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.
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What we're watching...
What Australia does to whistleblowers
ABC: Military lawyer David McBride jailed for leaking classified documents about the Afghanistan war, as critics say Labor is failing on key whistleblower reforms.
What we're listening to...
Defending journalism in times of war (French)
RFI: For RFI’s L’Atelier des Médias, French journalist Sarah-Lou Lepers produced a report in Kiev in February 2024. She offers a perspective on the way in which Ukrainian journalists have covered the war since 2022. This report also returns more largely on the media treatment of the conflict.
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ANGOLA: Angola journalist William Tonet’s home invaded by gunman as defamation case continues
CPJ: Angolan authorities should credibly investigate a break-in at the home of prominent journalist William Tonet and drop the criminal defamation charges he faces, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Friday.
ANGOLA: Union denounces “abuse of authority” on public radio
VerAngola: The Union of Angolan Journalists denounced an alleged “abuse of authority” by the administration of Rádio Nacional de Angola (RNA), for trying to prevent the holding of the workers’ assembly, classifying it as a deliberate desire to restrict trade union free
CAMEROON: Police raided and assaulted journalists in Douala on WPFD
IFJ: The police in Cameroon had rudely raided, interrupted and assaulted journalists in Douala as they gathered to celebrate World Press Freedom Day on 3 May, and confiscated their equipment in the process.
DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO: DRC soldiers threaten to kill journalist Parfait Katoto over broadcasts
CPJ: Congolese authorities should take swift and comprehensive actions to investigate all threats against journalist and Radio Communautaire Amkeni Biakato (RCAB) director Parfait Katoto, ensure his safety, and hold those responsible to account, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday.
ETHIOPIA: As a war reporter, I trusted my fixer with my life. Two weeks later, he was kidnapped
The Guardian: Fixers are the backbone of the western news industry, but they face a profound disparity in pay, recognition and safety. Zleke guided Ann Neumann through a war-torn Ethiopia – a country he soon had to flee, fearing for his life
GHANA: MFWA to train 100 journalists to counter hate speech and polarizing narratives in Ghana
MFWA: As Ghana prepares for general elections in December this year, the build-up is happening against the backdrop of divisive and polarizing political narratives that are amplified by some politically aligned media houses, erosion of professional journalistic ethics and standards, and the multiplier effects of mis/disinformation on political and social discourses on social media.
GHANA: Prof Amin Alhassan calls for sustainable funding for African Media
GBC: The Director General of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC), Prof. Amin Alhassan, says that to sustain local media, it is crucial for African governments all across Africa to ensure that they stand with local media and find ways to secure their economic stability.
IVORY COAST: Ivory Coast/Media: journalists educated on techniques to inform without advertising (French)
Abidjan.net: The National Press Authority (ANP), the regulator of printed and digital media in Côte d’Ivoire, instructed journalists on Thursday May 16, 2024 on techniques for informing without advertising.
MALI: Media affected by power cuts (French)
RFI: In Mali, the press sector has been hit hard by power cuts. Some newspapers have not been able to publish for weeks. Even the state daily Essor is not spared from these difficulties.
NAMIBIA: Transforming Perspectives: Impact on Media-Police Relations in Namibia
UNESCO: In its mission to improve the capacities of duty bearers on freedom of expression and the safety of journalists, UNESCO has trained over 12,000 law enforcement officers from 160 countries since 2013.
NIGERIA: Cybercrime law still used to harass citizens despite amendment (Paywall)
The Africa Report: Nigeria’s nine-year-old cybercrime law was amended this year to remove sections that restrict freedom of expression, but law enforcement agencies continue to use the legislation to harass citizens, including journalists.
NIGERIA: Nigerian journalist Jamil Mabai detained by religious police while seeking interview
CPJ: Nigerian authorities should swiftly and comprehensively investigate the detention of freelance journalist Jamil Mabai by religious police in northern Katsina State and hold them to account.
NIGERIA: Women Radio Centre trains female journalists in investigation, gender-based reporting
Premium Times: The three-day training, now in its third edition and supported by the MacArthur Foundation, equipped the selected female journalists with tools to carry out investigative reports from a woman’s perspective
TUNISIA: Ahead of presidential election, Tunisia’s media freedom is eroding
IJNet: Human rights organizations and political think tanks have expressed doubts about the freedom and fairness of the upcoming elections, as the Saied administration has cracked down on independent media and prohibited international observers from conducting oversight.
TUNISIA: Tunisia detains Journalists in crackdown
AfricaNews: Tunisia saw a wave of arrests targeting government critics, including journalists and lawyers, sparking concern from international allies.
