Public broadcaster Prasar Bharati’s OTT platform WAVES has reached 80 lakh downloads in its first year since launch, according to information submitted by the Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Dr. L. Murugan in the Lok Sabha, highlighting growing interest in digital public service content.​ According to e4m, the WAVES features programmes from Doordarshan and All India Radio, including archived national and regional shows, documentaries, classical music, literature-based content and regional arts, making them available to audiences worldwide.  WAVES has been created to help emerging creators and filmmakers reach wider audiences through a digital-first platform. It is a subscription-free service that depends largely on advertising revenue, with a focus on making public service content easily accessible.  According to Prasar Bharati, the platform is witnessing steady growth, with rising international users and expanding partnerships in globa

Prasar Bharati has drafted a Content Syndication Policy, 2025, aimed at expanding cultural outreach while monetising its content in line with its public service role. The draft has been placed on Prasar Bharati’s official website for public feedback. The policy focuses on monetising content produced by Doordarshan and Akashvani, including archived regional and national programmes, as well as live broadcasts of government events, festivals, and sports. Digital-first content on Prasar Bharati’s OTT platform has also been included. According to Best Media Info, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Dr L Murugan shared this information in the Lok Sabha in reply to a question by MP Shri Selvaganapathi T M. The policy draft also proposes monetising commissioned, co-produced, and licensed content, and seeks collaborations with domestic and international platforms. It outlines flexible licensing options, including flat-fee, revenue-share, and minimum-guarantee mod

Meher Castelino, one of the earliest and most influential voices in Indian fashion journalism, has passed away at the age of 81. A trailblazer who helped define how fashion was reported and understood in India, she is remembered as both a chronicler and shaper of the industry. Castelino first came into the spotlight after winning Femina Miss India 1964, but it was her long career in fashion journalism that cemented her legacy. A former model who appeared in more than 2,000 shows, she brought rare insider insight to her writing. She served as Fashion Editor for publications such as Gentlemen’s Fashion Quarterly, Flair and Eve’s, and authored Fashion Musings, one of India’s early fashion books known for its sharp, witty Q&A format. Castelino was also the official fashion writer for Lakmé Fashion Week, documenting its designers, milestones and evolution, and creating an important written archive of contemporary Indian fashion. Colleagues and designers remember her for her

  “According to a source” and its Hindi equivalent, “sutron ke anusar,” appear so routinely in news stories that readers often skim past them. Yet behind those few words lies one of journalism’s most delicate relationships: a bond built on trust, risk, and mutual responsibility. Anonymity is sometimes misread as secrecy. In practice, it often reflects courage. Many sources choose to stay unnamed not to hide, but to ensure that the truth reaches the public without exposing themselves or their families to retaliation. Protecting that anonymity is central to ethical journalism. “For them, the truth matters more than recognition. And for us, protecting both the truth and the people behind it is indispensable,” says Swati Naik, a senior journalist with nearly twenty-three years at Zee News. She recalls how sources early in her career trusted her with information they themselves could not carry alone, shaping the rigor with which she approached every story that followed.

The Editors Guild of India has congratulated senior journalist Sangeeta Barooah Pisharoty on her election as President of the Press Club of India, along with the newly elected panel of office bearers. In a statement, the Guild noted that Pisharoty’s election marks a historic moment for the Press Club of India, as it is the first time in its 68-year history that a woman journalist has been elected to the top post. Describing the development as a significant breach of the glass ceiling, the Guild said it reflected a positive shift within one of the country’s most prominent journalistic institutions. The Editors Guild recalled the long role played by the Press Club of India, along with press clubs across the country, in leading efforts to defend media freedom and work towards the welfare of journalists. It said these institutions have consistently stood at the forefront of issues affecting the profession. The Guild also expressed its intent to work closely with the new team at th

A delegation of journalists and public relations officers from Chhattisgarh visited the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly as part of an educational study tour. The delegation met Assembly Speaker Vasudev Devnani and discussed the role of media in a democracy, followed by a group photograph. During the visit, the journalists toured the Assembly museum, where they were briefed on the formation of Rajasthan, its democratic traditions, and the history of the Legislative Assembly. They also observed the proceedings from the visitors’ gallery to understand the functioning of the House, Khaskhbar reported.

For a government that routinely mocks the so-called Khan Market ecosystem, the Modi administration has grown strikingly comfortable outsourcing its messaging to urban, English-speaking influencers. In March 2024, DD National premiered India in Motion, a glossy documentary series showcasing the government’s work on roads, railways, and aviation. The face of the series was Kamiya Jani, one of India’s most recognisable travel influencers. Within hours of broadcast, the same episodes appeared on private YouTube channels linked to her media network. That single move triggered internal objections, raised questions of contract violation, and eventually ended in a quiet settlement by Prasar Bharati, India’s public broadcaster. Basant Kumar’s reporting for Newslaundry shows why this episode matters far beyond one television show. At the centre of the controversy lies a Rs 6.09-crore taxpayer-funded contract, two media companies and paperwork that appears to have b