Our weekly round-up of public service media related stories and headlines from around the world
Public media is in peril and facing many challenges. Social media platforms are presenting an existential crisis to public service media. Governments are trying to extend their control and influence on the editorial output of the broadcasters. Funding systems for many are up in the air. Journalists are facing threats, attacks and harassment, both online and in-person. But it’s also an exciting time for public service media – digital platforms provide new opportunities to reach audiences, technology means public broadcasters can be innovative in how they provide a public service.
Every week, PMA compiles all the latest news from the public media and media freedom industry. Have a story to feature? Get in touch!
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Our PSM Research and Resources page brings together all the latest academic studies looking into the world of public media.
What we're watching...
The Inside Story – Journalism and Conflicts
VOA: We continue our focus on press freedom around the world. We delve into the challenges of reporting on the Israeli war in Gaza, where journalists face significant risks. In Ukraine, journalists not only document the ongoing conflict but also investigate potential war crimes. This week on The Inside Story: Journalism and Conflicts.
What we're listening to...
MPs urged to take sides in media vs big tech hustle
RNZ: Media bosses warned MPs this week journalism is in jeopardy if they don’t back a bill making offshore tech giants pay for news carried on Facebook and Google. It’s based on laws already in place in Australia and Canada.
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BURUNDI: Burundi Takes Steps to Decriminalize Journalism
VOA: The Burundi government this month adopted a bill to abolish prison sentences for journalists over ethics complaints.
CAMEROON: Cameroonian journalist Bruno Bidjang detained for alleged ‘rebellion’
CPJ: Cameroonian authorities must immediately release journalist Bruno François Bidjang, drop legal proceedings against him for alleged rebellion, and allow journalists to comment freely on public affairs
GHANA: Media end boycott of Minister over assault on journalist
MFWA: The GJA imposed a media blackout on the Minister, who is also a Member of Parliament (MP) for Awutu-Senya East, after thugs wearing shirts branded with her pictures, attacked a journalist, on January 4, 2024.
MFWA
GUINEA: Trade unions threaten nationwide strike over detention of journalist
MFWA: The detention of the senior journalist has aroused a lot of emotions in media circles and beyond, with Guinea’s trade union organisation threatening a nationwide strike if he is not released.
GUINEA-BISSAU: Guinea-Bissau president threatens media, 30 armed men raid 2 state broadcasters
CPJ: Guinea-Bissau President Umaro Sissoco Embaló must withdraw his recent statements denigrating and threatening the media and ensure a credible investigation into two armed raids on public broadcasters and other recent attacks on the press
KENYA: MCK Highlights Significant Role Played By Radio
Capital News: The Media Council of Kenya (MCK) has highlighted the significant role of radio as a tool for disseminating information to the public.
MALAWI: Malawi Police Seize Journalists’ Equipment Over Fake Facebook Account
VOA: Police in Malawi have seized mobile phones and laptops from at least 14 journalists working at the state-run Malawi Broadcasting Corporation or MBC.
MALAWI: Misa worried with MBC’s seizure of laptops and phones of its journalists
Nyasa Times: MISA Malawi says it is concerned with the seizure of mobile phones and laptops belonging to Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) journalists who are being suspected of running a fake MBC Facebook page.
MOZAMBIQUE: War in Cabo Delgado: threats against journalists rise again! (Portuguese)
MISA Moçambique: As armed attacks in Cabo Delgado increase, threats against journalists involved in covering the conflict also increase again
NIGERIA: Journalists targeted again under cybercrime law
IPI: Four journalists charged with conspiracy, cyber stalking, and defamation after critical coverage of university official
SENEGAL: At least 25 journalists attacked, detained, or tear gassed in Senegal protests
CPJ: Senegalese authorities must identify and hold accountable police officers who attacked, harassed, and tear gassed or detained at least 25 journalists reporting on protests over the country’s delayed poll and allow the press to report the news safely and without fear of intimidation
SENEGAL: WALF TV reopens after media threatened government boycott (French)
Media Foundation West Africa: Walf TV is back on air, a week after its signal was cut and its licence withdrawn by the authorities for “irresponsible” coverage of the ongoing protests in Senegal.
TOGO: This Togolese outlet fights health misinformation
IJNet: False information has infiltrated virtually every corner of the internet, including surrounding health and disease. During the COVID-19 pandemic, misinformation on the virus and health measures was labeled by the World Health Organization (WHO) as an example of an infodemic – an epidemic of false information.