SENEGAL: New Senegal government must prioritize media freedom
IPI: The IPI global network and six regional and international press freedom and digital rights organizations have called on Senegal’s new government to prioritize media freedom and journalist safety.
SOUTH AFRICA: Judgment reserved in SABC and Motsoeneng matter
SABC: Judgment has been reserved in the matter between former SABC COO Hlaudi Motsoeneng and the public broadcaster.
SOUTH AFRICA: SANEF Calls on MK Party Leadership to Act Against Those Who Ill-Treated Journalists at their Rally at Orlando Stadium
SANEF: “I was pushed aside by a man who touched my breasts as he aggressively wanted to make way for the arrival of Jacob Zuma”…
SOUTH AFRICA: Should the SABC have discretion to reject a political ad?
Tech Central: Icasa’s complaints committee has heard arguments on the SABC’s refusal to broadcast the DA “flag-burning” election ad.
SOUTH AFRICA: TV licence disaster and a looming SABC financial crisis
MyBroadband: There is a lack of urgency from the government to help South Africa’s public broadcaster out of a looming financial crisis.
REGIONAL: Media’s watchdog role in digital innovation in West Africa more crucial now
MFWA: In West Africa, many governments are adopting and deploying Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) and Digital Public Goods (DPGs) for public service delivery.
REGIONAL: MFWA’s accountability journalism project makes shortlist for 2024 World Justice Challenge (Press release)
MFWA: The Fourth Estate, an accountability journalism project of the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), has been named as a finalist in a shortlist of thirty (30) impactful projects across the world for the 2024 edition of the World Justice Challenge.
BANGLADESH: Restricting reporters’ access to central bank a great mistake, say journalist leaders
United Bangladesh: Journalist leaders of different organisations on Wednesday said that Bangladesh Bank (BB) has made a great mistake by banning journalists at the central bank.
BANGLADESH: Tackling disability discrimination in Bangladesh
BBC Media Action: In Bangladesh, our journalism mentors Senjuti Masud and Bishawjit Das have been training journalists to improve how people with disabilities are portrayed in the media and tackle negative stereotyping and perceptions.
CHINA: Concerns grow for Chinese citizen journalist after supposed jail release
The Guardian: Concerns are growing about the wellbeing of one of China’s most prominent citizen journalists who has failed to make contact with the outside world after she was supposed to have been released from prison.
CHINA & TAIWAN: China vows to punish critical Taiwanese commentators, families for ‘slander’
VOA: China’s Taiwan Affairs Office this week vowed to punish five well-known Taiwanese media commentators and their families for “fabricating false, negative information” about China and “provoking [a] hostile cross-strait confrontation.”
HONG KONG: Hong Kong will keep watching internet platforms for non-compliance with ban on protest song
AP: The ban targets anyone who broadcasts or distributes “Glory to Hong Kong” — popularly sung during huge anti-government protests in 2019 — to advocate for the separation of the city from China. It also prohibits any actions that misrepresent the song as the national anthem with the intent to insult the anthem.
INDIA: As India Votes, Modi’s Party Misleads Online
Time Magazine: Amid India’s weekslong election, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants voters to know that it’s about action, not talk.
INDIA: Don’t do pressers as media not neutral – PM Modi
Times of India: Prime Minister Narendra Modi defended his decision to refrain from holding press conferences.
INDIA: Explained: Rules for political parties to use state-funded media during polls
Indian Express: Two Opposition leaders, Sitaram Yechury and G Devarajan, recently slammed Doordarshan and All India Radio for ‘censoring’ their speeches. Here is what the rulebook officially says.
INDIA: How the Indian government is weaponizing laws to silence and intimidate journalists
IJNet: As India carries out the world’s largest-ever election this year, an alarming trend must not go overlooked: the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is weaponizing legislation to go after journalists critical of their policies.
INDIA: India’s top court orders release of journalist held in illegal funding case
Reuters: India’s Supreme Court has ordered the release of the founder-editor of a news portal accused by police of receiving illegal funding from China, saying his arrest was invalid more than seven months afterwards, his lawyers said on Wednesday.
INDONESIA: Proposed Indonesian broadcasting law could stifle press freedom more: Experts
Benar News: Police and military forces, as well as corporate interests, are already significant threats to journalists, according to media rights groups.
JAPAN: Investigative Journalism in Japan: Collaboration at 2024 J-Forum Fosters Stronger Growth
GIJN: Investigative reporting in Japan isn’t without its challenges. According to Reporters Without Borders, Japan ranked lowest among all G7 countries, at 70th, in its 2024 World Press Freedom Index.
