BANGLADESH: Bangladesh: Government crackdown on media has increased during pandemic

IFJ: The Covid-19 pandemic has become a pretext for an authoritarian crackdown in Bangladesh, where the government has arrested several journalists, censored free speech and targeted its critics. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) urges the authorities to stop the threats and attacks against journalists, social media users and media rights activists.

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CHINA: Public service broadcasters condemn BBC ban in China

DW: A group of leading public service broadcasters have expressed concern at the ban of BBC World News in China. BBC content is no longer being broadcast by Hong Kong’s RTHK.

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HONG KONG: Head of Hong Kong public broadcaster RTHK steps down 6 months before term ends

HKFP: Deputy Secretary for Home Affairs Patrick Li Pak-chuen will take up the post of Director of Broadcasting.

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HONG KONG: I followed Beijing’s lead on BBC, says RTHK chief

RTHK: Director of Broadcasting Leung Ka-wing said on Thursday that it was his decision to scrap RTHK’s relay of the BBC World Service and pull a weekly Chinese-language BBC programme, saying he was responding to the mainland’s new ban on the UK-based broadcaster.

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HONG KONG: More oversight of public broadcaster a political challenge (Editorial)

SCMP: RTHK is a precious public asset and this is no time for it to be mired in recrimination. Rather, it is time to move ahead and strive for a mix of accountability and professionalism that answers critics

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HONG KONG: RTHK has lost its editorial independence: union

RTHK: RTHK’s Programme Staff Union on Friday expressed serious doubts about the appointment of bureaucrat Patrick Li as director of broadcasting, while also warning that the government’s interventions have stripped the station of its editorial independence.

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INDIA: Podcast: Intolerance Against the Media Has Risen Since Modi Came to Power (Listen)

The Wire: In conversation with Robert Mahoney, deputy director of the Committee to Protect Journalists.

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INDIA & MALDIVES: India, Maldives sign agreements on wide range of domains including fish processing, public broadcasting

All India Radio: India and Maldives on Saturday signed agreements on [a] wide range of domains including fish processing, public broadcasting, sustainable urban development, road infrastructure and housing. The agreements were exchanged after the talks between External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar and his Maldivian counterpart Abdulla Shahid in Male.

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MALAYSIA: Malaysiakini: The upstart that changed Malaysia’s media landscape

BBC: Tucked away in an unremarkable business park in a suburban district of the Malaysian capital Kuala Lumpur is the headquarters of a remarkable experiment in journalism. It has come under attack.

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MYANMAR: Myanmar Journalists Leave Jobs in Face of Military Regime Restrictions on Media Freedom

The Irrawaddy: Yangon-Eleven members of the Myanmar Press Council and more than a dozen journalists at The Myanmar Times have left their jobs in the face of new restrictions by the military regime that threaten media freedom.

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MYANMAR: Myanmar Press Council Members Resign Over Military Directives 

VOA: Half of Myanmar Press Council’s members resigned last week, saying they are unable to protect press freedom, uphold media ethics, or protect the safety of fellow journalists.

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PAKISTAN: 13 held for attacking Jang media offices sent to prison

Dawn: The administrative judge of the antiterrorism courts on Monday remanded in judicial custody 13 suspects for their alleged involvement in an attack on the Geo TV and Jang Media Group’s offices in Karachi.

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PAKISTAN: Geo and Jang Media Group’s central office attacked by protesters in Karachi

Geo News: The central office of the Geo and Jang Media Group was attacked on Sunday by protesters in Karachi.

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PHILIPPINES: Duterte Should Leave Alone Philippines TV Network

HRW: President Says He’ll Block ABS-CBN Even with New Franchise.

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SOUTH KOREA: KBS under fire for showcasing traditional Korean music against Japanese castle backdrop

The Korea Times: Public broadcasting network KBS apologized Wednesday after one of its Lunar New Year specials came under fire for showcasing “traditional” Korean music against a backdrop of a Japanese-style castle. Despite the network apologizing for the incident ― although it denied deliberately using a Japanese image ― the criticism continued that it had used one.

