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 it is to be a journalist/reporter (Interview – French)
RTBF: “I have no pretensions other than to inform”. Wilson Fache, a Belgian freelance journalist (notably for RTBF), was Jérôme Colin’s guest on La Première to talk about his work as a journalist and his reporting. Last November he was awarded the Albert Londres prize, one of the most prestigious awards in the field of journalism.
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What should we expect from journalism in 2024?
Reuters Institute for the study of journalism: “It’s a really important year to help define how journalism and AI are going to work effectively together,” says Nic Newman in our podcast
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Global Headlines
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ALGERIA: Yasmina Khadra, support for Algerian journalist Ihsane El Kadi: “Arresting someone for their ideas is horrible”. (French)
RFI: Journalist Ihsane El Kadi has been in prison in Algeria for more than a year. Last June, the owner of the Maghreb Emergent newspaper was sentenced to five years in prison, officially for “receiving funds from abroad (…) likely to undermine state security”. Today, thirty prominent Algerians have signed an appeal. Among them is the famous writer Yasmina Khadra.
CAMEROON: The assassination of Martinez Zogo, one year on (Listen – French)
RFI: Every weekday morning on his ‘Embouteillages’ programme, Martinez Zogo railed, denounced and vituperated against the ills of Cameroonian society and the powerful, with the exception of the President, Paul Biya, whom he praised.
GABON: 124 online media suspended by the HAC (French – 11 January)
Gabon.actu: On Wednesday, the High Authority for Communication (HAC) suspended 124 of Gabon’s 169 online media outlets for irregular legal and administrative status, announced a press release from the institution.
GHANA: Govt committed to laying broadcasting bill before Parliament — Kojo Oppong Nkrumah
ModernGhana: The Minister for Information, Mr Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, has affirmed the government’s resolve to ensure that the Broadcasting Bill is laid before Parliament for passing into law.
RSF: On 18 January, amid preparations in the capital, Conakry, for a protest against the jamming of at least four radio stations and restrictions on Internet access in recent weeks, gendarmes tried unsuccessfully to storm the House of the Press, where around 30 journalists had gathered.
GUINEA: Journalists raided and arrested by security forces
IFJ: At least nine journalists were arrested, after raids on their offices by the security forces in the capital, Conakry on 18 January. The raids, at the Maison de la Presse, took place during a rally organised by the Syndicat de Professionnels de la Presse de Guinea (SPPG) to protest against media restrictions.
The Guardian NG: IPC’s Centre for Safety and Protection of Journalists (I-CSPJ) has commended the Commissioner of Police, Abia State Command, Mr. Kenechukwu Onwuemelie for publicly apologising for his officers’ unprofessional conduct at the Abia Breaking News (ABN) Television and Radio studio in Umuahia, on Tuesday, January 16, 2024.
NIGERIA: Stakeholders laud court ruling barring NBC’s sanction of broadcast stations
The Guardian NG: Media professionals have continued to express satisfaction with recent court ruling nullifying provisions of Broadcasting Code empowering National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to impose fines on broadcasters.
NIGERIA: The world moved on from Boko Haram. This reporter went back to tell their victims’ stories
Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism: “We need more stories the world has moved on from,” says journalist Kunle Adebajo, who reported how the girls abducted are faring now
SENEGAL: Pre-Election Crackdown: Guarantee Fundamental Freedoms, End Arbitrary Detentions and Prosecutions
Human Rights Watch: The authorities in Senegal have cracked down on the opposition, media, and civil society.
SOMALIA: US Mission trains local journalists in Somalia
Nation Africa: The US Government has offered to help Somali media and journalists improve their skills in an environment where press freedom is usually a challenge
SOMALILAND: Somaliland journalist Mohamed Abdi Sheikh detained after discussing diplomatic row
CPJ: The Committee to Protect Journalists on Wednesday called on authorities in the breakaway region of Somaliland to unconditionally release MM Somali TV journalist Mohamed Abdi Sheikh and to guarantee that members of the press can freely cover diplomatic affairs.
SOUTH AFRICA: Media organisations air grievances over ‘unconstitutional’ SABC Bill, call for scrapping (Paywall)
Times Live: The objecting parties have raised concerns about the move to introduce the bill in parliament before the finalisation of a critical policy update
SOUTH AFRICA: Protests against SABC proposals
Advanced Television: South Africa’s public broadcaster SABC is out of cash, and the government has presented a new SABC Bill which proposes examining the existing licence fee, which is widely ignored.