KYRGYZSTAN: Kyrgyzstan Court Refused to Consider Kloop’s Appeal on Shutdown Verdict
OCCRP: A Bishkek court informed OCCRP’s Kyrgyz partner Kloop that its lawyers missed the deadline when they submitted their appeal to a February decision ordering the independent media outlet to be closed down. Therefore, their complaint could not be considered during Friday’s hearing.
MALAYSIA: Malaysia outraged at Meta takedown of media’s Facebook posts on PM’s Hamas meeting
Reuters: Malaysia’s communications minister expressed outrage at Meta Platforms on Tuesday, demanding it explain why it had taken down Facebook posts by local media covering the prime minister’s meeting this week with a Hamas leader.
MALAYSIA: Poor mental health among media personnel impacts work, overall well-being, say experts
Malay Mail: The demanding nature of the media profession, which constantly subjects its practitioners to various forms of pressure, can weaken their mental health and negatively impact their overall well-being.
WAN-IFRA: Our EDITOR TO EDITOR series honours WAN-IFRA’s 2024 Women in News Editorial Leadership Award Laureates, announced this week. Here, Asia regional Laureate Nan Paw Gay, Director and Editor-in-Chief of the Karen Information Center in Myanmar, shares her journey in exile.
MYANMAR: Rules of engagement: Armed groups and the media
Frontier Myanmar: Different armed groups in Myanmar have vastly different media strategies, resulting in uneven coverage, while journalists must balance access to combatants with loyalty to the truth.
NEPAL: Media literacy in Nepal
Kathmandu Post: People lack awareness about digital media issues, including online privacy, security and misinformation.
PAKISTAN: Committee formed to forge consensus on establishing Digital Media Authority
Dawn: Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar on Monday said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has set up a special committee to forge political consensus on the bill for the establishment of a Digital Media Authority in the country.
PAKISTAN: Pakistan lost another journalist to assailants, emerges as killing field for media persons
The Organiser: Pakistan is witnessing a disturbing surge in violence against journalists, with four media professionals murdered in the past five months. This troubling trend is part of a wider crisis in the Indian subcontinent, where six journalists have been killed since the beginning of 2024.
SOUTH KOREA: ‘My heart still hurts’: The personal sacrifice of revealing a K-pop scandal
BBC: The lives of Park Hyo-sil and Kang Kyung-yoon, two female journalists based in South Korea, took a shocking turn when they helped bring to light a sex scandal involving famous K-pop stars. Little did they know, their pursuit of truth would come with immense personal sacrifices.
SOUTH KOREA: KBS Blasts BBC News And Threatens Legal Action Over “Burning Sun” Documentary
Koreaboo: Korea’s state-owned broadcast company KBS is threatening to sue BBC over the British network’s Burning Sun documentary.
SOUTH KOREA: South Korea bans TikTok hit ‘idolising’ Kim Jong Un
BBC: South Korea has said it will ban a viral North Korean propaganda tune that extols Pyongyang’s dictator Kim Jong Un as a “friendly father” and “great leader”.
SRI LANKA: Sri Lanka telecom law change hits media freedom: opposition
Economy Next: A proposed change to Sri Lanka’s Telecom Regulatory law will give powers to the commission to cancel license of electronic media, undermining media freedom, the opposition has warned.
TAIWAN: Journalists excluded from UN health assembly
IFJ: Reporters from the Taiwanese Central News Agency (CNA) were denied interview permits to the upcoming World Health Assembly (WHA), with officials reportedly asking them to provide a ‘Chinese passport’.
TAIWAN: Outgoing president praises Taiwan as press freedom hub
Nikkei: Taiwan’s outgoing president on Friday praised the island democracy’s role as the home of free press and journalists in Asia at a prestigious international media awards ceremony that had moved from Hong Kong to Taipei.
THAILAND: Thai PBS joins hands with 9 universities to create a network of media creation centers and local public media networks (Press release – Thai)
Thai PBS: Thai PBS joins hands with 9 universities to create a network of media creation centers for the public in the region and local public media networks Announcement of intent to promote a quality local public media ecosystem.
TIMOR-LESTE: Timor-Leste media embraces its country’s diversity with new reporting guidelines
ABC: Timor-Leste’s media is being urged to reflect and celebrate the diversity of their country, with the publication of a new handbook offering advice on inclusive reporting.
The Guardian: Regional publisher Australian Community Media’s in-house counsel James Raptis says sites were ‘operated by another person without any involvement or oversight from me’
AUSTRALIA: SBS Audio marketing campaign tells the stories of new Australians, with multilingual content offerings to assist migrants (Opinion)
SBS: SBS Audio has launched a new marketing campaign for its Australia Explained service which supports new migrants to successfully navigate life in Australia and achieve a greater sense of belonging and social cohesion.
