News Broadcasting
Journalists’ bodies want electronic & digital media under Working Journalists Act’s ambit
NEW DELHI: The National Alliance of Journalists Unions today submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister’s Office in New Delhi urging the Government to uphold the livelihood rights of journalists and their right to practice their profession in a safe environment.
Director V Seshadri, who received the memorandum, assured the journalists’ unions that the PMO would take due note of their concerns.
The journalists unions pointed to the dangers of eroding the legislative protection available in the Working Journalists’ Act regarding working conditions and wages.
Despite Supreme Court rulings upholding the validity of the Majithia Wage Board Award for journalists and other newspaper employees, most newspaper establishments have refused to implement it, they said.
If this wage board award is undermined by the recalcitrance of newspaper owners, then it is unlikely that the Working Journalists’ Act will survive as a protective legislation, the National Alliance warned.
They demanded an end to the contract system of employment and asked for extending the application of the Working Journalists Act to the electronic and digital media.
The National Alliance called for a new Media Commission to look into the state of affairs in the media, where unviable revenue models are forcing news media to function as an appendage to entertainment, real estate and other sectors. Rapid changes in the landscape media require a new regulatory framework that preserves the fundamental rights to speak and be informed, they said.
The unions also called for measures to protect journalists from physical attacks, legal persecution and arbitrary actions by the authorities.
The memorandum as also signed by office-bearers of Delhi Union of Journalists; Andhra Pradesh Working Journalists Federation’ and Telengana Working Journalists Federation.
News Broadcasting
CNN-News18 to host Kolkata Town Hall on Hooghly River
‘Bhalobasa Bengal Inspiring Bharat’ event on April 20 brings cultural icons, trailblazing women and leaders aboard a cruise to celebrate Bengal’s enduring influence.
MUMBAI: Bengal is about to make fresh waves on the Hooghly and this time the current is pure conversation. CNN-News18 is taking its iconic Town Hall format to the waters of the iconic Hooghly River on 20 April 2026 with a special edition titled ‘Bhalobasa Bengal – Inspiring Bharat’. The floating event will celebrate the state’s rich cultural legacy and how its ideas, creativity and spirit continue to shape the rest of the country.
The unique riverside setting draws on Bengal’s history as a cradle of reform, art and intellectual thought. The speaker line-up mirrors that diversity: cultural heavyweights Mithun Chakraborty and Sreenanda Shankar will share the stage with trailblazing “Devis” such as Tanya Sanyal (India’s first woman firefighter in aviation), Ipsita Chakraborty (Kolkata’s first woman bartender) and Reshma Nilofer Visalakshi (Nari Shakti awardee and marine pilot). Music will flow through the celebrated pianist-vocalist duo Sourendro and Soumyojit, while public life and governance will be represented by Smriti Irani, Leander Paes, Saira Shah Halim, Keya Ghosh, Rekha Patra, Roopa Ganguly and Babul Supriyo.
CNN-News18, editorial affairs director, Rahul Shivshankar, said the event honours voices that carry Bengal’s legacy forward. Smriti Mehra, CEO – English & Business News, Network18, added that Bengal’s stories resonate far beyond its borders, especially as the state heads into polls.
From the first woman to battle flames in the skies to legendary actors who shaped Indian cinema, the gathering promises a rich mix of inspiration, courage and candid dialogue. In a city where culture has always flowed as freely as the river itself, CNN-News18 is turning the Hooghly into a floating forum for ideas that matter.
Tune in on 20 April on CNN-News18, CTV and YouTube to catch Bengal’s heartbeat in full flow.