AUSTRALIA: ABC and Bus Stop Films support screen careers of people with a disability (Press release)

ABC: The ABC and Bus Stop Films will develop the careers of people with a disability under a new initiative to bring greater inclusion and opportunity to the Australian screen industry.

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AUSTRALIA: Facebook reverses ban on news pages in Australia 

BBC: Facebook has announced it will restore news content to its users in Australia. The tech giant has blocked news to Australians on its platform since last Thursday amid a dispute over a proposed law which would force it and Google to pay news publishers for content.

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AUSTRALIA: New Emerging Screenwriters’ Incubator initiative brings industry together to invest in diverse writing talent (Press release) 

SBS: SBS, in partnership with Screen Australia, state and territory agencies Film Victoria, Screen Canberra, Screen NSW, Screen Queensland, Screenwest and the South Australian Film Corporation, and with the assistance of the Australian Writers’ Guild, are launching the Emerging Screenwriters’ Incubator: a new, nationwide initiative to support the development of diverse fiction writing talent in the Australian screen sector.

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AUSTRALIA: News Corp agrees deal with Google over payments for journalism

The Guardian: News Corp will receive ‘significant payments’ to feature news outlets in Google’s News Showcase.

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AUSTRALIA: SBS releases coronavirus vaccine information video in over 60 languages (Press release)

SBS: SBS has today released a video, in more than 60 languages including AUSLAN, informing communities about Australia’s COVID-19 vaccination roll-out plan, how vaccines work and how they are approved in Australia.

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AUSTRALIA: Statement on Facebook by ABC Managing Director David Anderson (Statement)

ABC Australia: ABC News is Australia’s number one digital news service and the nation’s most trusted news outlet.

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AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND: What does the Facebook news ban in Australia mean for NZ? (Listen)

RNZ: A battle across the Tasman between the Australian government and Facebook has come to a head with Australian Facebook users now restricted from viewing news content. The restrictions are in response to the Australian government’s proposed media laws. RNZ Mediawatch’s Hayden Donnell joined Afternoons to talk about what’s going on and the implications for New Zealand.

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FIJI: FBC pays out 2019 bonus (Listen)

FBC News: Despite these trying times where many Fijians are being laid off, the Fijian Broadcasting Corporation continues to look after its employee’s welfare.

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NEW ZEALAND: Premium, bilingual content coming to more Aotearoa screens

NZ On Air: Successful projects from the latest Te Māngai Pāho and Irirangi Te Motu/NZ On Air co-fund have been announced.

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REGIONAL: Leanne Jorari on Pacific journalism and PNG’s ‘Game of Thrones’ (Q&A)

Judith Neilson Institute: Leanne Jorari is a Papua New Guinean media and communications specialist, producer and writer, based in Port Moresby. A former journalist and producer at PNG’s national broadcaster, EMTV, she is now a freelance writer for The Guardian‘s Pacific Project, which is supported by the Institute. We caught up with Leanne to find out more about her work in the Pacific, PNG’s recent political turmoil and what’s in store in 2021.

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REGIONAL: Pacific media say big tech content agreements could be beneficial

RNZ: The editor of the regional newsagency PACNEWS says payments from big tech companies like google and facebook would be of great benefit to struggling Pacific news organisations.

ARMENIA: New policies threaten Armenia’s press freedom

Open Caucasus Media: In the last several months Armenia has seen the proposal of several laws which would curtail press freedoms, including fines for citing anonymous sources and punishing ‘insult or slander’ of government officials with prison.  