SUDAN: Press Freedom Concerns Rise in South Sudan Ahead of Elections (Listen)
VOA: The Union of Journalists of South Sudan is calling for a freer working space as the country prepares for elections at the end of this year. This comes after two journalists were intimidated and their documents were confiscated.
TOGO: Two journalists in Togo targeted by Pegasus spyware, according to Reporters Without Borders (Paywall – French)
Le Monde: Two Togolese journalists who have been prosecuted for “defaming” a minister since November and are still awaiting trial were targeted by Pegasus spyware in 2021, according to the NGO Reporters Without Borders (RSF).
VCU News
AZERBAIJAN: Crackdown on independent media must stop
EFJ: Azerbaijan is facing a worrying wave of arrests and repression against independent journalists and media outlets. Since November 2023, 10 journalists have been detained, according to Agence France Presse (AFP).
AFGHANISTAN: Taliban detains Ehsan Akbari, Afghan journalist with Japan’s Kyodo news
CPJ: Taliban authorities must immediately and unconditionally release Afghan journalist Ehsan Akbari and stop harassing and detaining members of the press for their work, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Monday.
BANGLADESH: Perpetrators of 28 October attack on journalists won’t go unpunished: PM
The Business Standard: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday said the perpetrators of the heinous attacks carried out on journalists on 28 October won’t be spared.
CHINA: China media downplays, disparages Taiwan election
Hong Kong Free Press: China has repeatedly warned Taiwanese voters against re-electing the pro-independence camp, but in China itself, the ruling Communist Party has made sure the population of 1.4 billion people are kept in the dark.
CHINA: Nearly half of journalists jailed in China are Uyghurs, report says
VOA: Nearly half of the 44 journalists imprisoned in China in 2023 were Uyghurs, according to a report released Thursday.
INDIA: French journalist in India claims she is facing expulsion
The Times of India: A French journalist said on Tuesday she was facing expulsion from India after two days for what authorities have termed “malicious and critical” reportage, days before a visit by President Emmanuel Macron.
INDIA: Sony calls off merger with India media giant Zee
BBC News: Sony’s Indian arm has scrapped a planned merger with Zee Entertainment which would have formed one of India’s largest entertainment groups.
ABC: With the chance to make an extra $10,000 a month, Robert has no issue pushing the agendas of presidential candidates on social media or slipping money to journalists to publish stories in their favour.
JAPAN: Japanese journalist brings lonely #MeToo battle to Sundance
Japan Times: When Japanese journalist Shiori Ito accused a prominent TV reporter of rape, becoming a rare high-profile #MeToo voice in her homeland, she was initially ignored by police, prosecutors and even much of the media.
KAZAKHSTAN: Kazakhstan hits Russian TV presenter with entry ban
Barron’s: Kazakhstan has banned a pro-war Russian TV presenter from entering the country after she criticised its language policies.
KYRGYZSTAN: EU concerned over recent raids and detentions of journalists in Kyrgyzstan
Jurist: The EU Delegation to Kyrgyzstan expressed concern Thursday over Kyrgyz authorities’ recent clampdown on journalists and media offices operating in the country. The delegation specifically mentioned the recent spike in detentions of journalists and the searching and confiscation of property belonging to independent media offices.
MYANMAR: Myanmar named second-biggest jailer of journalists
The Irrawaddy: Myanmar has become the second-worst jailer of journalists after China, with 43 media staff arrested last year, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) 2023 prison census.
MYANMAR: Myanmar’s media set up independent council to protect journalists
VOA: A newly formed press council set up by independent Myanmar media is seen by media analysts as a positive move that shows the resilience of the country’s press.
PAKISTAN: Journalist shot in Karachi
IFJ: Sunu TV bureau chief Shoaib Burney was shot by unknown persons on Karachi’s Rashi Minhas Road on January 14. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its affiliate, the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), condemn the attack on the senior journalist and urge Pakistani authorities to ensure the safety of journalists across the country.
PAKISTAN: Media freedom declines due to censorship, threats: report
Dawn: The relationship between the state and media deteriorated during the past two years due to growing instances of censorship, violence against journalists and government disdain for critism, according to a report.
