Our weekly round-up of public service media related stories and headlines from around the world
As the global COVID-19 pandemic continues, 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 list of 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.
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What is...
Our weekly explainers for key public media terms, phrases and values.
Week 28: What does DISTINCTIVENESS look like?
For public media, distinctiveness is a broad term used to describe how they set themselves apart from the wider media market. This can be achieved through the provision of content that is high-quality, innovative, and defined by their key values. For many public broadcasters, distinctiveness is not just a value of PSM: it can be found enshrined in their charters and publicly stated mandates. The BBC, for instance, has a public purpose that aims to ensure its services are “distinctive from those provided elsewhere”. Ofcom notes that for the BBC, distinctiveness isn’t just the type of content commissioned, but also how it is made and with whom. At Australian public broadcaster SBS, its charter-mandated distinctiveness is closely tied to diversity. The organisation is focused on building a distinctive network by showcasing Australia’s diversity; bolstering in-language user experiences on digital platforms; providing factual and trustworthy information to multicultural communities in their preferred language; and increasing the hours of subtitled flagship content. Ultimately, distinctive public media ensure audiences who fund PSM can receive value for their money.
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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 watching...
How NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware was found on Jamal Khashoggi’s fiancée’s phone.
FRONTLINE PBS: A consortium of news outlets from around the world, including FRONTLINE, has been investigating the use of the spyware called Pegasus and the Israeli company, NSO Group, that sells it to foreign governments. Pegasus has been used by NSO clients to spy on journalists, human rights activists and others. One target: Jamal Khashoggi’s fiancée.
Migration is back: are the media up to reporting the story? An EJN panel video (14 July 2021)
Ethical Journalism Network: ‘What responsibility do journalists face when reporting on migration? Should journalists accept the UK government’s distinction between deserving and undeserving migrants? What are the dangers history teaches us about “othering” minorities and vulnerable groups?
What we're listening to...
The Pegasus project part 1: an invitation to Paris
The Guardian: What happened when a powerful phone hacking tool was sold to governments around the world? Part 1 of a major international investigation introduces our new Today in Focus host, Michael Safi.
You can also listen to part two here.
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Global Headlines
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ALGERIA & MOROCCO: Algeria, Morocco intensify crackdown on journalists
The New Arab: Algeria and Morocco disagree on many issues, but are in agreement when it comes to clamping down on freedom of the press.
ETHIOPIA: Censorship and Suppression: Ethiopia’s crackdown on free press intensifies
Nation: The Ethiopian government is threatening sanctions on journalists and media outlets that will ‘glorify’ the victories of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), a former ruling party now considered a terrorist group in Addis Ababa.
ETHIOPIA: Ethiopia News Website to Resume Operations After Suspension
VOA: Ethiopia’s news website Addis Standard says it has been given approval by the government to resume operations this week after it was suspended over accusations it advanced the agenda of fighters in the war-torn northern Tigray region.
GHANA: The law must bite hard on the enemies of press freedom – GJA
GhanaWeb: Mr Roland Affail Monney, President, Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), says the laws of Ghana must bite hard at the enemies of press freedom, regardless of who they are and what they have.
KENYA: Media Council of Kenya extends 371 reporting grants to journalists
KBC: The Media Council of Kenya (MCK) has awarded 371 journalists grants to support reporting on climate change, gender-based violence and constitutional/legislative development in the country.
MOZAMBIQUE: Mozambican police assault journalists reporting at station
CPJ: Mozambican authorities must investigate a recent police assault on journalists, hold those responsible to account, and ensure that members of the media are able to report without reprisal, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.
NIGERIA: HURIWA slams NBC over attempt to regulate news reporting
Vanguard: Famous rights advocacy group, the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, HURIWA, has condemned the National Broadcasting Commission, NBC, for what it called its attempt to muzzle press freedom in the country.
NIGERIA: Major Nigerian media houses stay off Twitter, despite ECOWAS Court order
Premium Times: The ECOWAS Court of Justice has restrained the government from sanctioning, prosecuting or harassing Nigerians and media houses for tweeting.
