Our weekly round-up of public service media related stories and headlines from around the world.

As the global Covid-19 pandemic continues and many countries enter a state of lockdown, the need for community solidarity and mutual support has never been greater. But this support requires quality, fact-checked and evidence based news and information.

With this in mind, the Public Media Alliance has compiled an extensive and growing resources featuring recommended tools, advice and sources for journalists and the public alike. The resources can be found via the link below or in the ‘Tools’ section of our website.

The resource will be frequently updated to reflect the changing needs and evolving situation. If you have any recommendations, please let us know.


We also want to hear about your local public media coverage! Email us!

As the coronavirus pandemic worsens, public media are rapidly adapting to best cover the crisis on a local level while also providing for educational needs and vulnerable groups as isolation policies are introduced.

We want to hear from our members about what you are doing to best cover the crisis on a local level. Email us using the link below.


Coronavirus: Resources & best practices

Essential resources for sourcing and reporting news about the coronavirus pandemic

What we're listening to...


Proposed single Māori news service alarms journalists 

RNZ Mediawatch: A long-awaited and overdue official report on the future of Māori media has raised fears among journalists a ‘one-stop-shop’ for Māori news may reduce the range of reporting in order to save money. But the idea is not new, says Mediawatch – and neither is the concern about it.

What we're watching...


Maria Ressa convicted of ‘cyber libel’: ‘If we can’t do our jobs, your rights will be lost

The Guardian: Maria Ressa, the head of Philippines news website Rappler, known for critical reports about president Rodrigo Duterte, has been found guilty of ‘cyber libel’ charges. ‘We are meant to be a cautionary tale, we are meant to make you afraid’, Ressa said during a press conference after the verdict. 

Global Headlines


Click on the tab menu below to reveal the latest regional stories.

CAMEROON: CPJ joins call for Cameroonian government to account for Samuel Wazizi’s death in custody

CPJ: The Committee to Protect Journalists joined nine other human rights and press freedom groups yesterday in a statement calling on the Cameroonian government to allow for an independent probe into the death of journalist Samuel Wazizi.


CAMEROON: In Cameroon, Social Media Used to Fight Misinformation

Voice of America: Cameroon  is  one of the  African countries  worst hit  by the COVID-19  pandemic and  has been struggling against misinformation  and fake news  on the virus.  Cameroon’s  digital  first responders have taken to social media to  counteract the misinformation.   


KENYA: Attacks on journalists on the rise amid COVID-19 pandemic

KBC: Journalists are increasingly under threat in their line of duty as reported cases of journalists’ violations and intimidation is on the rise.


LIBERIA: Press Freedom Looks Like a Casualty of Liberia’s Response to COVID-19

World Politics Review: Liberia is preparing to lift the state of emergency that has been in place since April to curb the spread of the coronavirus, as President George Weah declared that the outbreak had been sufficiently contained. But the pandemic has raised troubling questions about freedom of the press in the country, with senior members of Weah’s administration publicly threatening journalists at its onset.


MALAWI: Removal Of Tax On Broadcasting Equipment Commendable – MISA Malawi (Statement)

MISA: MISA Malawi would like to commend government for removing tax on radio and television broadcasting equipment, which we believe will help develop the broadcasting industry in Malawi. 


MALI: Mali Constitutional Court’s Caution Amounts to Intimidation and Incitement to Crush Dissent

MFWA: The Constitutional Court in Mali has cautioned the public against “insurrectional, subversive, seditious remarks” on social media and the media, in what the Media Foundation for West Africa considers as an attempt at dissuading and intimidating critics of the Executive.


NIGERIA: NBC defends new broadcast code

The Guardian (Nigeria): The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) yesterday explained that the amendment of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code does not prevent investments in the industry, but to reposition and to make it more responsive to emerging realities.


SENEGAL: My fake news whodunnit: Caught up in a Senegal fake news scam

BBC News: I stepped out of a dance class in North London on a sunny day last January to find a string of missed calls from African phone numbers.


SOUTH AFRICA: ‘Fake news’ fears as Covid-19 highlights the dangers of misinformation

Mail & Guardian: As Covid-19 — one of the most serious public-health threats in recent history — dominates global media coverage, less than four in 10 people trust the news.


SOUTH AFRICA: SABC: Massive Staff Lay-Off May Be Necessary As Part Of New Operating Model

Broadcast Media Africa: The South Africa Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) is said to be planning to shed hundreds of ‘unnecessary costs’ from it employee payroll soon – in-line with the dictates of its new operating model being implemented by the organisation.  


SOUTH AFRICA: Podcasting: an opportunity for South Africa

The Media Online: In 2019, we were for the first time able to directly compare South African podcast consumption with the rest of the world.


SOUTH AFRICA: The SABC Launches Its Target Operating Model

SABC: The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), has launched its new Target Operating Model and commenced consultations with key internal and external stakeholders.