PAKISTAN: Representatives of press clubs, unions for alliance to resist restrictions on media in Pakistan
Firstpost: The participants in the joint meeting decided to seek cooperation from human rights activists and lawyers and create deterrence over the safety of journalists and ‘shrinking space’ for free speech in the media, Dawn reported.
PHILIPPINES: Media security chief gets flak for ‘red-tagging’
Panay News: The National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP), a press freedom watchdog, has called out the head of the government’s media security body for saying a detained community journalist was active in the armed communist rebellion — a practice known as red-tagging.
PHILIPPINES: Navigating malign influence campaigns in the Philippines: a guide for journalists and newsrooms
Reuters Institute: I was decapitated at Oxford University. At least, that’s what an anonymous sender told my mother in a text message. “She was seen inside her room naked, and her neck was cut off!” they wrote, claiming to be from the Manila Embassy. I blinked at a photo of the message forwarded by my sister. I was wrapped in four layers, but that January morning suddenly felt chillier.
SOUTH KOREA: Police, media raided for possible leaks involving Lee Sun-kyn case
The Korea Times: South Korean police on Tuesday raided the Incheon police agency over allegations of leaks related to the drug investigation into actor Lee Sun-kyun, whose death in December sparked criticism of how the case was handled.
SRI LANKA: Sri Lankan lawmakers debate controversial internet safety bill amid protests by rights groups
Newsday: Sri Lankan lawmakers on Tuesday began debating a controversial internet safety bill that has been criticized by opposition politicians, journalists and rights groups as a move by the government to stifle freedom of speech.
TAIWAN: Media literacy key to countering Chinese disinformation for Taiwanese
Taiwan News: Foreign Minister Joseph Wu stressed the need to inform the public about China’s disinformation campaign and cultivate media literacy amongst Taiwanese to counter it.
THAILAND: MRTV visits Thai PBS to see media production and television network services. (Press release – Thai)
Thai PBS: Mr. Anupong Chaiyarit, Deputy Director Media distribution technology The Public Broadcasting Service of Thailand (TPA) or Thai PBS welcomed the group from Myanmar Radio and Television or MRTV, led by Mr. U Ye Naing Director General, along with the traveling MRTV executive team.
AUSTRALIA: A post on Gaza leads to turmoil at Australia’s public broadcaster
The New York Times: The hiring and forced departure of a Lebanese Australian journalist has exposed long-simmering issues at one of the country’s most trusted institutions.
AUSTRALIA: ABC biggest publisher of top ranked podcasts in December (Press release)
ABC: The ABC has the most titles as publisher featured in this month’s Top 200 Podcasts list with 33 titles. The ABC also has more than 50 ranked podcasts in the All Australian Top 200 Podcasts, demonstrating our commitment to high quality Australian made podcasts.
AUSTRALIA: Ita Buttrose backs David Anderson after ABC board passes unanimous vote of confidence
The Guardian: Comments follow week of internal unrest at national broadcaster after journalist Antoinette Lattouf lodged unlawful dismissal claim.
AUSTRALIA: Australia joins international call for local content quotas on streaming TV platforms
The Guardian: Statement from peak bodies argues independence and viability of global screen industry under threat unless mandatory quotas for non-US content introduced.
AUSTRALIA: Australian government says “Tiktok should be included” in the News Media Bargaining Code
Mediaweek: TikTok may be included in the revised News Media Bargaining Code, alongside the likes of Google and Meta, after the government suggested the platform should be included.
NEW ZEALAND: A commitment to Māori content (Press release)
RNZ: RNZ has appointed Jana Te Nahu Owen (Ngāti Kahungunu, Te Āti Awa) to lead the sourcing, commissioning, developing and publishing of Māori content. As RNZ’s Māori Commissioner, Te Nahu Owen, will have a key role within the RNZ Commissioning Team, where at least half of the commissions (defined using partnership, participation and protection) are Māori content.
NEW ZEALAND: Māori speech AI model helps preserve and promote New Zealand Indigenous language (Blog post)
Nvidia: As part of a movement to protect such languages, New Zealand’s Te Hiku Media, a broadcaster focused on the Māori people’s indigenous language known as te reo, is using trustworthy AI to help preserve and revitalize the tongue.