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AUSTRIA: ORF tests expansion of content audio description via synthetically generated voices (Paywall) 

Telecompaper: Austrian Broadcasting Corporation ORF is testing the expansion of audio description for video content by using synthetically generated voices, Austria Presse Agentur reports. With the new function, programmes in media libraries and live programmes by public broadcasters can be managed by voice on Amazon speakers and Fire TV boxes, as announced by German broadcasters ARD, ZDF and Franco-German TV network Arte.

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BELARUS: Belarusian authorities turn their sights on press freedom defenders

RSF: Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemns yesterday’s orchestrated offensive against press freedom defenders in Belarus, consisting of police raids on the premises of the Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ), RSF’s partner organization, and the homes of several BAJ members and journalists.

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BELGIUM: The VRT celebrates 90 years of public broadcasting with 8 powerful testimonies (Press release) 

VRT: On 1 February, 1931, the National Institute for Radio Broadcasting – the progenitor of Flanders’ current public broadcaster (VRT) – aired its first radio broadcast. To celebrate that anniversary, we enlisted eight esteemed former employees, each of whom helped to shape the history of our broadcaster. Explore here their memories and comments on 90 years of media history.

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FRANCE: RSF urges French Senate to safeguard press freedom in “global security” and “republican principles” bills

RSF: Following the adoption by the French National Assembly of article 18 in the draft law on “consolidating respect for the Republic’s principles” (also known as the “anti-separatism bill”), Reporters Without Borders (RSF) calls on the Senate to remove this article and the “global security” bill’s controversial article 24, and instead accept RSF’s counter-proposals.

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FRANCE & CHINA: China’s state broadcaster applies to France for right to air in Europe – FT

Reuters: Chinese state media outlet China Global Television Network (CGTN) has turned to French authorities in a bid to regain its right to broadcast in Europe, Britain’s Financial Times newspaper reported here on Sunday.

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GERMANY: Deutsche Welle: Interactive web special on climate change and health 

DW: A new environmental web special explains the effects of climate change on people’s health. The interactive website is available in English, Spanish and German. The web special is optimized for mobile devices.

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GERMANY: Germany: Union fights to save local media and jobs

IFJ: German newspaper giant, Funke, has threatened to close its printing centre in Erfurt, putting at risk 270 jobs. The International and European Federation of Journalists (IFJ) support the efforts by Ver.di union to oppose the closure, save jobs and help sustain the local press.

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GERMANY: No decision yet on the election of the supervisor director (German)

SR: The successor to the SR director Thomas Kleist has not yet been determined. In the first three ballots, according to the radio council chairwoman Gisela Rink, neither the candidate nor the two candidates achieved a necessary two-thirds majority.

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HUNGARY: Klubrádió One Step Closer to Reclaiming Former Frequency License

Hungary Today: Hungary’s media regulator has accepted the corrections provided by Klubrádió in the relaunched bid for its former frequency. Therefore, the broadcaster, which had to go off the air last week might still have a chance to reclaim its license.

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HUNGARY: What a lost licence for Hungary’s independent Klubrádió means for press freedom

The Calvert Journal: Klubrádió, one of Hungary’s last independent radio stations, has gone off-air after a bitter eight-year legal battle. But what comes next for journalists and artists in a country already battered by increasingly hostile government oversight?

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IRELAND: RTÉ seeks public opinion for Public Service Statement (Opportunity)

RTÉ: RTÉ is asking members of the public to say what they think about RTÉ and what they want from it in the coming years. 

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MOLDOVA: The Council of Europe project on audiovisual regulation holds its Steering Committee Meeting

COE: On 18th of February 2021, the Council of Europe project “Promoting European standards in the audiovisual regulation of the Republic of Moldova” organised its Steering Committee meeting aimed at discussing key results achieved so far and the activities envisaged in the following timeframe.

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NETHERLANDS: NPO 3, Funx and 3FM come with an election platform (Dutch)

NPO 3FM: Wednesday, March 17, the Netherlands will go to the polls again for the elections. For these elections, 3FM, FunX and NPO 3 are joining forces to get young people to vote en masse. How? By launching a new platform where all relevant information is bundled, such as special radio and TV broadcasts, YouTube videos, podcasts and articles.

