Image edited by Dinesh Raj M   On Republic Day, the news can wait for a moment. The debates can breathe. And the deadlines can step aside. Today is about something deeper than headlines. It is about the Constitution that gives journalism its freedom, citizens their rights, and this country its moral backbone. Fourth Right will not be publishing its regular column today in honour of the occasion. Instead, we choose to pause, reflect, and celebrate the idea that makes all our work possible: a democratic republic built on equality, liberty, and justice. To write freely, question power, and speak without fear is not a given. It is a gift of the Constitution. One we carry forward every day through our work. Wishing our readers, contributors, and the entire Daily Pinnacle / Influencing India family a proud and thoughtful Republic Day. We return tomorrow. Sharper, louder, and still accountable to the Republic.

Bridgers has secured the public relations and social media marketing mandate for IIT Mandi Catalyst’s Capacity Building Programme after a multi-agency pitch. IIT Mandi Catalyst is one of India’s top technology business incubators. Under the partnership, Bridgers will provide end-to-end communication support for selected startups, covering public relations, reputation management, and social media marketing to showcase their innovation and originality. The agency will work closely with IIT Mandi Catalyst and four incubated startups — AgriVijay, UKHI, Autocracy Machinery, and Bliss Natural — to create innovative brand campaigns and community-first storytelling, building strong and authentic narratives. Founder of Bridgers, Kumar Anubhav, said the agency is committed to supporting IIT Mandi Catalyst’s vision of building a competitive Indian startup ecosystem and contributing to the Make in India initiative. Prof. Dipankar Deb of IIT Mandi Catalyst said

Veteran journalist, columnist, and literary figure Rabi Kanungo from Rourkela passed away late Wednesday night at a hospital in Bhubaneswar. He was 83. A former editor of the Odia daily Suryaprabha, Kanungo was known for his fearless, principled journalism and his contributions to Odia language and literature.  

  Havas has been selected under the European Commission’s new Framework Contract for the next five years, allowing the group to carry out communication work for European institutions across EU countries and beyond. As the only France-based European communications group chosen, Havas has strengthened its position as a major player in strategic communication in Europe, following several earlier projects for the European Commission. Havas has developed an integrated approach that balances a shared European message with national realities. Coordinated by Havas Paris, this approach brings together its European and international agency network to make European initiatives clearer and more relatable for citizens. The group combines strategy, creative and media expertise under one model, supported by the H/Advisors network in areas such as reputation, influence and public diplomacy. Its Converged.AI platform also unites advisory, creative and media talent to deliver consisten

In newsrooms far from the mountains of Kashmir and the hills of Manipur, journalism is often measured in deadlines, scoops, and bylines. In these two regions, it is measured in survival, suspicion, and the constant negotiation with fear. For journalists working here, the job is not just about telling stories. It is about living inside them. Mohammad Saleem Bhat, President of the Press Club of Kashmir, explains how the gap between perception and reality shapes his work. “The population out of the area of my reportage never understood the expectation of my local people about my reporting of the events according to their perspective.” For him, journalism is a balancing act between local accountability and national misunderstanding. That tension comes at a personal cost. “I have been painted as an Indian agent at times by jealous fellow journalists. This reward was bestowed upon me only to malign me in society.” In a place where every word is scrutinised, even a journalist’

The Press Club of India (PCI) has strongly criticised the Jammu and Kashmir Police for orally summoning several journalists, including Srinagar-based reporters from at least three national dailies, without giving any specific reasons. According to the Press Club, the journalists were questioned over routine, fact-based stories drawn from publicly available information, pointing to an attempt to obstruct their professional work. In a statement, the PCI said, “The journalists were questioned over routine, fact-based reports sourced from publicly available information, in what appears to be an attempt to prevent them from fulfilling their professional responsibilities.” It also pointed out that one journalist had to spend nearly 15 hours over four days at Srinagar’s Cyber Police Station and was asked to sign a bond stating that he would not “disturb the peace”, reflecting harassment. The PCI further stated that such arbitrary measures create fear and res

Image edited by Dinesh Raj M   If you want to understand what Indian television news has become, don’t watch prime-time debates. Read regulatory orders. An exclusive investigation by The Indian Express into three years of rulings by the News Broadcasting & Digital Standards Authority reveals something both obvious and damning. Nearly 60 per cent of the regulator’s orders between 2023 and 2025 were for communal code violations. Not factual errors or sloppy journalism but serious communal framing and apparently this isn’t accidental, it’s systemic. Vineet Bhalla and Amaal Sheikh reveal that the NBDSA examined 54 cases over three years and found broadcasters guilty in 43. Thirty-two of those involved narratives that framed entire communities through loaded labels like “love jihad,” “land jihad,” “thook jihad,” or “population explosion.” These weren’t fringe channels. The repeat offenders were some