E4M News Next 2025 Conference: Bharat Express CMD Upendrra Rai Highlights The Changing Face Of TV News

Upendrra Rai, CMD and Editor-in-Chief of Bharat Express News Network, participated in the E4M News Next 2025 Conference in New Delhi. The event, held at The Aeros, Nehru Place, served as a prominent platform for leaders from television news, digital media, and journalism.

Upendrra Rai’s address, focusing on ‘The Changing Face of TV News’, explored contemporary media challenges against the backdrop of historical revolutions. The 14th edition of E4M’s News Next Conference was presented by DS Group and complemented by the annual ENBA Awards.

Hundreds of media professionals, editors, and channel heads attended the programme. As CMD Upendrra Rai took the stage, the audience welcomed him with applause.

He began his speech by reflecting on history, “In the past 30–35 years, the world has changed completely. Humanity experienced a revolution, and the discovery of fire gave the world a new direction. It provided humanity with a new identity.”

Upendrra Rai drew parallels between historical revolutions and the ongoing transformation in television news. He observed that digital technology and mobile phones have significantly accelerated news dissemination.

“Earlier, television was the king of news. Now, social media and apps pose a significant challenge,” he noted.

Media Challenges And AI

CMD Upendrra Rai candidly addressed the challenges confronting the media today. He reminded the audience that the media forms the fourth pillar of democracy but faces hurdles such as fake news. He cited the United States, where a false news story triggered war, whereas a photograph stopped the Vietnam War.

In India, mobile technology has intensified competition. “News is arriving so quickly that truth is being left behind,” he warned.

He also described AI as a double-edged sword, highlighting its threat to teleprompter readers and opportunity for creative journalists. He cited Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, saying, “Machines can copy paintings, but they cannot create true art.”

Upendrra Rai had previously emphasised, at the 2024 News Next conference, the need for media to focus on positive reporting, quoting Thomas Jefferson, “No government ought to be without a press.”

He encouraged breaking societal boundaries, stating that caste or community restrictions limit development, citing tribal and Parsi communities as examples and urged a hybrid model promoting inter-community collaboration and progressive thinking.

Concluding his speech, Bharat Express Editor-in-Chief called on the media to integrate television with digital platforms, citing Bharat Express as an example of truth-driven journalism.

Bharat Express CMD Upendrra Rai’s address inspired media volunteers and aspiring journalists. Rising from a journalist to CMD, Rai exemplifies professional growth in the media sector. E4M, the host of the annual News Next Conference, warmly welcomed him.

He had also participated in the 2023 and 2024 editions of the event, reinforcing his continued influence in shaping India’s media landscape.

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