AUSTRALIA: Should Australia ban children under 16 from social media – and how would it actually work?
The Guardian: Despite concerns about the impact of tech platforms on young people, some experts are sceptical that a ban could be implemented safely and effectively.
AUSTRALIA: What Australia does to whistleblowers (Video)
ABC: Military lawyer David McBride jailed for leaking classified documents about the Afghanistan war, as critics say Labor is failing on key whistleblower reforms.
AUSTRALIA: Young People Takeover Lismore in May (Press release)
ABC: More than 30 school-aged students will ‘takeover’ Lismore this week to share their stories as part of the ABC’s Takeover Youth Summit.
NEW CALEDONIA: French TikTok block in overseas territory sets ‘dangerous precedent,’ critics warn
Politico: An unexpected and drastic measure to cut off access to the app in New Caledonia marks an EU first.
NEW CALEDONIA: The safety of journalists must be guaranteed
RSF: After a week of violence that broke out in Nouméa following the controversial adoption of the extension of the National Assembly’s electoral body, the situation is worrying for the journalists working there.
NEW ZEALAND: Media oversight one-stop-shop stopped
RNZ: A plan to update the system for regulating our media content has been running under the radar for years. Some of the agencies that do it now backed the move to one single body, but this week the government dumped it over fears it could cramp free expression online.
TONGA: Concerns in Tonga over harm social media may pose towards girls
ABC: There are concerns over the harmful effects that social media can have on young girls in Tonga.
AUSTRIA: Radio test 2023_4: Strong ORF radios in a strong radio market (Press release – German)
ORF: Ö3 increases reach and remains by far the strongest radio station – more people listen to the radio
BELGIUM: VRT NWS receives European quality label for fact checks (Press release – Dutch)
VRT: VRT NWS receives official recognition from the European Fact-Checking Standards Network (EFCSN). This is a European network of about 50 fact-checking organizations and editorial staffs, which work according to the same code of ethics.
BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA: Authorities must urgently break the deadlock facing public broadcasters and solve the financial problems (Statement)
IPI: IPI joins the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) partners in denouncing the irresponsible political management that led to direct violation of citizens’ right to freedom of information
CZECH REPUBLIC: The fee increase is supposed to bring hundreds of millions to the budgets of public media (Czech)
CT24: The Ministry of Culture proposes to increase the television fee by fifteen crowns to 150 crowns per month and the radio fee by ten crowns to 55 crowns per month from 2025.
FINLAND: I-Mediat Oy lays off 11 people and lays off almost the entire staff (Finnish)
YLE: Change negotiations for the media house that publishes Ilkka-Pohjalai led to layoffs and layoffs. Those working as journalists are not affected by the layoffs.
FINLAND & SWEDEN: Marit af Björkesten: Consensus is the cornerstone of public service media (Finnish)
YLE: The task of the Finnish working group is not identical, and there are differences in our systems, but the development of the media world, the political debate and the use of the media are very much the same.
FRANCE: All Radio France branches are strengthening their digital presence! (Press release – French)
Radio France: All Radio France branches are strengthening their digital presence! Level never reached for Radio France with more than 4.1 million listeners on digital media
FRANCE: France Télévisions and French cinema sign historic 5-year agreement to promote the creation and exhibition of cinema in all its diversity (Press release – French)
FranceTV: On 17 May in Cannes, France Télévisions, BLIC, BLOC and ARP, in the presence of the French Minister of Culture, signed an agreement covering the years 2024-2028, on the financial commitment and exposure of cinema in France Télévisions’ offerings, in the service of a shared ambition for cinema.
FRANCE: MPs vote in committee on the merger of public broadcasting in 2026 (French)
FranceTV: The government amendment was adopted by 30 votes to 18. It provides for a grouping of France Télévisions, Radio France, France Médias Monde and Ina.
FRANCE: Radio France is boosting its children’s podcast offering (Press release – French)
Radio France: Since 2018, Radio France has been working alongside families and the educational community to offer all children quality entertainment, 100% screen-free and 100% public service: an unrivaled catalog of more than 3,500 podcasts covering a wide variety of themes to support the younger generation from 2 years old.
GEORGIA: Georgian Parliament Set To Overrule Presidential Veto On ‘Foreign Agent’ Law
RFE/RL: Georgian parliamentary Speaker Shalva Papuashvili said lawmakers, as expected, will overrule President Salome Zurabishvili’s veto of the so-called “foreign agent” bill targeting media and NGOs that are funded by foreign governments.
