AFGHANISTAN: Licenses of several media organizations revoked in Afghanistan

The Khaama Press: Ministry of Information and Culture said it has revoked the operating licenses of all journalist support organizations except three.

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BANGLADESH: Bangladesh Betar holds community broadcast on JS election, referendum in Khulna

Dhaka Tribune: Bangladesh Betar Khulna Centre on Thursday organized a community broadcast titled ‘Bangladesh Betar in Referendum and Election’ at Shaheed Hadis Park in the city, marking the upcoming Jatiya Sangsad election and referendum.

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CHINA: Decoding China’s Media: A Guide for Global Observers

BBC Monitoring: For anyone who follows China closely, the media is one of the few windows into Beijing’s priorities, ambitions and anxieties.

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NEPAL: Officiating CEC Bhandari urges media to rely on official sources 

Nepal News: Officiating Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Ram Prasad Bhandari has urged the media to disseminate election-related news and information based on official sources in view of the upcoming House of Representatives elections. 

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THE PHILIPPINES: Frenchie Mae Cumpio found guilty of terrorism financing

International Federation of Journalists: Journalist Frenchie Mae Cumpio has been found guilty of financing terrorism and sentenced to at least 12 years in prison, after spending nearly six years behind bars in pre-trial detention.

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THAILAND: Khon Kaen media outlets join forces with Thai PBS to question political parties and delve into their policies for solving Khon Kaen’s problems. (Press release)

Thai PBS: Thai PBS and a network of media outlets in the Northeast region jointly organized a political party policy debate aimed at addressing local problems.

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THAILAND: Thailand switches on nationwide cell broadcast alerts in major disaster readiness test

Pattaya Mail: Thailand’s Permanent Secretary of the Interior has presided over the country’s first nationwide test of the Cell Broadcast emergency alert system, expressing confidence that the technology will significantly reduce losses from major disasters and strengthen the government’s ability to communicate with the public quickly and effectively.

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VIETNAM: When familiar laughter fades on Vietnam’s national television

UCA News: The satire show, ‘Táo Quân’, leaves not merely an empty broadcast slot, but a space where society could reflect on itself

AUSTRALIA: ABC announces Creator Program class of 2026 (Press release) 

ABC: The ABC has announced nine creators from more than 550 applications as part of its innovative Creator Program producing digital-first content across its social platforms.

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AUSTRALIA: ABC listen delivers record year in digital audio as Australians embrace trusted news, sport and podcasts (Press release) 

ABC: ABC Audio has capped off a standout year in digital listening, with ABC Sport’s coverage of The Ashes driving record audiences on ABC listen and contributing to strong growth across live streams and podcasts in 2025.   

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AUSTRALIA: Australia social media ban is driving healthy public debate, expert says

Nikkei: Australia’s decision in December to become the first country to legally ban under-16s from certain social media platforms is having ripple effects far beyond its borders, as governments weigh whether regulation can finally catch up with the digital lives of children.

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AUSTRALIA: Australian journalism ‘sidelined’ in AI-generated news summaries on Copilot, research shows

The Guardian: Australian journalism is largely “invisible” in AI-generated news summaries from Microsoft Copilot, which overwhelmingly favour US or European media, research by the University of Sydney has found.

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FIJI: Naivalurua tours FBC, praises team and strategic vision

FBC: Minister for Communications, Ioane Naivalurua, visited the Fijian Broadcasting Corporation headquarters yesterday, where he was briefed on the organization’s structure, operations, and strategic goals.

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NEW ZEALAND: What’s New from RNZ in 2026 (Press release) 

RNZ: RNZ’s radio lineup returns after the summer break on Monday, and listeners can look forward to their favourite programmes and presenters returning refreshed as well as some new additions to the schedule that will strengthen RNZ’s live radio offering.

AUSTRIA: ORF announces new social media offering “ZiB Geld” for February (German) 

Der Standard: In February, the ORF (Austrian Broadcasting Corporation) plans to launch another social media platform, tentatively titled “ZiB Geld” ( News at 7 p.m. Money), which will focus on money and finance for a younger audience.

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AUSTRIA: Threats of legal action among ORF board members: Westenthaler vs. Meryn (German) 

Der Standard: The Freedom Party-affiliated ORF (Austrian Broadcasting Corporation) council sent a lawyer’s letter threatening legal action to their colleague and physician, who is close to the Social Democratic Party (SPÖ).

