Winterford is back as Risky.biz expands
By Phil Sim in Media News on Wednesday, 12th February 2020 at 11:00amBeers in a Byron Bay pub have proven the catalyst to luring former iTNews Editor-in-Chief Brett Winterford back into media, joining Patrick Gray’s Risky.biz in a role that will see the infosec podcast create written content targeting the world’s most influential policymakers.
The hire of the well respected Winterford, who has just left a gig as director at security firm Symantec, is a coup for Gray and it’s not even his shout. The role is being entirely funded by the Hewlett Foundation, a philanthropic organisation founded by HP co-founder Bill Hewlett and his family.
Risky.biz is an influential cybersecurity podcast which has carved out a reputation as one of the world’s most authoritative voices on information security. Its guest list reads like a ...
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Dainik Bhaskar app crosses 2 million users on the day of Bihar results
By Staff Writer in Media News on Thursday, 11th December 2025 at 11:12pm
On November 14, the day of the Bihar election results, the Dainik Bhaskar app saw 2 million users from the state. Each user stayed on the app for more than 35 minutes on average.
This happened because the app offered many election-focused features. It had original shows on Bihar’s political history, full election coverage, updates every second on voting and results, Bhaskar’s Reporter Poll, an AI election chatbot, quizzes, live streams, short reels, a constituency-wise results map, a candidate-suggestion survey, and a civic-issues portal.
These tools created very high engagement and helped Dainik Bhaskar strengthen its digital leadership in Bihar.
According to e4m, Girish Agarwal, Promoter Director, Dainik Bhaskar Newspaper Group said people trusted the app for real-time and credible information. He said the strong time spent by users shows the app’s power and reach in the region.
Concept Public Relations India secures communication mandate for Avro Furniture
By Staff Writer in Media News on Thursday, 11th December 2025 at 7:19pm
Concept Public Relations India Ltd has been appointed to manage the communication mandate for Avro Furniture, taking charge of its media outreach, strategic communications, and visibility initiatives.
Avro India Limited, headquartered in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, manufactures plastic-moulded furniture and plastic granules under the brands Avro and Avon. Since its inception in 2002, the company has built a portfolio of more than 250 products, distributed through a nationwide dealer network and online platforms.
The company has also positioned sustainability at the core of its operations, recycling post-consumer plastic waste to support responsible manufacturing.
Chairman Sushil Kumar Aggarwal, former President of the All India Plastics Manufacturers’ Association (AIPMA), brings over five decades of industry experience and continues to champion large-scale, ethical production practices.
Agartala Press Club condemns attack on photojournalist Sumit Kumar Singh
By Meena R. Prashant in Media News on Thursday, 11th December 2025 at 7:18pm
Agartala Press Club has strongly condemned the attack on Sumit Kumar Singh, a photojournalist associated with Agartala TV and a member of the Tripura Photo Journalists’ Association.
Singh was returning from work late on December 7 when four miscreants attacked him near Colonel Chowmuhani in Agartala. The attackers allegedly threatened to kill him and snatched his gold chain and wallet. Although he managed to escape, he had to receive primary treatment at IGM Hospital with the help of his colleagues.
While speaking to Influencing, Pranab Sarkar, President of the Agartala Press Club said “We have been raising issues regarding journalists’ welfare, and any attack on the press will not be tolerated. We have demanded that the police take strict action against the attackers".
Following a complaint, the West Police Station arrested all four miscreants the same night. The Agartala Press Club has strongly condemned the incident and demanded strict legal action against those involved
TODAY'S TEN: Big tech’s billion-dollar India bet includes AI, jobs and data hubs
By Pragadish Kirubakaran and Pradeep Damodaran in Media News on Thursday, 11th December 2025 at 4:17pm
Image source: The Tribune; Edted by Dinesh Raj M
India’s tech story has officially moved from aspiration to scale. In the space of a few days, Microsoft, Amazon and other global giants have lined up more than $50 billion for India’s AI, cloud and data-centre buildout. This isn’t just fresh FDI; it’s an attempt to hard-wire India into the global computing stack, while quietly trying to answer the country’s toughest question: where will the next wave of quality jobs come from?
Hot off the Press
The Times of India reported the big headline number first: Amazon has promised a record $35 billion in India by 2030, on top of the $40 billion it has already sunk into the country since 2010. The focus, as TOI notes, is clear – AI-driven digitisation, logistics and export growth – with a target of supporting 3.8 million jobs and enabling $80 billion in cumulative e-commerce exports, while bringing AI tools to 15 million small businesses.
Ove
CPJ writes to PM Modi seeking freedom for reporters behind bars
By Staff Writer in Media News on Thursday, 11th December 2025 at 2:40pm
On the occasion of International Human Rights Day, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi via a letter to step in and release journalists who are currently in jail in India.
According to CPJ, two journalists remain imprisoned on security and criminal charges. One of them is Rupesh Kumar Singh, an independent journalist from Jharkhand, who has been in jail for more than three years and is currently lodged in Patna’s Adarsh Central Jail.
His family has alleged that he is facing poor conditions in jail, including low-quality food, limited medical care despite health issues, long hours locked inside his cell, and restricted access to basic facilities.
CPJ said that although the number of jailed journalists in India has come down compared to previous years, at least 15 journalists have been investigated under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) since 2014. The UAPA is a strict anti-terror law that allows detention wit
Journalist Ramakant Mahananda passes away in road accident
By Staff Writer in Media News on Thursday, 11th December 2025 at 2:36pm
Ramakant Mahananda, the Rairakhol correspondent of Odia news channel OTV, died in a road accident near Naktideul on Monday. He was 46.
According to The New Indian Express, Ramakant was travelling to Naktideul to cover a grievance-related programme of the Sambalpur Collector when his motorcycle hit a culvert. He suffered serious injuries and was taken to a nearby hospital by locals. He was later shifted to VIMSAR in Burla, where he passed away during treatment.
Journalists in the region expressed deep grief over his death and remembered him as a sincere and committed reporter. Many also recalled his warm nature and his interest in literature, which made him well respected in the community
Prakhar Sachdeo: Meet the journalist giving India’s “invisible athletes” their spotlight
By Meena R. Prashant in Media News on Thursday, 11th December 2025 at 2:29pm
Prakhar Sachdeo’s — Prakhar Talks Sports is changing the way we hear athlete stories.
For sports journalist and creator Prakhar Sachdeo, every athlete carries a story far beyond medals and match results. It was this curiosity to understand what happens behind the scenes that pushed him to step out of traditional newsrooms and create his own space to document athletes and lesser known sports. Today, through his YouTube channel Prakhar Talks Sports started in July, 2025, he is shaping a fresh form of sports storytelling rooted in sincerity, patience and attention to overlooked voices.
Prakhar’s journey into journalism was far from expected. Raised in a middle-class family where academics took priority, he studied completed his MTech. Yet writing, theatre, reading and school magazines always stayed close to him. He says communication was the thread running through all his interests. “Noted cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle influenced me early on and made me believe that sp
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