The Press Council of India has issued an advisory directing media organisations to adhere to norms governing pre-poll and exit poll coverage during the upcoming elections. In its press release, the Council reiterated compliance with Section 126A of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, along with its established guidelines to ensure responsible reporting. The advisory comes ahead of Assembly elections in Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Puducherry, as well as by-elections in multiple states.  

A journalist was killed after being hit by a speeding motorcycle in Himachal Pradesh’s Una district on Thursday night, police said. The victim, Vinod Kumar from the Bangana area, was walking home around 8 pm after closing his photo studio when the accident occurred. He suffered a fatal head injury and died on the spot. According to the sources, police reached the accident spot soon after and have arrested the rider. According to SHO Rohit Chaudhary, a case has been registered, with preliminary findings pointing to overspeeding and negligence.   Image: The Tribune

With the crucial five-state assembly elections just a few weeks away, the Press Council of India has issued a strict warning to print journalists against promoting paid news while releasing general guidelines to follow on election reporting. These include giving objective reports on elections, steering clear of communal or casteist campaigns, refraining from canvassing for a party besides observing all directions from the Election Commission of India. The PCI also warned news outlets against publishing opinion and exit polls unless notified by the Election Commission in an attempt to refrain from influencing public opinion. A key focus of the advisory was on curbing paid news. The PCI reiterated its definition of paid news as "Any news or analysis appearing in any media (print and electronic) for a price in cash or kind as consideration." It also listed the warning signs such as identical reports across publications, unverified allegations, and coverage disproportionate

Image of the Day:   Delhi targets water woes, Yamuna clean-up in summer action plan With another intense summer approaching, Delhi govt on Monday unveiled its Summer Action Plan 2026-27 to shore up water supply, tighten sewer management and accelerate the clean-up of the Yamuna, while rolling out digital tools to improve grievance redressal and transparency, writes Abhinav Rajput for The Times of India. Launching the plan at the DJB headquarters in Jhandewalan, water minister Parvesh Verma said the focus will be on maintaining peak production, plugging distribution gaps and ensuring accountability in tanker operations. “Supplying clean water and protecting the Yamuna are not just administrative tasks but a shared responsibility,” he added.  Dust, waste lapses in Delhi draw PMO warning Neha Mishra for The Times of India reported that the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has flagged “serious lapses” in Delhi’s dust mitigation measures an

Zeno Group has been appointed as the strategic communications agency of record for Redseer Strategy Consultants in India, following a multi-agency pitch process. Under the mandate, Zeno will manage integrated media relations and executive communications to strengthen Redseer’s positioning as a forward-looking consultancy in India’s fast-evolving consumer and digital ecosystem. The agency was selected for its strategic counsel, sector expertise across consumer, fintech, B2B, and investor domains, and its ability to translate complex insights into compelling narratives for stakeholders, including CEOs, CMOs, investors, and policymakers. Aanshul Agarwal, Marketing Director at Redseer, said the firm has built its reputation on speed and quality of thinking, helping clients make high-stakes decisions with conviction. He added that the partnership with Zeno would sharpen how the brand communicates its value. Abhishek Gulyani, Managing Director of Zeno India, said the collaborat

Former journalist Apurba Kumar Das, ex‑Vice President of the Goalpara District Press Club, has secured First Class First position in the postgraduate examination in Journalism and Mass Communication under Krishna Kanta Handiqui State Open University. In recognition of his academic achievement, Das was awarded a gold medal at the university’s 8th convocation ceremony held on March 25 in Guwahati. The medal and certificate were presented by Assam Governor and Chancellor Lakshman Prasad Acharya, The Sentinel reported.

Influencing held the 24th Annual Samsung Australian IT Journalism Awards last Friday evening. This year’s ‘Lizzies’ saw a range of different winners across journalist, beat, media and coverage categories and Gold Lizzie awards.  Congratulations to all our winners, as well as those who were finalists and who received a ‘highly commended’ nod from the judges. A massive thank you once again to our sponsors:  Samsung Australia, Cisco, MYOB, Meta, Optus, Kinetic IT, PEXA, ACS, ARMHub and Watterson. And to the Award supporters: Adobe, Aussie Broadband and Apptio.  Please enjoy some photos of this year’s Lizzie winners.  Alicia Camphuisen Best New Journalist: SBS’ Veronica Lenard, presented by Watterson Marketing’s Oisin O’Callaghan Best Security Journalist: The Age & SMH’s David Swan  Best Gaming Coverage: Edmond Tran accepting for This Week In Videogames Best Business Coverage: Andrew Birm