REGIONAL: Africa Media Monitoring January 2024: Threats to press freedom in Guinea, DRC, Somaliland
IPI: Incidents include jailing of the secretary general of Guinea press union over media freedom protests
REGIONAL: Eutelsat Supports UNESCO Education TV Channel – “EducaTV”
BMA: UNESCO, with the support of Eutelsat Group, has launched Educa-TV, an educational television channel dedicated exclusively to teaching and learning in Central Africa.
REGIONAL: Victor Jean-Louis, a Guadeloupean pioneer of radio in Africa (French)
RFI: Victor Jean-Louis was a brilliant sound engineer in cinema, radio and television. He set up and managed several radio stations in Africa.
AFGHANISTAN: Khaama Press Editor in Chief Detained by Authorities in Kabul
Khaama Press: Mansoor Nekmal, the Editor in Chief of Khaama Press, has been detained following a summons to the Ministry of Vice and Virtue, sparking urgent calls for his release and a rallying cry for press freedom in Afghanistan.
CAMBODIA: No mercy for ill-intentioned content creators who shame Cambodia, PM says
Khmer Times: Internet content creators who have intentionally produced fake content resulting in the disgracing of the image and reputation of Cambodia will have to face a jail sentence and a lifetime ban, announced the Cambodian Prime Minister today
CHINA: China’s State Media Repeat Russian Talking Points After Navalny’s Death
Newsweek: Chinese media outlets have echoed narratives that align closely with Russian official statements following the death of Russia’s leading opposition figure Alexei Navalny.
CHINA & US: Posing as Americans, Chinese accounts on X aim to divide and disrupt
The Washington Post: Propaganda accounts controlled by foreign entities aiming to influence U.S. politics are flourishing on X even after they’ve been exposed by other social media platforms or criminal proceedings, a Washington Post analysis shows.
INDIA: An Instagram-first approach to decluttering news in India
IJNet: Mainstream Indian media has come under scrutiny for biased reporting and incomplete coverage of major events. What tends to be delivered to news consumers is opinion-led journalism featuring overstimulated news screens and loud anchors.
INDIA: Broadcasters seek meeting with Parliamentary Committee
The Economic Times: The Indian Broadcasting and Digital Foundation has sought a meeting with the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Communications and IT after the apex body of TV broadcasters was excluded from deliberations.
INDIA: How India’s government uses Pegasus to spy on journalists
IJNet: When a joint investigation published in December 2023 by Amnesty International and The Washington Post revealed that journalists in India were being targeted by the hacking spyware, Pegasus, Siddharth Varadarajan, founding editor of The Wire, wasn’t surprised his phone was among those being surveilled.
INDIA: Journalists attacked for reporting
IFJ: Broadcast journalist Jyotiranjan Mohapatra sustained serious injuries after an attack by four people riding motorcycles in the eastern Odisha state on February 10, while journalist Nikhil Wagle’s car was attacked by political activists in Maharashtra on February 9 in relation to social media posts.
INDONESIA: Impact of Digital Innovation on Indonesia’s Media Industry
OpenGov: In Indonesia, the evolution of digital technology, social media platforms, and artificial intelligence (AI) has left a profound mark on the media landscape, reshaping the way news is produced, disseminated, and consumed.
INDONESIA & HONG KONG: RTHK and Radio Republik Indonesia sign MoU to strengthen collaboration
Marketing Interactive: Local broadcaster Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK) and Radio Republik Indonesia (RRI) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to strengthen collaboration and promote people-to-people bonds under the Belt and Road Initiative.
INDONESIA & MALAYSIA: Indonesia-Malaysia media exchange can deepen connections between both nations
The New Straits Times: Indonesia-Malaysia media exchange programmes such as Ikatan Setiakawan Wartawan Malaysia-Indonesia (Iswami) can strengthen the bond between both nations as close neighbours, says Indonesia’s Communications and Informatics Minister Budi Arie Setiadi.
JAPAN: Japan top court awards damages to journalist over lawmaker’s ‘likes’ for defaming posts
The Mainichi: Japan’s Supreme Court has upheld a lower court ruling ordering House of Representatives lawmaker Mio Sugita to pay 550,000 yen (approx. $3,680) in compensation to journalist Shiori Ito for “liking” online posts defaming her.
KAZAKHSTAN: Kazakh journalist goes on trial on extremism charges
RFE/RL: Independent Kazakh journalist Duman Mukhammedkarim known for his articles critical of the government went on trial on February 12 on extremism charges that he, his supporters, and rights defenders call politically motivated.
