The second edition of e4m Party Spokespersons 50, which ranks the top political party spokespersons in the country, was held at a glittering ceremony in New Delhi on 1st Oct 2023.

In a vibrant democracy like India, political spokespersons play a pivotal role in shaping public perception, influencing policy debates, and driving the narrative for their respective parties. 

In the second edition of this prestigious list five spokespersons of the Bharatiya Janata Party, three from the Congress and two from AAP featured among the top ten.

e4m Party Spokespersons 50 initiative aims to recognize and honor the individuals who stand at the forefront of political communication, evaluate their effectiveness, and acknowledge their impact on the national discourse. By systematically assessing their articulation skills, credibility, and ability to engage with diverse audiences, we aim to shed light on the leaders who master the art of political representation.

The ranking process employs a comprehensive and unbiased approach. It considers various parameters such as communication style, media presence, knowledge of issues, and public influence. The assessment involves a thorough evaluation of their public statements, media interactions, and overall impact on shaping political narratives

“Today we celebrate the power of eloquence and the art of political representation. These spokespersons are not just voices; they are architects of national narratives, shaping our understanding of democracy. Their words echo in the corridors of power, influencing policies and public opinions. The e4m Party Spokesperson’s 50 is not just a list; it’s a tribute to those who wield words with impact and we honor their exceptional contribution to our vibrant democracy," said Dr. Annurag Batra, Chairman and Editor-in-Chief, BW Businessworld and Founder, exchange4media Group.

Here is the full list:

In a glittering ceremony held at The Park on September 30, 2023, the second edition of the e4m English Journalism 40/40 Summit & Awards unfolded, illuminating the outstanding contributions of India's journalistic luminaries. The event, graced by the esteemed presence of Hon'ble Governor of Kerala, Shri Arif Mohammed Khan, celebrated the pinnacle of journalistic excellence. 

With a distinguished jury led by Sukumar Ranganathan, Editor-in-Chief of Hindustan Times, the awards recognized the exceptional work of media stalwarts, fostering engaging discussions on the dynamic media landscape. Other jury members included Sonia Singh, Editorial Director, NDTV, Rajdeep Sardesai, Senior Journalist & Consulting Editor, India Today Group, Bhupendra Chaubey, former Editor in Chief and CEO, Indian Ahead News, Vir Sanghvi, Editor, Columnist, Television Host & Food Critic, Vikram Chandra, Founder, Editorji Technologies and Rahul Shivshankar, Consulting Editor, Network18.

It must be mentioned that e4m English Journalism 40/40 Summit & Awards is an annual gathering that celebrates excellence in journalism, recognizes outstanding contributions to the field, and provides a platform for thought-provoking discussions on the evolving landscape of media and journalism. 

In a remarkable display of talent, the India Today Group emerged as the frontrunner, clinching an impressive nine awards, followed closely by NDTV.

Here is the full list of the winners:

ABP Network has announced "Roots & Rhythms" a musical concert scheduled to take place at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium in New Delhi on September 30, 2023. The event will start at 6 PM and promises an unforgettable evening of diverse musical experiences.

"Roots & Rhythms is a glorious celebration of India's rich musical heritage, thoughtfully curated to celebrate the ever-evolving soundscape of our nation. It embodies the very spirit of 'New India,' where music transcends boundaries, and artists craft their unique identities through a fusion of cultural experiences. This isn't just a concert; it's an exploration of the powerful stories that music can weave

"It is more than just a musical concert, it represents ABP Network's commitment to bridging the gap between culture and the present generation. In a rapidly evolving world, this event serves as a platform where everyone, regardless of age or background, can come together. It's a celebration of India's rich musical heritage while embracing contemporary sounds. This grand musical concert is where the past and present harmoniously converge, creating memories that resonate with India’s passion for music," said the network. 

The audience will see performances from top Indian artists such as Badshah, Shilpa Rao, Papon and others. 

BYJU's will be laying off nearly 4,500 staffers to cut costs, media networks have reported.

The decision follows Arjun Mohan’s appointment as the new CEO.

As per reports, Mohan plans to merge business verticals of the company and the changes will be announced soon.

Both permanent and contractual employees could be asked to go, the reports said.

This June, the ed-tech company laid off 1,000 employees citing measures to improve finances and increase profitability.

DistroTV, a global streaming platform owned by DistroScale, and OTTplay Premium, an OTT content streaming, discovery and recommendation platform, have announced a new partnership that will bring DistroTV's 170+ free-to-watch, live streaming channels to OTTplay users in India.

