WhistleOut Managing Editor Alex Choros has spoken of the rewarding feeling he experienced when he and fellow WhistleOut scribes Dylan Crismale, Hannah Geremia and Fergus Halliday took out wins at the Consensus IT Writers Awards.  “It is always rewarding to see the team’s work be recognised within the industry. We have such a strong, talented team, and seeing Dylan, Fergus, Hannah, and my own reporting get that recognition from the Consensus Awards judges is a great feeling,” Choros told Influencing.  Choros won the Best Editor category, thanks to his entry which focused on what he described as Apple’s lukewarm AI implementation. Choros had offered his thoughts on new features, including a magic eraser and visual intelligence.  Crismale’s Best News Writer win was thanks to his exclusive report on the new Starlink congestion charge of $145 coming to Australian customers, particularly those living in Greater Western Sydney and Victoria, wh

AI has moved far beyond being a background tool. It now sits inside the very systems that shape how people see, hear, and believe the world. Deepfake videos, synthetic voices, and AI-generated anchors are no longer fringe experiments. They circulate daily on social media, research platforms, and discussion spaces like Quora and Reddit. Often, people engage with them without realising they are interacting with manufactured realities. What looks convincing now carries the power to quietly rewrite truth. This is no longer just a technological concern. It is a newsroom crisis. Even industry leaders admit the danger. Google CEO Sundar Pichai has said that while AI may help invent cures for diseases like cancer, it can also generate deepfake videos powerful enough to keep him “sleepless at night.” That fear is no longer abstract. It is becoming a working condition for journalists. Indian newsrooms are beginning to respond. Organisations such as The Times of India have started flaggi

As the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) heads to polls on 15 January, CNN-News18 launches extensive on-ground election coverage with its special programming, ‘Ballot Maximum City’. The channel brings together top anchors, editors, and reporters to decode one of the most important civic elections in India’s financial capital. Being India’s richest municipal body, the BMC shapes Mumbai’s civic infrastructure, public health, transport, and urban governance. After eight years, these elections have gained added importance amid changing political equations and voter expectations. As per Adgully, the lineup includes short segments under ‘Ballot Maximum City’ featuring political leaders like Devendra Fadnavis, Eknath Shinde, Aaditya Thackeray, Varun Sardesai, and Praful Patel. ‘Reporters Project’ captures voter sentiment and civic issues, while ‘Mumbai Local’ brings candid chats with local personalities including Mil

Gaurav Banerjee, Managing Director and CEO of Sony Pictures Networks India (SPNI), is being widely recognised for his journey from journalism to leading one of India’s largest entertainment networks. With more than 20 years of experience, Banerjee took charge of SPNI in 2024 and has since played a key role in strengthening the network’s content and strategy.  As per e4m, he began his career in journalism as an assistant producer and anchor with Aaj Tak and later Star News, where he developed a strong foundation in storytelling. Over the years, he helped launch regional news and entertainment channels at Star India, including Star Ananda in Bengali, and later headed content at Disney+ Hotstar.  Since taking over at SPNI, he has led efforts to improve ratings, secure high-value ACC broadcast rights, and revive iconic shows like CID. In addition to his corporate role, Banerjee serves as Chairman of BARC India and leads the

Sky News Australia is enhancing its reporting footprint across Australia and globally with new journalist appointments and expanded coverage. Jonathan Lea takes on the role of National Affairs Correspondent, with the aim of driving in-depth reporting on the economic, political and social issues shaping everyday life for Australian families. Jaynie Seal (pictured) has been appointed Regional Correspondent and will focus on the concerns of regional communities, ensuring the challenges and triumphs of regional Australia receive the national attention they deserve. In this role Seal will present a special investigative series, State of Health, examining the deepening crisis in regional healthcare. The first episode airing in February will take viewers to the Queensland town of Chinchilla, exploring the pressures, shortages and systemic issues confronting rural communities. Jaynie continues as host of Weekend NewsDay. Bridie Witton joins the network as New Zealand Correspondent, based

Anurag Varma has been appointed chairperson of the advisory wing of the Editors Club of India. The appointment letter was handed over by the club’s president, Amitabh Agnihotri. According to Indian Television, in his new role, Varma will focus on safeguarding the dignity, rights and independence of journalists across the country. A media professional with nearly three decades of experience, Varma has worked across television and digital platforms, including Zee TV, DD News, Reliance Communications, Times Digital and Zee Digital. He is currently a media consultant and a regular political analyst on news channels.

The Madras High Court (Madurai Bench) has quashed a police notice issued to journalist Vimal Chinnappan, ruling that the police had no authority to summon or question him without a registered criminal case, Law Beat reported. Justice Sunder Mohan delivered the order on a criminal original petition filed under Section 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure. The notice, issued in October 2025 by the Deputy Superintendent of Police, Srivilliputhur Sub Division, had asked Chinnappan to respond to questions about an article allegedly containing defamatory statements against the police. The notice referenced a 2023 case under the IPC and the SC/ST (PoA) Act, but the court observed that the investigation in that matter had already concluded and Chinnappan was not involved. Chinnappan argued that the notice failed to clarify whether he was being summoned as a witness, suspect, or accused, and that police could not summon him without registering a separate case. The State government conceded