PAPUA NEW GUINEA: Post Courier: Draconian and dangerous move
Asia Pacific Report: Last year, the Papua New Guinea government moved in a subtle way into the Fourth Estate.
REGIONAL: Women journalists in the Pacific unite to fight gender discrimination
ASPI: Women journalists in the Pacific are mobilising to work together against gender discrimination in male dominated workplaces.
AUSTRIA: Call for murder in the “Exxpress” forum: ORF does not want to tolerate threats (German)
Der Standard: A posting in the “Exxpress” forum that has not been removed for a long time caused strong criticism over the weekend.
AUSTRIA: KI: Constitutional Committee launches service center (German)
ORF: Yesterday (22 January), the coalition parties ÖVP and the Greens introduced a legislative proposal in the Constitutional Committee for a service center for artificial intelligence (AI) to be set up. This will be set up at Rundfunk und Telekom Regels-GmbH (RTR).
AUSTRIA: ORF regional radios on DVB-T2: Innovation enables more radio offerings on TV sets (Press release – German)
ORF: With the distribution of ORF regional radios on DVB-T2, which has been established since January 1, 2024, ORF is enabling even more households to access its regional radio offerings. This means that 99.5 percent of all Austrians have the opportunity to receive the regional radio program on their TV sets.
CPJ: The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Belarusian authorities to drop all charges against journalist Aliaksandr Ziankou and to disclose the charges against journalist Ales Sabaleuski and the reason for the recent detention of journalist Yauhen Hlushkou.
BELARUS & RUSSIA: Journalists say tech giants aid suppression
DW: Independent media websites blocked by the Russian and Belarusian authorities say they are disadvantaged by the Google search engine. Journalists are calling for a new algorithm.
BELGIUM: TikTok, YouTube and Meta will also have to share their revenues with local Flemish television (French)
RTBF: Back in March, Flemish Media Minister Benjamin Dalle (CD&V) announced that, in addition to cable operators Telenet and Proximus, major video platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok would henceforth be required to invest in content of Flemish origin.
BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA: Media Freedom in Survival Mode (Webinar)
MFRR: In this MFRR webinar, speakers will discuss the findings of a recent press freedom fact-finding mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina, highlighting the suffocating environment for independent journalists in the country.
CROATIA: Croatian Parliament Urged to Vote Down ‘Dangerous Law for Journalism’
Balkan Insight: Journalists’ union and opposition slate government push for MPs to vote on controversial law at the same time as an uncontroversial law on femicide, calling it a ‘cowardly’ move.
EFJ: The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) expresses its anger at the unacceptable comments made towards awarded journalist Dora Kršul and the media outlet Telegram.hr by the Minister of Culture and Media of Croatia. We demand an immediate apologies and a retraction.
DENMARK: ‘It tickled in the right way in the stomach’: Kristian came back to DR Funen as boss (Press release – Danish)
DR: After a year away from the newsroom in Odense, Kristian Østerby Jepsen has returned to DR Funen – now as boss. Here he talks about the first year in the new role at a time when DR’s districts have been given responsibility for the overall inland coverage in DR Nyheder, and where old habits must be changed.
FRANCE: Launch of France 2 UHD on 23 January and France 3 UHD on 10 July (Press release – French)
France TV: On the eve of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, France Télévisions is launching France 2 UHD from 23 January and France 3 UHD from 10 July. Authorised by Arcom last October, France Télévisions becomes the first broadcasting group to provide an ultra high definition (UHD) channel on DTT, offering unrivalled picture and sound quality to French viewers.
FRANCE: TF1 says France Télévisions support is illegal state aid in EC complaint
Digital TV: France’s TF1 has filed a complaint against public broadcaster France Télévisions with the European Commission about alleged illegal state aid.
FRANCE: WhatsApp channels: how RFI and France 24 are gaining subscribers (Listen – French)
RFI: Since September 2023, a tab called News has appeared in WhatsApp. It brings together channels from personalities, organisations and the media. France 24 and RFI are the most popular French media channels.
GERMANY: After mass demonstrations, right-wing extremist online media are initially paralysed (German)
Der Standard: The self-proclaimed “alternative media” from the right-wing fringe have little idea about the protests against right-wing extremism and fascism across Germany
GERMANY: Fact check: Far right claim media inflating size of protests
DW: Far-right politicians and social media users have sought to sow distrust in media by claiming that pictures of recent German protests were manipulated. DW fact checks those claims.