MALAYSIA: Malaysian Media Council Bill draft in final stage, says Fahmi
The Edge: The government is in the final process of finalising the draft to establish the Malaysian Media Council (MMC) Bill, according to Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil.
MALAYSIA: Media code of ethics must be self-regulated, says industry rights group
Free Malaysia Today: Any code of ethics for journalists in Malaysia, like the one launched by communications minister Fahmi Fadzil, should be regulated by the media industry, not the government, rights group Gerakan Media Merdeka (Geramm) said.
MYANMAR: Journalist tortured and killed in military custody
IFJ: The body of Western News journalist Myat Thu Tan has been found after he was shot and killed by military personnel on January 31, along with seven other political prisoners in the custody of Myanmar’s ruling junta.
NEPAL: Nepal govt says it will amend media laws, emphasises commitment to press freedom and professionalism
The Times of India: The Nepal government on Monday said it will amend the existing media-related laws as it underscored its commitment to develop the journalism sector and make it more professional by ensuring full protection of press freedom.
PPF: A video capturing Federal Caretaker Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Murtaza Solangi, in a physical altercation with BBC journalist Mobeen Azhar during an interview has sparked controversy.
PAKISTAN: Pakistan’s Chronicle Of Press Suppression
The Friday Times: The 1960 Press and Publications Ordinance gave sweeping authority to the Pakistani government over the press, allowing it to prohibit publications deemed detrimental to national ideology or security
PAKISTAN: X faces restrictions in Pakistan amid protests over alleged vote rigging
Al Jazeera: The social media platform continues to be inaccessible to users in Pakistan since Saturday amid protests against alleged vote manipulation.
PHILIPPINES: Even With a De-Escalation Deal, Philippines Says It Will Continue Media Pressure in South China Sea
China Global South Project: The Philippines government is not going to change its strategy of inviting journalists and social media influencers to record confrontations with Chinese maritime forces in the South China Sea even as the two countries try to implement a de-escalation deal agreed to last month.
SINGAPORE: Singapore wields fake news law against opposition PSP chief
Bloomberg: Singapore’s government is seeking correction to online posts made by opposition Progress Singapore Party chief and member of parliament Leong Mun Wai about financial aid rendered to a couple.
SOUTH KOREA: KBS pulls documentary on Sewol tragedy for ‘potential impact’ on general elections
The Korea Times: Korea’s public broadcaster KBS decided not to broadcast a documentary on the 2014 sinking of the Sewol ferry initially scheduled to be broadcast in April, citing that it “could affect the general elections.”
SRI LANKA: Sri Lanka rethinks online censorship plan after backlash
Borneo Bulletin: Sri Lanka said yesterday it would amend its strict new Internet censorship law after opposition from global tech giants, who risked criminal prosecutions for content shared on social media.
THAILAND: Thai PBS joins discussions with the World Bank to create content. Join hands to join forces to drive Thai society. (Press release – Thai)
Thai PBS: On February 20, 2024 at the World Bank office in Thailand, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Wilasinee Pipitkul, Director of the Public Broadcasting Service (TPA), Thai PBS, led a group.
THAILAND: Thailand charges 2 journalists for reporting on anti-royal vandalism
CPJ: Thai authorities should drop all charges pending against journalist Nutthaphol Meksobhon and photographer Natthapon Phanphongsanon and stop harassing the press for reporting on issues related to the nation’s monarchy, the Committee to Protect Journalists said on Wednesday.
AUSTRALIA: ABC warns staff of agenda-driven criticism after News Corp pounces on Aboriginal land comment
The Guardian: Newsroom director decries The Australian’s ‘constant’ swipes at individual ABC employees.
The Guardian: Experts say algorithm-based feeds are damaging young people’s interpersonal skills and contributing to anxiety and depression.
AUSTRALIA & TONGA: ABC and Tonga Broadcasting Commission cement relationship with MOU (Press release)
ABC: The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) and the Tonga Broadcasting Commission (TBC) have exchanged a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), recognising their longstanding relationship.
NEW ZEALAND: A vital and perilous day for the news media in New Zealand
The Spinoff: A contentious bill aiming to create ‘fair bargaining’ between tech giants and the news media reaches select committee today. Here’s what it’s all about.
NEW ZEALAND: MPs urged to take sides in media vs big tech hustle (Listen)
RNZ: Media bosses warned MPs this week journalism is in jeopardy if they don’t back a bill making offshore tech giants pay for news carried on Facebook and Google. It’s based on laws already in place in Australia and Canada.