NIGERIA: NBC directive on security reportage is vague, says Isa, NGE President
Vanguard: Mustapha Isa, President, Nigeria Guild of Editors, NGE, has said the directive from the National Broadcasting Commission, NBC, censoring report and review of terrorist attacks and victims across the country was vague.
SIERRA LEONE: Dubawa, West Africa’s fact-checking body, draws high praises at Sierra Leone Launch
Premium Times: Officials and journalists speak of the importance of Dubawa and fact-checking to the Sierra Leone society.
SOUTH AFRICA: Ndifuna Ukwazi welcomes deal on SABC’s Sea Point buildings
SABC: Activist organisation and law centre, Ndifuna Ukwazi, has welcomed the agreement between the public broadcaster and the Department of Human Settlements over the ownership of SABC buildings in Sea Point, on the Cape Peninsula.
SOUTH AFRICA: South Africa: Public Broadcaster May Face Music Blackout Over Royalties Dispute
Broadcast Media Africa: After a dispute over the alleged non-payment of US$ 17.16 million music royalties, the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) could be facing a near-total music blackout if one of the collecting societies succeeds in halting the public broadcaster from playing songs by more than 38 000 artists and 6 000 record companies.
SOUTH AFRICA: South Africa’s new TV licence law published
My Broadband: The Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams, has published the South African Broadcasting Corporation SOC Ltd Bill for public comment.
ZIMBABWE: Zimbabwe: Public Broadcaster Strengthens Income Collection With TV e-Licensing!
Broadcast Media Africa: Zimbabwe’s Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Senator Monica Mutsvangwa, has praised the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) for establishing an e-licensing platform. Mutsvangwa, speaking at the launch, said the program comes when the government is pushing ideas that help individuals adapt to the new normal more quickly.
AFGHANISTAN: Afghanistan: Media employers must act to save lives as Taliban advances
IFJ: Media employers must take urgent action to support their journalists as the Taliban seize control of more areas of Afghanistan.
AFGHANISTAN: Pulitzer prize-winning photojournalist killed by Taliban in Afghanistan
The Guardian: Danish Siddiqui, a Pulitzer prize-winning photojournalist who worked for Reuters news agency, has been killed in southern Afghanistan.
HONG KONG: HKJA ANNUAL REPORT 2021 ─ FREEDOM IN TATTERS (Press release)
HKJA: The Hong Kong Journalists Association releases the Association’s 2021 Annual Report, entitled Freedom in Tatters today (15 July 2021). Chris Yeung, the chief editor of the report, thinks that the Hong Kong press industry faced increasing threats in the past 12 months. Suppression from the authorities is felt across different forms of media; freedoms have seriously deteriorated under a repressive government.
HONG KONG: Hong Kong journalist union says press freedoms ‘in tatters’
France 24: Hong Kong’s press freedoms are “in tatters” as China remoulds the once outspoken business hub in its own authoritarian image, the city’s main journalist union said Thursday, adding it feared “fake news” laws were on their way.
HONG KONG: New rules laid down for RTHK over Taiwan stories
RTHK: RTHK staff have been banned from using “inappropriate” terms such as “Taiwan’s president” or “Taiwan government” in all radio, television and online output, to comply with the one-China principle.
INDIA: BBC News outperforms most domestic news brands in India (8 July)
BBC Media Centre: The latest statistics from multiple studies indicates that BBC News outperforming most news brands in India on a number of different metrics.
INDIA: Prasar Bharati, IIT-K to collaborate on NextGen Broadcasting Technology Center of Excellence
News on AIR: Prasar Bharati and IIT Kanpur will collaborate on NextGen Broadcasting Technology Center of Excellence to spur Aatmanirbhar Bharat in Media and Broadcasting.
INDIA: The Modi government doesn’t think India has a press freedom problem
Quartz India: India’s ranking on the press freedom index fell further this year, but the Narendra Modi government believes the rankings themselves are dubious.
INDONESIA: VOA and Indonesia State Broadcaster Announce News and Information Sharing Agreement (7 July)
VOA: Voice of America’s Indonesian language service and the state broadcaster of Indonesia signed a formal agreement on July 7 to provide each other news and information content, as well as radio broadcasts and web content.
