Imphal, January 30 (IANS) Senior Manipur government officials have urged the media to refrain from publishing unverified news that could adversely impact society, stressing the need for responsible and fact-based journalism in the digital era. Addressing the first Manipur Digital Media Conclave 2026 on Thursday, state's Directorate of Information and Public Relations (DIPR) Director Ahanthem Subhash Singh highlighted the harmful effects of unverified reporting, saying that such news can tarnish an individual's image and cause mental distress. He noted that journalism today is no longer confined to print media, adding that digital journalism has enabled news to be disseminated globally with ease. The DIPR Director also raised concerns over whether some individuals identifying as digital journalists are functioning primarily as content creators for monetisation. The Digital Journalist of the Year Award was conferred on Vangamla Salle of East Mojo; the Promising Digital Journalist Award went to Naorem Tanoranjan of Echel News Network; the Distinguished Service in Digital Journalism Award was presented to Sobhapati Samom; the Best Credible Digital Media Page/Channel Award was awarded to Wari Singbul; and the Jury's Choice Digital Journalism Award was conferred on Rebika Moirangthem of HY News.