Our weekly round-up of public service media related stories and headlines from around the world.
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Egypt: Egypt bans TV interview with corruption critic
By Al Jazeera: Egypt’s former chief auditor Hesham Genena went on trial after exposing corruption totalling $75bn in 2012-15.
General: Media ‘must play bigger role’ in socio-economic transformation of Africa
By Sa Promo Magazine: African media has been urged to popularise the African Union Agenda 2063 and hold leaders accountable for its successful implementation.
Somalia: Somalia remains the global capital of unsolved murders of journalists
By Quartz: With militant group al-Shabaab waging war and the government suppressing press freedom, being a journalist in Somalia is a difficult, and even life-threatening, job.
South Africa: Hlaudi: SABC not meant to make a profit
By Dispatch Live: SABC boss Hlaudi Motsoeneng says he is happy the state broadcaster lost R411-million in the past financial year.
South Africa: The SABC Wants to Can Prime Time News
By AllAfrica: The SABC has requested that its licensing conditions be amended to remove the requirement that it airs news broadcasts during prime time.
South Sudan: The Country Ranks Among Most Deadly for Journalists
By All Africa: The Committee to Project Journalists says 95 percent of the journalists murdered around the world over the last 10 years were local reporters. Yet, in its latest report, it says many of those responsible go unpunished.
Tanzania: Tanzania is stepping up its policing of social media and with it fears of government abuse
By Quartz: Access to digital information and communications technologies has increased dramatically over the past decade across Africa.
Zimbabwe: Social Media Becomes Mugabe’s Nightmare
By IPS/allAfrica: In a country that reportedly suppresses the traditional media, Zimbabweans have found another way to communicate their frustrations towards the government.
Bangladesh: Reporting on impending crisis even more challenging, says bdnews24.com chief editor
By Bdnews24: Reporting humanitarian crisis has always been challenging for media everywhere, but it is “even more challenging” to report an “impending” crisis, the bdnews24.com editor-in-chief says.
India: Digital media to play a critical role in Sports broadcasting, says Vijay Goel
By Indian Express: Vijay Goel said that data suggests that more than 60 per cent of the Digital Audiences in India is within the age group of 13-35 years.
Pakistan: Visiting Pakistani journalists reflect on journalism in their country, impressions of the U.S.
By St. Louis PublicRadio: Kashif Kamal and Nigar Khurram, two visiting Pakistani journalists, discussed journalism and their impressions of the U.S. on St. Louis on the Air.
Pakistan: Broadcast of Kids Network Nickelodeon Suspended in Pakistan for Airing Content Dubbed in Hindi
By India Times: The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) has suspended the licence of Nickelodeon channel for airing cartoons dubbed in Hindi.
Pakistan: In Pakistan killers of journalists are not held to account, thus remain free: PPF
By The Nation: A report released on Tuesday by Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) documented the alarming situation that those who attack, injure or even murder journalists in Pakistan are rarely held to account and thus remain free.
Regional: ABU’s Bali Declaration adopts Indonesia’s Unity in Diversity
By Antaranews: The Bali Declaration on Broadcasting For All: Multiculturalism And Diversity has adopted Indonesia’s slogan of Unity in Diversity.
Regional: Media should develop positive content to educate people
By Antara news: The Director General of Information and Public Communication at Indonesia’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology Niken Widiastuti said media should keep pace with technological advancement and develop positive content to educate people.
Australia: ABC’s Catalyst staff to be sacked and weekly TV show format scrapped
By The Guardian: Broadcaster’s board approves plan to end weekly program and introduce series series of hour-long specials under same name in wake of editorial lapses
Fiji: Show scrutinised
By Fiji Times: The Citizens’ Constitutional Forum has expressed its disappointment with Fiji Broadcasting Corporation’s show Wasea Bhasha, which recently aired segments criticising the iTaukei race.
Fiji: Fiji opens doors for New Zealand Media
By Indian Newslink: Bainimarama lifts ban on journalists
New Zealand: Newshub reporter wins first Māori journalism award
By Radio New Zealand: The first ever Māori journalism award has been won by Newshub reporter Maiki Sherman at the Ngā Kupu Ora Awards.
Albania: Mayor Accused of Censoring Albania TV Report
By Balkan Insight: The producer of an investigative TV show claims it was pulled on Sunday because it probed the Mayor of Tirana’s links to a controversial recycling plant, though the TV station denies the show’s content was the issue.
Germany: German public TV under fire over blackface comedy stunt
By Deutsche Welle: German public broadcaster SWR is facing backlash after a presenter dressed up in blackface for a comedy sketch. Critics trying to prevent the stunt from airing over the weekend say the disguise is just plain racist.
Greece: Greek Government Backs Down on Controversial TV Licensing Bill
By Greek Reporter: The Greek government scrapped the plan to introduce an interim bill that would allow for temporary broadcasting licenses, after the opposition parties’ refusal to consent.
Greece: Partners in Crime: The Destructive Role of the Greek Media during the Economic Crisis
By New Europe
Kosovo: Kosovo Urged to Protect Journalist after Death Threats
By Balkan Insight: Media freedom campaigners condemned death threats made against tabloid editor Leonard Kerquki after he directed a television documentary on wartime crimes against Kosovo Serbs.