JAPAN: EDITORIAL: NHK board did disservice to viewers with its intervention
The Asahi Shimbun: Minutes of a 2018 meeting of the Board of Governors of Japan Broadcasting Corp. (NHK), finally disclosed after months of stonewalling by the public broadcaster, show how its top decision-making body betrayed its own mission.
KAZAKHSTAN: Kazakhstan’s Alternative Media Is Thriving—and in Danger
Foreign Policy: A vibrant society is under threat from the authoritarian government.
MYANMAR: Half of Journalists Arrested Since Myanmar Coup Remain in Detention
Radio Free Asia: Nearly half of the 87 journalists arrested by Myanmar’s junta in the five months since its staged a coup on Feb. 1 remain in detention, mostly on charges of defamation, prompting their colleagues, family members, and media watchdogs to call for their immediate release Thursday.
IFEX: IFEX is calling for the restoration of media licenses to IFEX member Mizzima News and other media outlets who have played an essential role in shedding light on the violence inflicted by the junta against their own people.
MYANMAR: Released journalists share prison experiences in Myanmar
Global Voices: At least 36 journalists are still in detention.
PAKISTAN: RSF hails Sindh law protecting journalists, calls for improvements
Dawn: Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and its partner, Freedom Network (FN), hail the adoption of a law protecting journalists by the Sindh Assembly, but they propose essential improvements that should be incorporated into the law during its initial implementation phase, says a press release.
PHILIPPINES: Over 300 journalists promise: Credible media to cover 2022 polls
Rappler: A pledge signed by hundreds of journalists acknowledges the media’s duty to provide accurate and reliable information especially during elections, when there is a ‘reckoning for democracy’.
PHILIPPINES: PH media: Soft targets in war on critical reporting
Inquirer
PHILIPPINES: The illusive free press (Opinion)
Rappler: That some journalists do still persist does not necessarily mean they are not afraid, but only driven by righteous duty. Nothing more can be asked of them.
SOUTH KOREA: KBS and KAIST to jointly build a news image AI database (Press release – Korean)
KBS: Establishment of a public database of news videos to revitalize the AI industry.
SOUTH KOREA: Started multi-channel pilot broadcasting of KBS UHD innovation service (Press release – Korean)
KBS: As part of the service for revitalizing UHD broadcasting, KBS will organize multi-channel and mobile (9-2, 9-3) trial broadcasts that can be received through 5G networks and UHD terrestrial channels from today (July 19) to the end of the year.
THAILAND: New curbs harm press freedom, says group
Bangkok Post: Six local media organisations on Thursday condemned the government’s invocation of the 2005 Emergency Decree on Public Administration in Emergency Situation, which they said introduces measures that affect press freedom.
REGIONAL: 6 Out of 10 ASEAN Leaders Listed in RSF’s Gallery of ‘Press Predators’
The Diplomat: The latest update by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) of its Predators Gallery makes grim reading in Southeast Asia, where the leaders of six countries have been named for trampling on press freedom and arbitrarily jailing and inciting violence against journalists.
REGIONAL: Press freedom more important than ever in the Asia–Pacific
Lowy Institute: A new database tracks incursions and crackdowns on journalists’ capacity to report.
AUSTRALIA: ABC announces recipients of Top 5 media residencies in science, arts and humanities (Press Release)
ABC: The ABC has announced the recipients of this year’s ABC TOP 5 media residencies, which will enable some of Australia’s brightest minds to share their skills with the nation.
AUSTRALIA: AJF’s Peter Greste presses for media freedom act to protect journalists
Asia Pacific Report: The Peter Greste-fronted Alliance for Journalists’ Freedom is launching a press freedom tracker for use in engaging with politicians and government officials to push for better protections for journalists in the Asia-Pacific region, reports Miranda Ward of the Australian Financial Review.
AUSTRALIA: Amnesty International Australia Launches Media Awards 2021
Amnesty International Australia: After a hiatus of four years, Amnesty International Australia has announced its prestigious media awards will open for 2021.
AUSTRALIA: The ABC and Western Sydney: building our future (Speech)
ABC
AUSTRALIA: Trust in media and government drop in latest study by Edelman Australia
Mumbrella: Trust in Australian media and news sources has dropped into “distrusted” territory since January, according to a new report by Edelman Australia.
