Category: Media

Categories
India News Media Politics

Delhi Police Crackdown On NewsClick Journalists

NewsClick writers Paranjoy Guha Thakurta and Urmilesh’s house were also searched. They were seen being taken by police in the cars. …reports Asian Lite News

The Special Cell of the Delhi Police has created a questionnaire containing a minimum of 25 inquiries for the journalists who have been apprehended in relation to the China funding case.

However, there was no official confirmation regarding the detention of journalists whose houses were raided by the police teams in the early hours of Tuesday.

As per sources, the questions pertain to anti-CAA protests at Shaheen Bagh, farmers protest, North East Delhi riots and even details of their foreign travels.

Over 30 locations were raided by the Special Cell in connection with allegations that the media outlet NewsClick received funding from China. However, no arrests have been made so far. 

During the raid, the Special Cell had also seized electronic evidence, laptops, mobile phones, pen drives and also took data dumps of hard disks from the NewsClick office and also those belonging to the journalists associated with the organisation, including Bhasha Singh, Abhisar Sharma, Sanjay Rajoura and among others.

NewsClick writers Paranjoy Guha Thakurta and Urmilesh’s house were also searched. They were seen being taken by police in the cars. 

“Delhi police landed at my home. Taking away my laptop and Phone,” Sharma on Tuesday wrote on X. 

“Finally last tweet from this phone. Delhi police seized my phone,” another journalist of the web portal, Bhasha Singh tweeted. 

On August 5, The New York Times published an article titled ‘A US Tech Mogul Linked to a Global Web of Chinese Propaganda’, alleging that NewsClick, a news portal, was part of a global network receiving funding from American millionaire Neville Roy Singham, who was purportedly closely associated with Chinese government media.

Citing the NYT report, Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Singh Thakur asserted that Congress, China, and NewsClick had an ‘anti-India umbilical cord’ and were pushing the agenda of the Communist Party of China through the website.

Subsequent to the NYT report, NewsClick issued a statement two days later, denying the allegations as baseless and lacking factual or legal support.

Sources indicate that the searches at various locations connected to NewsClick were conducted based on a case registered on August 17 under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and other sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including Section 153A (promoting enmity between groups) and Section 120B (criminal conspiracy). 

A source said that section 16 (Terrorist Act), section 17 (raising funds for terrorist acts), section 18 (Conspiracy) and section 22 C (Offences by Companies) of the UAPA have been invoked in the FIR.

Delhi Police at Sitaram Yechury’s residence

A team of Delhi Police’s Special Cell visited the residence of CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury on Tuesday to question his staffer Sri Narayan’s son who works for NewsClick, the media outlet accused of receiving funds from China.

According to sources, the Special Cell officers seized Sunmit Kumar’s mobile, laptop, and hard drive.

Yechury has denied that the searches were not against him or the CPI(M) but was related to the son of one of his staffers.

ALSO READ: WhatsApp banned 74 Lakh accounts in India in Aug

Categories
Media Tech Lite Technology

FB, X & YouTube pages most delisted from Google Search

Over the last eight years, people requested Google to delist over 5.6 million webpages — making them undiscoverable in Google search. About half of these requests were fulfilled….reports Asian Lite News

Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and YouTube pages are the most delisted from Google Search when requested by European individuals using the “right to be forgotten” privacy law, a new report has shown.

According to the cybersecurity firm Surfshark, about 100,000 Facebook, X, and YouTube pages have been delisted from Google using the “right to be forgotten”.

The ”right to be forgotten” is a European Union (EU) privacy law that allows individuals to request the delisting of their personal information from online search results or remove data held by certain organisations.

Over the last eight years, people requested Google to delist over 5.6 million webpages — making them undiscoverable in Google search. About half of these requests were fulfilled.

According to the report, usually, it is Facebook, X, and YouTube pages that Europeans want to get removed from Google Search results.

For instance, Facebook ranked among the top 10 domains from which Google has delisted the most web pages in 29 of the 31 analysed countries. As per the report, Facebook has 48.6K delisted URLs, X has 30.4K, and YouTube has 17.6K.

Germany and France are the most active countries among the 100k delisted pages across three platforms, accounting for nearly half of all delisted URLs.