SUDAN: Media crackdown escalates amid Covid-19 pandemic 

IFJ: The Sudanese authorities crackdown on media, unions and journalists has escalated during the Covid-19 pandemic, with tightening state control over media, journalists being arrested and facing increasing pressure on their freedom to work. 


ZAMBIA: ZNBC spearheading project to arrest HH (Comment)

Zambia Watchdog: On 7 June 2020, the during the 19:00 hours main news on TV1 , ZAMBIA NATIONAL BROADCASTING CORPORATION (ZNBC) carried a totally misleading story brewed by known Patriotic Front (PF) propagandists to achieve the hidden, but exposed agenda.


ZIMBABWE: Government bars private media journalists from covering official event

IFJ: Security officials barred private media journalists from covering an official event held in Chinhoyi city on 12 June that the president Emmerson Mnangagwa was attending. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its affiliate, the Zimbabwe Union of Journalists (ZUJ), in condemning the ban and urges the authorities to ensure access for all journalists to official events.


REGIONAL: COVID-19: New FAJ report shows virus has deeply infected the media industry

IFJ: The Federation of African Journalists (FAJ), the Pan–African Organisation of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has launched today a report highlighting worrying trends for the media industry as a result of COVID-19 outbreak on the continent.  


REGIONAL: Editors call for review of media laws to improve press freedom

Daily Nation: Media guilds in Eastern Africa have called on their respective governments to review and update media laws in advocating for press freedom and sustainability measures amid the ongoing global pandemic.


GENERAL: ‘Stop Silencing Journalists’ – Call for End to Attacks on Media

All Africa: African journalists organisations are appealing to the African Union to make immediate cessation of targeted attacks against journalists a top priority in order to ensure the safe practice of journalism in Africa under the AU’s campaign on Silencing the Guns: Creating Conducive Conditions for Africa’s Development.

AFGHANISTAN: Afghan Media Protests Amendments to Mass Media Law

Tolo News: The amendments have been approved by the cabinet and the draft is set to be sent to the parliament.


HONG KONG: Public broadcaster’s acting deputy resigns citing health reasons, amid row over Hong Kong security law programming

HKFP: The acting deputy director of Hong Kong’s embattled public broadcaster has stepped down after less than a year in the position, citing personal and health reasons. Kirindi Chan Man-kuen, 56, has worked for RTHK for more than 30 years and oversaw the production of current affairs TV shows. She tendered her resignation on June 1 and will serve three more months in the position, the outlet reported on Thursday.


HONG KONG: Hong Kong media must ’embrace’ new laws: public broadcaster told (Paywall)

Sydney Morning Herald: Hong Kong’s public broadcaster has been urged by its chairman to present controversial new national security laws in a positive light as China increases its control over the semi-autonomous territory.


HONG KONG: Police brutality against journalists’ hits a new low

IFJ: A survey conducted by the Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA) into police violence against journalists has revealed the violent reality of working journalists in Hong Kong, signifying a sharp decline in press freedom. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its affiliate the HKJA call on police to discuss countermeasures to curb police violence.


INDIA: ‘Remnant of Colonial-Era Censorship’: J&K Parties Decry New Media Policy

The Wire: The Jammu and Kashmir government has given itself unbridled powers to take action against journalists and media houses over “fake reports,” in what seems to be an attempt to tighten the grip on the flow of news from the troubled region.


INDONESIA: House considers dropping problematic revisions to Press Law in job creation bill

The Jakarta Post: The House of Representatives Legislation Body (Baleg) is considering dropping proposed revisions to the Press Law from the omnibus bill on job creation. The proposed changes have been criticized by media groups as a threat to press freedom.


JAPAN: Japan, US academics demand NHK explain editorial choices behind offensive BLM anime

The Mainichi: Academics in Japan and the United States submitted a letter to NHK on June 12 demanding the Japanese public broadcaster clarify why it broadcast an anime explainer of Black Lives Matter protests that was subsequently condemned as racist, and that it also outline its views on the matter and possible preventive measures.


JAPAN: Prosecutor gambling scandal lifts veil on press access in Japan

The Japan Times


MALAYSIA: Malaysia’s new government probes journalists, critics despite free speech pledge 

Global Voices Advox: Media and human rights groups are expressing alarm over the surge in cases filed against journalists, bloggers, civil society leaders and critics of Malaysia’s new government.


MALAYSIA: New Government Backslides on Free Speech

HRW: Abusive Investigations of Critics Rising.


MALAYSIA: RMCO: Communications Ministry mulls extending TV Pendidikan broadcast for Malaysian students

Malay Mail: The Communications and Multimedia Ministry (KKMM) is considering extending the broadcasting hours of TV Pendidikan (Educational Television) programmes including opening a new channel.