NEW ZEALAND: Asia and Asian New Zealanders’ still lacking visibility in mainstream media (Opinion)
Stuff
NEW ZEALAND: Hate speech laws translated from legalese: What you need to know
RNZ: New hate speech law proposals from the government are a bit confusing, and some of the debate so far seems to have muddied the waters, reducing something that began as an effort to combat racism, terrorism and hatred to name calling and taunts by politicians.
NEW ZEALAND: New journalism fund’s first projects unveiled (Listen)
RNZ: The first tranche of the government’s $55 million Public Interest Journalism Fund has been allocated – against a backdrop of criticism it could skew reporting of political issues. Māori journalism projects and a new training initiative are the major beneficiaries of the first $10m, but some of the money goes to things already funded from the public purse.
NEW ZEALAND: NZ On Air, Screen Australia and TikTok nurture emerging voices with new Every Voice initiative (Press release)
NZ On Air: TikTok, NZ On Air and Screen Australia have today announced the launch of Every Voice, a new initiative to support diverse and distinct creators in the creation of innovative content exclusively for TikTok.
SAMOA: Samoa: Caretaker Prime Minister instigates sexist attack on female journalists
IFJ: Prior to the start of a televised interview session by TV3 and Radio Polynesia Reporter, Rula Su’a Vaai, Samoa’s caretaker Prime Minister instructed her to ask him about the sexist allegations against another politician.
REGIONAL: Pacific journalists respond to new programme to get more Pasifika in the newsroom.
Pacific Media Network: Four media organisations are joining forces to increase the number of ethnic voices and perspectives in newsrooms, with a focus on Pacific, and Māori te reo speakers.
AUSTRIA: Influence on Austrian media: “We are already on the way to Budapest” (German – Listen)
Deutschlandfunk: After a year and a half, the so-called Ibiza Committee of Inquiry ends in Austria. The starting point was a video that also dealt with the state’s influence on the media. Sebastian Kurz quickly distanced himself back then. But the Chancellor is also increasingly being criticized for wanting to influence reporting.
BELARUS: Belarus police continue newsroom raids, target journalists’ association
CPJ: Belarusian authorities must cease their raids on independent news outlets and press freedom groups, and refrain from charging or imprisoning journalists over their work, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.
BELGIUM: RTBF takes Prime cuts for entertainment
Rapid TV News: International distributor and producer Prime Entertainment Group has sealed a new deal with Belgium’s RTBF for what it says is a “significant” package of entertainment programming, including episodes from biography series Close Up, that the network acquired for its Auvio VOD platform.
BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA: Media freedom in Bosnia: no cause for optimism
Fair Planet
CZECH REPUBLIC: Russian service of Radio Prague International blocked in Russia over 20-year-old Palach article
Czech Radio: The Russian Federal Service for Supervision of Consumer Rights Rospotrebnadzor has blocked the Russian language website of Radio Prague International on the territory of Russia. The decision was made in connection with an article posted in 2001 about student martyr Jan Palach who set himself on fire in 1969 to protest against growing public apathy to the Russian-led invasion of Czechoslovakia.
DENMARK: DR opens new live channels on DRTV during the Olympics (Danish – Press release)
DR: DRTV will open three Olympic channels this summer, when DR broadcasts more than 1,000 hours of live television from the Tokyo Olympics.
FINLAND: Teemu Tammilehto: Yle’s interactive services inspire participation (Finnish)
Yle: At the European Football Championships, Finns gathered in Yle’s new digital competition auditorium. Next time we head there for the Olympics.
FRANCE: French public broadcaster launches France.tv app for Samsung smart TVs (Paywall)
Telecompaper: Public broadcaster France Televisions has expanded the availability of its France.tv digital offering with the launch of a dedicated app for owners of Samsung smart TVs running on the Tizen platform (4.0 or above).
GEORGIA: Georgia TV stations protest over far-right attacks on journalists
The Guardian: Broadcasts suspended after violence at Pride event with journalists calling PM a homophobe.
GEORGIA: One more detained for attack on Public Broadcaster cameraman at Tbilisi Pride counter rally
Agenda: Police have detained one more individual for attacking a Georgian Public Broadcaster cameraman on Rustaveli Avenue on July 5 during the counter-rally against the Tbilisi Pride march.
