The RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group has acquired India Lifestyle Network (ILN), the parent company of MensXP, iDIVA, and influencer platform HYPP, for approximately $9 million. The deal marks a sharp 85 per cent drop from ILN’s earlier $60 million valuation, according to media reports.  ILN was previously owned by BRND.ME (formerly Mensa Brands), which had acquired the assets from Times Internet in 2022. Industry insiders say the sale reflects BRND.ME’s strategic shift away from non-core assets, as it now focuses on scaling its health, wellness, and lifestyle portfolio. ILN founder Angad Bhatia, who built MensXP into a notable player in men’s digital media, exited earlier this year and has joined Network18.

India has secured seven shortlists for three impactful campaigns at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity 2025. According to Adgully, FCB India leads the way with its innovative ‘Lucky Yatra’ campaign for Indian Railways. This campaign transformed train tickets into lottery tickets as a creative strategy to reduce fare evasion and build goodwill among passengers. The campaign has been shortlisted in four subcategories, including Travel, Leisure, Retail, Restaurants and Fast-food Chains; Local Brand; Social Behaviour; and Breakthrough on a Budget. Grey India, Mumbai, has also made its mark with the ‘Most Ignored Painting’ campaign for Volvo Cars, which was shortlisted in the Use of Events and Stunts subcategory. Meanwhile, Ogilvy Mumbai, in partnership with Avian WE New Delhi, has secured two shortlists for the ‘Box to Beds’ campaign for Amazon. This initiative was recognized in the Use of Events and Stunts category as well as Cultural Engagement. These

Image source: Indian Express and India Times; Edited by Dinesh Raj M   A helicopter, ferrying pilgrims from Kedarnath temple crashed near Guptkashi on Sunday morning, killing all seven people on board, including the pilot and a two-year-old child.  This is the fifth chopper accident on the Char Dham yatra route in the State since the pilgrimage began on April 30 and the second crash with fatalities. Hot off the press The accident likely occurred due to low visibility caused by bad weather, officials said. Police have filed an FIR against the chopper company for allegedly not following rules on checking weather conditions before plying a helicopter in the valley, reported Ishita Mishra for The Hindu. The Uttarakhand government suspended all helicopter services till Monday, in order to review the high-altitude experience of all helicopter operators and pilots. Concerns have been raised that other pilots have also been airborne in similarly unsuitable weather conditions, with a

Artificial Intelligence is becoming a regular fixture in Indian newsrooms, quietly supporting tasks like data extraction, code generation and headline suggestions. However, newsrooms remain cautious, ensuring transparency in AI usage while preserving editorial ethics. But while it’s changing the way stories are built, editors and reporters remain clear—AI can assist, not replace. At least not right away. In an interview with Influencing India, YourStory editor-in-chief Jarshad NK confirmed that their newsroom has in-house engineers working on AI tools. “We make very clear where we use [AI]—if a certain story is produced by AI, we label it as such. We don’t do stuff that is AI and not claim it,” he said. “AI can’t replace talking to people in cafés. It can’t catch the emotional nuance of a startup founder’s pitch.” Jarshad added that entry-level reporting roles are already declining as machines handle basic newsroom tasks. “Earlier when I joined, I used to

A collaboration between The Australian Women's Weekly, the Royal Australian Mint and NewsXpress - a limited-edition coin collection marking the 45th anniversary of the Women's Weekly Children’s Birthday Cake Book - has been unveiled by Are Media. The Birthday Cake Book can rightly be considerd An Aussie icon that’s inspired generations of celebrations, from the legendary jelly pool to the unforgettable rubber ducky, 12 of the most beloved cakes have been immortalised in this nostalgic tribute, blending creativity, culture, and pure childhood joy. Are Media CEO Jane Huxley, Royal Australian Mint Acting CEO Emily Martin, and newsXpress CEO Mark Fletcher met to mark the special occasion.   

Michelle Gunn, The Australian's editor-in-chief. Australia’s defence capabilities and strategic future take centre stage today at News Australia’s Defending Australia Summit at Parliament House in Canberra.  The Defending Australia Summit is part of a week-long editorial campaign in The Australian, The Daily Telegraph, Herald Sun, The Courier-Mail and The Advertiser. The high-level event brings together national leaders including Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles and South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas alongside top military strategists, defence experts and industry leaders.  The summit provides a platform for strategic collaboration as Australia’s defence landscape undergoes a transformation in the wake of AUKUS, says News Corp. Supported by ASC Pty Ltd, Government of South Australia, Babcock, BAE Systems, Hanwha Defence Australia, and KBR, the summit will address national security challenges including:   ANZUS, Five Eyes and the geopolitical repercussio

Prasar Bharati has cautioned the public about a fraudulent email ID—[email protected]—that represents itself as the official email ID of Prasar Bharati's content sourcing division. In an official notice issued on June 12, the pubcaster advised the stakeholders and public to avoid communicating with the account and to ensure proper verification of credentials before disclosing sensitive or proprietary information. “Prasar Bharati does not endorse or associate with any such deceptive activities or unauthorised agents operating in the market. Any agreement, payment and commitments made on the basis of fraudulent communication will have no obligation and legal binding on Prasar Bharati,” the advisory stated. The advisory also urged public to treat communications from Prasar Bharati as official only if they were sent from the following email addresses: [email protected], [email protected] and [email protected].