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

Tonga eruption and tsunami

CEO of PMA, Sally-Ann Wilson, reflects on the natural disaster which struck the Pacific Island nation over the weekend.

Public media is essential during times of crisis. But disasters are the time where it is most difficult to work for, or lead, a public media organisation. Staff are there on the frontline, but they are also likely to be personally affected by the disaster.

I would ask all of you to spare a thought for our colleagues and friends at the Tonga Broadcasting Commission (TBC), long-time members of PMA. Some of you will remember former GM of TBC (and former PMA board member) Nanise Fifita. It was eery to watch her Facebook posts over the weekend. No longer working for TBC, she remains a consummate journalist. Her reporting was calm as she stood on the street after the initial eruption. The skies darkened with the volcanic ash, the streetlights came on too early in the day. Then Nanise reported how painful the lava stones were as they fell from the sky. She reflected on the uncertainty and whether there would be a tsunami and if so, when…. Then her posts stopped.

TBC, not surprisingly, seems to be off air and international communications with Tonga have been severed following the damage to undersea cables. I am however certain that current CEO Viola Koloamatangi Ulakai and her team will all be playing their critical part in supporting the people of Tonga.  Meanwhile the journalists at PMA member, the Pacific Media Network in New Zealand are closely monitoring the situation.

Watch: Tongans wait anxiously for news of families


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Coronavirus: Resources & best practices

Essential resources for sourcing and reporting news about the coronavirus pandemic

What we're watching...


Afghanistan and me: a female perspective

Reuters Institute: Sana Safi is an Afghan broadcast journalist, currently working for BBC World Service. Her audio documentary, Afghanistan and Me, charts 30 years of Afghan history through her own experiences.

What we're listening to...


The Editor Planning to Shake Up News

BBC – The Media Show: A bold new media start-up plans to create from scratch a news provider that will rival the likes of CNN, the New York Times and the BBC. The people behind it are Justin Smith, boss of Bloomberg Media, and Ben Smith, former editor-in-chief of BuzzFeed News and media columnist at the New York Times. And with those two at the helm, journalists around the world are paying attention. But what does this new company tell us about the state of global journalism, the aftermath of the Trump years and declining trust in the news? Social media, anti-social media, breaking news, faking news: this is the programme about a revolution in media.

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BOTSWANA: Regulator Introduces New Processes For Radio License Applications

BMA: The Botswana Communications Regulatory Authority (BOCRA), established to regulate the communications sector in Botswana … will no longer be accepting manual applications for radio communications licences. 


CAMEROON: Redundancy plan of public broadcaster CRTV in limbo (Paywall)

Africa Intelligence: Hit hard by plummeting advertising revenues, national broadcaster CRTV contracted an auditor last June to help it cut back its payroll, which had been growing for several years. But the audit has never actually got underway.


GHANA: GBC trio recognized for exceptional contribution to Community Development & Mental Health

GBC: Three Garden City Television staff, including Razak Baba, one of GBC’s Ashanti Regional Correspondents, have received awards in recognition for their exceptional contribution towards community development and support for mental health awareness in Ghana.


KENYA: KBC eager to leverage archive content to promote patriotism

KBC: The Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) is taking pride in its unmatched historical content on the country’s defining moments across all spheres.


NIGER: Conviction of investigative journalists marks deepening repression of media freedom

Amnesty International: The recent conviction of two investigative journalists in Niger for reporting the findings of an international NGO marks an alarming turn in the authorities’ increasingly brazen targeting of media critics, Amnesty International said today. 


NIGERIA: Govt. Scraps Plans To Register Social Media Platforms

BMA: Plans by the Federal Government to compel international social network services and digital platforms to register and open offices in Nigeria have been scrapped.


SOUTH AFRICA: ANC accused of political interference at SABC

My Broadband: SABC news editor in chief Phathiswa Magopeni has accused the ANC of political interference in the public broadcaster, reports City Press.


SOUTH AFRICA: SABC burglary in Bloemfontein a direct attack on the constitution: EFF (Watch)

SABC: The EFF in the Free State says it views the burglary at the SABC building in Bloemfontein as a direct attack on the values of the country’s constitution.


SUDAN: IPI condemns Sudan’s revocation of Al Jazeera Mubasher’s broadcast license

IPI: Sudanese authorities must reinstate the license to ensure the free flow of news.


TUNISIA: RFI reporter among those brutally attacked by police at Tunisian protest

RFI: RFI journalist Mathieu Galtier was among those attacked by uniformed police at a banned protest in the Tunisian capital on Friday. More than twenty non-governmental organisations have condemned the violence, describing the behaviour of the police as “barbaric repression”.