GERMANY: Criticism because of severe weather reports: WDR admits omissions (German)
Deutschlandfunk: The ARD and especially the WDR are criticized for not having reported adequately on the storm.
GERMANY: Germany should restrict press freedom to ease IPOs, advisers suggested (Paywall)
Financial Times
GERMANY: Strategic plans at ARD : Old rivalry? (German)
Süddeutsche Zeitung: Christine Strobl does not want to know anything about the rivalry, but in an internal presentation at the end of June she emphasized: “We cannot leave the field to ZDF.”
GERMANY: ZDF broadcasts themed evening on the flood disaster (German – Press release)
ZDF: On Tuesday, July 20, 2021 , ZDF will include a short-term theme evening on the flood disaster in western and southern Germany. From 8:15 p.m. and until after midnight, the storm disaster, its consequences and causes are in the focus in several programs.
GERMANY: German ministry deletes report calling for business press to be disciplined (Paywall)
The Times: A German ministry has retracted a report that called for the regulatory “disciplining” of the media and for news outlets to be forced to cover start-ups’ first steps on to the market.
HUNGARY: Hungary: IPI demands inquiry into use of Pegasus spyware against journalists
IPI: Alleged surveillance targeted investigative journalists.
HUNGARY: Viktor Orbán using NSO spyware in assault on media, data suggests
The Guardian: Viktor Orbán’s government has deployed a new weapon in its war on the media in Hungary, according to forensic analysis of several mobile devices, using some of the world’s most invasive spyware against investigative journalists and the circle of one of the country’s last remaining independent media owners.
IRELAND: Fine Gael pushes for TV licence to be replaced with public service media charge
The Irish Independent: Fine Gael is pushing for the TV licence to be scrapped and replaced with a public service media charge for all households and businesses.
IRELAND: RTE seeks cash to pay for UN reporter
The Times: Broadcaster hopes to tap Global Ireland media fund to help pay for a journalist covering Ireland’s two-year stint on the security council.
IRELAND: RTÉ swings into €7.9m surplus as pandemic sees costs plummet
The Irish Times: Disruption caused by Covid-19 meant broadcaster avoided further losses last year.
ITALY: Territorial cohesion and digital transformation. The role of public service media (Press release – Italian)
Rai: Territorial cohesion, a priority for the country as stated in the national service contract, is at the center of the conference organized by the Rai Studies Office, which will be held on Tuesday 20 July from 10.00 in live streaming on RaiPlay (www.raiplay.it/dirette/ raiplay2).
LATVIA: Presidential nominee to Latvia’s new public media body named
Latvian Public Broadcasting: On July 14 President Egils Levits sent a letter to the Saeima, nominating his candidate for the position of board member of the new Public Electronic Mass Media Council (SEPLP).
NETHERLANDS: NPO welcomes new entrants to the broadcasting system (Dutch – Press release)
NPO: Omroep Zwart and Ongehoord Nederland will be admitted to the public broadcasting system as aspiring broadcasters from 1 January 2022. They will have time to prove themselves from January 2022 until the end of the next concession period in 2026.
NETHERLANDS: Peter R de Vries: Dutch crime reporter dies after shooting
BBC News: The prominent Dutch crime reporter Peter R de Vries, who was shot and seriously wounded in central Amsterdam nine days ago, has died.
POLAND: New bill threatens to further narrow Poland’s media landscape
Euractiv: A new bill submitted to the Polish parliament aims to place restrictions on granting broadcasting licenses to foreign media, raising concerns about the further narrowing of press freedom in the biggest Eastern European EU country.
RUSSIA: ‘Proekt’ Investigative News Outlet Banned by Russia Closes Legal Entity
VOA News: Russian investigative news outlet “Proekt” on Friday said it was closing a U.S.-registered legal entity a day after authorities in Russia banned its activities but said it would find a way to continue its investigations into Russia’s elite.
SLOVENIA: Slovenia’s Media Faced With Hostile Rhetoric, Threats, Attacks, Analysts Say
VOA News: For the next six months Slovenia will preside over the European Union, a body dedicated to the highest democratic values. But critics say that when it comes to upholding press freedom ideals, Slovenia is not up to scratch.