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AUSTRIA & UK: Misha Glenny: “The destruction of the BBC would of course also weaken the ORF” (Interview – German) 

Der Standard: Misha Glenny recently took over as head of one of the BBC’s most important radio programs. A conversation about public service broadcasting, the podcast boom, and his show “In Our Time.“

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BELGIUM: Cutting back on VRT means cutting back on democracy (Dutch) 

SamPol: The structural reduction of permanent employment at VRT strikes at the heart of independent journalism. Because with an uncertain status, you’re more likely to play it safe.

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BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA: Bosnia and Herzegovina: Public broadcaster requires urgent action from Office of High Representative 

IPI: BHRT faces serious financial challenges due to deep institutional crisis and debts, leaving national public broadcaster on the brink of collapse. 

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CANARY ISLANDS: NC-bc accuses the Government of wanting to turn RTVC into an instrument of propaganda (Spanish) 

CN8: Román Rodríguez, national secretary of Strategy, Programs and Training of Nueva Canarias–Bloque Canarista (NC-bc), has accused the Government of the Canary Islands, made up of CC and PP, of trying to “hijack” the Canary Islands Radio and Television (RTVC) and turn it into “an instrument of political propaganda” through the new Law on the organization of the public audiovisual communication service, currently in parliamentary processing.

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CROATIA: EMFA – an opportunity we missed (Croatian) 

SNH: “Unfortunately, we missed the opportunity that EMFA provides,” she concluded, adding that the lack of public debate, but also the interest of the media themselves, was disappointing.

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CZECH REPUBLIC: Babiš launched an all-out attack on public media. A strike is looming at Czech Television (Czech) 

Medium.cz: We may be in for a major political clash. Babiš is preparing a change in the financing of public media. A strike is looming at Czech Television and people could take to the streets.

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CZECH REPUBLIC: Statement by the management of Czech Television on the future of financing public media (Press release – Czech) 

CT: The management of Czech Television, headed by Director General Hynek Chudárek, is very keenly aware of the news that resonates in the public sphere in connection with current information about the possible method of its financing in the coming years.

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CZECH REPUBLIC: We need to address more of what is troubling people, not just Ukraine, says the head of Czech Radio (Czech) 

Seznam Zpravy: The government coalition has agreed to abolish television and radio fees from 2027. It has not yet said how exactly it wants to finance Czech Television and Czech Radio. Can anything else reverse the decision of Babiš’s cabinet?

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DENMARK: ‘Media Development 2025’: The elderly are driving the growth of digital media (Press release – Danish) 

DR: Danes spent less time on TV in 2025, and more on audio and social media. This is the short version of the main trends in Danes’ media consumption, as stated in DR’s annual status report ‘Media Development 2025’. It is published today, Friday, January 23, and is produced by DR Analyse.

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FRANCE: 2026 Budget: Public broadcasting, already weakened, is expected to suffer a further cut of 30 million euros. (French) 

Télérama: A devastating blow for public broadcasters, who discovered on Tuesday, January 20th, an amendment to the 2026 budget bill proposing yet another cut to their funding.

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FRANCE: During its hearing at the Assembly, RSF reiterated the urgent need to protect public service media in France and Europe. (French) 

RSF: While Reporters Without Borders (RSF) was being questioned by a parliamentary inquiry into public broadcasting in France, it faced spurious allegations unrelated to the parliamentary proceedings.

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FRANCE: France Télévisions is launching new media and information literacy (MIL) training workshops for primary school teachers. (Press release – French) 

France Télévisions: France Télévisions is strengthening its commitments and actions in media and information education by launching new training courses for primary school teachers.

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FRANCE: France Télévisions’ Overseas division: for a resolutely digital strategy (Press release – French) 

France Télévisions: By deploying a strategy to distribute its content as widely as possible, by investing in all social networks in order to be present at major audience hubs and by focusing on producing content in all digital formats adapted to different uses, the Overseas division of France Télévisions confirmed in 2025 its commitment to pursuing its digital strategy, which allows it to establish itself as a powerful player in the connected worlds of the Overseas territories.

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GEORGIA: Unjustified restrictions have made the situation of the media in the courts extremely difficult – Charter (Georgian) 

Batumelebi: The Charter of Journalistic Ethics of the Georgian Dream demands from the Parliament to repeal the newly adopted norms restricting the work of the media in court, and at the same time, calls on the High Council of Justice to ensure humane working conditions for media representatives in courts.

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GERMANY: ARD promotes media literacy as the foundation of democratic participation: the most important events for 2026 (Press release – German) 

ARD: The recently enacted Interstate Treaty on Media Literacy underscores the importance of media literacy programs in Germany and explicitly obligates public broadcasters, with their function of serving democracy, to fulfill this responsibility. ARD considers this educational mandate a core task.

