News Broadcasting
Wheres the party tonight?
CANNES: After a frenetic day one at Mipcom, replete with 23 conferences plus sessions and nearly 30 meetings per booth of the hundreds spanning the Palais, participants were still left with enough and more energy to party the night away.
Indeed, the opening night bash, organised in collaboration with The Argentine National Film Board (INCAA), was a memorable affair.
Almost everyone in the street outside was headed to the party.
With Argentina being this year’s ‘Country of Honour’, everything – right from the waiters to the performers – had a distinct Argentinian flavour to it.
A more-than-full house, some of the guests spilled over to the lawns of the Palais, nursing their drinks and engaged in animated conversation.
For those who came wearing their dancing shoes, the after party continued at Carlton Beach, well into the wee hours of the next day. With slight showers, a cool breeze, scintillating music, overflowing booze and scrumptious food, it proved to be a real stress buster.
Again, this was just one of the many parties happening at Carlton Beach around the same time; the Fox and Disney bashes prominent among them.
With three more days to go, the partying looks set to get harder…
News Broadcasting
DNPA names Puneet Gupt chairperson; Anant Goenka steps in as vice chairperson
Leadership reset comes as digital news grapples with AI-led disruption and policy battles
NEW DELHI: India’s digital news lobby has a new pilot at the helm just as the industry stares down its next big disruption. The Digital News Publishers Association (DNPA) has named Puneet Gupt, chief operating officer at Times Internet, as chairperson, succeeding Mariam Mammen Mathew at the end of her two-year term.
Gupt, who previously served as vice chairperson, steps into the top role with deep familiarity of the body’s agenda, ensuring a smooth transition at a time when publishers are recalibrating for an AI-shaped future. Anant Goenka, executive director at The Indian Express Group, has been appointed vice chairperson, while Dhruba Mukherjee continues as treasurer.
“Digital news publishers are navigating one of the most consequential shifts the industry has ever seen, from how content is discovered to how it is valued in an AI-driven world. DNPA’s role as a unified industry voice has never mattered more. My focus will be on ensuring that our members are not just responding to these changes, but actively contributing to the policy and industry frameworks around them,” said Puneet Gupt.
Goenka underscored the need for collective action as the sector evolves. “This is an important moment for DNPA and for the digital news publishing industry in India. There is real value in publishers coming together, sharing perspectives, and building a common understanding of the opportunities and challenges ahead. I look forward to contributing to that effort with DNPA members,” he said.
Outgoing chairperson Mariam Mammen Mathew called it a timely transition. “It has been a privilege to lead DNPA at such a pivotal time for the industry. I am confident that under Puneet’s leadership, DNPA will continue to grow in influence and impact. I wish the new team every success,” she said.
Sujata Gupta, secretary general and chief executive officer at DNPA, framed the shift as a springboard for the next phase. “This transition marks an exciting new chapter for DNPA. We have spent the last few years building the credibility, relationships, and frameworks that allow us to engage meaningfully on the issues that matter most to our members. With Puneet and Anant at the helm, we are well-positioned to translate that foundation into tangible outcomes, on policy, on fair commercial frameworks, and on ensuring that digital news publishing remains a sustainable and vital part of India’s information ecosystem,” she said.
The leadership rejig lands at a moment when digital publishers are battling shifting discovery patterns, platform power and the economics of AI. For DNPA, the message is clear: the next phase will be less about reacting and more about shaping the rules of the game.