SPAIN: FORTA and RTVE sign the ‘Compostela Agreement’ for innovation, stability and future of public media (Spanish)
El Confidencial Digital: The Federation of Autonomous Radio and Television Organizations (FORTA) and Spanish Radio and Television (RTVE) have signed this Monday the ‘Compostela Agreement’, a “historic and unprecedented” agreement between the two entities.
SPAIN: RTVE will keep the entire workforce in spite of the fact that a third will retire during the next five years (Spanish)
El Confidencial Digital: The new corporation has made a commitment to the unions not to cut employees.
SWEDEN: Lilla Aktuellt is praised for its coverage of the corona pandemic (Press release – Swedish)
SVT: SVT’s Lilla Aktuellt is awarded silver at the Global youth & media prize for its coverage of the corona pandemic.
SWITZERLAND: Play Suisse is now also available in the EU (German)
SRG SSR: People with Swiss domicile can now also access the content of Play Suisse in the EU.
UK: How a proposed secrecy law would recast journalism as spying (Opinion)
The Guardian: Home Office plans would remove the public interest defence for whistleblowing, and could put reporters in jail
iNews: Insiders said a Channel 4 under new owners focused on commercial returns might not have the same commitment to the games, which are costly to produce.
UK: BBC News director hiring row: “We have to withstand any pressure…and we do that pretty well”
Journalism.co.uk: Francesca Unsworth has been at the centre of controversy after a BBC board member with close ties to Downing Street has allegedly tried to block a senior editorial appointment on political grounds.
UK: BBC’s political channel facing cuts as broadcaster makes savings (Paywall)
The Financial Times
UK: New policy paper on countering legal intimidation and SLAPPs
ECPMF: The European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF) supports a new policy paper by the UK Anti-SLAPP Coalition, titled “Countering Legal Intimidation and SLAPPs”.
UK: Row brewing in Scotland over prospect of privatising Channel 4
BBC News: A row is brewing between Holyrood and Westminster over the possibility of privatising Channel 4.
Deadline: UK media regulator Ofcom has recommended that the country’s wildly popular television tax break system could be expanded to encourage increasingly dominant platforms, such as streaming giant Netflix, to invest in local public service content.
UKRAINE: Head of the Council of Europe Office in Ukraine Steen Nørlov gave interview to UA:LVIV
Council of Europe: 14 July, 2021, Head of the Council of Europe Office in Ukraine Steen Nørlov, during his interview to UA:LVIV told that one of the priorities of the Joint Project «EU and Council of Europe working together to support freedom of media in Ukraine», is to support public broadcasting in Ukraine and strengthen the safety of journalists.
REGIONAL: Dark clouds gather over press freedom in Europe
CJR
The Parliament Magazine: Growing ‘hostile environment’ for journalists across EU, MEPs told during public hearing.
ARGENTINA: Lufrano advocated that “the language of the indigenous peoples be part of the voice of this Nation” (Spanish)
Télam: The president of Radio y Televisión Argentina participated in the discussion “Media against the Decade of Indigenous Languages and the 20-30 Agenda”, which was part of the closing of the International Radio Biennial of Mexico.
BRAZIL: Brazilian president’s lawyer sends threatening message to UOL journalist Juliana Dal Piva
CPJ: Brazilian officials and their representatives should refrain from harassing members of the press who cover them and Brazilian authorities should ensure reporters can do their work without reprisal, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.
CUBA: Fake news proliferating online during Cuba protests
Al Jazeera: The government says they are spread by counter-revolutionaries, while critics say it is the authorities themselves.
RSF: The undersigned organisations condemn the Cuban government’s repression of the citizen protests registered since 11 July 2021 and which continue to date.
CUBA: UN Human Rights Chief Calls on Cuba to Release Protesters, Journalists
VOA News: The U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights on Friday urged Cuba to release protesters and journalists who were arrested in anti-government protests sparked by shortages of basic goods such as food and medicine.