GERMANY: Positive response to the Future Council’s reform ideas (German)
Deutschlandradio: The Future Council has presented its proposals for reforms to public broadcasting. One goal: savings that could lead to a reduction in broadcasting fees. The ideas are welcomed from many quarters.
GREECE: Ahead of court hearing, SLAPP lawsuit against media and journalists must be dropped
EFJ: The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joined the undersigned international freedom of expression and media freedom organisations today in renewing our condemnation of a groundless defamation lawsuit filed against Greek journalists and media by Grigoris Dimitriadis, the nephew of the Prime Minister, and urge the plaintiff to urgently withdraw the lawsuit ahead of an upcoming hearing.
IRELAND: 30 years on, a short history of Ireland’s Section 31 broadcasting ban (Analysis)
RTÉ: Analysis: rescinded 30 years ago this week, the infamous clause of the Broadcasting Act was a contentious issue during coverage of the Troubles
ITALY: Schlein: “From Meloni attacks on journalism not worthy of a democracy” (Italian)
Sky News
RSF: Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and Free Press Unlimited (FPU), strategic partners, will monitor the hearings in the case of journalist Peter R. de Vries starting at the Amsterdam Court on Tuesday 23 January.
NORTH MACEDONIA: North Macedonia Nears Election Double-Bill without Social Media Rules
Balkan Insight: Social media spending has become key to election campaigning yet it is still unregulated in North Macedonia ahead of presidential and parliamentary elections in the spring.
POLAND: Poland’s Constitutional Tribunal: Tusk’s changes to public media ‘illegal’
Euractiv: Recent reforms to Poland’s public media by the new government of Donald Tusk, which have sparked a fierce backlash from the opposition, are unlawful, the country’s controversial constitutional court ruled on Thursday – a decision Culture Minister Bartłomiej Sienkiewicz says has “no legal significance” and should be ignored.
POLAND: Poland’s journalists caught up in battle for airwaves
BBC: Outside Poland’s main evening news studio there’s a row of police stationed for protection…
POLAND: Reporters Without Borders: Tusk’s media reform was necessary
Euractiv: The controversial changes in the public media by Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s government were necessary, according to Reporters Without Borders (RSF), who added that the government needs to be more transparent and predictable when it comes to its changes in the media landscape.
ROMANIA: Media freedom mission ahead of super electoral year
EFJ: The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) will join a mission to Romania with the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR). The mission aims to take the pulse of the current state of press freedom and independent journalism as the country gears up for a super electoral year in 2024.
RUSSIA: Anti-War Science Journalist Flees Russia After ‘Wave of Hate’
Moscow Times: Russian science journalist Asya Kazantseva announced Monday she has fled Russia following a “wave of hate” from pro-war groups and government officials over her anti-war views.
SLOVENIA: In Slovenia, Broadcaster RTV Faces ‘Bumpy Road’ to Reform
VOA: Attempts to depoliticize Slovenia’s public broadcaster RTV have led to accusations that new management is simply replacing one political agenda with another by purging the outlet of employees considered too sympathetic to the previous administration.
SLOVENIA: We take you through the world of creating television, radio and online content for RTV Slovenia (Press release – Slovenian)
RTVSLO: Every year, RTV Slovenia receives more than a thousand visitors from all over Slovenia and abroad. Our doors are always open to everyone: children, schoolchildren, students, pensioners, media enthusiasts, connoisseurs and experts.
SWITZERLAND: Change at the top of the SRG is initiated (Press release – German)
SRG-SSR: The SRG Board of Directors, represented by its President Jean-Michel Cina, together with SRG General Director Gilles Marchand, have announced that the succession process at the top of the company will be initiated.
SWITZERLAND: Deep fake videos haunt World Economic Forum
SwissInfo.ch: The World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, is fighting back against a slew of misinformation on social media designed to spread false news about the annual meeting.
SWITZERLAND: Publisher Frontiers cuts 70 jobs in Switzerland and 600 worldwide
SwissInfo.ch: The scientific publisher Frontiers, founded in 2007 at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL), has to cut 600 jobs in 23 countries. Around 70 jobs are affected in Switzerland.