MYANMAR: Refusing to be silenced, some Myanmar journalists work from shadows

Reuters: Hiding from Myanmar’s police, journalist Aung Marm Oo refuses to conceal his anger with the civilian government led by Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi as his country prepares for an election later this year.


NEPAL: Journalists suffer increased economic hardship amid Covid-19

IFJ: More than two months into the Covid -19 lockdown, journalists in Nepal face severe economic challenges with increased incidents of non-payment of salaries, job cuts, leave without pay and salary cuts.


PAKISTAN: Jang/Geo workers continue protest against MSR’s illegal arrest

Via Geo News: Carrying banners and shouting slogans demanding the release of Jang/Geo Media Group Editor-in-Chief Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman, workers of Pakistan’s largest media group continued their protest against MSR’s unlawful arrest on Saturday.


PAKISTAN: Killer of Geo News journalist arrested after a decade

IFJ: Nearly a decade after the murder of Geo News journalist Wali Khan Babar, Pakistan police  arrested one of his murderers on June 15 . The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its Pakistan affiliate the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) welcome the arrest and urge Pakistan government to move proactively to end impunity in regard to all crimes against journalists.


PHILIPPINES: ‘A sad day for democracy’: Filipinos denounce guilty verdict in Rappler cyber libel case

Rappler: Filipinos online say the conviction of Rappler CEO Maria Ressa and former researcher-writer Reynaldo Santos Jr is ‘another cut to add to the thousands’


PHILIPPINES: Duterte ‘inclined’ to sign anti-terror bill as Palace reviews measure

ABS-CBN: President Rodrigo Duterte is “inclined” to sign a tougher anti-terrorism bill that has sparked protests, his spokesman said Tuesday, after lawmakers submitted a copy of the measure to Malacañang. The bill is under review at the office of Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said.


PHILIPPINES: Maria Ressa: Philippine journalist found guilty of cyber libel

BBC News: High-profile journalist Maria Ressa has been found guilty of libel in the Philippines’ in a case seen as a test of the country’s media freedom.


PHILIPPINES & US: IPI network call-out: Maria Ressa needs your voice (Call Out)

IPI: The IPI Global Network is engaging in two big press freedom campaigns that matter, and we need your help. There’s the attacks on Maria Ressa and Rappler, found guilty in a baseless “cyber-libel” case on June 15, 2020. And there’s the United States where four years of “enemy of the people” rhetoric has made journalists a target in the Black Lives Matter protests.


TAJIKISTAN: New Tajik legislation hampers coronavirus coverage

RSF: Reporters Without Borders (RSF) calls for the withdrawal of newly approved legislative amendments in Tajikistan under which false or inaccurate Covid-19 coverage would be subject to heavy fines. This could lead to censorship and other abuses, RSF warns.


TAJIKISTAN: Press freedom in Tajikistan: From bad to worse

Deutsche Welle: Tajikistan expert Marat Mamadshoev explains why there is an effective media blackout on COVID-19 reporting. The Central Asian country has for years been at the bottom of press freedom indexes.


THAILAND: Coronavirus Has Thailand Putting out Multiple Fires at Once

Voice of America: The novel coronavirus has led to a diverse array of crises for Thailand. 


TIMOR-LESTE: Proposed defamation law petitioned by media rights groups

IFJ: The Minister of Justice in Timor-Leste plans to present to the Council of Ministers a proposal to include criminal defamation in the country’s penal code. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its affiliate the Timor-Leste Press Union (TLPU) protest the move that would undermine press freedom and public interest journalism.


REGIONAL: Governments all over Asia are silencing critical journalists (Paywall)

The Economist: It is over a month now since the screen went dark. At 7.52pm on May 5th ABS-CBN, the biggest broadcaster in the Philippines, ceased transmission. In theory, its licence simply expired—nothing to do with a years-long feud with President Rodrigo Duterte…


REGIONAL: Duterte’s war on the press in the Philippines could provide a model for Hong Kong and beyond 

CNN: On Monday, Rappler founder and former CNN correspondent Maria Ressa was found guilty of “cyber libel” and faces up to 7 years in prison. Ressa also faces eight other charges in connection to Rappler’s reporting. In her battle against the Duterte government, Ressa has emerged as an icon for press freedom in Asia. Yet her case may serve to inspire not just ambitious journalists but also the governments seeking to rein them in.

AUSTRALIA: ABC to slash programming and services as it grapples with Coalition funding cuts

The Guardian: The ABC will unveil substantial cuts to programming and services at the end of the month – on top of the 250 redundancies – to meet a $41m budget shortfall. 


AUSTRALIA: ABC wins world’s top children’s TV awards

ABC: The ABC has won two awards at the world’s largest competition for outstanding children’s television for the Australian series Hardball and The Unlisted. 