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NORWAY: NRK’s new slow TV: Sailed for six weeks (Swedish)

Nordvision: NRK has certainly made a name for itself in the world when it comes to slow TV. Now the company has developed its next feature in the genre: A six-week long summer sailing, with audience involvement that takes into account various conceivable corona situations. This is one of the Nordic public service news we noticed this week.

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POLAND: European values: Poland’s media fears a crackdown (Paywall)

Financial Times: For 30 years, Poland’s Radio ZET has served its audience a mix of music, current affairs and occasional humour. But Poles tuning into the station on February 10 were met with something rather different. Instead of normal programming, a terse message, played on a loop, informed listeners that Poland’s government wanted to “destroy the independent media”.

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RUSSIA: Russia: Arrest of editor-in-chief underscores ‘new level’ of pressure on journalists

DW: Sergei Smirnov spent 15 days in a detention center for retweeting a joke. The editor-in-chief of online platform Mediazona has just been let out, but his arrest shows a tightening grip on critical voices.

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SLOVENIA: Coalition partners urge Janša to invite press freedom fact-finding mission (Paywall)

STA: The heads of the junior coalition partners New Slovenia (NSi) and Modern Centre Party (SMC) have proposed to Prime Minister Janez Janša that the government invite an EU mission that would investigate the state of freedom of the press in Slovenia.

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SLOVENIA: Slovenia: EP concerned over media freedom

IBNA: Dutch MEP Sophie in ‘t Veld (D66 / Renew), in an online interview on media freedom in Slovenia stressed that there are sufficient grounds for the Monitoring Group on Democracy, Rule of Law and Fundamental Rights of the European Parliament -which she heads- to start monitoring the situation in Slovenia.

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SPAIN: Clamor for the attack on the media in the demonstrations for freedom of expression (Spanish)

El Mundo: Several professionals have suffered violence from rioters during the protests.

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SWEDEN: Debate article on Altinget.se: The significance of our mission has been clarified during the pandemic (Blog – Swedish)

UR: In the debate article “The significance of our mission has been clarified during the pandemic” […] UR’s strategy manager Johan Hartman wants to open up for a discussion on a modernized future emergency preparedness mission for public service, where a strengthened mission for UR should be an interesting and urgent starting point. 

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UK: BBC extends deadline for over-75s to set up paid TV licence after lack of response

The Guardian: The BBC has extended its deadline for over-75s to set up a new paid-for television licence after more than 650,000 households did not respond to its letters setting out the change.

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UK: BBC Trusted News Initiative on how publishers can fight disinformation (Comment)

Press Gazette: There is widespread mistrust of institutions – that is what leaders from Davos to democratic capitals all over the world are pondering.

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UK: Tim Davie’s response to Gal-Dem open letter (Statement)

BBC Media Centre:

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REGIONAL: Alarming backsliding in press and media freedom in Europe (Opinion)

Euractiv: We all were shocked seeing the blank TV screens and blank front pages of newspapers in Poland last week, in protest against the government’s plan to impose new, numbing taxes on independent media outlets. Also, last week, the popular and last independent radio in Hungary, Klubradio, was forced to go off air under the pretext of absurd offence. And this week we are witnessing Slovenia’s Prime Minister, Janez Janša, harassing a Brussels journalist on social media, because he did not like her reporting about… the downturn in press freedom in Slovenia. These are only the latest examples of assault on media freedom in Europe.

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REGIONAL: Cilla Benkö: That is why free media must be defended by all of us (Opinion – Swedish)

Sveriges Radio: The defence of free independent media must be even higher on the agenda. We need to take responsibility for this together: media managers, democratic institutions, politicians and society at large. This is what Sveriges Radio’s CEO Cilla Benkö writes in a debate article in Dagens Nyheter.