GEORGIA: Journalists covering opposition to Georgian law receive threats
VOA: Last week, hundreds of critics of the law — including around 30 journalists who covered the protests — received threatening phone calls, according to media reports and watchdogs. Numerous offices faced similar vandalism to the Media Development Foundation, and at least six opposition politicians and activists were beaten.
GREECE: Journalist assaulted for investigating oxygen welding
IFJ: Alpha TV journalist Rena Kouvelioti was seriously injured on 14 May after being assaulted by a company’s operator while reporting on oxygen welding.
ITALY: Media Freedom Mission in Italy, Fnsi: «Information cannot be criminalized» (Italian)
FNSI: The final press conference of the mission of the Mfrr consortium was held on Friday 17 May 2024, complaining: “The government ignored us”. Costante: «Italian journalists cannot remain silent, the union stands by the colleagues who have been targeted».
ITALY: No comparison possible in the absence of the majority required by Agcom (Press release – italian)
Rai: Only four of the eight lists represented in Parliament accepted Rai’s invitation to a two-way comparison between leaders on the basis of representative strength.
THE NETHERLANDS: Coalition plans to slash €100 million from Dutch public broadcasting annual budget
NL Times: The Dutch public broadcasting system, NPO, and the broadcasters that program the NPO channels said they would be “happy to enter into talks” with the next Cabinet about plans for public broadcasting.
NORWAY: A boost for NRK, Ensjø and the city (Press release – Norwegian)
NRK: NRK’s new head office at Ensjø in Oslo will become a world-class creative media house and help give the area and the city a real boost, says broadcasting manager Vibeke Fürst Haugen.
POLAND: Poland’s (slow) return to democracy (Listen – French)
RFI: Late last week, during a government reshuffle, Prime Minister Donald Tusk said the government would continue “to clean up public companies, because there is still a lot to clean up.” In the public media, changes were launched at the start of 2024 and television has returned to pluralism, but its in-depth reform will take time.
POLAND: Polish Television has a new Ethics Committee (Press release – Polish)
TVP: The authorities of Telewizja Polska SA in liquidation appointed seven new members of the TVP Ethics Committee of the 14th term.
POLAND: The total claims in cases against Telewizja Polska for materials broadcast in 2016-2023 amount to almost PLN 10 million. (Press release – Polish)
TVP: The scale is huge, there are currently over 120 cases pending – including settlement talks. Most of them concern the period of Jacek Kurski’s presidency and programs produced by the Television Information Agency.
RUSSIA: YouTube Blocks 4 Videos At Russia’s Request
RFE/RL: The YouTube online video-sharing platform has blocked four videos after a request from Russia’s Roskomnadzor media watchdog, Agentsvo Telegram channel reported on May 20.
SLOVAKIA: Fico shooting could trigger media crackdown in Slovakia, editors fear
The Guardian: Journalists voice concern after senior figures from ruling coalition blame independent outlets and opposition parties for incident
SLOVAKIA: IPI condemns shooting of Slovak PM, expresses concerns over backlash against media
IPI: The International Press Institute today condemned the assassination attempt on Slovak Prime Minister, Robert Fico, and called for an immediate end to the violent political rhetoric and discourse directed against the media.
SLOVENIA: TV Slovenija strongly condemns attempts to discredit and intimidate our journalists (Press release – Slovenian)
RTV SLO: The host of the Tarča show is once again the victim of attempts to discredit and take personal accounts with the aim of obstructing and silencing critical journalism. TV Slovenija strongly condemns such attacks.
SWEDEN: Investigation into the future of public service completed (Swedish)
Aftonbladet: In the investigation that is now being presented, former KD leader Göran Hägglund talks about the important role public service has in society. But he says at the same time that the debate about it has been diffuse.
SWEDEN: The public service committee is ready – but disagrees on key issues (Press release – Swedish)
SVT: SVT will continue to offer a wide range. SVT is also given a modernized technology-neutral mission to meet the audience in the ways that people want to consume media.
SWEDEN: Researcher: SVT needs to be where the audience is (Swedish)
Aftonbladet: Public service should devote itself to its platforms first and foremost, but is anyone listening and watching?
UK: Assange wins right to challenge US extradition
BBC: Wikileaks founder Julian Assange can bring a new appeal against extradition to the US, the High Court has ruled.
UK: GB News could face sanction after breaking due impartiality rules (Press release)
Ofcom: An Ofcom investigation today concluded that People’s Forum: The Prime Minister on GB News broke broadcasting due impartiality rules. Given this represents a serious and repeated breach of these rules, we are now starting the process for consideration of a statutory sanction against GB News.