“When accounting for the uneven population size across analyzed countries, the Netherlands emerges as a clear leader, with 57 URLs delisted per 100k people,” the report said.

Interestingly, neither of the platforms (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube) appeared in the top 10 in terms of delisted URLs on Google Search in Sweden and Romania.

Instead, in Sweden, the most commonly delisted domain was Mrkool.se (a website that publishes personal data of all Swedes above the age of 16), while in Romania, it was camvideos.me (an adult content website).

The researchers also claimed that, while around half of the requested URLs are delisted on average, the delisting rate of the top three domains is significantly lower, at around 40 per cent.

“This implies that requests to delist webpages from Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube are fulfilled somewhat less frequently than those from other domains,” the report mentioned.

ALSO READ: RBI’s Forex Intervention as Rupee Gains Slightly

Categories
-Top News Media USA

Murdoch Steps Down as Head of Fox News, News Corp.

Fox said in an announcement on Thursday that Rupert Murdoch, 92, would become chairman emeritus of both companies….reports Asian Lite News

Controversial media mogul Rupert Murdoch has resigned as chairman of Fox Corp and News Corp marking the end of an over 70-year career during which he built a business empire stretching from Australia to the US.  

His older son, Lachlan Murdoch, 52, will become sole chairman of News Corp and will continue as Fox Corp’s executive chair and CEO which finally settles all questions of succession within the Murdoch family.

Fox said in an announcement on Thursday that Rupert Murdoch, 92, would become chairman emeritus of both companies.

In a note to staff reported in the Murdoch-controlled Wall Street Journal, he wrote: “For my entire professional life, I have been engaged daily with news and ideas, and that will not change. But the time is right for me to take on different roles.”
 
“Our companies are in robust health, as am I. We have every reason to be optimistic about the coming years – I certainly am, and plan to be here to participate in them,” it added.

In the note Murdoch also referred to Lachlan as a “passionate, principled leader” who can take the companies into the future.

There was a split in the Murdoch family over succession after decades of wrangling, which saw his younger son James quit the business. However, his daughter Elizabeth had stayed away from the battle for succession.

The Fox founder’s decision to step down comes just months after his news network paid over $787.5 million to settle a defamation suit filed by voting equipment company Dominion. 

The company had accused Fox of knowingly broadcasting outlandish allegations that it was involved in a plot to steal the 2020 election.

ALSO READ: Vivek Ramaswamy Eyes Stronger India Ties

Categories
Lite Blogs Media

‘India Love Project’ Champions Love Beyond Boundaries

While many are having a global impact, the 2023 finalists are based out of Belgium, Brazil, Cameroon, India, Kenya, Lebanon, Mexico, Palestine, South Africa and the US…reports Asian Lite News

The Global Centre for Pluralism has announced 10 finalists for the 2023 Global Pluralism Award.

Selected from among 200 submissions from 60 countries, ‘India Love Project’ has been shortlisted for countering prejudice by sharing positive stories of love and marriage that defy the traditional boundaries of faith, caste, ethnicity and gender.

“The creativity, courage, and commitment shown by this year’s finalists is so important at this moment,” said Meredith Preston McGhie, Secretary General of the Global Centre for Pluralism. 

“At a time of increasing polarisation globally, it is critical to magnify the impacts of pluralism leaders who are creating more inclusive and peaceful societies where diversity is valued. I hope these examples spur us all to follow their example and take action.”

Nominees for the award are selected by an independent, international jury of experts. This year’s finalists — chosen from among 200 submissions from 60 countries — are working to strengthen pluralism in their societies across a wide range of disciplines, from peacebuilding to translation, social enterprise, sports therapy, storytelling, technology, and beyond. 

While many are having a global impact, the 2023 finalists are based out of Belgium, Brazil, Cameroon, India, Kenya, Lebanon, Mexico, Palestine, South Africa and the US.

The jury chairman Marwan Muasher of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and a former Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister of Jordan, said, “The award finalists have made outstanding contributions to fostering pluralism in some of the world’s most challenging contexts. They are strengthening their communities by helping to build a foundation of mutual respect, cooperation, and shared purpose.”

From among these 10 finalists, three winners and seven honourable mention recipients will be announced in October and recognised at a ceremony to be held in November in Ottawa, Canada. 