UK: BBC response to the Government’s Mid-Term Review (Press release)
BBC
UK: BBC review: Ofcom to gain more powers over BBC News website
BBC: Ofcom is to gain more powers over BBC online services, including the BBC News website, as part of a series of changes unveiled by the government.
UK: Statement on behalf of the S4C Board (Press release)
S4C: “We have received and noted the Secretary of State’s comments in her letter following the Chairman’s decision not to propose his name for a second term.”
UK: Young people are giving up on BBC News. A new podcast is helping try to get them back
Nieman Lab: We all know the direction of travel, even if we don’t know the stats off by heart: Legacy media hasn’t figured out how to give young people what they want. And it doesn’t really get more “legacy media” than the 101-year-old, publicly funded British Broadcasting Corporation.
UKRAINE: Investigation launched into intimidation of journalists in Ukraine (French – Paywall)
Le Monde: Ukraine’s security service (SBU) was called in following a “visit” by men in military uniform to the home of a specialist reporter for the Ministry of Defence and the anonymous distribution of stolen images of contributors to an investigative website.
REGIONAL: 2023 Ends With Wave of Misinformation, Online Attacks and Scams Across Balkans
Balkan Insight: At the end of 2023, the Balkans was ensnared in a complex tapestry of digital misdirection, a surge of online attacks targeting women and escalating cyber threats.
REGIONAL: MFRR highlights threats to media freedom in EU Commission’s Rule of Law report
EFJ: Updates on some of the biggest developments and threats to media freedom and pluralism across European Union Member States throughout 2023 were submitted to the EU Commission’s annual Rule of Law Report by partner organisations of the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR).
REGIONAL: US warns of Russian effort to tilt 2024 elections in Europe against Ukraine
Euractiv: The United States believes Russia will conduct “information operations” aimed at turning opinion in Europe against Ukraine as countries across the continent go to the polls this year, the head of the State Department’s office for disinformation said on Thursday (18 January).
ARGENTINA: Global Unions support the 24 January general strike
IFJ: The Council of Global Unions (CGU) expressed unwavering support and solidarity with the unionists, civil and human rights defenders, and the people of Argentina struggling to defend democracy in the face of repressive measures proposed by the new Javier Milei administration.
ARGENTINA: ‘Milei’s problem is with journalists, not with the press itself’: 5 questions with Argentine researcher Santiago Marino (Interview)
LatAm Journalism Review: To help think about the Milei government’s relationship with journalism, LatAm Journalism Review (LJR) spoke to a leading Argentine researchers in the area of communication policies: Santiago Marino, professor at the National University of Quilmes and head of Practical Work on “Policies and Planning of Communication” at the University of Buenos Aires.
BRAZIL: New series from Canal Educação shows the importance of social participation (Press release – Portuguese)
EBC: Canal Educação premieres this Monday (22) the series Rumos da Educação. Four episodes will present the importance, dynamics and characters involved in the National Education Conference (Conae), a meeting that will be held, in an extraordinary edition, from January 28th to 30th, 2024, in Brasília.
CHILE: Television in the time of Pinochet: “There was no master plan on how to dominate the masses” (Spanish)
El País: Chilean journalists Marcelo Contreras and Rafael Valle launch ‘Mucha Tele: a choral history of TV in dictatorship’, a book, with 96 interviews, in which they demolish myths and reveal unpublished episodes
CHILE: Viña Festival and TVN: the difficult crossroads of public media in Chile (Opinion – Spanish)
El Mostrador: Ultimately, for TVN to stop being a “Peso Pluma” public channel, it is necessary to free it from the financial chains that bind it and allow it to compete with attractive programming.
GUATEMALA: New president Bernardo Arévalo must act quickly to stop the criminalisation of journalism
RSF: Following his inauguration as Guatemala’s president on 14 January, Bernardo Arévalo faces a range of press freedom challenges as a key test of his new government.
HONDURAS: 2024 is seen as a difficult year for freedom of expression and the press (Spanish)
El Heraldo: 2024 will be another complicated year for freedom of expression and the press in the country, project journalists, social communicators and human rights defenders.
MEXICO: “Journalism is under harassment”: Azucena Uresti spoke again about her departure from Milenio (Spanish)
Infobae: Journalist Azucena Uresti spoke directly about the controversy that her departure from Milenio generated, where she stated that, “in these times” journalism is subject to harassment and threats.