UK: Why a New Yorker Story on a Notorious Murder Case Is Blocked in Britain
The New York Times: The article challenges the evidence used to convict Lucy Letby, a neonatal nurse, of multiple murders last year, and has led to a debate about England’s restrictions on trial reporting.
UKRAINE: MediaFit: The EU and the future of journalism in Ukraine (8 May)
DW Akademie: After three years of MediaFit support, journalists and policymakers from Ukraine and the European Union examine the changes war has brought to the country and what the future may hold.
REGIONAL: EU member states agreed to impose sanctions against Voice of Europe (Czech)
CT24: Representatives of EU member states agreed on Wednesday in Brussels to impose sanctions against four media entities that, according to the Union, spread Russian propaganda.
ARGENTINA: FATPREN repudiates the “silencing of the social networks of Public TV and National Radio” (Spanish)
El Diario Nuevo Día: During this day, the decision of the intervention of RTA Argentina (which brings together public media) to suspend publications on the social networks of Public TV and National Radio was known.
ARGENTINA: The Government interrupts the content of social networks and websites of public media (Spanish)
La Nacion: The Government decided to “temporarily pause all content on social networks and public media websites,” as stated in a statement at midnight this Tuesday. This measure covers Public Television, National Radio and its inland stations, Classical FM, Rock FM, Folkloric FM.
BELIZE: Caribbean Journalists Complete Investigative Journalism Training (7 May)
Channel 5 Belize: Three Belizean journalists have completed a one-week training, organized by the Media Institute of the Caribbean, on investigative journalism.
BOLIVIA: A report reveals a serious precariousness of the working conditions of journalists in Bolivia (Spanish)
Laboratorio de Periodismo
BRAZIL: Floods in RS: battery radios are the only way of communicating in several locations (Portuguese)
Revista Forum: Two large universities in Rio Grande do Sul, the University of Santa Cruz do Sul (Unisc) and the Federal University of Santa Maria (UFSM), are collecting donations of radios and batteries.
BRAZIL: Rádio Nacional expands shortwave programming to the South region (Press release – Portuguese)
EBC: To facilitate access to information for the population of Rio Grande do Sul affected by the rains, since the weekend, Empresa Brasil de Comunicação (EBC) directed one of the short wave transmitters of Rádio Nacional da Amazônia to the South region.
COLOMBIA: Senator María Fernanda Cabal attacked RTVC, Public Media System (Spanish)
RTVC: From the Congress of the Republic, the senator of the Democratic Center, María Fernanda Cabal, attacked RTVC Noticias for, according to her, conducting “interviews with coca growers, attacking the opposition, or interviewing guerrilla terrorists, who in their speeches “They always send messages to the bases.”
CUBA: They warn about an “alarming increase” in repression against independent journalism in Cuba
Martí Noticias: The repression against all critical voices and the need to express oneself freely increased in Cuba compared to the previous month, warned the Cuban Institute for Freedom of Expression and Press (ICLEP) in its report for April.
GUATEMALA: Guatemala court opens door to freeing jailed journalist
VOA: A Guatemalan court on Wednesday granted a prominent journalist and corruption critic a conditional release in a case of alleged graft, though he must clear another legal hurdle before being freed from prison.
GUATEMALA: What is the legal situation of journalist José Rubén Zamora in Guatemala? (Watch)
VOA: The hope of regaining his freedom resurfaces in José Rubén Zamora and his family, after he was placed under house arrest. Eugenia Sagastume expands details of the legal situation faced by the Guatemalan journalist.
GUYANA: Press Association rejects Marks’ claims, says will not bow to any political organisation
Starbroek News: The Guyana Press Association (GPA) has asserted its refusal to become a puppet of any political organisation and says it will not stand idly by as its members are attacked or defamed.
MEXICO: Journalist Jorge Hidalgo denounces threats for publishing against AMLO (Spanish)
Quadratin: A warning to stop publishing against the President of the country, under penalty of silencing the journalists of that portal. Jorge Hidalgo, head of that medium, is already evaluating the path to follow, but for now it was important for him to make it public.
NICARAGUA: They denounce the arrest of a poet and a journalist in Nicaragua (Spanish)
Proceso Digital: The poet, writer and composer Pedro Alfonso Morales Ruiz, and the journalist Orlando Chávez Esquivel, both Nicaraguans, were detained by the National Police, as reported this Monday by the Alertas Libertad de Prensa Nicaragua platform and the local press.
URUGUAY: Sotelo and public media union clash over moving state radio stations
Montevideo Portal: The Single Union of State Radio Workers (Sutre) questioned in a statement the official notification by the authorities of the move of public radio stations to “the containers of Channel 5.”
