Street to every street, profit is no longer solitary—it’s shared. NDTV Profit steps into this moment to make profit a possibility for many.” According to NDTV Profit, “From students trading between classes, to homemakers checking prices while kneading dough, to retirees managing wealth with their morning chai, investing has become mainstream. This shift has rewritten the meaning of profit. It belongs to the many. But with opportunity c

TV Today Network has announced that Creative Channel Advertising & Marketing Pvt Ltd (CCAMPL) has withdrawn from the proposed acquisition of its Ishq FM radio business and accompanying advertising sales arrangement.  According to Best Media Info, CCAMPL communicated its inability to proceed via an email on September 9, 2025, effectively terminating both agreements.   The deal, cleared earlier this year by TV Today’s Special Committee of Directors, involved selling three FM stations in Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata for Rs 20 crore(plus taxes) in two tranches and authorising CCAMPL to sell airtime for these stations.  It was set to be completed by January 2026, subject to regulatory approvals. The company had already signalled its intent to exit the radio segment through board decisions in early 2025, later moving to a sale process with emerging buyer interest.    

Welcome to Friday and the old adage about local stories always being front and centre has been well and truly pushed aside this morning with almost wall to wall front page coverage at the majority of our dailies this morning on the killing/assination/execution - take your pick - of an American firebrand who many of us may not have even heard of before yesterday but which one of our newspapers says could have been a future US President. Just in case you missed it, Charlie Kirk a right-wing evangelist was shot and died yesterday at a live outdoor event in Utah. And why is it getting so much coverage here? Because we're talking about a country bristling with guns and anger. But not just that, the fear is it could become the norm, if you can say this is in any way normal.  Most of the papers devoted at least half their front page to the event - except the NT News which remained relatively local, focussing on an Aussie family's plight trapped by floods in Bali, and the Herald Su

Image source: IE, News18 and TOI; Edited by Dinesh Raj M   India and the United States are once again circling back to the negotiating table, after weeks of sharp rhetoric gave way to carefully crafted social media courtesies. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Donald Trump exchanged optimistic posts this week, signalling that trade talks—sidelined by tariff wars and disputes over Russian oil imports—may be ready for a reset. But beneath the smiles, Washington’s actions suggest the path ahead will be anything but smooth. Hot off the Press Chidanand Rajghatta for The Times of India reported that Trump’s online outreach to Modi—his second in three days—was met with a “businesslike” response from the Prime Minister. While Trump called Modi a “very good friend,” Modi avoided personal flourishes and instead framed the talks as focused on unlocking the “limitless potential” of India-US ties. The contrast underscored New Delhi’s intent to keep discuss