Prime Minister Narendra Modi has handed India’s armed forces a blank cheque, complete operational freedom to choose the mode, time and target for retaliating against the Pahalgam terror attack, which claimed 26 civilian lives.  Hot off the Press As reported by Akhilesh Kumar Singh & Manash Pratim Gohain for The Times of India, this isn’t bluster, it’s a strategic signal. Modi chaired a top-tier security meeting alongside Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, NSA Ajit Doval, CDS General Anil Chauhan and the Army, Navy and Air Force chiefs. Every option is on the table. India also brought its sharpest diplomatic knives to the United Nations. At the UN Security Council, India's Deputy Permanent Representative, Yojna Patel, didn’t mince words, calling Pakistan a “rogue state fuelling global terrorism,” citing the Lashkar-e-Taiba proxy group behind the Pahalgam attack. She specifically highlighted Pakistani defence minister Khawaja Asif's "open confession" about his countr

(L-R) Travis Cardona, Director of First Nations and Outreach, NIDA; Liz Hughes, CEO of NIDA; Dena Curtis, Head of Commissioning and Production, NITV; Nakul Legha, Head of Scripted, SBS.   SBS, National Indigenous Television (NITV) and the National Institute of Dramatic Arts (NIDA) have announced a new three-year partnership to provide practical and structured pathways for emerging creatives and support the transition for students into the screen industry. The NIDA Pathways with SBS and NITV partnership will offer students industry experience, expertise and opportunities, supporting historically underrepresented creatives, and reinforcing a shared commitment to building a diverse and inclusive screen industry that reflects contemporary Australia. SBS, NITV and NIDA will work together to deliver opportunities for students to foster meaningful industry connections, enhance their experience and skillset, along with mentorship from the SBS Scripted and NITV commissioning teams.  

Peter Dutton campaigning in the NSW southern highlands yesterday. Photograph: Mick Tsikas/AAP As the big voting day gets ever closer - though 2.5 million people have already voted early - Peter Dutton has told people to “forget the ABC” when it comes to coverage on Saturday’s election night.    As reported by Guardian Australia’s Josh Butler, Dutton - following up on his earlier comments about the ABC and the Guardian being “hate media” - gave the free advice when he appeared on an early morning FM radio interview in Melbourne this morning.  Just to balance the books, Crikey’s Alexandra Wake has a great story up today headlined: “Amid Dutton’s ‘hate media’ and Trump’s despotism, press freedom is more vital than ever”. Well worth a read for anyone who cares about the future of the media. Calling Exclusive for The Australian, reporters Mohammad Alfares, Lily McCaffrey and Damon Johnston report Labor minister Clare O’Neil “rushes to axe Chinese

News Corp Australia has launched The Mushroom Cook: The Trial, a daily podcast and editorial series that delves into the highly-anticipated trial of Erin Patterson, taking place in the Supreme Court of Victoria.  Led by the Herald Sun’s investigative news team and spearheaded by journalist Brooke Grebert-Craig, court reporter Laura Placella and Gold Walkley-winning reporter Anthony Dowsley, The Mushroom Cook: The Trial takes audiences inside the courtroom delivering the latest developments and insights as the trial unfolds.      Patterson faces charges stemming from a family lunch at her rural Victoria home that turned deadly in 2023. She has entered a not guilty plea to three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder. Herald Sun Editor Sam Weir said the podcast will provide listeners with a front-row seat to one of the most anticipated trials in Australian legal history. “The Mushroom Cook: The Trial will keep listeners up-to-date with the latest from inside t

FM radio listenership is increasing in Tier-II and Tier-III markets, with 80 per cent of survey respondents reporting that they regularly listen to the radio, according to The Economic Times.   This was found in a survey conducted by the consumer insights firm Toluna India in Tier-II and Tier-III cities and towns between December 19, 2022 and January 02, 2023.   The survey was conducted with a sample base of more than 1200 respondents and detailed interviews among FM radio listeners aged 18-50 who are part of the Toluna panel across genders, socioeconomic classes, and employment status.   A key insight from the survey is that working professionals are major consumers of FM radio, with nine out of ten indicating they listen regularly. Nearly two-thirds of the students surveyed also reported being regular radio listeners.   According to the study, 33 per cent of radio listeners ranked FM radio as the preferred medium for daily entertainment, followed by video/music st

  Matt James. Nine has announced this afternoon the very experienced Matt James has been appointed Chief Sales Officer, one of the most senior commercial roles in Australian media.   Reporting to Nine’s Chief Executive Officer, Matt Stanton, James has extensive global media experience and will be responsible for growing the revenue of Nine’s Total Television, Total Publishing and Total Audio assets.    Appointed Acting Chief Sales Officer in December 2024, James holds 35 years of experience and has previously been CEO of global media agency Zenith Media based in London, the inaugural Group CEO of Publicis Media, and CEO of Zenith Australia and New Zealand. His appointment as Chief Sales Officer amid a wide field of candidates signals a new era for Nine Sales, with Mr James set to sharpen a reinvigorated digital video strategy to ensure the company can compete with the global platforms, and to drive collaboration within the streaming and broadcast industry.       

In the wake of the devastating Pahalgam terror attack that left 26 civilians dead, Jammu & Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah delivered a rare kind of leadership—one marked not by anger, but by restraint and reflection. Hot off the Press Chief Minister Omar Abdullah told the Assembly he would not use the Pahalgam terror attack as an excuse to demand immediate statehood. "Curse be upon me if I ask for statehood now," Omar said, as Indian Express and Sanjay Khajuria & Naseer Ganai reported for The Times of India. The Assembly quickly moved to pass a strong resolution condemning the attack, introduced by Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary, noted Peerzada Ashiq for The Hindu. The document expressed collective anguish and reaffirmed J&K’s commitment to peace, development, and the ethos of "Kashmiriyat." A two-minute silence was observed to honour the victims, while all political parties, religious leaders and civil society groups were urged to reject divisive