NEW ZEALAND: News media’s existential crisis comes to select committee
RNZ: Parliament’s Economic Development, Science and Innovation select committee today heard from a range of New Zealand’s news media companies about how the changing media environment and the dominance of tech giants are killing them.
NEW ZEALAND & PACIFIC: Pacific communities more wary of the web – report
PMN: Survey results show Pacific communities were less trusting of the internet, along with concerns around identity theft and less access for poorer households.
AUSTRIA: Dialogue offensive: ORF starts online survey “ORF asks” (Press release – French)
ORF: The ORF is launching a large online survey on everyday topics that are currently affecting many people in Austria.
BELGIUM: VRT with VGT: join our community on WhatsApp (Press release – Dutch)
VRT: Do you speak sign language and would you like to receive updates about VRT’s offering in Flemish Sign Language?
BELGIUM & RUSSIA: A Belgian at the head of a pro-Russian propaganda media: “We’re going to win the information war” (French)
RTBF
FRANCE: CNews leads to new rules on pluralism (Listen – French)
RFI: In this week’s Chronique des médias, the Conseil d’État’s ruling on the Canal+ group’s news channel CNews reshuffles the deck on the control of media pluralism in France.
FRANCE: France Télévisions launches a new music offering for the French overseas territories: La 1ère Musique (Press release – French)
FranceTV: From jazz to reggae, Polynesian polyphonic songs, zouk, gwo ka, debaa, maloya, biguine and m’godro, La 1ère Musique is much more than just a playlist. It’s about giving our audiences access to authentic sounds from the musical heritage of the French overseas territories via 5 music webradios.
FRANCE: French regulator to look into CNews channel after ‘opinion media’ allegation
The Guardian: Court orders regulator to examine balance and independence of CNews, described by critics as ‘French Fox News’
FRANCE: Generative AI: first technology agreements between Microsoft and the French media (Subscription – French)
Mind Media: According to our information, the first partnerships have been formed between the American group, a shareholder in OpenAI, and French news publishers to help them apply the functionalities of generative artificial intelligence to their editorial activities.
FRANCE & RUSSIA: Portal Kombat: a structured and coordinated pro-Russian propaganda network (French)
SGDSN: VIGINUM reveals the activities of a network known as “Portal Kombat”, made up of digital “information portals” disseminating pro-Russian content, providing positive coverage of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and denigrating the authorities in Kiev, in order to influence public opinion, particularly in France.
GERMANY: ARD, ZDF and Deutschlandradio for schools (Press release – German)
ZDF: With their appearance at the largest education trade fair in Europe, the “didacta” in Cologne, ARD, ZDF and Deutschlandradio will jointly present a selection of their educational and media skills offerings from February 20th to 24th, 2024.
ICELAND: Superior confidence of the RÚV news agency (Press release – Icelandic)
RÚV: 73.5% of respondents in Maskína’s survey have quite a lot or a lot of trust in the RÚV news agency. National trust in news reporting was measured in a new and more detailed way in December 2023.
IRELAND: ‘Maximum transparency that is legally possible’ needed from RTÉ – Varadkar
RTÉ: Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has said that the Government is looking for the “maximum transparency that is legally possible” from RTÉ when it comes to exit packages.
IRELAND: Minister tells RTÉ DG of her ‘concern’ over exit packages
RTÉ: Minister for Media Catherine Martin has said she told RTÉ Director General Kevin Bakhurst of her “concern and frustration” at the ongoing row regarding exit packages at the broadcaster.
ITALY: Italian Digital Media Observatory, a success story (Press release – Italian)
Rai: The campaign entitled “United against disinformation” was an extraordinary success: over 848 million contacts for the three campaigns produced to promote the development of critical thinking and digital literacy of citizens.
ITALY: “No Women No Panels” (Press release – Italian)
Rai: Rai President Marinella Soldi signs new memorandum of understanding in Genoa
KOSOVO: Kosovo Court Sentences Arsonist of Journalist’s House to Four Years
Balkan Insight: A Kosovo court sentenced Arsim Limani to four years in prison for setting fire to the house of journalist Alban Selimi in March 2023
MALTA: Radio station RTK103 takes Broadcasting Authority to court over Lowell fine
The Times of Malta: Radio station RTK103 on Friday filed proceedings in court to annul a Broadcasting Authority fine over comments made by show host Andrew Azzopardi about far-right candidate Norman Lowell.
