Veteran journalist N.R.S. Babu, fondly remembered as “Gurunathan” (mentor) by generations of journalists, passed away at his residence in Thiruvananthapuram on Friday. He was 85. A towering figure in Malayalam journalism, Babu served as Deputy Editor of Kerala Kaumudi and later as Editor of Kalakaumudi Weekly. He also headed the Institute of Journalism at the Thiruvananthapuram Press Club as Director, and was the Founder Chairman of Invis Multimedia, one of Kerala’s pioneering multimedia software companies. Senior journalist Reji K.P., President of the Kerala Union of Working Journalists, paid tribute, describing Babu as a mentor who helped shape the course of Malayalam media and guided hundreds of aspiring reporters and editors. “His contributions to journalism remain invaluable,” Reji said. Babu was also part of the landmark Kattakallanmar investigative series in the mid‑1970s, produced by the Kerala Kaumudi editorial team. The series exposed large‑scale fore

The Press Information Bureau (PIB), Hyderabad organised a special VARTALAP Media Workshop in Mahabubnagar as part of the nationwide campaign “12 Saal Vishwas Ke, Vikas Ke, Jan Kalyan Ke”. Around 140 journalists participated in the programme. The workshop was inaugurated by P. Srinivas, District Public Relations Officer (DPRO), Mahabubnagar, in the presence of Varganti Gayathri, Media & Communication Officer, PIB Hyderabad. Srinivas emphasised the importance of responsible journalism, fact‑checking, and spreading awareness about government welfare schemes. Sessions included: Muddam Narasimha Swamy: On the Central Government’s achievements over the past 12 years B.N. Satya Priya: On fact‑checking and combating misinformation Participants engaged in discussions on journalism, public communication and digital media, with speakers highlighting the role of ethical reporting and digital literacy in the evolving media landscape.

Teamwork Communications Group has won the public relations mandate for RG Hospitals, India's largest chain of urology and minimal access surgery hospitals with a 40-year legacy. The agency will manage strategic communications and media engagement for RG Hospitals across Delhi NCR, Ludhiana, Chennai, Kolkata, and Dehradun. Nikky Gupta, CEO and Co-Founder, Teamwork Communications Group, said the partnership will focus on increasing visibility for RG Hospitals' clinical innovations, patient outcomes, and leadership in advanced surgical care. Avinash Ojha, Managing Director, RG Hospitals, said the collaboration will help communicate the hospital's technological milestones, centres of excellence, and expansion plans while strengthening trust among patients seeking specialised surgical care. 

For an industry that spends a great deal of time arguing for its own importance, journalism has rarely been able to say what it is worth in the language that decision-makers actually respond to: money, security, and risk. A report published this week tries to close that gap. The Value of Journalism: Global evidence on why media matters to economics, national security and crises was launched on 22 June at the Global Media Forum in Bonn, Germany. It was commissioned by UNESCO in partnership with the International Fund for Public Interest Media (IFPIM) and DW Akademie, and written by Professor Mel Bunce and Dr Beth Pearson of City St George's, University of London. Rather than make a fresh moral case for press freedom, the authors do something more pointed: they synthesise the existing academic research and translate it into the economic and security terms that finance ministries and security establishments understand. The timing is deliberate. The report arrives at what its auth

Tuesday, 23 June 2026 #1  ·  Times City  ·  Investigative Applied Online. Weeks Later, They Were Still Knocking On RTO Doors By Abha Sharma   ·   The Times of India  ·  Page 2 An investigative piece exposing the systemic failure of the Motor Vehicles Department's online services portal launched in 2021, which was meant to eliminate in-person visits to RTOs. Residents report that despite applying and paying fees online, they are repeatedly asked to appear in person, with agents continuing to act as gatekeepers and officials deflecting blame. The story documents specific user experiences, flagging complaints and the gap between digital promise and ground reality. Strong ground reporting with multiple named citizen accounts and a structured audit of the portal's four key services, giving the story evidentiary weight beyond anecdote. The piece draws a clear line between policy intent and administrative failu

The Karnataka Union of Working Journalists (KUWJ) has urged Director General of Police M.A. Saleem to take action against individuals allegedly misusing the association’s name and letterhead. A delegation led by KUWJ State President Shivananda Tagadoor informed the DGP that some persons were using the union’s identity in communications with government offices and police stations despite having no connection with the organisation. The KUWJ, founded in 1932 and registered under the Trade Union Act, represents over 9,000 journalists across Karnataka. The DGP assured the delegation that appropriate directions would be issued to police stations to investigate such complaints and submit reports. He also directed a district Superintendent of Police to look into the matter, while appreciating KUWJ’s longstanding contribution to journalism and public service.

The Senior Journalists Forum held an interactive session with Punjab Governor and UT Chandigarh Administrator Gulab Chand Kataria at Punjab Lok Bhavan on Saturday, June 20. During the meeting, Kataria emphasised the media’s vital role in strengthening democracy and shaping public opinion, noting that constructive criticism and objective reporting help improve governance. He praised journalists for consistently bringing public concerns to policymakers’ attention, describing the media as an essential pillar of democracy. The Governor also commended the Forum for uniting senior journalists on a common platform and stressed the importance of supporting media professionals after retirement, India News reported.