NICARAGUA: Life in the catacombs (Opinion – Spanish)
El País: The brutal repression of the regime of Daniel Ortega and Rosario Murillo has crushed the opposition and paralyzed even those in exile. EL PAÍS tells from Managua how the ruling couple has spread fear in society until they turn their critics into ghosts
PERU: The National Institute of Radio and Television of Peru (IRTP) and China Media Group (CMG) will promote technological and content exchange (Press release – Spanish)
IRTP: In order to strengthen inter-institutional cooperation, the president of the National Institute of Radio and Television of Peru (IRTP), Ninoska Chandía Roque, and the deputy director of China Media Group (CMG), Li Weilin, held a meeting where they expressed their willingness to work together in the exchange of knowledge, content, as well as technological modernization and innovation.
LatAm Journalism Review: For 2024, media and journalists must urgently rethink their role and purpose. Media in Latin America will face the disruptive power of artificial intelligence (AI) and will have to endure a super election year with presidential elections in six countries.
GAZA: Al Jazeera bureau chief leaves Gaza
France 24: Al Jazeera’s Gaza bureau chief Wael al-Dahdouh left the Palestinian territory Tuesday, he told AFP, after Israeli strikes killed his wife, multiple children and a colleague.
IRAN: Analysts: Assassination Plot Shows Extremes Iran Employs to Target Critics
VOA: A thwarted Iranian plot to assassinate two journalists working for a Persian TV network in London has renewed focus on the ways hostile governments try to target critics outside their jurisdiction.
The Conversation: Israel has emerged as one of the world’s leading jailers of journalists, according to a newly released census compiled by the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists.
ISRAEL: The Eurovision organizer: Israel can compete in Malmö (Swedish)
Aftonbladet: The members of the European Radio and Television Union EBU, which organizes Eurovision, assess that the Israeli public service company KAN meets all the requirements to participate in the competition.
ISRAEL & GAZA: The killing of journalists in Gaza is an unprecedented attack on the truth
The Bureau of Investigative Journalism: On 7 January, 27-year-old journalist Hamza Dahdouh was on his way to report on the bombing of a designated “humanitarian zone” in Gaza, according to his colleagues, when an Israeli missile struck his car.
ISRAEL & GAZA: The Take: What will remain of journalism in Gaza? (Listen)
Al Jazeera: More than 100 journalists have been killed in Israel’s war on Gaza. The Palestinian Journalists’ Syndicate says 96 were targeted by Israel. Inside Gaza, journalists feel abandoned by the world they are informing.
TURKEY: Turkey among world’s top jailers of journalists, press freedom concerns persist
Medya News: While Turkey’s 13 imprisoned journalists represent a sharp drop from the 40 documented in CPJ’s 2022 census, the New York-based press watchdog specifically highlighted that two fact-finding visits to Turkey in late 2023 found that the lower number of journalists in prison did not reflect an improvement in the country’s press freedom environment.
TURKEY: Turkey’s Latest VPN Ban is Another Block to Independent Media
VOA: When Turkey’s telecommunications regulator moved to ban some of the most popular virtual private networks, or VPNs, audiences lost another way to access independent information.
CANADA: CBC Toronto’s Sounds of the Season raises more than $1 million for local food banks
CBC Toronto: CBC Toronto’s Sounds of the Season raised more than a $1 million dollars for food banks in the Greater Toronto Area in 2023.
CANADA: Podcasts are booming in Canada, and audiences are only getting bigger (Paywall)
Media in Canada: Almost a third of consumers spend more time listening to podcasts than other traditional media.
The Hub: Canadian Senator and former journalist Paula Simons discusses recent developments in the news media, the potential role of public policy to support the industry, and the future of journalism in Canada.
CANADA: To save Canadian local media, end tax deductions for advertising on foreign digital media (Opinion)
The Globe & Mail: Local media are essential contributors to the cultural and economic livelihood of the communities they serve. They also fulfill an essential mission in defining the specificity of Canadian culture and ultimately fostering Canadian unity.
US: 11 WTVP board members resign amid financial crisis
Peoria Journal Star: WTVP-TV Board Chairman Andrew Rand and 10 other members of the WTVP Board of Directors announced their resignations Tuesday in yet another bombshell development at the embattled public television station.