POLAND: All Polish state radio stations officially in liquidation
Notes from Poland: All 17 Polish state-owned radio stations have officially been placed in the court registry as undergoing liquidation, said the culture ministry.
POLAND: Kaczyński called to testify in investigation into Pegasus spyware use in Poland
Notes from Poland: The commission’s chair, Magdalena Sroka, pledged that the body “will establish the group of people responsible for, harmed by and attacked by the Pegasus system, in order to show the mechanism of operation of authorities dreaming of absolute power, authorities who violated the rules of democracy, politicians eavesdropping on lawyers, journalists and normal people”.
POLAND: Poland’s democratic rehabilitation
Prospect: Polish democracy was close to death, smothered by populists. What will Donald Tusk’s government have to do to revive it?
POLAND: Polish state TV promotional video sparks accusations of bias towards new government
Notes from Poland: Poland’s state broadcaster TVP has been accused of political bias towards the new government – which controversially took control of the station after coming to power in December – by publishing a promotional video in which all politicians featured are aligned with the ruling coalition.
PORTUGAL: Portugal wakes up to the crisis of journalism business models
The Fix: A severe crisis in a big media group forced journalists to finally come together
RUSSIA: Foreign correspondents targeted by new intimidation practices
EFJ: The Russian authorities have taken intimidation of foreign correspondents to a new level: recently, the police began visiting journalists’ homes to dissuade them from covering demonstrations in Moscow by the wives of soldiers mobilised for the war in Ukraine.
RUSSIA: How the war reshaped the Russian social media landscape
The Fix: Russia’s censorship and the withdrawal of foreign companies from the Russian market since the 2022 invasion have carved out a space for new social media platforms. Yet, numbers tell that they aren’t as popular as the Russian government would like them to be
RUSSIA: Russia Declares RFE/RL An ‘Undesirable Organization’
RFE/RL: Russia has labeled Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty as an “undesirable organization,” according to a registry maintained by the country’s Justice Ministry.
RUSSIA: The journalism of Alexei Navalny
Columbia Journalism Review
SERBIA: EU regrets that journalist Ćuruvija’s murder remains unpunished after 25 years (Statement)
Slavko Ćurcivija: European Commission spokesperson Ana Pisonero has stated that the European Union finds it regrettable that the murder of journalist Slavko Ćuruvija still remains unpunished after two and a half decades, which is why she called on the competent institutions to take appropriate steps in order to end impunity for crimes against journalists and to bring perpetrators to justice.
SERBIA: Protest rally “For Slavko Ćuruvija” following shocking acquittals for journalist’s murder
Slavko Ćurcivija: The Serbian courts have to date never punished anyone for murdering or committing a serious crime against a journalist.
Slavko Ćurcivija: The Serbian President said verbatim that the media represent “tanks and artillery” in the hybrid war that is allegedly being waged against Serbia.
SLOVAKIA: The reaction of the general director of RTVS Ľuboš Machaj (Press release – Slovak)
RTVS: Prime Minister Róbert Fico claims that it is necessary to make changes in the management of Slovak television, which, according to him, is anti-government and does not fulfill its public role. Andrej Danko says he wants state television, not public television.
SLOVENIA: We have found a candidate who is expected to replace Simon Kardum (Slovenian)
Delo: The new board member of RTV Slovenia is expected to be Tina Gruden Marucelj. The council of the institute is supposed to vote on it on Wednesday.
SPAIN: RTVE launches rtveplay+ in Europe (Press release – Spanish)
RTVE: Spanish Radio Television launches, starting today, February 12, for the entire European continent, rtveplay+, its International OTT video-on-demand platform with Premium content, which includes the best selection of RTVE audiovisual content.
SPAIN: The Audit of Accounts detects irregularities in the RTVC contracts of 2021 and 2022 (Spanish)
La Provincia: The supervisory body highlights “inadequate planning” and non-compliance with the legal principles of advertising and competition.
UK: Assange prosecution threatens press freedom
EFJ: “The ongoing prosecution of Julian Assange jeopardises media freedom everywhere in the world”, says the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), in a joint statement ahead of his appeal hearing in London on 20 and 21 February
UK: BBC chief says he is pleased with licence fee deal as TV rivals face ad downturn
The Guardian: Tim Davie says six-year agreement insulates corporation from volatility in the market
UK: BBC Scotland announces plans to reshape broadcast news and grow digital impact in election year (Press release)
BBC: The changes are designed to grow the impact of broadcast news services in Scotland whilst offering audiences more ways to watch and listen to news and current affairs output across all our services
UK: Independent in talks to take over BuzzFeed and HuffPost in UK and Ireland
The Guardian: BuzzFeed founder and CEO Jonah Peretti told UK staff he was excited about deal, described as ‘strategic partnership’
UK: Ofcom opens new due impartiality investigation into GB News
Ofcom: Ofcom has launched an investigation into People’s Forum: The Prime Minister on GB News under our due impartiality rules.