BRAZIL: “Naked Truth” RSF campaign to defend reliable reporting in Brazil

RSF: In Brazil, where President Jair Bolsonaro uses lies and attacks on the media to mask his inability to address the Covid-19 pandemic’s devastating impact, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is about to launch a communication campaign called the “Naked Truth” to highlight journalism’s vital importance in providing access to reliable information about the pandemic.

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COLOMBIA: RTVC’s commitment to education in Colombia is highlighted (Spanish)

Radio Nacional: In its most recent editorial, El Tiempo highlighted the work that RTVC has carried out and its commitment to education in Colombia, through different initiatives aimed at supporting academic processes in the country. The news that a new educational channel will be created by the Public Media System, together with the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of ICT, is the example highlighted by the national media. 

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CUBA: The IAPA condemns the censorship of the press in Cuba (Editorial – Spanish)

El Periódico: Last Friday, February 12, the Inter-American Press Association (IAPA), which is a non-profit organization, based in Miami, Florida, USA, dedicated to the defense and promotion of freedom of the press and of expression of ideas in the Americas, made up of more than 1,300 publications from the Western Hemisphere, described as a mockery against the freedoms of the press and the expression of ideas a series of measures of economic opening that dictated the totalitarian regime of Cuba, which prohibits the independent press action.

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GUATEMALA: Guatemala: Free Press Under Attack

HRW: Harassment, Limited Access to Information, Poor Investigations of Attacks.

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TRINIDAD & TOBAGO: Trinidad and Tobago High Court rules police raid on newspaper violated constitutional right of press freedom

CPJ: On January 13, 2021, the Trinidad and Tobago High Court found that a police raid on the headquarters of the Daily Express newspaper the previous March was unconstitutional and infringed on the outlet’s right to press freedom, according to media reports and the court ruling.

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VENEZUELA: Year begins with attacks on independent media in Venezuela and journalists fear passage of laws against the press

LatAm Journalism Review: As if the COVID-19 global pandemic and the economic and humanitarian crisis in Venezuela were not enough, journalists in the country are undergoing a new ordeal in early 2021. In January and February, several violations against Venezuelan independent media were reported, in what the organization Reporters Without Borders (RSF, for its acronym in French) called “a new wave of censorship” against the critical press.

IRAQ: In Iraqi Kurdistan, Court Convicts Journalists of Spying

VOA: An Iraqi Kurdistan journalist sentenced this week to six years in prison on charges of spying says he was tortured mentally and physically while under investigation.

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LEBANON: Beirut blast investigation falters as judge removed from case

Arab News: Media and activists criticizing the state’s performance are also the subjects of political pressure.

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LIBYA: On Libyan revolution’s 10th anniversary, authorities urged to guarantee press freedom

RSF: On the 10th anniversary of Libya’s February 2011 revolution, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and two Libyan press freedom organizations issue a joint call to the new Libyan authorities to do their utmost to guarantee freedom of the press and journalists’ safety.

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TURKEY: One in every four journalists in Turkey suffered physical violence in 2020: report

SCF: One out of every four journalists was subjected to physical violence and half of them received threats in 2020, a report recently released by the Turkish Journalists’ Association (TGC) has shown, revealing the growing pressure on journalists in Turkey, Turkish Minute reported.

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TURKEY: Turkish broadcast regulator continues pattern of fining critical media

Free Turkey Journalists: RTÜK targets broadcasters for critical coverage of government and its allies.

CANADA: Kimmirut hamlet improvises radio fix after CBC signal cuts out

CBC News: Aging radio equipment is causing headaches for Kimmirut’s SAO

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CANADA: Local news could disappear if Canada doesn’t stand up to tech giants, Winnipeg newspaper publisher says (Watch)

CBC News: Federal government expected to unveil legislation in coming months

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CANADA: Media Technology Monitor fall 2020 shows data analyzes the continued impact of Covid-19 on Canadian media habits

CBC/Radio-Canada: The Media Technology Monitor (MTM), a CBC/Radio- Canada research product, today announced the release of its latest Sneak Peek Report. The report explores our top findings providing an early look at what can be expected from the upcoming season.