URUGUAY: The government facilitates media concentration and censorship (Spanish)
IFJ: Without consultation, the government of Luis Lacalle Pou managed to approve in the Senate a series of modifications to the Audiovisual Communication Services Law that facilitate media concentration and establish the regulation of the content that the media can broadcast.
VENEZUELA: Reporting on corruption in Venezuela carries high toll, journalists find (Spanish)
VOA: Uncovering a multimillion-dollar aid scandal in Venezuela took great personal and professional risks for the journalists involved.
ISRAEL: After Al Jazeera, Will Israel Target Its Own Media? (13 May)
Foreign Policy: Israel is framing its decision to close down the Jerusalem bureau of Al Jazeera as a matter of security—suggesting that the network’s coverage of the war in Gaza includes regular incitement against the Jewish population that could lead to attacks on Israelis.
ISRAEL: How Israeli journalists cover their own country
CJR: Haaretz is one of Israel’s most respected newspapers. It’s also one of the few willing to openly criticize the government for its treatment of Palestinians.
ISRAEL: Israel’s Eurovision team accuse rivals of ‘hatred’
BBC: The Israeli delegation at last week’s Eurovision Song Contest faced “an unprecedented display of hatred” from other countries and their entrants, the national broadcaster has claimed.
GAZA: Gaza and the new digital divide
The New Statesman: I was too young to remember the student protests in the late 1960s, but I know that media reports of the Vietnam War were an important source of information for the protesters.
SYRIA: Syrian journalist Mahmoud Ibrahim arrested after post on anti-Assad protests
CPJ: The Committee to Protect Journalists on Friday called on Syrian authorities to release detained Syrian journalist Mahmoud Ibrahim immediately and to disclose his location and that of all imprisoned journalists.
TURKEY: RSF decries draft amendment on “agents of influence” that threatens independent journalism
RSF: Reporters Without Borders (RSF) urges the Turkish government to abandon proposed amendment on “agents of influence” under which journalists working for internationally funded media could potentially be jailed.
CANADA: APTN gets green light to launch new APTN Indigenous languages channel (Press release)
APTN: This decision marks a significant milestone in APTN’s mission to enhance services and content for viewers by consolidating its four distinct feeds into two channels available to the vast majority of cable and Direct-to-home (DTH) satellite broadcasting subscribers within Canada.
CANADA: CBC chief says broadcaster isn’t making specific plans for loss of public subsidy
CBC: The head of the CBC says that while the public broadcaster must prepare for “all possible outcomes,” it doesn’t have a specific plan in the works for the possibility of a future Conservative government cancelling all or part of the Crown corporation’s public subsidy.
CANADA: CBC has whitewashed Israel’s crimes in Gaza. I saw it firsthand (Opinion)
The Breach: Working for five years as a producer at the public broadcaster, I witnessed the double standards and discrimination in its coverage of Palestine—and experienced directly how CBC disciplines those who speak out
CANADA: CRTC delays implementing online streaming act until end of 2025
The Globe and Mail: The timetable for implementing the online streaming act has been delayed by a year, according to a new regulatory plan published by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission.
CANADA: CRTC grants Canadian content spending relief for Corus, but says other asks must wait
Global News: Canada’s broadcasting regulator has granted Corus Entertainment Inc.’s request to ease some of its Canadian content spending requirements after the company warned of an increasingly dire financial situation.
CANADA: Members of Congress say Canada’s online streaming act discriminates against Americans
The Globe and Mail: Nineteen members of Congress say Canada’s online streaming act discriminates against Americans and they are asking the United States’ top trade official to intervene.
CANADA: On covering one of the most divisive stories in years (Blog)
CBC: I was disappointed to read the account of a former employee published in The Breach who claimed CBC News coverage of the Israel-Hamas war has whitewashed Israel’s actions in Gaza. First, its broad conclusions are not true…
CANADA: PARTICIPANTS ANNOUNCED FOR CBC NEW INDIGENOUS VOICES 2024 (Press release)
CBC: The National Screen Institute welcomes 10 new participants to the 20th anniversary edition of CBC New Indigenous Voices. The training program offers Indigenous creators aged 18+ the opportunity to learn from industry experts and gain hands-on experience in the essential elements of film, TV and digital media.
CANADA: Radio-Canada OHdio and Canal M join forces to increase the reach of inclusive podcast series (Press release – French)
Radio-Canada: Radio-Canada OHdio, the second platform for listening to French-speaking podcasts in the country, and Canal M, the voice of inclusion, become partners to extend the reach of podcasts linked to the reality of people with disabilities and marginalized people.
