Welcome to another week and today's roundup of the news. Let's start this morning with The Guide - which comes with The Sydney Morning Herald today - because it's a bit of a curious beast. The Guide covers Free TV, Streaming, Movies and Listings and it's got some decent featurettes, including one by Farz Edraki ('These shows are the strangest ever made') which takes a look at the history of some of the strangest reality TV shows there have ever been. Edraki begins by saying, ""Reality TV has always been unhinged, but at the turn of the century it was truly bonkers". I couldn't have put it better myself, and Edraki has put together a fine piece of writing on some of those shows. Personally I think all reality TV is strange and moronic but obviously I'm in the minority as these sorts of brainless but possibly also harmless types of TV are compelling for very many people. What I find most bizarre about The

Journalists in Jammu and Kashmir have welcomed the demand for a pension scheme for retired media professionals raised in the Assembly. Ashwani Kumar, President of the Jammu and Kashmir Accredited Journalists Association, hailed the intervention made by Tanvir Sadiq, MLA from Zadibal and Chief Spokesman of the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference, during the Assembly proceedings in Jammu on Wednesday. In a statement, Ashwani Kumar said the MLA had correctly highlighted the hardships faced by retired journalists who spent their lives strengthening democracy through reporting, often under difficult and risky conditions. He said senior journalists dedicate decades to public service and deserve social security after retirement. He pointed out that several states and Union Territories already offer monthly pensions to journalists who have completed at least 20 years of service and attained the age of 58. States such as Haryana, Rajasthan, Punjab, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Bihar, Chhattisg

The media occupies a central place in a democratic and secular society, Andhra Pradesh Minister for Information and Housing Kolusu Parthasarathy said on Wednesday, asserting that journalism plays a decisive role in shaping public discourse. Speaking after releasing the APUWJ Vijayawada Unit Diary at the State Secretariat, the Minister said the government views the press as an essential link between citizens and the administration. He said raising public concerns through responsible reporting helps improve transparency and strengthens democratic institutions. Reiterating the government’s support for journalists, Parthasarathy said steps were being taken to ensure their safety, welfare and professional dignity. He also acknowledged the support of Anvita Group, whose chairman Boppana Achyuta Rao and director Boppana Nagabhushanam sponsored the diary’s publication. Leaders of the APUWJ Vijayawada unit and representatives of electronic media associations attended the programme.

Senior journalist and noted author K Govindan Kutty passed away following a short period of illness, family members confirmed on Thursday, Feb 19. He was 81 years old. Kutty is survived by his wife, son and daughter. Popularly referred to as KGK among peers, Kutty was widely respected for his incisive understanding of Kerala politics and national affairs. His career spanned decades in both Thiruvananthapuram and New Delhi, where he served in various reporting and editorial roles. He made national headlines in 1977 by being the first to report the aircraft crash involving then Prime Minister Morarji Desai at Jorhat in Assam, an incident from which Desai escaped unhurt. During the 1980s, Kutty was among the earliest journalists to uncover internal divisions within the CPI(M) in Kerala. His reporting later proved significant as those ideological cracks culminated in the expulsion of senior leader M V Raghavan in 1986 and a major split in the party. At the height of his tenure with th

A female journalist from Aaj Tak was allegedly threatened and obstructed while reporting in West Bengal, raising fresh concerns about press freedom and journalist safety. The incident occurred during coverage of a government outreach programme linked to a youth stipend scheme under Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s administration. While filming at a registration camp, eyewitnesses said several individuals confronted the reporter, questioned her recording, and allegedly demanded she hand over her camera. Members of the crowd also filmed her during the confrontation, escalating tensions. According to reports, a Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader objected to her coverage, telling her: “Why are you showing negative news? Show positive!” before allegedly issuing a threat. Though she was not physically assaulted, the verbal intimidation forced her to halt reporting temporarily. The journalist’s report had highlighted how educated unemployed youth were standing in lon

The Tripura Working Journalists Association has said that journalists in Tripura are working in a safe and positive environment. The association said personal disputes involving individual journalists should not be presented as problems affecting the entire media fraternity. Association President Bijay Pal, during a Facebook Live session conducted on February 17, 2026, alleged that some media owners are using journalists to serve personal interests. He described this trend as unfortunate and said conflicts between media owners or editors and political leaders for personal reasons should be treated as individual matters, not attacks on the wider press. He stated that Chief Minister Manik Saha had maintained a positive atmosphere for the press. The association’s conference was attended by Dr. Saha and Minister Tinku Roy on day one, and Deputy Speaker Ramprasad Paul along with editor Subal Kumar Dey on day two. According to Tripura Info, Paul’s invitation sparked critici

Image edited by Dinesh Raj M   There’s something oddly convenient about a law that doesn’t define what a “secret” is. India’s Official Secrets Act, 1923, was drafted by a colonial government that feared pamphlets more than policy failures. A century later, it continues to sit on our statute books, quietly powerful, vaguely worded and occasionally unsheathed when information leaks become politically uncomfortable. The law criminalises the unauthorised disclosure of government information deemed “secret.” That includes documents, sketches, plans, models and even oral communication. The penalty can stretch up to 14 years’ imprisonment in cases of espionage. Courts can conduct closed-door hearings. Media organisations can face liability. The definition of “secret”? That’s left to the discretion of the state. And that’s where the discomfort begins. Who does the OSA target? On paper, the Act primarily appl