ECUADOR: Guillermo Lasso extends the liquidation of eleven public companies for one year (Spanish)
El Universo: The President of the Republic, Guillermo Lasso, signed several executive decrees on July 13 and in one of them he extended the liquidation process of eleven public companies for a year, the extinction of which was decided by former president Lenín Moreno.
EL SALVADOR: El Salvador: alert for possible modifications in access to public information (Spanish)
IFJ: The Association of Journalists of El Salvador (APES) condemned the proposed amendments to the Law on Access to Public Information promoted by the Executive Power. From APES they assure that the initiative “instead of promoting transparency and accountability does the opposite, since it provides a shield for those who resist complying with that obligation.”
PERU: Peru: violence against journalists continues (Spanish)
IFJ: Press workers who were covering demonstrations by Fujimori sympathizers were attacked by members of a group called “La Resistencia.” The National Association of Journalists of Peru (ANP) repudiated these events and demanded from “all political actors, with or without government responsibility, the cessation of hate speech against journalists and the media.”
VENEZUELA: Venezuelan journalism reshapes its migration coverage through projects born from and for migrants
LatAm Journalism Review
LatAm Journalism Review: Journalism can be a key factor in eradicating deeply rooted problems in Latin America such as discrimination, racism, violence and polarization, but for this, journalists need to incorporate a perspective of diversity and inclusion, both in their narratives and in their newsrooms.
REGIONAL: Mapping most emblematic cases of lawsuits against journalists in Latin America (Interview)
UNESCO: Interview with Adriana León, Director of the Area of Freedom of Information at IPYS.
REGIONAL: UNICEF / CBU Provides Training On Ethical Reporting On Children’s Issues (Press release)
CBU: UNICEF in partnership with the Caribbean Broadcasting Union (CBU), and in collaboration with the Caribbean School of Media and Communication (CARIMAC) and the Association of Caribbean Media Workers (ACM) recently held a five (5) week training course for members of the CBU on “Ethical Reporting on Children’s Issues”.
IRAQ: Authorities close RT bureau in Baghdad, new TV station in Sulaymaniyah
RSF: Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemns the unjustified closures of two TV stations in raids in Iraq in the past two days – one in the capital and the other in the autonomous Kurdish region in the north of the country – and calls for both to be allowed to resume operating in order to reverse these latest setbacks to press freedom in Iraq.
LEBANON: Equip Lebanese journalists on legal risk assessments (Interview)
UNESCO: Interview with May Chidiac, founder and Director of the May Chidiac Foundation and Media Institute, UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize 2006 Laureate.
OMAN: Citizen Journalism Outperforms State Media in Oman’s Recent Protests
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace: The recent eruption of protests in Oman has highlighted the efficiency of dynamic citizen journalism, which utilized social media platforms to freely cover events and express opinions…
SAUDI ARABIA: Khashoggi’s friends, family targeted by Saudi, UAE using Israel spyware, data leak reveals
Middle East Monitor: Saudi authorities targeted the phones of those close to journalist Jamal Khashoggi before and after his murder, a new investigation into the data leak of some 50,000 phone numbers selected for hacking using the notorious Israeli spyware developed by the NSO Group, has found.
TURKEY: Turkish public broadcaster TRT moves farther from objective coverage with new appointees
IPI: Presidential decree appointed new members for the entire TRT executive board.
TURKEY: Under Siege: How Failed Coup Gave Way to Major Media Crackdown in Turkey
VOA News: WASHINGTON – Five years ago this week, tanks rolled into the streets of Ankara and Istanbul, and soldiers ordered a news anchor at Turkey’s state broadcaster, TRT, to read a statement announcing the military had seized power.
CANADA: CBC News/Radio-Canada distributing 50,000 postcards to learn more about mystery illness
CBC News: Canada Post is delivering about 50,000 postcards from CBC News and Radio-Canada to mailboxes in the Acadian Peninsula and North Shore areas beginning this week, with the aim of learning more about a mystery neurological illness that’s sickened at least 48 people.
CANADA: CBC’s Tokyo Olympics coverage will be available on Amazon Prime Video
Times Colonist: CBC coverage of the Tokyo Olympics will be available live and on-demand on Amazon Prime Video.
CBC/Radio-Canada: CBC/Radio-Canada, Canada’s Olympic network, today announced that coverage of Friday’s Tokyo 2020 Opening Ceremony will be available in a total of 12 languages.