Each winner will receive a prize of $50,000 (CAD) to further their work in support of pluralism.

With an aim to harness the power of social media to promote acceptance and dialogue, ‘India Love Project’, was launched in 2020 by senior journalists Niloufer Venkatraman, Samar Halarnkar, and Priya Ramani. 

Its Instagram account shares real-life love stories that defy hateful narratives about non-traditional unions. Online, it is creating a safe space for interfaith, inter-caste, inter-ethnic, and LGBT+ couples to celebrate their love and find community. Offline, the organisation has begun connecting couples with pro-bono lawyers and counsellors to support their unions when faced with legal challenges. One story at a time, ‘India Love Project’ is affirming that all loving relationships deserve to be celebrated.

“Being shortlisted for this award is heartening. We look forward to telling more unconventional love stories to even larger audiences. I hope our small effort can normalise unions that break the mould of homogeneity,” said Niloufer Venkatraman.

Priya Ramani added, “I hope being on this shortlist for our venture born out of love will make more people aware of the basic right that every Indian should have: the right to choose a partner irrespective of caste, religion and gender.

Remembering that when they launched the ‘India Love Project’, their aim was to create a community of people who felt safe and encouraged by each other’s stories, Samar Halarnkar said, “We hoped to also create a support structure for those who dared to love beyond the boundaries set for them by society. For our efforts to be recognised, as you have, will spur us to rededicate ourselves to our task.”

ALSO READ-‘Will we ever walk into the fields of gold again’

Categories
-Top News India News Media

3,600 journalists to cover Delhi Summit

The PMO said a state-of-the-art International Media Centre at Bharat Mandapam, the venue of the Leaders’ Summit, will be fully ready by the end of this week….reports Asian Lite News

A total of 3,600 journalists from all over the world will be in attendance in New Delhi next week to cover the 18th Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Group of Twenty (G20), which will be held on September 9 and 10.

Dr P K Mishra, principal secretary to the Indian prime minister chaired a meeting of the G20 Coordination Committee, which “took stock of the arrangements for the Leaders’ Summit, including media-related arrangements,” the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said after the meeting.

The PMO said a state-of-the-art International Media Centre at Bharat Mandapam, the venue of the Leaders’ Summit, will be fully ready by the end of this week. “Accreditation letters are being issued to journalists and support professionals like photographers and video camerapersons.”

The PMO statement said” “For the smooth coordination between various agencies, it was decided that a Multi-Agency Control Room will be set up at Bharat Mandapam.”

It added that “a mobile App has been made for the G20 Summit, called ‘G20 India,’ which is now available for download both on Android and iOS. Members of the accredited G20 media will witness digital India firsthand through the “Innovation Hub” and ‘Digital India Experiential Hub’, which are being set up at Bharat Mandapam.”

ALSO READ: Nigerian President to attend G20 Summit, to meet business leaders

Categories
Business Media Tech Lite

Global OTT Video Users to Reach 4.2B by 2027

OTT has taken the video market by storm and will continue to grow in the future….reports Asian Lite News

The global over-the-top (OTT) video market is expected to hit 4.2 billion users with an impressive 53 per cent penetration rate by 2027, a report showed on Wednesday.

Over the past five years, the number of users in the over-the-top video segment has jumped by 45 per cent, rising from 2.4 billion in 2018 to 3.5 billion in 2023, according to data presented by OnlyAccounts.io.

OTT has taken the video market by storm and will continue to grow in the future.

According to Statista Market Insights, in 2018, around 2.4 billion people worldwide used OTT video services. In the next two years, this figure jumped to over 3 billion.

The impressive user growth continued in 2021, with another 300 million people entering the market. 2022 saw an 82 million user drop, the first one in years, but the increasing trend continued in 2023.

Overall, more than one billion people worldwide started using OTT video services between 2018 and 2023, causing the user penetration in the market to jump from 33.2 per cent to 45.6 per cent in this period, the report mentioned.

Over the past five years, streaming giants have spent hundreds of billions of dollars on creating new content, all in a race to grow their viewership, pushing the total number of users in the OTT video market to record highs.

All the largest service providers in the market, including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, and Disney+, saw their subscriber count double and triple in the past five years, helping total market revenue to reach record highs.