AUSTRALIA: Managing Director’s address at SBS Parliamentary Showcase, Canberra (Speech)

SBS


AUSTRALIA: Media Bargaining Code critical for media survival

IFJ: Australia’s journalists’ union, the Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance (MEAA) said a News Media Bargaining Code is critical for media outlets to survive. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its affiliate the MEAA in calling for a clear timetable for discussions about developing an industry code to ensure a sustainable future for public interest journalism in Australia.


AUSTRALIA: Netflix dumping Chris Lilley shows prompts ABC ‘harm and offence’ audit (Paywall)

SMH: The ABC is undertaking a “harm and offence” audit of its past and present programming in the wake of Netflix’s decision to remove Chris Lilley’s back catalogue from its service amid claims it is racist. “We are reviewing our content to ensure it meets current community standards and reflects our editorial policies on harm and offence,” a spokesman for the broadcaster said on Thursday.


AUSTRALIA: SBS reveals emotional stories of Who Gets To Stay In Australia?

SBS: Every three minutes someone gains permanent residency in Australia but every year more than 40,000 are rejected. For the first time, a documentary series captures the life changing moments when men, women and families are told whether they can call Australia home, or whether they will be asked to leave. 


AUSTRALIA: The ABC News constructive journalism approach reports on problems and solutions

ABC Backstory: The news industry is often accused of using fear and sensationalism to draw attention to stories. Have you ever heard the old, rather brutal saying “if it bleeds, it leads”? This phrase was coined by American magazine writer Eric Pooley, who argued violence and conflict were prioritised in TV news bulletins to boost ratings. Yet ironically, according to international research, people are increasingly saying they’re switching off from news because it emphasises doom and gloom.


FIJI: FBC did not make any allegations: Sayed-Khaiyum

FBC News: Fijian Broadcasting Corporation Chief Executive Riyaz Sayed-Khaiyum says the FBC did not make any allegations against anyone. This follows the release of an audio recording and a Statutory Declaration of Ferrel Khan who claims to be the administrator of anti-government Facebook page, Fiji Exposed Forum.


NEW ZEALAND: Fears the future of Te Karere Māori news is on the line

RNZ: The future of the flagship Māori news show Te Karere is on the line as the government proposes to create a single Māori news service run by Māori Television.


NEW ZEALAND: Proposed single Māori news service alarms journalists (Listen)

RNZ: A long-awaited and overdue official report on the future of Māori media has raised fears among journalists a ‘one-stop-shop’ for Māori news may reduce the range of reporting in order to save money. But the idea is not new, says Mediawatch – and neither is the concern about it. 


NEW ZEALAND: TVNZ shedding up to 90 jobs (Listen)

RNZ: The state television broadcaster, TVNZ, has announced it needs to cut nearly 100 jobs to protect its balance sheet.


VANUATU: Vanuatu airport apologises to media over photo restriction

RNZ: The company that controls Vanuatu’s airports has apologised to a journalist, who was made to delete photos at the airport perimeter in Port Vila.


REGIONAL: NZ’s $10m grant for Pasifika TV channel – MFAT clears the air

Asia Pacific Report: After Australia’s misguided attempts at handing over $17.1 of Australian-made television content to the Pacific region last month with programmes such as Neighbours and Border Control, questions have been asked about a $10 million New Zealand grant made in 2018.


GENERAL: No significant commercial benefit from having news on platform: Facebook (Paywall)

SMH: Facebook has threatened to reduce the availability of news on its platform in Australia if a code of conduct forcing it to share revenue with media outlets is introduced. The tech giant rejected the premise of the code being developed by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, denying that it derives significant value from having news stories shared on its platform.

ALBANIA: Albania: public information becomes a casualty of COVID-19

OBCT: COVID-19 has exposed the weaknesses of Albania’s public information. The monopolisation of communication on coronavirus has raised concerns over the government’s accountability on pandemic management as well as media freedom.


BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA: IPI condemns assault, death threat against Bosnia TV journalist

IPI: The International Press Institute (IPI), a global network of editors, media executives and leading journalists for press freedom, today strongly condemned the physical attack and death threats against journalist Sinan Gluhić in Bosnia and Herzegovina. 


FRANCE: Coronavirus: France Télévisions to plunge into red in 2020 (French)

Les Echos: The public group will see its operating profit in loss, for the first time in five years, at -37 million. The net result should be in deficit by more than 50 million euros.


FRANCE: France: The online hate speech Law is a serious setback for freedom of expression (Statement)

ARTICLE 19: On 14 May 2020, the French National Assembly adopted the Bill on Countering Online Hatred, or so called Avia Law (Projet de loi Avia). The Law requires the removal of “manifestly illegal” hate speech within 24 hours of notice. 


FRANCE: Municipals: Radio France reactive to its devices (French)

CB News: Radio France announced Thursday that it has reactivated its systems dedicated to municipal elections in the run-up to the second round, by putting even more emphasis on field reports and debates, to help the French to follow this electoral campaign despite the constraints linked to the coronavirus epidemic. 