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GERMANY: ARD, ZDF, Deutschlandradio and Deutsche Welle adopt joint AI code (Press release – German) 

ZDF: The ARD regional broadcasters, ZDF, Deutsche Welle, and Deutschlandradio have adopted joint principles for dealing with AI. With their six-point AI code, the partners reconcile the new opportunities offered by artificial intelligence with their public service mandate and shared values.

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GREENLAND: Solidarity with Greenlandic journalists 

EFJ: The Steering Committee of the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) wishes to express its full support for our colleagues in Greenland.

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IRELAND: Public service media isn’t optional — it’s critical infrastructure 

The Journal: With RTÉ under-funded and tech platforms dominant, Ireland must rethink media funding and regulation, writes Mark Shiel.

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LATVIA: Latvia at war against Russian influence (Listen – French) 

RFI: While a large Russian-speaking minority lives in the country, public broadcasting has decided to stop broadcasting in Russian.

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LATVIA: Rights or obligations? The Constitutional Court assesses the use of minority languages ​​in public media (Latvinan) 

LSM: The Constitutional Court (CT) has begun hearing a case regarding the use of minority languages ​​in public media.

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LITHUANIA: Culture war in Lithuania: Public broadcasting under pressure (Listen – German) 

Deutschlandrundfunk

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LITHUANIA: European Parliament debates resolution on Lithuania’s LRT law changes 

LRT: European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas warned Wednesday that Lithuania must ensure any changes to the governance of its public broadcaster comply with the European Media Freedom Act, as the country’s government considers easing the dismissal of the head of Lithuanian National Radio and Television.

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MALTA: Arts Council, Med.TV, PBS sign agreement to take Maltese culture to international audiences 

The Business Picture: Arts Council Malta, Med.TV and Public Broadcasting Services (PBS) have signed a three-year partnership agreement to bring Maltese culture to a broad international audience.

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THE NETHERLANDS: ARTE and NPO sign cooperation agreement (Press release – Dutch) 

NPO: Bruno Patino, president of ARTE France and vice-president of ARTE GEIE, and Jet de Ranitz, chair of the Dutch Public Broadcasting (NPO), signed a partnership agreement on Monday, January 19th. This marks the start of a new collaboration between ARTE and the public broadcaster.

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THE NETHERLANDS: Politics makes decision: eleven broadcasters will merge into four ‘broadcasting houses’ (Dutch) 

AD: Public broadcasting is undergoing a major overhaul. The incoming minority government of D66, CDA, and VVD wants to reduce the current eleven broadcasters to just four.

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THE NETHERLANDS: Reform, financing and digital reach – make coherent choices (Press release – Dutch) 

NPO: In a society where information is widely available, but trust is becoming increasingly scarce, a strong public broadcaster is indispensable. Public media offer the Dutch accessible and independent news, reliable interpretations, and stories that showcase the Netherlands in all its facets.

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POLAND: Katarzyna Batko-Tołuć: Local Government Media? Was It Supposed to Be Different? (Polish) 

RP.pl: Why did one of the most ambitious solutions, discussed for a year and a half, suddenly disappear from the draft bill? It concerns a regulation that was intended to curb local governments from publishing newspapers.

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POLAND: The National Broadcasting Council (KRRiT) has no decision on the payment of the Republic’s license fees in instalments. (Polish) 

Press: The National Broadcasting Council has not yet made a decision on dividing the Republic’s license fees into monthly installments.

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POLAND: The TV license fee will disappear. Almost everyone will pay the new fee. (Polish) 

Dziennik.pl: When will the TV license fee disappear? The government plans to completely eliminate the old system on January 1, 2027.

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POLAND: TV Republika has failed to pay its license fee. The station is now defending itself. (Polish) 

Onet: The cost of a ten-year terrestrial broadcast license for TV Republika is PLN 17.85 million. The broadcaster is obligated to pay the fee annually by September 1st, in installments of PLN 1.85 million.

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PORTUGAL: Public media service is fundamental in promoting media literacy – ERC (Portuguese) 

Lusa: Public media services are fundamental in promoting media literacy, with particular emphasis on RTP, which plays a key role in empowering citizens to use media critically, in an informed and responsible manner, conclude the second National Report on Media Literacy. 

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SLOVAKIA: Media freedom in the spotlight as Kuciak murder case reopens

DW: Europe presents itself as a defender of the free press, yet some high-profile murders of EU journalists have yet to be resolved. Will a new trial into the death of Slovak journalist Jan Kuciak change that?

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SLOVAKIA: STVR is finalizing preparations for the introduction of a new logo (Press release – Slovak) 

STVR: Slovak Television and Radio yesterday filed a trademark application with the Industrial Property Office of the Slovak Republic related to the upcoming visual identity of STVR.