In 2023, OTT video service providers are expected to gross nearly $295 billion in revenue or three times more than $98.7 billion reported in 2018.

Around 70 per cent of that value will come from the US, China and the UK, the top three markets.

OTT video advertising is the largest revenue stream in the market, generating $176.6 billion or nearly 60 per cent of total revenue this year.

ALSO READ: ZEE5 Global CelebratesTie up with LuLu Group

Categories
India News Media UAE News

NKN Media Unleashes Spectacular Events, Expansions in UAE

The initiatives reaffirm NKN Media’s commitment to delivering exceptional media experiences that resonate with diverse audiences….report Asian Lite News

NKN Media, a prominent 360-degree communications company, is all set to captivate the UAE’s media landscape with various impactful events and strategic expansions.

These initiatives reaffirm NKN Media’s commitment to delivering exceptional media experiences that resonate with diverse audiences.

NKN Media, in partnership with India Today, proudly presents the Icons of the UAE Awards. This distinguished award ceremony, slated for September 27th at the prestigious Taj Exotica, The Palm, Dubai, celebrates the achievements of 14 exceptional entrepreneurs in the UAE.

Backed by India Today’s Aaj Tak channel, this event promises to inspire through compelling 30-minute episodes.

Abdul Majid Khan, CEO & Managing Director of NKN Media, highlighted the agency’s ambitious expansion and establishment of new offices. “Our growth journey continues with the establishment of our new office in Media City Dubai, a testament to our dedication to serving our clients on a global scale. As we extend our footprint to Singapore and gear up to set up operations in New Jersey, we are poised to bring NKN Media’s unique blend of media services to diverse corners of the world. This strategic expansion aligns with our vision of creating impactful media experiences that transcend boundaries and resonate with audiences worldwide.”

Continuing its commitment to honoring excellence, NKN Media is launching the Best CEO in Real Estate Awards. This event recognizes visionary real estate tycoons who have reshaped the UAE’s real estate landscape and their exceptional contributions. This will be celebrated in a grand gathering that underscores their remarkable achievements.

In an audacious leap forward, NKN Media introduces a pioneering concept to the UAE: the region’s first startup funding reality show. Scheduled to air in December, this innovative platform holds the potential to set the entrepreneurial ecosystem ablaze. Aspiring startups will have the unprecedented opportunity to showcase their ingenuity, passion, and ideas to a wide audience, potentially securing the investments that can drive their dreams to fruition.

As NKN Media extends its footprint into dynamic markets like Singapore and New Jersey, the company’s unwavering dedication to delivering exceptional media solutions stands resolute. These strategic expansions exemplify NKN Media’s commitment to not only staying at the cutting edge of innovation but also nurturing a vibrant and thriving media landscape in every market they touch.

ALSO READ: UAE stocks generate strong cash flows

Categories
-Top News Arab News Media

‘Homosexuality’ term forbidden in Iraq media

iraq, flag.

The use of the word “gender” was also prohibited…reports Asian Lite News

Iraq has ordered a ban on the use of the word ‘homosexuality’ on all media platforms, reported CNN.

The official media regulator of Iraq on Tuesday ordered all media and social media businesses operating in the Arab nation to use the phrase “sexual deviance.”

The use of the word “gender” was also prohibited, according to a document from the Iraqi Communications and Media Commission (CMC). It forbade the use of the phrases in any of the mobile applications of all phone and internet providers that it had granted licences to.

The regulator “directs media organizations … not to use the term ‘homosexuality’ and to use the correct term ‘sexual deviance,’” the Arabic-language statement said, according to CNN.

According to a government official, the punishment for breaking the law has not yet been determined but may include a fine.

However, according to CNN, a government official later stated that the decision still required final approval.

Although gay sex is not criminalized in Iraq, members of the LGBT community have been targeted under vaguely interpreted morality articles in the country’s penal code.

