Our weekly round-up of public service media news stories from around the world.
25 – 31 July
Africa
Communications minister ‘defends SABC censorship’, slams independent media companies
From The South African: Minister Faith Muthambi has dismissed independent media organisations’ coverage of the SABC debacle as nothing more than propaganda and sensationalist hype.
Completion of digitisation and licensing of community radios in limbo
From The Zimbabwean: The timeline for complete digitalization is now “indefinite” according to minister.
John Momoh appointed Chairman of BON
From PMA: PMA congratulates John Momoh, Chairman of Channels Media Group on his appointment as Chairman of the Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria (BON).
NBC Chairperson confident the corporation is on the right path
From NBC: Chairperson confident of organisation’s future despite negative press.
Rwanda: Influx of TV Stations – Where Is the Local Content?
From The New Times: More variety for audiences but article asks where the local content it.
Why are Egypt’s TV hosts migrating to Western screens?
From Al Monitor: Bassem Youssef, known as “Egypt’s Jon Stewart,” is no longer in Egypt, as he and other personalities like him are finding freedom of speech in the West.
Asia
ABU sets up media plan for climate change & disaster risk reduction reporting
From PMA: Participants from more than 25 countries agreed on a new media plan to better inform the public about climate change and disaster risk reduction.
As Constitutional Referendum Nears, Thailand Intensifies Censorship
From Global Voices
Attack on media freedom: Civil society, journalists protest against disruption of Geo News
From Geo News: Electronic and print media journalists held protest rallies in several cities of the country on Saturday against the illegal disruption of Geo News on cable networks in Karachi.
China Clamps Down on Online News Reporting
From the New York Times: China has ordered several of the country’s most popular internet portals to halt much of their original news reporting
India – 32 DTH Educational Channels to air by September
From ABU: The Government of India has approved the introduction of 32 Direct-To-Home (DTH) television channels to be aired by Doordarshan throughout the country.
Indonesian broadcast commission candidates say ‘no’ to LGBT presence on TV
From Asia Pacific Report
Malaysia’s new national security law gives Najib, army, police new powers, amid 1MDB probe
From CNBC: Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak extended his policing powers with a tough new security law that took effect Monday, spurring concerns over civil liberties.
UNISDR-Call for Entries for Short Film Competition on Disaster Risk Reduction
From ABU: The Short Film Competition aims to showcase benefits of disaster risk reduction policies to nations and communities and to encourage increased investments in prevention and mitigation measures.
Australia, New Zealand & the Pacific
Big names in NZ media boycott the Olympics
From Radio New Zealand: Two big names in NZ media have told their sports reporters not to pack their bags for Rio just two weeks out from the Olympic Games. Why?
Foreign media ban ignored during Nauru election, says media advocacy group
From Asia Pacific: A media advocacy group in the Pacific region says the ban on foreign media during the recent election in Nauru was not mentioned by any observers.
New Fijian Media Association president says ‘upskilling journos’ a priority
From Asia Pacific Report: Nemani Delaibatiki of the Fiji Sun has been elected the new president of the Fijian Media Association (FMA) and says first on his agenda is to “upskill” journalists.
New Zealand on Air to change funding structure as media habits change
From the New Zealand Herrald: New Zealand on Air is set to change the way it funds local content following a new survey into the way Kiwis consume media.
Europe
BBC iPlayer licence fee ‘loophole’ to close in September
From Digital TV Europe: Changes to UK law that will require people to buy a TV Licence to watch programmes on-demand from the BBC iPlayer are due to be brought in on September 1.
Croatia Govt Accused of Manipulating Broadcaster
From Balkan Insight: Croatia’s government parties plan to prolong the mandate of the acting head of the Croatian Radio-Television, HRT, in order to use the broadcaster for the election campaign, critics say.
Croatia: radio and tv under the blows of the conservatives
From Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso: A month after the fall of the government, right-wing parties remain in control of the Croatian public service, with layoffs and cancellations
Delays hit implementation of new BBC Charter
From PMA: Elements of new BBC charter, set out in the White Paper in May, will be delayed due to their complexity and the political outcome of the UK’s Brexit referendum
Is nude dating show Naked Attraction a public service?
From The Guardian: Critics may dismiss Channel 4’s new programme as titillation or objectification – but it does also champion body diversity
Local oligarch conflicts of interest dominate Czech media
From RSF: Concentration of ownership threatens Czech Republic’s media freedom
Media watchdog asks police to reveal journalist’s sources
From LSM (Public Broadcasting of Latvia): It emerged Thursday that Latvia’s media and broadcast regulator, the National Electronic Mass Media Council (NEPLP), has asked police to try to uncover the sources of a journalist.
Public service media in Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan – the current situation
European Audiovisual Observatory: EAO launch report on the state of independent public media twenty-five years after Soviet rule.
RTVE, ¿retorno al pasado o labrar un futuro?
From infoLibre: Spanish PSB RTVE urgently needs to reform, especially on behalf of the taxpayer, if it is to ensure its survival.
Latin America and the Caribbean
Argentine Media Workers Demand Macri to Respect Media Law
From Telesur: Community and alternative media workers protest against claimed censorship
Brazil plans largest ever broadcasting operation for Rio 2016
From Rapid TV News: Anatel, Brazil’s telecom authority, claims that the Olympics will be the greatest broadcasting operation ever carried out in the country.
Cuba Must Decide Between Journalism & Propaganda
From the Havana Times
Digital native media inform and empower rural and indigenous communities in Latin America
From Knight Center: Journalism in the Americas
From Knight Center: Journalism in the Americas
Middle East
Dunja Mijatović : Turkey must treat media freedom for what it really is – a test of democracy
From the Index on Censorship: The OSCE’s Representative on Freedom of the Media comments on the restrictions faced by news journalists in media and violations of basic rights.
Iran state broadcaster in hot water at home, abroad over airing rights
From Al Monitor: The Iranian state broadcaster has found itself in a new dispute over broadcasting soccer games without permission, this time with Qatar’s beIN Sports and the UEFA.
Journalists detained in Turkey since the coup attempt, 15 July
From EFJ: List of the journalists and media workers detained since the coup attempt ion July 15.
Why set up a new broadcasting corporation if we don’t control it?
From the Haaretz: The culture minister raised the question during an angry cabinet debate over the future of a new body meant to replace the Israel Broadcasting Authority.
Will Bibi bring down Israel’s public broadcasting?
From Al Monitor: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been redoubling his efforts to squash the new public broadcasting corporation before it is even born in his quest to control the media.
North America
PBS press tour brings preview of Burns docs, review of fireworks gaffe
From Current: Coverage of PBS announcements and talk by CEO Paula Kerger at this year’s Television Critics Association press tour.
Reporter Tom Gould was a trailblazer of Canadian journalism
From The Globe and Mail: One of Canada’s most influential broadcasters has passed away.
Special coverage: Diversity in public media
From Current: Special report highlighting public media’s mandate on diversity, to reflect and serve all of America.
Other
Public Service Media Initiatives in the Global South
From PMA: New open source book “makes an important and timely contribution to an increasingly global discourse on the meanings, values and roles of public service in media provision today”.
Public service media in Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan – the current situation
From the European Audiovisual Observatory: New report released on the state of public service media in the Transcaucasian countries.
If you have any suggestions for our weekly round-ups, please email PMA at editor@publicmediaalliance.org.
These stories are provided for interest and their relevance to public service media issues, they do not necessarily reflect the views of the Public Media Alliance.
All headlines are sourced from their original story.