UK: The Guardian’s advertising revenues fell sharply in 2023 (French)
Mind Media: The Guardian Group’s advertising revenues fell by £9 million in the last nine months of 2023, a 16% drop on the same period in 2022, management recently told its employees, according to Press Gazette on Monday 12 February.
REGIONAL: EBU CONDEMNS RECORD NUMBER OF JOURNALISTS KILLED IN CONFLICT (Statement)
EBU: The EBU has today spoken out on the alarming new figures showing a record number of journalists were killed in 2023. Three out of four died during the Israel-Gaza conflict – according to the report by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), the majority of them Palestinian killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza.
REGIONAL: New surge of DDoS attacks threatens media freedom in Europe
IPI: Attacks on Malta, Hungary, Bosnia, and Ukraine underscore growing threat to independent media
ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA: Aspiring young journalists invited to join new youth-led newspaper
Antigua Observer: Aspiring news reporters aged 12 to 18 are invited to learn more about the journalism field by taking part in a new youth-led newspaper called the Student Journal.
ARGENTINA: Milei, the media, and the market
CJR: In November, the day after he was elected president of Argentina, Javier Milei promised in a radio interview to quickly get to work privatizing state-owned companies.
ARGENTINA: Public media, repressed and scrapped by Milei (Spanish)
Brecha: The government of President Javier Milei does not get along well with the press, in general terms. Neither with private media nor with public media.
BAHAMAS: Bahamas leader blames media stories about the country’s spike in crime for hurting tourism
Miami Herald: The Bahamas prime minister Phillip Davis is accusing the country’s media of hurting tourism with its reporting about the spiking murder rate.
LatAm Journalism Reveiw: Over the past year, several cases of judicial harassment were recorded against press professionals who produced content critical of Governor Mauro Mendes.
COLOMBIA: Journalist Mardonio Mejía’s murder leaves news vacuum in municipality in Sucre, Colombia
LatAm Journalism Review: The murder of Mardonio Mejía silenced and closed the main channel that the inhabitants of San Pedro and its surroundings had to access information.
California18: Journalist Juan Carlos Herrera Acostaa former political prisoner known for his commitment to the fight for human rights in Cuba, died on Saturday in Syracuse, New York, due to a massive heart attack.
EL SALVADOR: Nayib Bukele achieves second term in El Salvador, putting press freedom at risk
Peninsula Press: Nayib Bukele triumphed in the presidential elections in El Salvador and consolidated his power with 70 percent of votes counted, with the support of more than 1,600,000 voters.
GUATEMALA: José Rubén Zamora, the fourth estate imprisoned in Guatemala: ‘I won’t give up’
El País: EL PAÍS entered the Mariscal Zavala military prison where the journalist has been jailed for the last 18 months. The international community hopes he will be released under the Bernardo Arévalo administration, but he remains calm: ‘I’m ready to spend three months or 100 years here’
JAMIACA: Media barred from nomination centre
The Gleaner: Despite approved instructions from the Electoral Office of Jamaica (EOJ), Natalie Thompson, the returning officer for St James West Central, barred members of the media from photographing candidates during the nomination process at Catherine Hall Primary School this morning.
MEXICO: Beyond language, experts say empathy, precision and respect are key in coverage of nonbinary people
LatAm Journalism Review
NICARAGUA: A year ago, I was stripped of my Nicaraguan nationality (Opinion)
El País: Amidst uncertainty and attacks, you have to find meaning in life, to be able to move forward. And meaning is built through the decisions we make.
PUERTO RICO: Meet the team forming a new set of narratives about Puerto Rico
IJNet: Since September 2023, three new Global Press Journal reporters have sought to show the “other side of the coin,” telling stories that demonstrate the complexity of art, culture, education and society in Puerto Rican communities.
VENEZUELA: For Female Journalists, Attacks Online and Offline Are Common Threat (Watch)
VOA: Venezuelan sports journalist Mari Montes says she has endured years of online abuse directed at her and her family. Analysts say digital attacks are frequently used to try to discredit and silence female journalists.