TUNISIA: Tunisian press syndicate says state TV bars political parties

Al Jazeera: Tunisian state TV has barred parties from entering building or taking part in talk shows, press syndicate says.


ZIMBABWE: Summit To Show How Broadcast Media Industry Drives Economic Development (Opportunity)

BMA: Broadcast Media Africa (BMA), under the theme “Digital Broadcasting – Promoting Our Values, Enriching Our Lives”, will be hosting an “Inaugural Broadcasting And Digital Media Summit Of Zimbabwe” from Tuesday, March 15 to Wednesday, March 16, 2022, in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe in partnership with the Zimbabwe Association of Broadcasters (ZAB).

BANGLADESH: ​​Bangladeshi camera operator Hossain Baksh abducted, severely beaten while covering local elections

CPJ: Bangladesh authorities must conduct a swift and impartial investigation into the abduction and beating of Hossain Baksh and take steps to protect the safety of journalists covering union council elections, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.


CHINA: Journalists at the Beijing Winter Olympics may test China’s tolerance for critical coverage

CPJ: Can China and the International Olympic Committee maintain a “bubble” of total press freedom inside China’s vast sea of repression? That’s the question facing thousands of journalists as they arrive in the coming weeks to cover the Beijing Winter Olympics, which kick off on February 4. 


HONG KONG: Who’s next? Hong Kong media fearful after arrests, shutdowns

France24: When Hong Kong’s national security police knocked on his door before dawn last month, journalist Ronson Chan was unsurprised but still found himself shaking.


INDIA: All India Radio notches up more mobile listeners

ABU: All India Radio (AIR) has said the number of listeners on its live-streaming mobile app, NewsOnAir, jumped by 2 million last month.


KASHMIR: Kashmir independent press club shut down in media crackdown

The Guardian: The future of press freedom in Indian-administered Kashmir has been thrown into question after pro-government journalists and police officers forcibly took over its independent press club, which the authorities later shut down.


KASHMIR: Pakistan calls on world to hold India accountable for harassment, arrests of journalists in occupied Kashmir

Dawn: Pakistan on Sunday condemned increasing harassment, illegal arrests and registration of “fake criminal cases” against journalists and civil society activists in Indian-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOK) and called upon the international community to hold New Delhi accountable for its actions.


KAZAKHSTAN: RSF refers violence against reporters covering protests in Kazakhstan to UN

RSF: The media victims include a TV crew’s driver who was fatally shot while following an official convoy. Muratkhan Bazarbayev was driving an Almaty TV crew to city hall in Almaty, Kazakhstan’s biggest city, when their car came under fire near Republic Square at around 11 p.m. on 6 January.


MALAYSIA: CIJ reminds Azam Baki of mandate to help whistleblowers, not intimidate them

Malay Mail: The Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) has called Tan Sri Azam Baki’s defamation suit against the journalist who first reported about the shares he owns in several public-listed companies as a form of intimidation.


SOUTH KOREA: South Korea’s KBS Philharmonic Appoints Honorary Music Director

The Violin Channel: Korean conductor Myung-Whun Chun began his career as a pianist, winning second prize at the 1974 Tchaikovsky competition in Moscow and then relocating to the United States to study at the Mannes School of Music and The Juilliard School.


THAILAND: Thailand Facing Crackdown on Freedoms

VOA: People in Thailand have faced increased repression of their rights and incidents of torture in recent years, human rights groups and activists say.


VIETNAM: With West Distracted by Pandemic, Vietnam Ramps Up Repression

VOA: Conditions for media in Vietnam have rarely been so bad, media analysts say, with the country jailing over a dozen reporters in the past 12 months, and courts handing out unusually long sentences.

AUSTRALIA: Australia Day 2022 on your ABC

ABC: Australia Day 2022 is a day to reflect, respect and celebrate what it means to be Australian.


AUSTRALIA: Explore meditation styles from around the world with new SBS podcast (Press release)

SBS: SBS is encouraging all Australians to rest and reset with the launch of a new guided meditation podcast. Titled Great Minds, the podcast features 15-minute episodes exploring different meditation styles from around the world. 


AUSTRALIA: Media ethics questioned as Albury, Wodonga mayors continue co-hosting commercial radio show

ABC: A leading media ethics expert has criticised the move for two mayors on the NSW-Victorian border to continue co-hosting a commercial radio program. 


