TRAI responds to DoT on spectrum sharing recommendations

The Annual Report of Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) for the year 2023-24 has detailed activities of the Authority, certified accounts and the audit report thereupon has been laid on the Table of Lok Sabha on 12th March 2025 and Rajya Sabha on 20th March 2025.

Considering the request of stakeholders to permit inter-band spectrum sharing and leasing of spectrum in the country, TRAI decided to take up the issues and sent its recommendations to DoT on April 24, 2024.

Beyond Byju’s: Indian ed-tech players ditch glamour for smart, cost-effective advertising

In the advertising sector, the mood is more measured. “Early days,” said Sandeep Goyal, Managing Director at Rediffusion. “The world is still processing these changes. It’s not something we can analyze in isolation. Once the dust settles, we’ll have a clearer picture of the true impact.” (Photo: Unsplash)

India’s top edtech startups are shifting away from high-profile branding, moving past celebrities, cricket, and reality shows to embrace more cost-effective marketing strategies.

Tourists are turning away from the US. Here’s why

The latest forecast from Tourism Economics predicts that foreign traveler arrivals will decline by 5.1 percent in 2025, marking a sharp contrast to the earlier projection of an 8.8 percent increase. (Image: Unsplash)

Foreign visitor arrivals to the US are expected to decline in 2025, as President Trump’s controversial policies, rising tariffs, and a stronger dollar drive a wedge between the country and international travellers.

Reddit becomes a big draw for brands, cornering 10% of digital ad spends

Reddit also gained notable traction in India, rising from 31.6 million in 2023 to 43.4 million in 2024, an indication of inreasing engagement with news, politics, and niche online communities. (Representative image by Brett Jordan via Unsplash)

An increasing number of brands are directing their advertising budgets to Reddit to reach its highly engaged user base. However, experts caution that Reddit users’ strong preference for anonymity often leads to boundary-pushing discussions, posing potential risks to brand reputation.

CCI to issue notices to India’s top advertisers over media transactions

The Competition Commission of India (CCI) has investigated 35 cartel cases in the last five years, minister of finance and corporate affairs Nirmala Sitharaman told the Lok Sabha on Monday.

As the CCI investigation unfolds, industry stakeholders are closely monitoring the potential ramifications for both traditional media agencies and digital advertising players.

Corporate Affairs Ministry: CCI probes 49 Cases, 31 reports filed, 18 under investigations

Interestingly, in the wake of the advisory, multiple senior agency CEOs were notably absent from a major industry event last week.

On February 20, 2024, the CCI (Lesser Penalty) Regulations, 2024, were notified, replacing the 2009 regulations. The LPP framework aims to strengthen cartel detection and incentivize whistleblowing within corporate circles.

CCI stepped up cartel investigations with 35 probes in five years: FM Sitharaman

Notably, last week, the offices of Dentsu, Omnicom, Havas, Madison, IPG, GroupM, Publicis and industry bodies AAAI, ISA, and IBDF were raided over allegations of media cartelization.

The Finance Minister further stated that the Commission has a dedicated division for trend analysis and research across various economic sectors to gain a comprehensive understanding and detect potential anti-competitive activities.