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

Click on the drop-down menus below to reveal the latest regional stories.

KENYA: Board Wants Licenses of Media Houses Breaching Free-to-Air rules Revoked

By All Africa: The Kenya Film Classification Board (KFCB) has recommended revocation of broadcast licences of media houses which violate free-to-air TV and radio rules.


KENYA: Media Council’s stand on journalists in politics

By Standard Digital: The Media Council of Kenya wants media houses to take action on journalists who have expressed intention to join politics and contest in next year’s General Election.


SOUTH AFRICA: Community Media Promotes Human Rights

By All Africa: The role of community media in promoting human rights and fostering socio-economic development must be at the forefront of building sustainable societies.


SOUTH AFRICA: Minister Cements Media Transformation Agenda

By All Africa: Communications Minister Faith Muthambi says South African media must contribute towards social cohesion, transformation and fighting racism.


SOUTH AFRICA: SA government delivers 650,000 STBs
By Advanced Television: South Africa has confirmed it has supplied 650,000 low-cost set-top boxes to the South African Post Office for distribution to poorer families in order to receive digital transmissions.


SOUTH AFRICA: Internet Censorship Bill Unconstitutional

By All Africa: If the film publications amendment bill is passed in its current form, South African may no longer upload videos to online channels, such as  Youtube, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram – unless they register as a distributor and pay a registration fee the DA said at a media briefing on Monday.


ZIMBABWE: Zimbabwe’s journalists fight to be heard

By Deutsche Welle: As opposition to Zimbabwe’s authoritarian leader Robert Mugabe grows, journalists covering anti-government protests often face harassment from authorities. DW’s Christine Mhundwa met one reporter determined not to let fear stop her from doing her job.


Zimbabwe: Airwaves belong with the people

By The Standard: The digitisation programme has been atop the Zimbabwe government Information, Media and Broadcasting Services ministry agenda for the past few years now amid policy pronouncements that completion of this project will create room for 12 high definition television channels, of which six will be owned by the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) and the reminder by private broadcasters.

REGIONAL: Independent media in Asian democracies wrestle with internet rules

By Investigative Reporting Workshop: an analysis of the current state of media and independent media across South East Asia


 CHINA:  Broadcaster Phoenix seeks Hong Kong free-to-air television licence

By South China Morning Post: Hong Kong-based Phoenix Satellite Television, which serves mainly mainland China, is flexing its muscles by bidding for a licence to compete in the Hong Kong free-to-air television market.


MALDIVES: Maldivian government warns against involvement with Al-Jazeera documentary

By PMA: The Maldivian majority party has threatened to use defamation laws to punish those involved in producing or broadcasting a documentary that uncovers corruption in the country, produced by Al-Jazeera.


SRI LANKA: Sri Lanka to hold an international conference on right to information and media reforms

By Colombo Page: Sri Lanka’s Parliamentary Reforms and Mass Media Ministry in association with the Department of Government Information will hold an international Conference in Colombo under the patronage of President Maithripala Sirisena to commemorate the International Right to Information Day.


THAILAND: Draft regulatory bill threatens media freedom in Thailand

By CPJ: Thailand’s military-appointed National Reform Steering Assembly should scrap proposed legislation that would create a new national media regulator, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.


THAILAND: Media outlets must change to survive: Suthichai

By The Nation: In the current age of social media and instant personal broadcasting, the mainstream Thai media needs to be brave enough to change in order to survive, veteran journalist Suthichai Yoon said yesterday.


THAILAND: Leading media watchdogs say no to council

By Bangkok Post: The country’s leading media groups oppose a draft law that proposes setting up a central media council, arguing it would invite undue media interference and could result in biased news coverage.

FIJI: Engage in solutions, journalists urged

By The Fiji Times Online: Local journalists have been encouraged to engage in solutions journalism to improve reporting and produce content that have an accurate portrayal of events.


FIJI: Burkhanov: Media plays important role

By The Fiji Times Online: Media plays an important role in transferring information from agencies to communities on key development issues.

REGIONAL: European Audiovisual Observatory publishes report on local broadcasting     

By Broadband Tv News: Regional and local broadcast media in Europe may appear for many as a last bastion of plurality, of vox populi and of democracy.


GREECE: Greek Government Tries to Turn Society Against Journalists

By Greek Reporter: Since the Q&A between Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and ALPHA TV journalist Evangelia Tsikrika during his speech at the Thessaloniki International Fair, the Greek government has started an open war against media and journalists who criticize its policies.


TURKEY: Turkey Crackdown Chronicle: Week of September 18

By CPJ: A weekly roundup on media freedom in Turkey


UNITED KINGDOM: The BBC needs more courage to thrive

By The Guardian: Public service broadcasting lives on in the draft charter, but commercial pressures will take their toll

REGIONAL: TeleSUR President Opens up About why the Channel Must Survive

By TeleSur: teleSUR President Patricia Villegas sat for an interview at the teleSUR headquarters in Buenos Aires, where the Argentine government is trying to cut the service.


VENEZUELA: teleSUR conflict strains Argentina-Venezuela relationship

By Rapid Tv News: Venezuela-based channel teleSUR is leaving Argentina’s television network, as its relationship with the country’s government seems to have broken down.

ISRAEL: Israeli Broadcasters in Merger Talks Ahead of Big TV Shake-up

By Haaretz: Players angle for position before November 1 changes, out of fear that Israeli market is too small to support three existing broadcasters.


SAUDI ARABIA: Saudi launches Persian Hajj TV after tensions with Iran

By the Middle East Eye: Saudi authorities say the new channel aims to transmit the Hajj message to an estimated 130 million Persian speakers around the world

REGIONAL: Fueled by Republicans, Americans’ trust in media hits all-time low

By  CNN: Americans’ trust in the media has fallen to an all-time low, according to Gallup.


REGIONAL: As Industry Gathers, Radio Is Still Negotiating the Audio World

By Radio insight: an opinion piece about current state of radio production in the States

EUROPE: EBU brings power of Paralympic Games to audiences throughout Europe

By Paralympic.org: Partnership with IPC has led to unprecedented TV coverage for the Games which are expected to attract a global TV audience of over four billion.

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All PSM Weekly stories are provided for interest and their relevance to public service media issues, they do not necessarily reflect the views of the Public Media Alliance.

All headlines are sourced from their original story.

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Header image: Broadcast tower. Credits: pbkwee/Creative Commons