CANADA: Springboard: a golden opportunity for female athletes who dream of a career in media (Opportunity – French)
Radio-Canada: Radio-Canada Sports has long been one of the media that supports amateur and Olympic athletes and is also a leader in terms of gender parity among its staff. Now, Radio-Canada Sports is taking a further step by launching the Tremplin internship program designed for French-speaking Canadian female athletes who dream of a professional career in the media.
US: House Appropriations Committee recommends $565M for CPB (Paywall)
Current: The House Appropriations Committee approved a spending bill that would provide $565 million to CPB in fiscal year 2024, an increase of nearly 27% over the corporation’s current funding levels.
US: How public TV can strengthen its alliance with independent filmmakers (Paywall)
Current: When we started the ambitious project of interviewing filmmakers and public TV staffers to explore how to strengthen the relationship between indie filmmakers and public TV, we knew we had a personal stake in it.
US: Newsroom partnership benefits Charlotte’s Latino community (Listen)
It’s All Journalism: WFAE, the public radio station serving the Charlotte, North Carolina region, has been around for nearly 40 years. In that time, the area has seen a dramatic increase in its Latino population.
US: PBS and PBS KIDS Win Six Daytime Emmy® Awards (Press release)
PBS: On July 18, 2021, the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences announced the remaining Daytime Emmy® Awards winners, recognizing outstanding achievement in daytime television programming. PBS and PBS KIDS received a total of six Daytime Emmy® Awards in various categories.
US: Public Radio Gets a “Marketplace Minute”
Radio World: Marketplace is partnering with Westwood One to offer a 60-second “Marketplace Minute” to public radio stations.
US: ‘Sesame Street’ corporate deals have upset fans. But they keep the show alive (Paywall)
The Washington Post: One more investment in public television will eliminate the need for the iconic children’s TV show to chase revenue.
US: ‘They’re killing people’: Biden slams Facebook for Covid disinformation
The Guardian: False claims about vaccines has proliferated on the social network, and on other sites including Twitter and YouTube, says president.
US: US issues ban on federal prosecutors seizing journalist records
Al Jazeera: US Attorney General Merrick Garland on Monday formally prohibited federal prosecutors from seizing the records of journalists in leak investigations, with limited exceptions, reversing years of department policy.
US: WFYI Awarded CPB Funding to Continue America Amplified Public Media Initiative
Corporation for Public Broadcasting: $983K Grant Supports Community Engagement Journalism in Underserved Areas.
Gender equality gap in global news media ‘won’t close until 2087’
Press Gazette: It will take at least another 67 years to close the worldwide gender equality gap in traditional news media, according to a new report analysing the proportion of women’s presence in the news.
Global report shows only slight progress in women’s visibility in news
IFJ: The sixth edition of the Global Media Monitoring Project (GMMP) released today shows only limited progress has been made on the presence of women in news globally. Women now represent 25% of those heard, seen or listened to in news content.
Nieman Lab: The degree of interdisciplinary collaboration with the science desk is new, and it could prove a model for how news organizations cover the climate crisis.
Pegasus Project: Full investigation needed after 180 journalists targeted by spyware
IPI: Abuse of cyber-surveillance weapon to target journalists cannot be met with impunity.
Recommendations to Government on the future of public service media (Report)
OFCOM: Our Small Screen: Big Debate review has looked at how to renew the UK’s public service media (PSM) system for the next decade.
Rising authoritarianism is fueling a global assault on the free press
The Hill: On May 23, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko showed the world the lengths to which he will go to silence a free press.
The Pegasus Project: A worldwide collaboration to counter a global crime
Forbidden Stories: Today, for the first time in the history of modern spying, we are seeing the faces of the victims of targeted cyber-surveillance. This is a worldwide scandal – a global web of surveillance whose scope is without precedent.
YouTube to add labels to some health videos amid misinformation backlash
CNBC: YouTube said Monday it will promote more credible health resources and label some videos to direct viewers away from misinformation, which has been prevalent across the service for more than a year.
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Header image: Microphone in radio studio stock photo. photo. Credit: avdyachenko/iStock
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