The podcast with MIT research scientist Lex Friedman has not been the first time PM Modi has openly expressed admiration for US President Donald Trump and his "America First" policy which aligns with Modi's "Nation First" approach in dedicating themselves to the service of the nation. “Even after being shot (July 2024), he remained unwaveringly dedicated to America. His life was for his nation. Trump’s will to live and fight for the US even after being shot appeals to me because this showed his America First spirit, just as I believe in Nation First. I stand for India First and that’s why I connect so well (with Trump),” the PM said, according to a report in The Times of India. Modi’s emphatic endorsement of Trump in a podcast with the popular podcaster and research scientist comes at a time US allies, particularly Europe and Canada, are taking a heavy battering from the president who has been accused by some of dragging America into isolationism with his policies.

The relationship between journalists and PR professionals has shifted from targeted outreach to blind pitching, with journalists increasingly frustrated by irrelevant pitches flooding their inboxes. What was once a symbiotic exchange of information has now become a game of mass emailing, often without research or relevance. Influencing India spoke with journalists and PR professionals to examine how their relationship has evolved--from strategic collaboration to a game of hit-or-miss pitches. While some find common ground, others are stuck in a loop of mismatched emails and missed opportunities. Deepika KC, city editor at The Hindu, Bengaluru, described how the once “mutual and connected” relationship has become “distant and disconnected.” She noted that PR executives often fail to research the journalists they pitch to, leading to irrelevant outreach. Niveditha Kalyanaraman, senior associate editor at LBB, shared a similar experience, stating that despite moving from bu

Del Fordham has departed Nine Entertainment to take on the role of associate director of Audible Originals for the APAC region, Mumbrella reported.  After 18 months as Nine’s head of podcasts and previous stints as content director and head of audio at News Corp Australia, Fordham started his new position at Amazon today. In his new role, he will oversee the production and commissioning of Audible Originals across Australia, New Zealand, Japan, and India. He will also be working closely with content programming, creative development, production, legal and finance teams. Before he departed from Nine, Fordham helped launch the lifestyle podcast The Pay Off with Sylvia Jeffreys, rounding out his tenure with the network on a high note.  

Airalo, a leading global eSIM provider, has appointed SourceCode Communications as its agency of record following a competitive review. Shelly Pearce, Chief Growth Officer at Airalo stated in a release, “SourceCode’s strategic storytelling and industry expertise make them the right partner as we expand our reach.” With no prior incumbent, SourceCode will drive media relations and thought leadership to strengthen Airalo’s global presence.   

  Dentsu has renewed its global media partnership with Heineken, extending their eight-year collaboration for another two years. The agency will continue managing Heineken’s media investments across 100 markets, including Mexico, Brazil, the UK, Germany, India and more. The extended partnership will focus on leveraging data, technology and innovative strategies to enhance consumer engagement in the algorithmic era.

In the heart of regional Australia, a quiet revolution is taking place in local newsrooms. While city dwellers enjoy an abundance of news sources, many rural communities are facing what experts call "news deserts" - areas without access to reliable, professional journalism.  Professor Christy Hess of Deakin University has spent years studying this transformation. Her research reveals a landscape of contrasting fortunes, where some regional cities thrive with multiple news outlets while remote areas struggle to maintain basic news coverage.  The Covid pandemic delivered a devastating blow to local newspapers, with hundreds forced to close as advertising revenue crumbled. Yet from these ashes, in some areas a surprising phoenix has emerged. Independent providers have stepped in to revive shuttered publications, creating a dynamic and ever-changing media environment.  "Print is not dead," Professor Hess declares in the latest Influencing Insiders episode, where she describes how m

Former Mac World Australia editor turned Media-Wize Co-CEO Anthony Caruana has described his Australian Apple News website as where he writes purely for the fun of writing.  Caruana told Influencing, “after starting Media-Wize seven years ago with Kathryn Goater, I’d been doing PR work and not much writing. A couple of years ago, I got the itch to write for the sake of writing.  “I looked around and found the Australian Apple News domain was available, and I thought, why not? So I’ve started doing it for fun, and that's what it’s remained for me.” Caruana has been writing about Apple topics for Australian Apple News for a couple of years, having previously done so for a decade whilst Editor at Mac News Australia. Self-described as a “labour of love,” Caruana writes about Apple topics he’s interested in for Australian Apple News.  “I picked topics that interest me because if they interest me, they're probably interesting at least one other person. That's wh