Poland: RSF calls for EU financial sanctions against Poland
By RSF: Reporters Without Borders (RSF) urges the European Union to adopt sanctions, above all financial sanctions, against Poland in response to its grave and repeated violations of media freedom and pluralism.
Romania: Public broadcaster threatened by populism
By Osservatorio Balcani & Caucaso: A few weeks before the elections, the Romanian Parliament abolished the radio-television fee posing the public broadcaster under direct financing from the state budget
UK: RSF urges UK parliament to reject menacing “Snoopers’ Charter”
By RSF: Reporters Without Borders (RSF) remains seriously concerned about the Investigatory Powers Bill (IPB), also referred to as the “Snoopers’ Charter”, which continues to threaten press freedom in the UK despite a series of amendments adopted by the House of Lords. Abstention is not enough; RSF urges parliament to reject the bill in its current form.
Brazil: EBC’s situation contested in public hearing
By PMA: After the recent changes and government interference, former members of the Brazilian public broadcaster met with Parliament to debate its current situation.
By the Knight Center: Journalism in the Americas
By The Knight Center: Journalism in the Americas: For the second consecutive year, Mexico and Brazil are the only Latin American countries that are part of the Global Impunity Index by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), which was published on Oct. 27.
By Knight Center: Journalism in the Americas: Journalists covering mass protests against the Venezuelan government of President Nicólas Maduro fought to carry out their work despite restrictions in the form of government detentions, physical attacks and harassment during the Oct. 26 “Toma de Venezuela” (Taking of Venezuela).
Iraq: Reporters without borders urges Iraqis to protect journalists
By NRT: A Reporters Without Borders (RSF) report released Wednesday (October 26) urged Iraqi authorities to protect journalists covering military operations against Islamic State (ISIS) after two media professionals were killed reporting on the fighting.
Iraq: Kurdish women fight odds to broadcast on women’s rights
By Deutsche Welle: Radio Dange Nwe, founded and run by women in Halabja in northern Iraq, has literally been making waves in recent years. The program fights conservative ideas and helps refugee women discuss and solve their problems.
Israel: Amid coalition fallout, ‘rehabilitation’ of old public broadcaster looms
By The Time of Israel: Likud-led bill asserts shutting new corporation will save hundreds of millions, but it would cost a further 300 jobs.
Israel: New PSB in Israel may never see the light of the day
By PMA: The Israeli government may revoke the decision to establish a new public broadcaster in what could be a serious detriment to democracy in the country.
Syria: For Foreign Journalists, A Rare Invitation To Damascus
By Peconic Public Broadcasting: Foreign journalists’ access to Syria is severely restricted, but this week, the regime of Bashar Assad extended an unusual invitation to a group of Western reporters to visit Damascus, the capital.
Turkey: Turkey detains editor and staff at opposition Cumhuriyet newspaper
By The Guardian: Columnists and cartoonist among those arrested amid crackdown on dissenting voices following failed coup attempt
Turkey: Turkey PM dismisses freedom of press warning
By Middle East Online: President of European Parliament says recent journalist arrests cross ‘red-line’ against freedom of expression in Turkey, PM says ‘forget your line’.
Turkey: Turkey sacks 10,000 more civil servants, shuts media in latest crackdown
By Reuters: Turkey said it had dismissed a further 10,000 civil servants and closed 15 more media outlets over suspected links with terrorist organizations and U.S.-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, blamed by Ankara for orchestrating a failed coup in July.
Turkey: Dismissed Turkish journalists launch campaign to subvert media censorship
By Deutsche Welle: Journalists from recently shuttered news outlets have launched a social media newscast to inform Turkish citizens of topics overlooked by an increasingly state-run media environment. Diego Cupolo reports from Ankara.
Canada: Canadians consuming less TV and radio but more media overall, CRTC says
By CBC news: Canadians are consuming more content, but increasingly it’s coming via digital means — not traditional ones
US: Anti-Semitic tweets targeting journalists have spiked during the election
By PBS: Rampant anti-Semitic tweeting targeting journalists has plagued the 2016 presidential campaign, according to a new report released by the Anti-Defamation League.
US: Over 120 arrested at North Dakota pipeline protests, including journalists
By The Guardian: Reporters and activists accused police of stifling free speech, saying they aggressively targeted nonviolent protesters with batons and pepper spray
US: APTS Commends Public Broadcasting, Emergency Services in Great California Shakeout
By APTS: America’s Public Television Stations (APTS) commended public broadcasting stations and emergency services for the recent successful Great California ShakeOut, which tested the emergency alert system to prepare Californians for a major earthquake experts are now warning could occur at any time.
New Partnership Will Connect Journalists with Climate Researchers
By Yale School of Forestry & Environmental studies: The Yale Program on Climate Change Communication and the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting have announced a new Campus Consortium Partnership that will connect journalists reporting on climate change with leading researchers and students studying climate change communication and journalism.
The media’s role in the climate change story
By Eco-Business: From acting as a watchdog on errant corporations to raising awareness, the media has an important role to play in fighting climate change and environmental degradation. But its potential remains largely untapped, say experts.
By UN News Centre: The United Nations General Assembly marked 2 November as the International Day in order to call attention to the more than 800 journalists around the world who have been killed over the past 10 years and the impunity that has led to a rate of less than one in 10 convictions.
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