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

Morning, welcome to Tuesday and one story is common across almost all the dailies today - the recall of federal parliament to "rush through tough new laws and crack down on hate speech", as put by Ronald Mizen and Paul Karp writing in The Australian Financial Review ('Parliament recalled for hate laws'). The Australian, in a story written by Sarah Ison and Elizabeth Pike, and with a clever headline - 'Preach hate, go to prison: PM's sermon' - says PM Albanese is "urging MPs across politics to criminalise racial hatred and back his gun buyback scheme". The Oz also has a story from Greg Sheridan saying the government will almost certainly fail to defeat anti-Semitism because it is "in the mainstream of Australian life". Worth a try though, Greg, surely?  Of course, nothing is certain in life or politics and as a team of four scribes reports at The Sydney Morning Herald, (Paul Sakkal, Matthew Knott, Nick Newling and Brittany Busch) t

WPP Media has retained the integrated media mandate for Reckitt India and expanded its partnership to include the e-commerce media mandate. As part of the renewed engagement, WPP Media’s Wavemaker will continue to handle Reckitt’s media strategy, planning and buying, while also leading e-commerce and quick commerce across the company’s portfolio. The remit covers brands including Dettol, Harpic, Durex, Finish, Lysol and Veet. The expanded mandate brings together mainline media, digital and commerce under a single integrated operating model aimed at delivering greater consistency and measurable business impact across the consumer journey. In addition to India, the partnership will be extended to 21 European markets from January 2026.  

Apexx Media, a brand strategy and communications firm, has relaunched itself with a refreshed identity as AMBC (Apexx Media Brand Creators) in New Delhi, highlighting a sharper focus on building strong and lasting brand reputations. The new identity includes a redesigned logo with an upward arrow, symbolising the firm’s aim to elevate client brands beyond competition.  Founded on January 1, 2017, the firm completes nine years of operations, having worked with more than 500 clients across various sectors. AMBC has earned recognition for its strategic communication work aimed at strengthening brand positioning and supporting long-term growth.  As per Media News 4U, the agency has steadily expanded its international presence, working with partners and clients in Singapore, Hong Kong, the UK, the US and Brazil.  AMBC is widely known for its expertise in brand strategy and crisis communication, focusing on trust-based public relations.

When a city pauses to listen to stories, arguments, memories and ideas, it often begins with a book. This January, Chennai will once again become that listening city as The Hindu Lit For Life returns for its 13th edition, reaffirming its place as one of India’s most thoughtful and intellectually rich literature festivals. Scheduled for January 17 and 18, 2026, at the Lady Andal School premises, the festival comes back with an expanded canvas that moves beyond literature alone and into the wider worlds of ideas, culture and public life. Backed by a strong roster of partners, Lit For Life 2026 promises a richer and more immersive experience than ever before. Over two days, more than 100 acclaimed voices from India and across the world will gather across 50-plus sessions, conversations and workshops. Writers, thinkers, journalists, economists, historians and cultural commentators will share the stage, offering audiences multiple ways to engage with both the written word and the

Image edited by Dinesh Raj M   For years, English-language newsrooms in India have narrated their crisis as a familiar trilogy: shrinking attention spans, hostile platforms, and evaporating revenues. None of this is entirely false. But it is profoundly incomplete. India has not stopped consuming news. It has simply stopped consuming it in English. According to Dalberg’s The Future of News in India, India is on track to have nearly 700 million digital news consumers by 2026, with daily news consumption continuing to rise. The decisive shift lies in where this growth is coming from. Hindi and regional-language news is growing six to eight times faster than English, powered by mobile-first users in tier-2 and tier-3 towns, many of them first-time digital consumers. English news, by contrast, is becoming a slower-growing, narrower market: urban, elite, and increasingly self-contained. This shift is already reshaping the economics of journalism. Dalberg projects that print

As news organisations enter 2026 - nearly three years after the release of ChatGPT jolted the media industry - journalists and executives are grappling with a question that has become impossible to ignore: what is next for generative AI and journalism? A Reuters survey of 17 senior editors, technologists and strategists, alongside an open call to readers, suggests the coming year will be defined less by novelty and more by structural change. While no one claims to have a crystal ball, five recurring themes stand out: audiences accessing news through AI interfaces, rising demand for verification, deeper newsroom automation, investment in AI infrastructure and skills, and new opportunities for data journalism. The most widely shared expectation is that audiences will increasingly encounter journalism through AI-powered tools rather than traditional news websites or apps. As large language models become embedded in browsers, phones and wearables, search referrals are expected to