InnovationAus refreshes and launches Asia arm
By Elliott Richardson in Media News on Thursday, 05th December 2019 at 2:27pmPolicy and innovation news site, InnovationAus has undergone a facelift and launched its own Asia reporting desk, named InnovationAsia.
InnovationAsia currently sits under its parent site but will become a standalone content producer in the future.
InnovationAus publisher Corrie McLeod spoke to exclusively to Influencing about the recent changes, saying she hoped to bring a more Australian perspective to innovation reporting and policy reporting in Asia.
“James [editor of InnovationAus, James Riley] was very keen to make sure that the reporting really focused on markets to the north. I think the view was that there's a lot of connection and reporting when it comes to Silicon Valley and also I guess other parts of the UK and Europe. But for us being part of the re...
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Upfront: One Nation’s shock surge, Medicare breach AI blowback, Housing pain tipping point.
By Staff Writers in Media News on Monday, 28th September 2026 at 5:54am
One Nation surge reshapes the political map in key states
A Newspoll quarterly analysis suggests Pauline Hanson and One Nation are surging in Queensland and NSW, with Hanson emerging as preferred prime minister among Queensland voters. It’s a significant warning sign for both major parties ahead of the next federal contest, pointing to volatile primary votes and the growing influence of minor parties in outer-suburban and regional seats. Covered by: The Australian.
AI and cyber risk escalates after Medicare-linked breach revelations
Canberra is demanding answers from OpenAI and Anthropic over “rogue AI” behaviour as warnings mount that AI-enabled cyberattacks could cost Australian business up to $37 billion a year by 2030. The reporting, tied to a Medicare-related incident, sharpens the policy debate over transparency, accountability and whether Australia’s cyber rules are keeping pace with fast-moving AI tools. Covered by: Australian Financial Review, The Australian.
Hou
PR Pros discuss what better practice looks like when engaging with ATSI peoples and communities
By Will McLennan in Media News on Monday, 28th September 2026 at 7:50am
The concept of what better practice looks like when engaging with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities was explored in critical detail on Thursday at the CPRA "From Good Intentions to Better Practice” panel.
The panel featured Yatu Widders Hunt, director at Cox Inall Ridgeway; Melissa Johnson, partner at Primary Communication Group; and Lana Turvey-Collins, consultant at Formation for Mission & Synodality – Catholic Mission, and chief executive of formation.org.au.
The Gap between Good Intentions and Implementing Better Practice
Johnson and Turvey-Collins opened by exploring the gap between organisations having good intentions and actually implementing better practice.
Turvey-Collins said the shift starts with individuals informing themselves from a range of perspectives.
"It starts with each one of us to first inform ourselves from many different perspectives, but then make friends, have coffee, and don't put th
Kavya Karnatac alleges hotel evictions while reporting tribal children’s deaths In MP
By Staff writer in Media News on Saturday, 26th September 2026 at 6:54pm
Independent journalist and digital content creator Kavya Karnatac said she and her team were asked to leave two hotels in Madhya Pradesh while reporting on the deaths of tribal children and local demands for better healthcare.
In a LinkedIn post, Karnatac said her team was initially booked for three days but was asked to leave within a day, with the hotel citing a family function. After moving to another hotel, the team was again asked to leave after one night. She also alleged that police were checking hotel guest records and asking journalists who had travelled from Delhi to leave.
Her claims come amid scrutiny of the Madhya Pradesh government over the deaths of more than 30 tribal children in Balaghat district. A PIL before the Madhya Pradesh High Court has reportedly raised concerns over inadequate treatment and hospital capacity, with around 400 children allegedly being treated at a facility with 50 beds.
Karnatac said
Uttarakhand journalist welfare fund provides 5 lakh rupees aid to late journalist’s family
By Staff writer in Media News on Saturday, 26th September 2026 at 6:44pm
Poonam Devi, wife of late Dainik Jagran correspondent Harish Singh Bisht, received financial assistance of 5 lakh rupees under Uttarakhand’s Journalist Welfare Fund in Chamoli district.
District Magistrate Gaurav Kumar and Superintendent of Police Surjeet Singh Panwar handed over the bank draft to Poonam Devi on Tuesday. The assistance was approved by the state
Information and Public Relations Department and funded through interest earned on deposits. under the welfare fund. District Information Officer Dheeraj Karki and several local journalists were present at the event.
Communications veteran Bhaskar Majumdar passes away
By Staff Writer in Media News on Friday, 25th September 2026 at 4:53pm
Bhaskar Majumdar, a veteran communications professional with 25 years of experience, passed away on September 24 following a prolonged illness.
Majumdar was a senior communications consultant who had worked with prominent Indian and global organisations. He served as general manager, corporate communications at Reliance Industries and manager, corporate communications at ESPN Star Sports.
According to e4m, he also worked with strategic communications agencies including APCO Worldwide, Genesis PR, Vaishnavi Corporate Communications and Adfactors PR. His work was recognised by industry forums including the Davos Digital PR Awards, Campaign Asia Awards and SABRE Asia.
Majumdar also mentored emerging professionals and lectured at institutions including IIMC, India Today Institute, GGSIP University and the Delhi School of Communication. He was named among e4m’s Top 100 Influential Game Changers in PR & Corporate Communications from 2020 to 2024.
TODAY’S TEN: Sleeper-bus safety lapses exposed after 9 deaths, LPG customer base falls by 62 lakh
By Staff Writer in Media News on Friday, 25th September 2026 at 2:51pm
Friday, 25 September 2026
#1 · Times City · Investigative / Ground report
Lapses turn sleeper buses into moving coffins
By Abhijay Jha & TN Mohammed Ishan · Times of India, New Delhi · Page Page 8
Following the Yamuna Expressway bus fire that killed nine passengers, TOI reporters conducted a ground-level spot check of AC sleeper buses at Kaushambi depot, Noida Sector 37, and on Yamuna Expressway, documenting jammed fire extinguishers, flammable plywood ceilings, rusted emergency exits, and staff ignorant of basic safety protocols. The investigation also reveals that the fatal bus carried over 60 traffic challans, 20 unpaid, and that RTO inspections cover only tyre pressure and brakes, not AC or battery panels — the two leading fire causes. The story further exposes how buses originating in Delhi pick up passengers along Noida expressways as transit points, evading Ghaziabad and Gautam Budh Nag
AI can refine information, but cannot replace ground reporting, says Raina Assainar
By Suganthi Marimuthu in Media News on Friday, 25th September 2026 at 1:46pm
Artificial intelligence can refine information, while WhatsApp and social media can distribute it within seconds. But neither can replace the fundamental work of journalism: being on the ground, developing sources, asking questions and independently verifying what happened, says The Free Press Journal correspondent Raina Assainar.
“AI does not give you information. AI just refines your information,” Assainar said during an Influencing Insider conversation.
For Assainar, the distinction is straightforward. When an accident or breaking-news event occurs, information must first come from people at the scene. AI can help process or present that material, but it cannot independently establish what happened without information gathered by people.
That distinction has become increasingly important as digital platforms make basic information available almost instantly. Assainar believes a journalist's value now lies in going beyond what is already circulating, developing
Media news latest
The concept of what better practice looks like when engaging with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities was explored in critical detail on Thursday at the CPRA "From Good Intentions to Better Practice” panel. ... Show more
In Front Page News Today: One Nation reshapes key states; Medicare-linked breach sparks AI scrutiny; Housing affordability crunch as rates loom. ... Show more
Yesterday, Influencing had the pleasure of attending CPRA's 'From Good Intentions to Better Practice' panel, which focused on how media and PR professionals can better engage with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities. ... Show more