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CANADA: Pierre Champoux appointed new Radio-Canada ombudsman

CBC/Radio-Canada: Pierre Champoux, Radio-Canada’s director of Digital Operations and Community Relations, has been appointed ombudsman for CBC/Radio-Canada’s French Services. Mr. Champoux will begin his new role on July 1, 2021. His appointment is for a five-year term.

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US: CPB Announces Funding Increases for National Multicultural Alliance Organizations (Press release)

CPB: The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) announced that each of the five public media organizations forming the National Multicultural Alliance (NMCA) will receive a $500,000 funding increase starting this fiscal year. CPB support helps these organizations provide much-needed content about diverse communities, created by diverse filmmakers, to the public television system and viewers across the country.

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US: CPB Board of Directors to Meet Virtually on March 2, 2021

CPB: The CPB Board of Directors will meet virtually on Tuesday, March 2, 2021, from 2-4 pm ET. 

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US: How Americans Navigated the News in 2020: A Tumultuous Year in Review

Pew Research Center: Americans inhabited different information environments, with wide gaps in how they viewed the election and COVID-19

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US: True Newsroom Diversity Must Account for Disability Status, Too

Nieman Reports: Disabled people make up 20% of the U.S. population but take up little space on mastheads and in coverage. Why? 

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US: Why the survival of community stations depends on staying live and local (Paywall) 

Current:

“Climate change isn’t just an environmental story, it affects almost every beat we cover”

IFJ: Sean Holman is an associate professor of journalism at Mount Royal University in Calgary and a freedom of information researcher and climate crisis coverage advocate. We talk with him on how journalists can improve their coverage of the climate crisis in times of pandemic.

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Commentary: DAB+ Takes Center Stage

Radioworld: Last year was a pivotal year for DAB+ radio, with significant developments in several European markets. These developments were backed by strong growth in DAB receiver sales and growing awareness of the environmental benefits of DAB / DAB+.

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How the media may be making the COVID-19 mental health epidemic worse

The Conversation: Since the pandemic began, anxiety rates in the U.S. have tripled; the rate of depression has quadrupled. Now research is suggesting the media is part of the problem. Constantly watching and reading news about COVID-19 may be hazardous for your mental health.

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Public trust in the media is at a new low: a radical rethink of journalism is needed

The Conversation: 

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Second edition: Stars4Media exchange and training programme call for application out (Opportunity) 

EFJ: The second edition of the Stars4Media exchange and training programme is now open for media professionals from different EU countries who wish to develop new editorial products or test innovative ideas. The call for application will run until 1 July 2021.

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Technology and media entities join forces to create standards group aimed at building trust in online content

Microsoft News: A group of influential technology and media companies has partnered to form the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity (C2PA), a Joint Development Foundation project established to address the prevalence of disinformation, misinformation and online content fraud through developing technical standards for certifying the source and history or provenance of media content.  Founding members Adobe, Arm, BBC, Intel, Microsoft and Truepic seek to establish a standardized provenance solution with the goal of combating misleading content. 

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The forbidden stories of rappler.com (Watch)

Forbidden Stories: Starting on February 22, 30 organizations – including 22 media – shared “The Forbidden Stories of Rappler,” a series of five videos about journalist Maria Ressa and the investigations of Rappler.com – stories that the Philippine authorities want to silence.

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Understanding journalism (or its absence) in the Age of Conspiracy (Commentary)

Poynter: 

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With the Loss of Physical Newsrooms, How are Young Journalists Faring? 

Nieman Reports: Newsrooms have long been the traditional space where young journalists learn to report on the job, so the loss of physical workplaces due to the coronavirus pandemic has had a particularly harmful impact on many journalists just starting out in their careers.