US: CPB Awards 4 Public Media Stations Grants for Next Generation Warning System (Press release)
CPB: Delta College Public Media in Michigan, Community Radio Project, Inc. in Colorado, and KSTK Stikine River Radio and Silakkuagvik Communications’ KBRW in rural Alaska have been awarded funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) to upgrade their equipment to provide enhanced emergency alerting.
US: How American student journalists fill the void after private media fold (Watch)
VOA: In the United States, each year there are fewer news organizations covering local communities, even near the nation’s capital. Some high school journalists are trying to help make up for the shortage.
US: Introducing Reverb, an MPR News initiative covering younger Minnesotans (Press release)
MPR: MPR News is launching Reverb, an initiative focused on serving younger (and young-at-heart) Minnesotans.
US: Latinos in the U.S. get their news from social media, exposing them to risks
IJNet: Latinos in the U.S. who use social media in Spanish are more likely to believe disinformation when they come across it, according to new research about the news consumption habits of Latino communities.
US: Public eye on NPR spurred editorial additions, says Chapin (Paywall)
Current: With NPR in the news, questions circulated about what the network wanted to do and what would be helpful, said Editor in Chief Edith Chapin.
US: ‘We want to be part of the solution,’ says co-founder of media group focused on the marginalized
VOA: The co-founder of a local reporting initiative in California is being recognized for her work mentoring young reporters and improving community news
A “coffee shop” approach to creating an independent news outlet
IJNet: Journalism has been navigating an existential crisis for two decades. Newsrooms have shuttered, layoffs have become commonplace, and consumption of traditional news sources, including print, broadcast and digital, has declined.
A tale of two shocking stories about world leaders
CJR: Yesterday, Iranian state media reported that a helicopter in the convoy of Ebrahim Raisi, the president, had had a “hard landing” in a mountainous area close to the country’s border with Azerbaijan.
AI Could Destroy Journalism as We Know It. Media Mogul Barry Diller Hopes to Save It
Time: Media mogul Barry Diller warned on Wednesday that artificial intelligence (AI) could be as “destructive” to news publishers as free online news was in the early aughts.
As a war reporter, I trusted my fixer with my life. Two weeks later, he was kidnapped
The Guardian: Fixers are the backbone of the western news industry, but they face a profound disparity in pay, recognition and safety.
How news coverage, often uncritical, helps build up the AI hype
Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism: “Research suggests that reporting tends to be led by industry sources, and often takes claims at face value,” our Director Rasmus Nielsen writes
It was a classic rap beef. Then Drake revived Tupac with AI and Congress got involved
NPR
Nieman Lab: On April 30, Press Forward made the announcement many local news outlets had been waiting for since September: The philanthropic coalition launched its first national open call inviting eligible local news organizations to apply for grants.
Journalists worry opening up about mental health will impact their career – we must change that
Journalism.co.uk: Whether it is the pressures of the news industry, or the nature of the profession, journalists can find their mental health suffering throughout their career for a variety of reasons.
Leading international editors share how they address disinformation’s harm to democracies
IJNet: “We already can’t tell fact from fiction because the first generation of AI in social media didn’t actually anchor on facts and [instead] spread lies, fear, anger, hate.”
Media seen as key player in boosting innovation
The Citizen
New Media Incubator: Developing tech that help media fight disinformation
IPI: NEWSROOMNew Media Incubator: Developing tech that help media fight disinformation
New Media Incubator 2023 participants Tech Wave Development explain how the programme aided their work at the intersection of media and technology
Nobel Prize winner Maria Ressa, experts on democracy and AI to lead GlobalFact as keynote speakers (Event)
Poynter: Journalist and Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Ressa will be a featured keynote speaker at GlobalFact 11, the world’s largest fact-checking summit, hosted by the International Fact-Checking Network at the Poynter Institute.
See How Easily A.I. Chatbots Can Be Taught to Spew Disinformation
New York Times: Ahead of the U.S. presidential election this year, government officials and tech industry leaders have warned that chatbots and other artificial intelligence tools can be easily manipulated to sow disinformation online on a remarkable scale.
The digital Black press strategically combated COVID-19 misinformation
CJR: In 2020, as many Black people around the world fought both anti-Black racism and COVID-19, the Black press in the US was dealing with another widespread problem: an infodemic.
The public broadcasters facing tumult in Europe
CJR: Early last month, Uri Berliner, a senior editor at NPR, published an essay in the Free Press in which he chided his own newsroom for drifting into what he saw as inflexible progressive orthodoxy in its coverage of everything from Hunter Biden’s laptop to the war in Gaza.
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Header image: Black and gray microphone with stand. Credit: Elijah Merrell / Unsplash.com
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