The tragic Jeju Air crash in Muan, South Korea, has sent shockwaves through the aviation world. As reported by The Hindu, a Boeing 737-800 with 181 people on board veered off the runway and crashed, leaving 179 dead and only two survivors. Early investigations, covered by Indian Express, suggest a bird strike caused critical damage to one wing. Despite significant technological advancements, this has reignited concerns about the aviation industry’s inability to prevent bird hits. The Jeju Air crash marks the third major aviation disaster in December 2024 alone. On Sunday, Dec 29, an Air Canada flight caught fire during landing, as noted by The Hindu, while Azerbaijan witnessed a catastrophic crash that claimed 98 lives, although that was much more of an intentional attack against a commercial aircraft by a country that has been at war for nearly 3 years now. The frequency of these incidents has left the public and experts questioning global aviation safety standards. Safety meas

YouTube is taking steps to crack down on misleading titles and thumbnails in India to enhance user experience. According to Times of India report, the platform is focused on addressing “egregious clickbait” issues where videos promise one thing but deliver something completely different or use exaggerated tactics to draw in viewers. With these new measures, YouTube aims to create a more honest and transparent experience for users ensuring that the content they click on actually matches what’s promised. The action will be particularly focused on videos related to breaking news and current events. Initially, the enforcement will be gradual with misleading videos being removed without any strikes against the creators' channels. This approach aims to address the issue while giving creators a chance to adjust, ensuring that the platform remains a reliable source of information. The company is yet to clarify whether the new policy will extend beyond government and news-related c

Marcomm Gender disparity, lack of industry-wide standards emerge as concerns in marcomm survey ICG 2024 The Indian Communications Group (ICG), in its highly anticipated 2024 Salary Survey Report, offered valuable insights into compensation trends across in-house Communications and public relations roles in India. The report, based on responses from approximately 700 in-house marcomms professionals, aims to provide industry-wide benchmarks and empower professionals to assess their value effectively. Beyond the byline: Rozelle Laha explains her leap from journalism to PR For many professionals, career transitions can be daunting, but for Rozelle Laha, the shift from the world of journalism to public relations (PR) was both inevitable and transformative. With a background in business journalism from top-tier publications like The Ken, Mint and Hindustan Times, Rozelle has made a name for herself in the PR industry. In this exclusive interview with Influencing India, Rozelle opens up

Digital Jinfluencers: Digital era's new power players We took a deep dive into how jinfluencers are redefining and reshaping the marketing and social media platforms where the boundary between news and promotional content is already blurred. Election oracles: The science and art of psephology in poll predictions Our team also unearthed the art and science of psephology in poll predictions, diving into how psephologists relied on simple methods like exit polls, surveys, and basic demographic analysis initially and employing advanced modelling and predictive analytics for greater accuracy. Meta expands fact-checking program in India with PTI Meta announced a partnership with the Press Trust of India (PTI) to expand its third-party fact-checking initiative in India ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. With PTI joining as the 12th partner, India now has the highest number of third-party fact-checking partners on Meta's platform globally. India Today Group's AI anchor 'Sana' wins big

Print Better work-life balance for journos need of the hour As many as six journalists with no major health complications have died across the country indicating an alarming situation of better work-life balance in the industry. Influencing India reached out to senior journalists who opined to develop a code of conduct and standards that the editors should follow. (Newsletter 13) Small Newspaper Story: How Mylapore Times is tiding over challenges from national dailies and the digital tsunami Traditional print media losing ground to digital platforms, in both advertising and subscription revenues, yet, there are those ‘small’ newspapers that continue to buck the global trend with their robust content and local connect. We spoke with Vincent D’Souza, owner-editor of the Mylapore Times. He is one of those rare journalists who stuck to hyper-local journalism for over three decades now despite beginning his career at larger media outlets with national outreach.  (Newsletter 19

As the year comes to an end, yet another Indian icon departs the mortal world leaving behind a legacy that not even a handful in the billion-plus country can match. Glowing tributes flowed for former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, whose visionary economic reforms of 1991 propelled the country's economic growth to its current status of the 5th largest economy in the world after he passed away on Thursday. A cursory glance at lead headlines of all the leading English dailies reveals the impact the soft-spoken man had on Indians. The Times of India lead story headlined "Man Who Liberated India's Dreams" by Subodh Ghildiyal stated that "the 1991 rewriting of industrial policy and the budget that followed are milestones in India’s evolution. If India is today reckoned globally as a serious economic player, if it’s pegged as a future economic heavyweight, it all goes back to those key calls taken by a quiet man." The Hindustan Times, its tribute to the economist-politician, labelle

Doordarshan’s recently launched OTT platform, Waves, has surpassed 1 million downloads within just one month of its launch. Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw celebrated the milestone on his X page, sharing his excitement over the platform's rapid success. Launched by Dr Pramod Sawant during the 55th International Film Festival (IFFI) held in Goa, ‘Waves’ represents a bold step forward for Doordarshan in embracing the digital era. The platform blends classic programming with modern features, offering beloved shows like Ramayan, Mahabharat, Shaktimaan, and Hum Log alongside fresh content, creating a bridge between generations.  Available in over 12 languages, Waves features diverse offerings, including Video on Demand, free-to-play gaming, live TV streaming, and access to 65 live channels. Its innovative platform also supports young content creators, fostering growth in India’s creative economy. With a sleek user interface, personalized profiles, and curated playlists, Waves