GERMANY: Media literacy: journalism a must (Opinion – German)

NDR: Polemics, bashing, shitstorms: The public discussion culture in Germany seems to be getting out of joint. But what if this is not primarily due to the discussants, but rather to the conditions under which the media and the public discuss?


GERMANY: Study on public service broadcasting in corona times (Study)

ZDF: The corona crisis particularly exposed the importance of public service broadcasting. On the one hand, this is reflected in the fact that public service broadcasters are increasingly involved in the crisis. From March 16 to May 3, 2020, during the acute phase of the corona pandemic, the viewing time for public TV content increased by around 20 percent compared to the same period last year.


GERMANY: “We have to cut a lot”: The new reality of ARD and ZDF has already started (German)

Focus Online: Dark times: Despite a foreseeable increase in broadcasting fees, public service providers have to save, save, save. You will “see and hear that too,” said ARD boss Tom Buhrow in an interview. The first consequences can already be seen.


HUNGARY: Hungary Moves to End Rule by Decree, but Orban’s Powers May Stay (Paywall)

The New York Times: A bill to drop the state of emergency prompted by the coronavirus was seen by some as effectively codifying Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s extended authority.


IRELAND: Prompt action needed by new government to save Irish media – NUJ

Irish Times: Irish newspapers and broadcast media need “prompt action” from the new government if they are to be saved, the main union representing journalists has warned.


IRELAND: Reuters report highlights Irish affinity with local news

RTÉ: Two thirds of Irish people believe that independent journalism is important to a functioning society, according to a report released today.


ITALY: Defamation and prison: the decision of the Italian Constitutional Court is a first step forward (Statement)

RC Media Freedom: The organisations of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) welcome the decision by the Italian Constitutional Court to refer a decision on whether to abolish prison sentences for criminal defamation in relation to journalists and media workers to the Italian Parliament.


NETHERLANDS: NPO adds ‘watch together’ function to VoD app (Paywall)

Telecompaper: Dutch public broadcaster NPO has added a ‘watch together’ function to its OTT app, so viewers can watch and discuss programmes together. With the NPO Samen function, viewers can connect to others via a video call with the camera on their smartphone, so they can follow live and on-demand programmes on NPO channels together.  


NORTH MACEDONIA: Union secures Covid-19 aid package for media workers

IFJ: A special aid package to protect journalists’ wages and support struggling media is to be introduced in North Macedonia thanks to the efforts of the union representing the country’s media workers.


POLAND: Polish State TV Seeks to Discredit President’s Key Rival (Paywall)

The New York Times


RUSSIA: With Press Freedom in Sharp Decline, a Russian Journalist Turns to Political Activism (Opinion)

Nieman Foundation: “Never in modern Russian history have the media and reporters been so disempowered as they are now”


SLOVENIA: Interview with Igor Kadunc, General Manager of RTV Slovenia (Slovenian)

Radio Prvi: “The RTV contribution has not changed since 2012. How much room for maneuver is there to save? Not much, because it has been saving for too long, and for every euro we can look our customers in the eye, says Kadunc. When we ask him about the reasons for insulting tweets, pressures and attacks on RTV, he says that all this is done for a purpose.”


SLOVENIA:  PM Janez Janša accuses public broadcaster of trying to “overthrow” his government

Mapping Media Freedom: On 8 June 2020, Slovenian Prime Minister Janez Janša launched an attack on the country’s public broadcaster Radiotelevizija Slovenija (RTVS), accusing it of trying to “overthrow” his government.


SLOVENIA: RTV Slovenia is a hostage of various political interests (Slovenian – Opinion)

Mladina: Petition for the preservation of public and independent RTV Slovenia. 


SWITZERLAND: Swiss public broadcaster launches news format for children

SRF: Swiss public broadcaster SRG SSR has announced the launch of a news format for children, “SRF Children’s News”. It is about topics that concern children and those that are worth knowing about. 


SWITZERLAND: Swiss Public Broadcaster Launching National Streamer

World Screen: Swiss public broadcaster SRG is launching a national streaming platform, Play Suisse, this November.


UK: BBC facing $82m shortfall as BBC Studios dividend ‘not going to happen’

TBI Vision: The UK’s BBC is looking at a £65m ($82m) budget black hole after it emerged that the impact of Covid-19 on commercial arm BBC Studios (BBCS) will mean that the latter’s annual dividend to its public broadcaster parent is unlikely to be made.


UK: BBC women’s group calls for action to tackle racism and sexism

The Guardian: After Floyd death, group says ethnic minority staff have been highlighting racism for years.


UK: BBC: yet another male boss – public broadcaster needs to pay more than lip service to promoting women (Opinion)

The Conversation: Tim Davie is the 17th male BBC boss since 1927. It would be a mistake to appoint a female director general simply as “Mrs Buggin’s turn”, regardless of her suitability for the role. So the issue isn’t about him – rather the shortlist for his job, which is widely reported as consisting of three men and one woman.


