For several years now, journalists, especially those in digital news desks, have been misled into believing good writing is one that's SEO friendly. Repeating keywords again and again in multiple paragraphs, giving bland headlines to suit SEO guidelines, and deciding the length of a piece based on what Google considers as appropriate have become the qualifications for a good 'desk hand' even as we all knew they were just hacks.  Thanks to the recent Google Core Updates, the last one came in December 2025, that myth appears to have been broken as the SEO algorithms have changed again plunging the rankings of several news websites for reasons best known only to Google. We all know Search engine optimization (SEO) is an activity that deals with optimising web pages, or websites to make them search engine friendly, with an aim to get better website traffic. But then, does getting more eyeballs on an article mean people are actually reading the piece and making sense o

The recent ARN Innovation Awards were spearheaded by one major “mic-drop” moment, according to Foundry Editorial Director Cathy O’Sullivan.  “John Walters, who is the group CEO for NextGen, took the opportunity in front of the channel community to announce his retirement, which is obviously a massive moment for John personally and his family, but also for the wider industry,” O’Sullivan told Influencing.   “NextGen group was acquired by Exclusive Networks, and John has decided that now is the time to retire. He also announced his successor on the night, Wendy O’Keefe.”  It was one of many standout moments on the night that included 43 winners picked out of 320 finalists - another of those moments being two Hall of Fame appointments.  “We had Seccom Global’s Michael and Marianne Demery inducted into our Hall of Fame for 2025. They’re an outstanding couple who have created and driven Seccom into the business that it is today.”  The awards are bigge

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on January 9 announced that the long‑pending Uttarakhand Press Club building will soon be constructed as a model facility, while also doubling the Journalist Welfare Fund from 5 crore to 10 crore, The Economic Times reported. The announcement was made during the swearing‑in ceremony of the newly elected executive committee of the Uttaranchal Press Club at the Parade Ground in Dehradun. Dhami reiterated the government’s commitment to ensuring the safety, dignity, and social security of journalists. The Chief Minister said the new Press Club building would serve as a dedicated space for journalists, strengthening professional activities in the state. He added that the enhanced welfare fund under the Chief Minister’s Journalist Pension Scheme reflects the government’s sensitivity to the needs and security of media persons. The increased allocation is expected to provide stronger support in terms of financial assistance, p

Senior journalist and former councillor Bhanwarlal Panwar (57) was killed in a road accident on Saturday evening after a speeding private bus collided with his motorcycle on Pachpadra Road, Amar Ujala reported. According to eyewitness accounts, the bus was travelling at high speed when it struck Panwar’s motorcycle head‑on, leaving him no chance to avoid the crash. The impact threw him off the road, and he died on the spot. Police from the Balotra police station arrived promptly, inspected the scene, and managed traffic flow. Panwar’s body was sent to the district hospital mortuary. Authorities have registered a case and begun an investigation into the incident.

Days after the tragic death of journalist Sheela Pattanayak and her pillion rider Sipika Nayak in a road accident on NH‑316, the Odisha government has directed authorities to take immediate corrective steps to prevent such incidents, Odisha Bytes reported.   On January 11, Commerce and Transport Minister Bibhuti Bhusan Jena took cognisance of the accident and ordered urgent measures to ensure roads remain safe and hazard‑free.   Following his directive, the Transport Commissioner issued instructions to all road‑owning and maintaining agencies — including the NHAI, Works Department, municipal corporations, municipalities, and NACs — reminding them of their statutory duty to keep roads clean and traffic‑worthy.   The letter highlighted that loose sand and construction debris reduce tyre grip, leading to skidding and fatal accidents, particularly for two‑wheeler riders. While enforcement action is taken against unsafe transport of materials, the Com

Information and Public Relations Minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy on Friday assured that the government remains committed to supporting journalists and has no plans to reduce the number of accreditation cards, The Hindu reported. Addressing representatives of journalists’ associations on GO 252 related to accreditation, Reddy dismissed concerns about cuts, stating that all eligible journalists will be issued cards. He noted that the new guidelines were framed after studying systems followed across the country. The Minister clarified that there is no distinction between media cards and accreditation cards, and that all benefits extended to accreditation card‑holders would also apply to media card‑holders. He added that circulation figures and Chartered Accountant certificates would be strictly verified to streamline the system and ensure justice to genuine newspapers and journalists. On the issue of journalists’ housing, Reddy announced that a new policy free of leg

The late journalist E. Somanath, celebrated for his sharp political writing and deep love for nature, has received a unique tribute: scientists from the University of Delhi have named a newly discovered frog species after him. The species, called Soman’s Slender Arm Frog (Leptobrachium somani), was identified during extensive fieldwork in the remote mountain habitats of Arunachal Pradesh. The discovery has been published in the US‑based peer‑reviewed journal PeerJ, The Hindu reported. For years, Somanath accompanied noted herpetologist S.D. Biju on expeditions in search of rare amphibians. His role went beyond observation — he was a storyteller deeply invested in documenting nature and the scientists who study it. This close association and his commitment to environmental journalism inspired the research team to honour him through the species name. Somanath retired from Malayala Manorama in 2021 after a career spanning more than three decades. He was widely known in