Major Iraqi political parties have increased their condemnation of LGBT rights in the last two months, and rainbow flags are routinely set ablaze in demonstrations by Shi’ite Muslim groups objecting to recent Koran burnings in Sweden and Denmark. (ANI)

ALSO READ: US, Iraq discuss long-term defense cooperation

Categories
-Top News Media UAE News

‘GMC ideal platform for fast-tracking media sector development’

Dr. Al Zeyoudi stated that the GMC serves as an innovative gathering for professionals in this key sector to exchange success stories and accumulated expertise…reports Asian Lite News

Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, Minister of State for Foreign Trade, said that the second edition of the Global Media Congress (GMC), held under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Presidential Court, is an ideal platform for fast-tracking the development of the media sector locally, regionally and internationally.

In a statement to the Emirates News Agency (WAM), Dr. Al Zeyoudi stated that the GMC serves as an innovative gathering for professionals in this key sector to exchange success stories and accumulated expertise, through hosting a select group of media leaders, experts, and academics.

He affirmed that the event’s second edition will cover several important themes, including facilitating global communications and rebranding in the new media world, and will play a pivotal role in supporting business relations and forecasting future opportunities for media companies.

Hosting such important events enhances the UAE’s status as a preferred global hub for hosting major international events and conferences, especially as the GMC, scheduled for November, coincides with other significant international events, such as COP28, which will also take place in November, he added.

Additionally, the eighth session of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development “World Investment Forum 2023” is set to be held in October, along with the 13th World Trade Organisation (WTO) Ministerial Conference (MC13), which will be held next year with the participation of representatives from 164 countries, Dr. Al Zeyoudi further said.

He then stressed that the media industry is among vital sectors that thrive on knowledge, innovation, and creative idea, noting that focusing on this sector aligns with the country’s plans to attract and retain the world’s best talents, innovators, and creative minds in various fields.

The media sector combines creativity with the latest technological innovations to deliver media content to a broader audience, enabling it to attract talented individuals in both areas, as well as those seeking promising investment opportunities, especially as the UAE provides a conducive business environment for growth in all areas, including the media, he added.

Al Zeyoudi then stressed the media’s importance in achieving sustainable development goals and driving the efforts to achieve carbon neutrality by raising public awareness about these fundamental issues.

He also highlighted the significance of the topics to be discussed at the GMC’s second edition, which will focus on the role of the media in supporting sustainability and defining the concept of environmental media, as well as employing social media tools to promote environmental awareness.

He then expressed his anticipation for the upcoming edition of the GMC, which will build on the success of this important event, which acts as a culmination of WAM’s efforts to build relationships with media outlets from around the world through the signing of cooperation agreements, further enhancing the UAE’s leading position as a global hub for shaping the future in all areas.

ALSO READ: Saudi , UAE lead Forbes’ Arab family business ranking

Categories
Business Media Social Media

Meta’s Threads wanes

Meta executives, however, have said they don’t see the falloff as worrisome and have said they are working on additional features……reports Asian Lite News

Instagram’s Twitter competitor Threads is reportedly fast losing steam, a massive 70 per cent decline from its highest in early July.

Despite Meta Founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg claiming that “10s of millions of people come back daily” on Threads, the number of daily active users on Threads dropped for the second week down to 13 million, “a 70 per cent decline from a July 7 high point,” reports The Wall Street Journal.

By comparison, Twitter’s daily active users are around 200 million.

“User engagement on Threads has continued to fall after an initial surge in sign-ups, putting pressure on parent Meta Platforms,” the report noted, citing Sensor Tower data.

Data show user engagement has fallen 70 per cent as “executives focus on options such as a chronological feed,” it added.

Meta executives, however, have said they don’t see the falloff as worrisome and have said they are working on additional features.

Threads is still new and needs several Twitter-like features to make it more competitive in the social media space.

Earlier reports mentioned that the so-called Twitter killer’s daily use has gone down miserably, with time spent by users now down by 50 per cent from 20 minutes to just 10 minutes.

Last week, Threads crossed 150 million user sign-ups despite a usage drop.

Meta launched Threads on July 5 for iOS and Android users in 100 countries, and it is among the top free apps on the App Store.

According to Data.ai, the app has surpassed more than 150 million downloads worldwide, within seven days after its launch.

Recent information revealed that Threads has gained the largest user presence in specific markets, with India leading the way, accounting for approximately 32 per cent of its downloads.

Following India is Brazil, contributing to approximately 22 per cent of Threads’ installations, and the US, representing nearly 16 per cent of the total.

ALSO READ: Most G20 members back RBI’s views on crypto