UK: C4 to double BAME-led indie orders by 2023

Televisual: Channel 4 is to double the number of BAME-led indie commissions by 2023 as part of a new anti-racism strategy. CEO Alex Mahon has set out new six-point commitment to be a “driver of anti-racism in the industry and improve black and minority ethnic representation.”


UK: Trust in BBC down among ‘politically committed’ on the Left and the Right, study shows (Paywall)

The Telegraph: Trust in the BBC has plummeted among those on the Left and the Right, a new study has shown. Brexit put the BBC “in the firing line” and damaged its reputation with those on both sides of the political divide, according to a report by The Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism.


REGIONAL: AVMSD: EBU calls on Member States to ensure prominence of general interest content

EBU:  As consumption patterns are changing, so are the ways in which audiovisual content is distributed and accessed. New powerful online operators have emerged. They – alongside other players such as TV distribution companies – place themselves as gatekeepers between content providers such as Public Service Media and audiences.


REGIONAL: Fake News: Journalists are demanding fines for social networks (German)

Horizont: The EU Commission plans to present its proposal for a law on digital services later this year.


REGIONAL: Press Cartoonists in Europe must be protected (Statement)

ECPMF:  Across the European Union and Candidate Countries, cartoonists have been targeted for their work by state and non-state actors from within and outside Europe. This includes online harassment and threats, attempted censorship and legal prosecution. 


REGIONAL: Europe: EU Communication on tackling coronavirus disinformation

ARTICLE 19: The European Commission and the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy have issued a joint communication Tackling COVID-19 disinformation – Getting the facts right. The communication highlights the complexity of the situation experienced during the coronavirus crisis, including disinformation campaigns by domestic and foreign actors, in particular China and Russia.

ARGENTINA: Criminal Complaint Accuses Former Argentine Officials of Spying on Journalists

Voice of America: The alleged surveillance of over 400 journalists by Argentina’s former government has been condemned by rights groups as a threat to press freedom and democracy.


ARGENTINA: For gender parity in public media (Spanish – Opinion)

Pagina 12: There are numerous investigations that, scattered over the last decade and with a focus on various edges, reflect what can be seen day by day in most of the media: women are missing in the media.


BARBADOS: Sanka Price appointed CEO at Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation

Barbados Today: Veteran journalist and talk show host, Sanka Price, has been appointed Chief Executive Officer at the Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). His appointment takes effect on Monday, June 15.


BARBADOS: Prime Minister Defends The CBC In Parliament

CBC: Prime Minister, Mia Amor Mottley, returned to the House of Assembly on Tuesday for the first time since having major surgery and came out in strong defense of the Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation. Government is borrowing close to 2.5 million dollars from Scotiabank to repay an existing overdraft facility held by the CBC. She says there is a responsibility to stabilize the financial situation of the corporation, especially at this time.


BRAZIL: IFEX-ALC condemns obstruction of information rights, journalism activities in Brazil

IFEX: IFEX-ALC, along with its Brazilian member organisations, ABRAJI and ARTIGO 19 (ARTICLE 19), condemn this abuse of power perpetrated by the highest levels of the Brazilian federal government—in particular the attempt to obstruct information rights and journalism activities, which conceals information of vital importance to the public.


CUBA: International support for petition to declare Cuba’s Decree-Law 370 unconstitutional

IFEX: The undersigned organizations and media outlets support the petition and urge allies to demand that the Cuban government put an immediate stop to online surveillance of individuals who express their opinions and cease persecuting journalists and human rights activists.


MEXICO: Mexico is a deadly place to be a journalist but sophisticated bot attacks are increasing the danger (Opinion)

The Washington Post:  Two weeks ago, the highly respected Mexican journalist Carmen Aristegui co-published an investigation showing President Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s hand-selected director of the federal news agency Notimex was using fake Twitter accounts to attack journalists, including her.


MEXICO: The mourning of journalism in Mexico (Spanish)

El Pais: Less than a month ago, Mexican journalist Jorge Armenta was shot dead while walking out of a restaurant in his home state of Sonora. He was the nineteenth journalist killed since President Andrés Manuel López Obrador took office in December 2018.


MEXICO: Victory for NOTIMEX workers after 108 days of strike and camping

IFJ: After 108 days of camping at the doors of the newsroom and fighting against systematic dismissals since last year, the workers of the Mexican state news agency managed to get the authorities of that entity to recognize that their strike is legitimate, to abide by the cessation of activities ordered by the Federal Board of Conciliation of the Ministry of Labor and committed to resolve the conflict.