AUSTRALIA: See Us, Hear Us, Join Us: NITV and SBS invite Australia to join them in deepening their understanding of January 26 (Press release)

SBS: National Indigenous Television (NITV), and the wider SBS network, invite communities to deepen their understanding of January 26 and what it means to be Australian through the upcoming programming slate, Always Was, Always Will Be.


NEW ZEALAND: Te Rito journalism cadetship: Groundbreaking media initiative draws in close to 100 applicants

NZ Herald: New Zealand Media and Entertainment (NZME), Māori TV, Discovery / Newshub and the Pacific Media Network, with support from NZ on Air’s Public Interest Journalism Fund, have selected the 25 cadets for the Te Rito journalism training programme, which starts next month.


TONGA: Communications and aid still hampered after Tonga eruption (Listen)

SBS: While initial reports suggest there are no mass casualties, British woman Angela Glover has been confirmed as the first known death from the incident.


TONGA: Tonga volcano: Leader issues misinformation warning as overseas community scrambles for news from home (Watch)

Stuff: A Tongan leader is calling on Tongans overseas to be careful about the spread of misinformation as communication remains an issue a day after volcano eruptions triggered a tsunami on Saturday.


TONGA: Tongans wait anxiously for news of families (Watch)

Pacific Media Network: Tongans in New Zealand are feeling anxious about the fate of their families in Tonga as communication lines continue to remain disconnected. 


REGIONAL & US: Boosting Pacific digital media skills amid a cyclone – all part of the job

Asia Pacific Report: As Cyclone Cody got set to pummel Fiji in early January, students at the University of the South Pacific in Suva, Fiji were getting set to start a media training programme that would have them reporting on climate change…

AUSTRIA: Media authority waves through higher GIS fees – eight percent more from February (German)

Der Standard: KommAustria does not object to the decision of the ORF Board of Trustees. The increase may come into effect on February 1st.


BELGIUM: Extra Time in an extra virtual jacket (Press release – Dutch)

VRT: Extra Time is the first live talk show to be broadcast entirely from a new, virtual studio. This means that the physical decor exchanged space for an oasis of greenery – a green key background – which is completely filled in virtually. 


BULGARIA: Alarming SLAPP cases endanger fragile media freedom

RSF: Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemns the judicial harassment of two Bulgarian investigative journalists and calls on Bulgaria’s new government to pass legislation that protects the media against gag suits. 


CZECH REPUBLIC: 73% of people trust Czech Television, the most since 2015 (Press release – Czech)

České televizi: The results of regular tracking research on the perception of ČT’s public service carried out by Kantar CZ confirmed a long-term trend. Czech Television has reached the highest levels of credibility since 2015.


DENMARK: DR: These topics cause the most deleted comments (Danish)

Nordvision: DR Media Research has analyzed comments written on DR News’s Facebook page between September 2019 and August 2021. 


ESTONIA: ERR chief: Public broadcaster one of most underfunded in Europe

ERR: Estonian public broadcaster Eesti Rahvusringhääling (ERR) is one of the most underfunded organisations of its kind in Europe, the broadcaster’s board chair Erik Roose says.


FINLAND: A record year at Yle Areena – Finns appreciate and use Areena (Press release – Finnish)

Yle: Favorite programs for the rest of 2021 pushed Arena usage to record levels. Finns enjoy an average of 70 minutes a week at Yle Areena.


FINLAND: The availability of the public service Yle cannot be decided on commercial grounds (Press release – Finnish)

Yle: The Ministry of Transport and Communications is currently assessing the need for a must-carry obligation.


FRANCE: France Télévisions’ Ernotte reveals Salto subs number, defends pubcaster’s role

Digital TV Europe: French streaming service Salto, backed by the country’s three largest broadcasters, now has around 700,000 subscribers, according to Delphine Ernotte, president of pubcaster France Télévisions. 


FRANCE: Macron: People spreading fake news should be ‘held accountable’, ‘brought to justice’

Euronews: French president Emmanuel Macron said people spreading fake news online should be held accountable and possibly brought to justice, an issue that is becoming even more significant ahead of the country’s presidential election in April.


GERMANY: 25 years of KiKA: Successful digital breakthrough thanks to a strong market position, the best image and trust values (Press release – German)

ZDF: KiKA starts the birthday year 2022 with highlights and participation offers.


GERMANY: Concerns about the new media state treaty (German)

MMM: On November 19, the broadcasting commission of the federal states presented a “Draft for discussion on the mandate and structural optimization of public service broadcasting”. 