REGIONAL: Covering extreme weather events, the climate crisis and 2024 elections in Latin America
LatAm Journalism Review
IRAN: Four Iranian journalists detained after newsroom raid, detention of 30 employees
CPJ: Iranian authorities must immediately release four journalists from the FardayeEghtesad news site who have been detained since February 5, drop any charges against them, and answer for the raid on their outlet and mass detention of 30 staff
Deadline: A group of 400 actors, musicians and entertainment execs including Helen Mirren, Liev Schreiber and Gene Simmons have penned an open letter supporting the decision for Israel to remain in the Eurovision Song Contest.
ISRAEL: Israel’s Communication Minister Has Completed His Takeover of Its Commercial Broadcasting Watchdog (Opinion)
Haaretz: Last summer I wrote here that the judicial coup was unnecessary, because Israel’s courts are full of judges who are at the beck and call of Justice Minister Yariv Levin and Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committee chair MK Simcha Rothman, and that in fact there was no reason to fix something that was already working.
ISRAEL & TURKEY: OIC forum in Istanbul to discuss Israeli attacks on media
Arab News: The Organization of Islamic Cooperation will hold an extraordinary session of the Islamic Conference of Information Ministers in Istanbul on Feb. 24 to discuss joint efforts to “confront the Israeli occupying authority’s disinformation and hostilities against journalists and media outlets” in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
KURDISTAN: Badinan journalist released after more than 3 years in jail
Rudaw: Guhdar Zebari, one of the journalists arrested during 2020 anti-government protests in Duhok, was released on Saturday after serving over three years in prison, according to one of his lawyers.
PALESTINE: 26 February: International Day for Palestinian Journalists
IFJ: As the war in Gaza approaches its fifth month, the IFJ and many affiliates around the world are mobilising through public actions to support journalists and media workers in Palestine, notably its members of the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate (PJS).
PALESTINE: For journalism to live in Gaza
IFJ: Every day for more than four months, Palestinian journalists have been putting their lives in danger in order to inform the world about the situation in Gaza and the West Bank.
QATAR: QMC and UDST partner to advance media, technology education in Qatar
The Peninsula: In a significant development for the fields of digital communication and media production in Qatar, Qatar Media Corporation (QMC) and University of Doha for Science and Technology (UDST) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to foster cooperation in several key areas of mutual interest.
TURKEY: Journalists in Turkey Welcome Ruling Restoring Online Access to Banned News Articles
VOA: Journalists in Turkey Welcome Ruling Restoring Online Access to Banned News Articles
TURKEY: Six Detained Journalists Given Three More Days’ Detention in Turkey
Balkan Insight: Six journalists detained in the port city of Izmir on Wednesday will remain in police detention for three more days, concerning their alleged membership of a ‘terrorist organisation’.
CANADA: As local news outlets shutter, journalists try to take ownership into their own hands (Paywall)
The Globe and Mail
CANADA: Columnist Andrew Coyne says government funding for Canadian journalism is not the answer
The Toronto Observer: Globe and Mail columnist Andrew Coyne said media in Canada “should be moving away from the subsidy model,” as recent economic challenges have emerged due to public subsidies that jeopardize the industry’s ability to remain viable.
CANADA: Corporate ownership of media has failed Canadians
Canadian Dimension: The only path to a sustainable news media is to promote the non-profit alternative
CANADA: Facebook News Ban in Canada Leaves Small Outlets Struggling
VOA: More than six months into a battle of wills between Facebook and the Canadian government, the biggest losers so far appear to be small local news outlets in Canada.
CANADA: Federal money’s kept hundreds of journalists employed in Canada. But the program’s set to expire
CBC: After mass layoffs across country’s largest news outlets, independent publications await news of their fate.
The Hub: Casey Newton, technology journalist and founder of the Platformer newsletter, discusses the evolving relationship between the big online platforms and the news media and the future of journalism in the age of big tech.
US: ‘Breathtaking’ media layoffs continue with job cuts at Vox Media and Intercept
The Guardian: Intercept management announces 15 staff reductions, and Vox Media NowThis Union reveals whopping 50% of staff laid off
US: Can Legislation Save Journalism in California?
Columbia Journalism Review: One of the biggest problems facing news publications over the past decade has been the fact that digital publishers have swallowed a huge chunk of the profits.
US: Kansas senators cut PBS funds after LGBTQ+ documentary offended. The money has been put back (Paywall)
Current: Just like that, a chilling cut to public television funds in Kansas was rescinded.
US: Media Project Teaches Students to Be Next Generation of Local Journalists
VOA: For more than a century, radio has been one of the main sources of information and entertainment for audiences.