PANAMA: Court ruling denounced as blow to press freedom

MENAFN: The  Inter-American Press Association (IAPA) cataloged the judicial order of the judge of guarantees Elkis Martínez to prohibit La Prensa from publishing images of the lawyer  Janio Lescure , who cannot be investigated as a “serious antecedent” for press freedom.


VENEZUELA: Venezuela has not paid employees at its English-language media operation in months. It’s instead relying on Cuban students to win the propaganda war

Insider: Employees at the English-language arm of Venezuela’s state-run media operation have been working without compensation for months, according to two people there, with the network slowly replacing staff in its Ecuador office with students in Cuba who do their work remotely, for a fraction of the cost.


VENEZUELA: Venezuelan journalist Carol Romero arrested while reporting on gasoline protests

CPJ: Venezuelan authorities should immediately drop all charges against journalist Carol Romero, and allow the press to cover protests without fear of arrest, the Committee to Protect Journalists said. Authorities have recently detained or harassed at least 14 journalists in relation to their coverage of fuel shortages, according to Espacio Público.


GENERAL: Knight Center’s new MOOC on data journalism focuses on getting your data right, with equity and ethics. Sign up now! (Opportunity)

Knight Center: Incorporating data into journalistic projects is a popular and effective way to engage audiences and convey large sets of information. However, if journalists are not careful, it can also mean including inequity and hidden bias into your storytelling. 


GENERAL: Reporting on gender-based violence during quarantine (Resource)

IJNet: This article is part of a series on topics related to journalism, gender and leadership from Chicas Poderosas (“Powerful Girls” in English), a global community that promotes female leadership and generates knowledge to shape the future of the media. Follow Chicas Poderosas on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

IRAQ: Iraq must reform ‘vaguely worded’ free speech laws, HRW says

Middle East Eye: Rights group says Iraq’s 1969 penal code includes ‘defamation crimes’ that are routinely used to crack down on critics, activists and journalists


IRAQ & TURKEY: 1500 Days Behind Bars: Global campaign for Kurdish journalist Nedim Türfent (Statement)

IPI: Today, the International Press Institute (IPI), PEN International, Media and Law Studies Association (MLSA) and 41 undersigned organizations mark the 1,500th day of Kurdish journalist Nedim Türfent’s imprisonment with a renewed call for his immediate and unconditional release.


ISRAEL: Funding Journalism in Israel: Secrecy and Political Influence (Report)

CMDS@CEU: Unusual opacity is the most salient characteristic of the media system in Israel, where the involvement of political figures in media operation raises serious concerns.


SAUDI ARABIA: Saudi smear campaign targets Al Jazeera journalists

Middle East Eye: Thousands of well known and verified Saudi Twitter accounts have launched a smear campaign against two prominent Al Jazeera journalists, Ola Fares and Ghada Oueiss. 


SYRIA: Journalists in Syria tell CPJ of fear of humanitarian catastrophe if COVID-19 spreads

CPJ


TURKEY: Turkey’s news channels can’t breathe

Al-Monitor: Journalism in Turkey is choking under a censorship mechanism in which newsroom managers, leaders often act as “government commissars.”


TURKEY: Turkey sentences journalist over state media criticism tweet

The New Arab: A journalist in Turkey was sentenced to over a year in prison for his criticism of the state news agency in a tweet during the 2018 elections, local media reported Friday.


TURKEY: Turkey: the Public Advertising Agency and bans implemented on newspapers (Letter)

ECPMF: 20 international and local press freedom organisations and signatories are writing to the Public Advertising Agency (BIK) in Turkey in order to repeat the concerns about BIK’s criteria regarding the distribution of public advertisement and bans implemented on newspapers

CANADA: CBC and Munck Studios partner on new international podcast The Conspiracy, to launch spring 2021

CBC/Radio-Canada: CBC, Canada’s public broadcaster, and award-winning Scandinavian production company Munck Studios today announced the new true crime podcast series THE CONSPIRACY, investigating the 1986 murder of Swedish prime minister Olof Palme, and shedding new light on one of the most notorious political murders in recent history. The announcement comes following yesterday’s remarks from Swedish prosecutor Krister Petersson pointing to the late Stig Engström as the murderer, thereby closing the preliminary investigation.


CANADA: CBC Calgary wins 2 national journalism awards, for speeding tickets probe and 17th Avenue live broadcast

CBC News: A road show for Calgary’s No. 1 morning radio program and an investigation into why most speeding tickets are issued in just 10 out of 1,200 city playground zones got the attention of readers and listeners — and now a national awards organization.


CANADA: Yukon Morning host resigns over lack of Indigenous, Black representation at CBC  (Listen)

CBC News: ‘We are committed to change,’ CBC spokesperson said following Christine Genier’s resignation. The host of CBC’s Yukon Morning radio show in Whitehorse resigned last week shortly after making on-air remarks about the under-representation of Indigenous and Black voices at CBC. In a four-minute address to listeners at the end of her June 8 show, host Christine Genier said CBC’s journalistic standards and practices (JSP) make it difficult for her to speak out as an Indigenous woman.