GERMANY: Saxony-Anhalt’s CDU wants to switch off “Das Erste” – the channel should disappear “in the long term”. (German)

Mitteldeutsche Zeitung: The Christian Democrats in the Magdeburg state parliament would like to abolish the ARD main program as an independent station. At the same time they demand radio without gender language.


GREECE: Greece’s ERT launches updated OTT service

Digital TV Europe: Greek public broadcaster ERT has launched an updated version of its ERTFlix OTT offering.


GREECE: Greek conservative MEP slams his own ruling party over press freedom

Euractiv: Greek MEP from ruling New Democracy party (EPP) Giorgos Kyrtsos has strongly criticised the government over the quality of press freedom in Greece, hinting that Brussels will soon react. 


HUNGARY: EU funds fact-checking website in Hungary ahead of crucial elections

Euractiv: Agence France-Presse (AFP) is launching a website to fight disinformation in Hungary, just three months before elections that will determine Orbán’s grip on power – however, experts remain sceptical.


HUNGARY: The Hungarian Media Capture Express: Next Stop, Europe

Media Power Monitor: As Hungarian elections are fast approaching, political observers and media experts are on the lookout for new media acquisitions by oligarchs close to Fidesz, the right-wing political party of Prime Minister Viktor Orban.


MALTA: 9 international press freedom organisations react to PM decision on committee of experts: ‘Malta must do better to guarantee media freedom’

The Shift: International press freedom organisations have said in a statement today that their offer for technical assistance in the implementation of the public inquiry findings has not been taken up by Prime Minister Robert Abela.


SLOVENIA: The management of RTV Slovenia condemns attempts to undermine editorial independence (Press release – Slovenian)

RTVS: We emphasize the need to strengthen the culture of public dialogue in Slovenia and to preserve the independence and autonomy of journalism at all costs.


SWEDEN: So much culture in SVT! (Press release – Swedish)

SVT: SVT continues to deepen collaborations with scenes around the country with SVT Scen. And now it is also clear that Hemmakultur will be continued, after great appreciation from the culture-interested audience.


UK: BBC output and services under threat from licence fee freeze

Financial Times: Funding settlement will force cuts with implications for broadcaster’s output, staffing and ambition.


UK: IPI reiterates support for Carole Cadwalladr as she faces SLAPP trial

IPI: The undersigned organisations reiterate their support for award-winning journalist and author, Carole Cadwalladr, who is facing a week-long defamation trial in London this week. 


UK: Record-breaking festive period for BBC iPlayer

Digital TV Europe: The BBC iPlayer experienced a record-breaking festive period, the broadcaster has announced.


UK: Statement on the Licence Fee settlement

BBC Media Centre: “Given the breadth of services we provide, the Licence Fee represents excellent value for money. There are very good reasons for investing in what the BBC can do for the British public and the UK around the world.”


UK: What could replace the BBC licence fee?

The Guardian: Analysis: Latest Tory attack on broadcaster means deep cuts as well as hunt for alternative funding model.


REGIONAL: Article by the President of the RTVE Corporation: “The challenge of European public broadcasters” (Spanish)

RTVE


REGIONAL: Digital Services Act: EFJ supports amendment binding platforms to  fundamental rights

EFJ: On 20 January 2022, the European Parliament in Strasbourg’s plenary session will vote on the Digital Services Act (DSA), a bill designed to shape the digital future and clean up the Internet. 


REGIONAL: Eastern Europe Tests New Forms of Media Censorship (Paywall)

The New York Times: With new, less repressive tactics, countries like Serbia, Poland and Hungary are deploying highly effective tools to skew public opinion.

ARGENTINA: “Futuralia” arrives at Radio Nacional in podcast format (Spanish – press release)

Argentina.gob.ar: In each episode, boys and girls from all over the country ask specialist questions on different topics about their concerns, wishes and challenges for the coming years, and they reflect on how they imagine that future.


BRAZIL: Bolsonaro blocked 82 journalists and seven news outlets

LatAm Journalism Review: Of 315 Twitter blockings against press professionals registered by the Associação Brasileira de Jornalismo Investigativo (Abraji) [by] Jan. 11, … The president heads the list of blockers, having vetoed someone 82 times.


BRAZIL: Safety is the biggest challenge for Brazilian journalists this year, says Juliana Dal Piva, a reporter investigating Bolsonaro family scandals

LatAm Journalism Review: For at least four years, journalist Juliana Dal Piva has been trying to “understand who is Jair Bolsonaro,” as she said in an interview with LatAm Journalism Review (LJR). 