OTTplay Premium is a popular OTT platform in India that gives you access to 24+ OTT platforms with personalized recommendations of shows, web series and movies based on a user's preference of language, genre, platform, actor, filmmaker, and more. This partnership with DistroTV will significantly expand the content available to OTTplay Premium users.

"DistroTV's mission has always been to bring diverse, global voices to audiences around the world," said Navdeep Saini, CEO of DistroScale. "This partnership with OTTplay allows us to further that mission by bringing our extensive lineup of live streaming channels to even more viewers in India."

Vikas Khanchandani, CEO of DistroScale, India, SEA, and MENA, added, "We are thrilled to partner with OTTplay, a platform that shares our commitment to delivering a wide range of content to viewers. This partnership will allow us to reach even more viewers in India, providing them with access to our diverse lineup of channels."

"OTTplay Premium is excited to partner with Distro TV to bring live TV channels to more viewers in India. This partnership is a testament to our commitment to providing our users with the best possible entertainment experience. We are confident that our users will enjoy the wide variety of content that Distro TV has to offer, and we look forward to working with them to make it even more accessible and enjoyable for our viewers." Said Avinash Mudaliar, CEO & Co Founder, OTTplay.

This partnership reinforces DistroTV's commitment to bringing diverse, global voices to audiences around the world, and OTTplay's commitment to helping users discover new and exciting content.

The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has released a consultation paper on 'Encouraging R&D in Telecom, Broadcasting and IT (ICT) Sectors’.

The purpose of the paper, as per TRAI, is to develop a comprehensive ecosystem for enhancing R&D in the ICT sector of the country to ensure processes for generating a pool of R&D scientists/ engineers, duly supported by the government and private partners.

According to TRAI, R&D has played a crucial role in shaping today's world.

However, in the existing R&D ecosystem in India, there are areas of further improvement in promoting R&D ICT sector, learning from the international best practices in R&D and apply relevant learnings in India and also to identify the issues which require interventions in terms of policies and incentives to improve the R&Din the leT sector and help India emerge as a world leader, TRAI stated.

According to the authority, in the consultation paper prepared based on the online brainstorming session and inputs from academia and industry experts from lIT Madras, lIT Kanpur and lIT Hyderabad etc., TRAI has analyzed the important issues which require intervention in the existing R&D ecosystem in India under the three focus elements: "Education & Training System", "Science System" and "Regulatory Framework".

The third focus element "Regulatory Framework" has been divided into two parts, namely, "Policies and Programs" and "IPR Framework". Proactively prioritizing R&D and innovation can create a favourable environment for budding entrepreneurs and innovators in the country. In the consultation paper, TRAI emphasises the need to build a robust R&D ecosystem and discusses potential issues which need to be addressed to enable the same.

TRAI said, “Technological advancements and convergence in Telecom, Broadcasting and ITsectors are taking place at a rapid pace. Some of the emerging trends in these sectors are 5G, 6G, Open-RAN, Internet of Things (loT),AI and ML, Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT), Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR) and Metaverse, Quantum Computing, Cloud Services, Edge computing, Network Function Virtualization (NFV), Software Defined Networking (SDN), Over-The-Top (OTT)services and Hybrid Set Top Box (STB) etc.”

In the Consultation Paper, TRAI said they also explored the R&D ecosystem of leading countries in R&D and innovation space. These include Israel, Republic of Korea, United States, Sweden, Japan, Switzerland, Germany, Denmark, Finland etc. International best practices in R&D may act as key learnings for India in its ambition to strengthen its R&D ecosystem and become a $5 trillion economy.

The authority has sought written comments from stakeholders by October 23, 2023, and counter comments by November 6, 2023.

Ad filmmaker Elias Kazmi (58) has met with an accident and is on ventilator support, as per media reports. He was riding a scooter and was dragged leaving him with critical injuries.

Kazmi, who is Director-Production at Turner International India, was allegedly hit and dragged by a car being driven by a juvenile. The incident took place in Jammu's Bhatindi, media networks reported.

According to reports citing eyewitness accounts, Kazmi approached the juvenile behind the wheels of a Mahindra Thar after colliding with the vehicle. The 16-year-old son of the deputy superintendent of police in Jammu and Kashmir allegedly hit the filmmaker again, dragging and critically injuring him in the process.

Friends and family have started a social media campaign to highlight the issue and to ensure justice is served.
Kazmi is currently on life support.