US: Can Local News Outlets Ride the Wave of New COVID-19 Subscribers? ‘This Is a Moment of Reckoning’

Local News Initiative: Local news outlets are working hard to keep the digital subscribers they’ve gained from COVID-19 coverage, and they’re seeing encouraging signs that the newcomers are sticking with them in these turbulent times.


US: International groups call on Trump to speak up for press freedom (Letter)

CPJ 


US: Kate Concannon Is Named Editor Of The Year By PMJA

Wyoming Public Media: PMJA, Public Media Journalists Association, has named Kate Concannon it’s 2020 Editor of the Year. PMJA is a leading industry group for public media journalism.


US: More Americans are paying for online news — and those who do say they’re unlikely to stop

Nieman Lab: In the United States, more than a third of those who pay for online news have signed up for two or more subscriptions.


US: PBS Programs Receive More Peabody Awards Than Any Other Organization (Press Release)

PBS: On June 10, 2020, the Peabody Awards Board of Jurors announced 30 winners for the 79th Annual Peabody Awards honoring the most compelling and empowering stories released in broadcasting and digital media during 2019. 


US: Police have been spying on black reporters and activists for years. I know because I’m one of them (Commentary)

Nieman Lab: I learned during a police surveillance trial that the Memphis Police Department spied on me and three other journalists.


US: Public media stations receive Google grants (Paywall)

Current: A $5,000 emergency relief grant from Google feels like a major gift to Dan Rigney, GM of WJFF in Jeffersonville, N.Y. The community radio station employs three full-time staff and needs the funds to cover a budget gap and invest in technology infrastructure, Rigney said. He wants to purchase equipment that will improve remote operations of the station during emergencies.


US: Top Voice of America editors resign amid strife with White House, arrival of new Trump-appointed director (Paywall)

The Washington Post: The top two editors at Voice of America resigned Monday amid White House criticism of the government-funded but editorially independent news agency and as a new overseer loyal to President Trump was about to take office.


US: VOA Director’s Statement on CDC’s Media Interview Policy Excluding VOA Journalists (Press Release)

Voice of America: We were shocked to read the internal CDC documents instructing the agency’s media relations office to refuse media requests from “anyone associated with Voice of America,” citing White House tweets accusing VOA of spreading Chinese propaganda.

Coronavirus and shooting the right story

Ethical Journalism Network: Over the course of the coronavirus pandemic so far, there have been many questions raised about what it means to visually represent a public health crisis ethically.


Coronavirus “information heroes” – journalism that saves lives

RSF: Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has compiled a list of 30 coronavirus “information heroes” – 30 journalists, whistleblowers and media outlets whose courage, perseverance or capacity to innovate has helped to circulate reliable and vital information during the Covid-19 pandemic.


Covid-19 emergency laws spell disaster for press freedom

RSF: Faced with the unprecedented epidemic, many governments have targeted those whose job is to inform the public.  Emboldened by the emergency, the spread of repression has been translated into a substantial armoury of laws, regulations and emergency measures.


Digital News Report 2020 (Research)

Reuters Institute: This year’s report reveals new insights about digital news consumption based on a YouGov survey of over 80,000 online news consumers in 40 markets including Kenya and the Philippines for the first time. The report looks at the impact of coronavirus on news consumption and on the economic prospects for publishers.


Getty photographer John Moore on how covering Ebola prepared journalists for COVID-19

CPJ: Getty Images photographer John Moore has covered crises all over the world, from the U.S. border with Mexico to political unrest in Pakistan. But the COVID-19 pandemic has found him capturing devastation closer to home: in Stamford, Connecticut, where he lives, and in the hard-hit suburbs of New York City.


Rappler Case Highlights Decline of Press Freedoms Globally

NYT: The conviction of two Philippine journalists for libel is a blow to press freedom and comes as media watchdogs track declines in press freedoms and democratic institutions around the world.


The media’s vital role in safeguarding elections

CJR: On Tuesday, voters in Georgia went to cast their ballots in primary elections, but many of them found that they could not—or not without a long wait.


US and Hong Kong protests: Press freedom needs protection, everywhere

HKFP: As the crowd of thousands made its way east down Atlantic Avenue from the Barclays Arena in Brooklyn, a sign held up among the sea of heads, flags, and raised fists caught my eye. The sign the protester carried read “You Watched Hong Kong Now See Us.”


PSM Weekly is available via email. You can subscribe by signing up to our mailing list at the bottom of the page or email editor@publicmediaalliance.org.

All PSM Weekly 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.

If you have any suggestions for our weekly round-ups, please email PMA at editor@publicmediaalliance.org.


Header Image: Students Experimenting With TV studio Equipment stock photo. Credit: TommL/iStock