BRAZIL: Twitter launches tool to report false information in Brazil (Portuguese)

CNN Brasil: Tool, still in test, has been available since last year in the US, South Korea and Australia; now it also arrives in Spain and the Philippines


COLOMBIA: The Attorney General’s Office opened an investigation of Daniel Quintero for alleged censorship of the press (Spanish)

Radio Nacional: The Attorney General’s Office opened a preliminary investigation of the mayor of Medellín, Daniel Quintero, and his secretary of government, Esteban Restrepo, for alleged censorship of the newspaper El Colombiano.


CUBA: Cuban journalists, who were denied entry by Nicaragua, decline to request refuge in El Salvador (Spanish)

VOA News: El Salvador’s migration and human rights authorities have stated that they do not know the whereabouts of the two journalists, despite the fact that they were following up on their case and that the government provided them with a hotel.


ECUADOR: Legislative of Ecuador advances in debate of law on freedom of the press (Spanish)

ABC Color: The plenary session of the National Assembly (Parliament) of Ecuador advanced this Tuesday in the first of two debates on the draft Organic Law for the Guarantee, Promotion and Protection of Freedom of the Press, of Opinion, Expression and Communication.


EL SALVADOR: Amnesty International verifies use of Pegasus spyware for surveillance of journalists

Amnesty International: A joint investigation by Access Now and the Citizen Lab has identified the use of NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware against journalists and members of civil society organizations in El Salvador on a massive scale. 


HAITI: The media: One starting point for a dream Haiti to become real

The Haitian Times: In a few months, we will launch a rigorous month-long training program to teach aspiring Haitian journalists the tools they need to practice the craft of journalism. In this multimedia program, we will explore the core elements of a story, writing, reporting and the ethics of journalism. We will train participants to use their smartphones to create articles, videos and photos. 


NICARAGUA: Nicaragua: Press Freedom 2021 (Spanish – Listen)

VOA News: Nicaragua suffered in 2021 the “worst year” in terms of freedom of expression, according to the report of an international organization. From Managua reports the correspondent of the Voice of America, Daliana Ocaña.


NICARAGUA: Some 120 Nicaraguan journalists in exile since 2018 (Spanish)

DW: Attacks against journalists and the media increased after the massive protests against President Daniel Ortega in April 2018.


PERU: Peru faces international claims after sentencing journalists (Spanish)

DW: The conviction of Christopher Acosta and Jerónimo Pimentel ignores the doctrine of faithful reporting, which exonerates journalists from responsibility for the content of a publication.


REGIONAL: Blocking of journalists by authorities and officials on Twitter extends across Latin America

LatAm Journalism Review: Blocking of journalists occurs systematically in El Salvador, Guatemala, Venezuela and Brazil. In most Latin American countries there is no law that regulates this situation, which threatens freedom of expression and journalistic work. 


REGIONAL & CHINA: China Seen Backing ‘Digital Authoritarianism’ in Latin America

VOA News: Chinese technology and expertise is making it possible for Venezuela and Cuba to exercise suffocating control over digital communications in the two countries, according to insider accounts and several international investigations.

KURDISTAN: Over 300 violations committed against journalists in Kurdistan Region

Metro Center: The Kurdistan Region has faced harsh criticism for its treatment of journalists over the past year as it perused “numerous cases” against journalists in the last year.


LEBANON: Disinformation and electronic armies: How Lebanon’s political class uses fake news to win elections

The New Arab: Ahead of Lebanon’s upcoming elections, activists fear the political establishment will spread disinformation and fake news to retain power, in a country where the convoluted media landscape is already rife with political agendas.


TURKEY: BBC workers go on strike for decent pay

IPI: After roughly five months of negotiations, BBC journalists in Turkey went on strike on January 14. 


TURKEY: Journalists in Turkey see media domain narrowing as elections approach

Al-Monitor: Media workers under pressure mark Working Journalists Day and fear further clampdown on independent journalism.


SYRIA & KURDISTAN: Media call on Syrian-Kurdish authority to end suspension of AFP journalist

The New Arab: It is not the first time Kurdish authorities target journalists, which have been facing increasing intimidation, including arbitrary arrests and kidnappings.

CANADA: Calling emerging indie producers, content creators to One Stop Business Workshop

CBC News: Free virtual information series offers workshops on the business and financing side of content creation.


CANADA: CBC REVEALS PROGRAMMING DETAILS AND BROADCAST TEAM FOR THE OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES BEIJING 2022

CBC/Radio-Canada: With the countdown on to the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022, CBC/Radio-Canada, Canada’s Olympic network, announces details of its upcoming coverage.


