Mumbrella has strengthened its editorial team with the appointment of Rosie Drew as Senior Reporter. Drew, with a background in journalism, marketing, and communications, brings a wealth of experience to the role, having worked in the not-for-profit sector and regional independent newspapers in senior journalism and editing positions. Mumbrella Editor Neil Griffiths said he was thrilled about Drew joining the team, noting her deep experience and strong character. 'While we wanted a candidate with a strong background in journalism, we also wanted to bring in someone with strong character who could help build on the excellent job this editorial team has done in the last few months.' Drew, in turn, expressed her excitement about joining Mumbrella, citing the publication's exceptional journalism and integrity. 'I’ve followed the exceptional work of Mumbrella’s journalists for several years and I am looking forward to collaborating with them to produce insightful news our readers can

New Zealand Media Entertainment (NZME) has elevated Sarah Catran as its new Head of Digital Audio, succeeding James Butcher, who was recently promoted to NZME Chief Commercial Officer. Catran, a seasoned media professional with nearly 25 years of experience in New Zealand and the United Kingdom, joined NZME in 2005. She has held various commercial and content roles across NZME's radio, print, and digital divisions. Jason Winstanley, NZME Chief Audio Officer, praised Catran's collaborative approach and commercial acumen, highlighting her role in NZME's digital audio strategy and podcast network growth. "Not only has Sarah been a fantastic team player and shown strength in collaborating with multiple teams across NZME, but she has demonstrated excellent commercial nous, helping us grow podcast revenues by 54% year on year and developing long-term partnerships with our valued advertisers." James Butcher, NZME Chief Commercial Officer, emphasised Catran's integral role in NZME's digita

With two phases of the seven-phase general elections already over,  concerns continue to arise among general public and media trackers on how to tackle the menace of paid news penetrating editorial space and whether there are adequate mechanisms in place to ensure that the voter is not swayed by a publicity campaign camouflaged as news.   According to a release put out by the Press Council of India, print media has been advised to follow the norms of journalistic conduct on paid news during the general elections. They have also defined paid news as 'any news or analysis appearing in any media (print and electronic) for a price in cash or kind as consideration'.    The PCI has also come up with a set of guidelines to be followed by media houses to steer clear of paid news. They include newspapers misconstruing or misquoting statements given by political leaders, news items indicating names of voters on caste basis, political news published in competing newspapers with similar

NDTV has expanded its network with the launch of NDTV Marathi, a new regional channel for viewers in Maharashtra. The channel was inaugurated today in the presence of Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.  In a statement to the press, Sanjay Pugalia, CEO and Editor-in-Chief of NDTV Network, highlighted the channel's commitment to serving Maharashtra with meaningful, accurate, and trustworthy news and analysis. He also announced the launch of a unique campaign, "Let's Start Up in Maharashtra," to encourage entrepreneurial spirit among the state's youth.  "Having debuted on Maharashtra Day, it is our honour to serve the people of Maharashtra with meaningful, accurate, and trustworthy news and analysis,"  Pugalia stated in the release. NDTV Marathi is the sixth channel in the NDTV network and marks a strategic expansion effort by NDTV, which has seen recent launches in regions like MP-CG and Rajasthan, as well as a new channe

Sakal Media Group, an independent media house based in Pune is looking for a Marathi Multimedia Producer to join their team.  The organisation seeks candidates who possess robust knowledge of socio-political, entertainment, lifestyle, and health-related topics paired with excellent research and writing skills.  Applicants with expertise in Canva and other web-based editing tools, understanding of SEO trends and Marathi script writing will be favoured.  Interested candidates can send their resumes to sarita.kamble@esakal.com. 

PIN 365, a B2B magazine focusing on the tyre and auto industry, has appointed Nilesh Wadhwa as its Assistant Editor, Influencing India has confirmed. In his new role, Wadhwa will be responsible for reporting on the automotive sector, including components and overall mobility trends.  Wadhwa, who brings a decade of media industry experience to the position, expressed his excitement about the new role on social media.   "I’m happy to share that I’m starting a new position as Assistant Editor at PIN 365 - Motoring Trends & Tyre Trends. I will continue to focus on the automotive, component and the overall mobility segment. Look forward to continuing to track and report on the most exciting times for the automotive industry," he wrote on LinkedIn.  He has previously worked at Kyodo News, The CSR Journal, Haymarket Media Group, and The Financial Express. Nilesh Wadhwa can be reached for story pitches and opportunities at st.nilesh@gmail.com and nilesh@pin-365.com. 

Live Mint, the Indian business and financial daily newspaper under HT Media, has named Sowmya R as its new Senior Correspondent, Influencing India has confirmed. She will be based in Bengaluru, continuing her focus on reporting about startups and deals.  Sowmya announced her appointment on LinkedIn, expressing her excitement about the role. 'I’m happy to share that I’m starting a new position as Senior Correspondent at LiveMint! Will continue reporting on startups and deals from Bengaluru.  Sowmya brings a wealth of experience to her new position, having previously held various roles at prominent organisations such as YourStory Media, The Morning Context, The Hindu, and L&T Financial Services. For tips and information, Sowmya can be reached at sowmya.r@livemint.com.