US: CapRadio, North State Public Radio staffers intend to form union (Paywall)
Current: The staffers aim to form a union with the National Association of Broadcast Employees and Technicians–Communications Workers of America Local 51.
US: Democrats vs. Republicans: Who spots fake news more?
DW: Democrats have a higher success rate than Republicans in spotting fake news, a recent study has suggested. It also shows education level and gender play a crucial role in the ability to distinguish true from false news.
US: In the United States, the media plunged into crisis, from the “Los Angeles Times” to “Sports Illustrated” (French)
Le Monde: Several of the US press’s long-established titles are experiencing economic difficulties and have announced redundancy plans.
US: New York Public News Network To Provide Statewide Coverage.
Inside Radio: A dozen public radio station newsrooms are partnering in the formation of the statewide New York Public News Network (NYPNN).
US: PBS Presents a Curated Collection of Content to Celebrate Black History Month (Press release)
PBS: PBS will celebrate Black History Month with an expanded new slate of programming, specials, and digital content, shining a spotlight on the diversity of people, stories, and experiences in the Black community.
US: SPJ commends the House for passing the PRESS Act, urges Senate to follow suit (Statement)
SPJ: The Society of Professional Journalists commends the House of Representatives for unanimously passing the PRESS Act, a bipartisan federal reporter’s shield law that prohibits the federal government from compelling journalists and providers of telecommunications services to disclose certain protected information.
US, LATVIA & LITHUANIA : RFE/RL Marks One Year of New Offices in Riga and Vilnius (Press release)
RFE/RL: Today marks the first anniversary of the opening of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty’s (RFE/RL) Riga office, which is home to more than 70 staff, including RFE/RL Russian Service and Current Time journalists forced out of Russia as the Putin regime cracked down on independent media.
4 tips for building a healthy media diet
IJnet: The start of the new year brings inevitable pressure to start fresh, with new hobbies, exercise regimes and healthy diets. But there is one diet you may not have thought of improving this year: your media and news consumption.
RISJ: Reporters put up with low salaries, long hours and uninspiring roles in the hope they will find a full-time job. Many may never have one.
Did the battle against “misinformation” go too far?
Nieman Lab: The pandemic brought a massive effort to limit the spread of bad health information. Did it do more harm than good?
How The Guardian raised a record amount of reader revenue in the U.S.
Nieman Lab: Earlier this month, The Guardian U.S. announced that its end-of-year drive brought in $2.2 million, a record amount of reader revenue since its first appeal six years ago.
I Am Going to Miss Pitchfork, but That’s Only Half the Problem (Opinion – Paywall)
The New York Times
Innovating to reach deaf and hard-of-hearing communities with the truth
IJnet: There exists a lack of fact-checking resources for deaf and hard-of-hearing communities today, even as mis- and disinformation online is on the rise.
Global Communication Governance at the Crossroads (Book)
Springer Link: This book explores current trends and challenges of communication governance, provides visions for the future regulation of old and new media and analyses politics, actors and technologies in shaping policy.
Global Expression Report 2023 (Report)
Article 19: Freedom of expression is under threat and in decline across the world. The Global Expression Report (GxR) is an annual look at the right to free expression and information across the world.
New blockchain verification tool to help fight the use of deep fakes in elections
Journalism.co.uk: As fears around synthetic content rise, this new AI-powered tech allows newsrooms establish the authenticity of digital images and videos
The Outlook: Innovating politics reporting in a major election year
IPI: 2024 will see more than 50 elections around the world. How can newsrooms find ways to report on them that resonate?
The playground of possibilities: A guide to generative AI for public media (Paywall)
Current: Whether you’re a seasoned generative AI user, gAI-curious or simply someone who wants to peek into tools that may influence tomorrow’s public media, this guide is your permission to embrace the future.
USC Annenberg and Scripps Howard Fund launch open-source investigative journalism program
USC Annenberg: Open-source investigative journalism is likely to have a major impact on future reporting and storytelling, yet many of the journalists using these techniques are self-taught or have learned these skills in online forums.
With Wit and Understatement, a Press Veteran Reflects on His Trade (Book review)
The New York Times: Calvin Trillin collects many of his inimitable profiles and essays about journalism in “The Lede.”
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