CANADA: Creator Network is looking for pitches from Quebec creators

CBC News: CBC Quebec is looking for young digital storytellers from diverse backgrounds to produce original video content to air on our network. We want creators to tell stories through their own lens, and CBC will license and pay for the content.


CANADA: Beijing Olympics: Radio-Canada wants to protect itself from spies and pirates (French)

La Presse: Radio-Canada will impose unprecedented security measures on its teams which will soon be deployed in China for the coverage of the Olympic Games in order to protect themselves from spies and hackers whose threat is increasingly openly recognized by the Canadian authorities.


CANADA: Twice silenced: refugee journalists in Canada struggle to be heard

New Canadian Media: While refugee journalists who seek asylum in Canada are able to lead relatively safer lives, they are often thrust into survival jobs that have nothing to do with their profession.


US: 4 NPR hosts quit in the last year, 3 were women of color

NPR Public Editor: What’s going on and what should NPR leadership do?


US: Another record year for press-freedom violations in the US (Analysis)

CJR


US: Asking good questions and telling powerful stories: A Q&A with Student Reporting Labs partners

PBS Wisconsin


US: Can U.S. journalism truly serve global audiences? Not if it treats them like an afterthought

Nieman Lab: 2022 started off with some high-profile movement in the media entrepreneurship space, when Ben Smith, the media columnist for The New York Times and former editor of BuzzFeed News, announced he was leaving the Times to start a news organization with Justin Smith, who also announced that he was stepping down as the CEO of Bloomberg Media.


US: How taking public radio’s journalism into classrooms can engage and educate students (Paywall)

Current: In an excerpt from her book “Listen Wise: Teach Students to Be Better Listeners,” Monica Brady-Myerov recalls the “lightbulb moment” that led her to launch the digital education platform Listenwise.


US: Indigenous news outlets, nonprofits drive deeper coverage

AP News: Kiowa tribal member Tristan Ahtone remembers just getting started in journalism over a decade ago and pitching ideas on Indigenous topics. His bosses would say things like: “We ran a Native story earlier this year. Do we need another one?” Thankfully, he said, times have changed.


US: ‘Night and day’: The Biden administration and the press

CPJ: The first year of the Biden administration’s relationship with the U.S. press has been an almost complete reversal of the Trump administration’s unprecedentedly pervasive and damaging hostility, which seriously damaged the news media’s credibility and often spread misinformation around the world. 


US: Obstruction of Journalism: A new way to combat violence against journalists (Analysis)

CJR


US: Racial Justice Protests Influenced Local News Reporting, Study Finds

University of Pennsylvania: A new Media, Inequality, and Change Center report finds that news coverage of policing did become more inclusive and less dehumanizing, but was still heavily slanted toward a police perspective.


US: Second discrimination lawsuit against NPR moves to federal court (Paywall)

Current: The complaint echoes another discrimination suit against the network.


US: Why Americans are losing trust in elections and the media (Listen)

Iowa Public Radio

A Fighter for Press Freedom Is Expanding Her Battle (Paywall) 

The New York Times: Jodie Ginsberg, a veteran British journalist and advocate, will become the president of the Committee to Protect Journalists at a time when attacks on the press are at an all-time high.


CPJ Safety Advisory: Covering the Beijing Olympic Winter Games 2022

CPJ: The Olympic Winter Games take place in Beijing, China from February 4-20, 2022. Journalists covering the event are likely to face a range of challenges from coronavirus restrictions to digital surveillance.


Facebook owner to ‘assess feasibility’ of hate speech study in Ethiopia

The Guardian: Meta says human rights diligence projects can be ‘highly time intensive’ and run for year or more.


Fact-checkers label YouTube a ‘major conduit of online disinformation’

BBC: Fact-checking organisations around the world say that YouTube is not doing enough to prevent the spread of misinformation on the platform.


It’s time for a new contract between journalists and public contributors: here’s a proposed 11 point-code of conduct

RISJ


Protect Public Service Media to Protect Democracy

EBU: We are all aware of the enormous contribution public service media makes to society – for 100 years, we’ve been keeping people informed, educated, and entertained.


UN in Geneva celebrates 6 decades supporting impartial TV news (Press release) 

UN: The UN Office in Geneva is celebrating a 60-year collaboration with the European Broadcasting Union of public-service broadcasters, which has helped transparent, fair and impartial television news to be seen around the world.


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