In Arlington, Virginia, a media initiative is teaching the next generation of journalists, including high school and college students, how to produce a podcast.
US: New York police arrest, charge journalist Reed Dunlea during protest against Israel
CPJ: New York City law enforcement should immediately drop all charges against freelance journalist Reed Dunlea and take steps to ensure that reporters are not detained while covering protests
US: New York Times publisher A. G. Sulzberger: “Our industry needs to think bigger”
Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism: Sulzberger will deliver the 2024 Reuters Memorial Lecture. In this exclusive interview, he discusses his role in shaping the paper and preserving its values
US: One Utah paper is making money with a novel idea: print
Poynter: The Deseret News launched a free monthly compendium of its best journalism in September. It’s been profitable since October.
US: The local news crisis will be solved at the grassroots (Opinion)
Poynter: Advocates have proposed numerous solutions to the decline of reliable community reporting, but nothing replaces dedicated entrepreneurial journalists
US: Why NPR’s new podcast strategist sees opportunity after a turbulent year for the network (Paywall)
Current
US: Will Disinformation Disrupt the 2024 US Elections?
VOA: Words like “disinformation” became common parlance in American politics. There were calls for social media companies to take action against weaponized falsehoods online.
US & RUSSIA: Russian Court Says US Reporter to Remain in Detention
VOA: A Russian court said Tuesday U.S. journalist Evan Gershkovich will remain in pre-trial detention until March 30.
A user’s guide to AI image generators (Paywall)
Current
Covering elections: how to not let politicians steal the narrative
Journalism.co.uk: The Citizen’s Agenda model is being used in the US to prioritise the needs of local voters above candidates hunting for positive publicity
Grist’s Akielly Hu talks connecting climate and politics—even when leaders don’t (Q&A)
Columbia Journalism Review: Climate change is inherently a political story, in that only policy can enact some of the changes at scale that are needed to quickly reduce carbon emissions. Yet, often, political reporting doesn’t make the climate connection.
Group Trains Conflict Journalists to Collect War Crimes Evidence (Watch)
VOA: Journalists covering conflicts around the world have unique access to the scenes of war crimes, but there are few mechanisms to use that content as evidence in a court of law. The Reckoning Project aims to change that.
How have the uses of radio changed over the last hundred years and what does the future hold?
RFI: Since the invention of radio around a century ago, the uses to which the medium is put have evolved considerably. From collective listening to the development of transistors, to the arrival of television and digital media, radio has always been able to adapt and retain an important place in the media landscape.
Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism: Filipino journalist Jaemark Tordecilla created a custom GPT to advance watchdog journalism. He hopes it inspires colleagues in other countries
Israel Daramola on the challenges facing music journalism (Q&A)
Columbia Journalism Review: Despite maintaining a dedicated readership and the seemingly reliable support of the corporate media behemoth that is Condé Nast, Pitchfork couldn’t escape the downsizing and budget cuts that have come to bear on music journalism more broadly.
The Extradition of Julian Assange Threatens Press Freedoms (Essay)
The New York Times
The most civilized place to look at news online? It might be Reddit
Columbia Journalism Review: Twitter had been our place. Where journalists gathered and pored over news in as near to real time as possible.
The Outlook: A note of optimism for media business models
IPI: Media businesses are in crisis, so how can we rebuild?
Meta cuts funding for fact checking as election looms. (Subscription)
The Information: The company is reducing payments to the news organisations that respond to complaints of misinformation on the encrypted messaging app.
No news is bad news for all of us, Meta (Column)
The Guardian: Yes, social media causes emotional whiplash, but for many it’s the only way to stay informed about the issues that matter.
Taylor Swift, the pope, Putin: in the age of AI and deepfakes, who do you trust?
The Guardian: Rumours and gossip changed the course of French history. Now they’re weapons for ‘newsfluencers’ and dictators in the 21st-century information wars
Threads: You can have political content but you will have to work for it
Columbia Journalism Review: In other words, news and politics would not be recommended by the Threads content algorithm.
Tucker Carlson’s lesson in the perils of giving airtime to an autocrat
The New York Times: The death of Aleksei Navalny, the Kremlin’s most vocal domestic opponent, prompted fresh criticism on Friday of the right-wing host’s recent interview with Vladimir Putin.
What the News and the Pews Have in Common (Opinion)
The New York Times
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Header image: Radio tower in San Francisco. Image: Orin Zebest/Creative Commons
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