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SPAIN: RTVE and the ICO strengthen their alliance to boost the Spanish audiovisual sector with 200 million euros (Press release – Spanish) 

RTVE: The ICO will allocate up to 200 million euros to finance the production of films, series and documentaries in which RTVE participates.

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SPAIN: The annual plenary session of the Equality Observatory reaffirms the collective work on this matter within the RTVE Corporation (Press release – Spanish) 

RTVE: Among the objectives for next year: the creation of an expert agenda, training in equality and sport, and informative workshops in newsrooms across all territories.

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SPAIN: The Public Media conference, organized by RTVE, highlights the fight against disinformation and the challenges of AI. (Spanish) 

APM: ‘Alliance for democratic rights. The power and responsibility of the media’ has included representation from the EBU, the Central Electoral Board and the Cervantes Institute, among other entities.

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SWITZERLAND: 200 francs in media fees are not enough for cultural associations. (German) 

Platform J: Four organizations have unanimously spoken out against the initiative to halve the SRG’s funding, which will be put to a vote on March 8. They argue that the initiative jeopardizes the cultural diversity and cohesion of Switzerland.

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SWITZERLAND: Lower-Swiss-broadcasting-fee initiative sets out its arguments 

Le News: The campaign in favour of the initiative has been formally launched. The organisers’ central argument is cost. The proposal, which would cut Switzerland’s radio and television licence fee from CHF 355 per household to CHF 200 a year, will be put to a vote on March 8th.

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SWITZERLAND: SRG initiative: Federal Council recommends rejection (German)

SRF: The popular initiative “200 francs is enough!”, also known as the SRG or halving initiative, demands that the media levy be reduced to 200 francs per year and that companies be completely exempt from the levy. The Federal Council and Parliament reject it.

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SWITZERLAND & GERMANY: Nathalie Wappler elected to German Media Council (German) 

SRG SSR: SRF Director Nathalie Wappler will become a member of the new, central media council for public broadcasting in Germany.

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UK: BBC faces ‘profound jeopardy’ without funding overhaul, Tim Davie says 

The Guardian: Outgoing director general indicates support for update to licence-fee model as part of wider changes.

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UKRAINE: Suspilne Ukraine and International Media Support begin cooperation (Press release) 

Suspilne: The Memorandum between Suspilne Ukraine and IMS is aimed at strengthening the institutional capacity of the company by involving it in European Union programs and initiatives, developing professional competencies of specialists, preparing and implementing joint grant initiatives, as well as strengthening sustainability, media and digital literacy.

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UKRAINE: Suspilne Ukraine joins the International federation of television archives FIAT/IFTA (Press release) 

Suspilne: Suspilne Ukraine has become a member of the International federation of television archives (FIAT/IFTA), a leading global network of organisations working to preserve, research, and provide access to audiovisual heritage.

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UKRAINE & JAPAN: Suspilne Ukraine presents the results of Phase II cooperation with JICA and NHK Foundation (Press release) 

Suspilne: The key event of the visit was a workshop for the Suspilne team, during which the project manuals were presented, covering the operation of the broadcasting backup center, digital archive preservation, and coordination among regional hub stations.

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REGIONAL: ECPMF secures €350,000 BKM funding to support exiled journalists

ECPMF: With these funds, ECPMF will sustain the newly created Journalists-in-Exile Programme, which operates in three strands to bolster ECPMF’s existing work to support journalists who have been forced to leave their home country and continue working in exile in Germany.

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REGIONAL: The EBU contribution to the rule of law report: strengthening media freedom and democratic resilience (Press release) 

EBU: On 23 January, the EBU submitted its contribution to the annual Rule of Law report. A strong rule of law is essential for public service media to thrive, upholding the resilience, integrity, and sustainability of the European Union’s democratic values and institutions.

GAZA: Three journalists among 11 Palestinians killed by Israeli forces in Gaza

The Guardian: Hospitals in Gaza say Israeli forces killed at least 11 Palestinians on Wednesday, including two 13-year-old boys and three journalists, in the latest violence to undermine a three-month-old ceasefire.

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IRAN: Hackers disrupt Iran state TV to broadcast pro-monarch, anti-crackdown message

CBC: Hackers disrupted Iranian state television satellite transmissions to air footage supporting the country’s exiled crown prince and calling on security forces to not “point your weapons at the people,” online video showed early Monday, the latest disruption to follow nationwide protests in the country.

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IRAN: Media blackout in Iran: at least one media outlet suspended, silence from the country’s other independent newsrooms

RSF: Since 8 January, Iranian authorities have cut off nearly all access to the internet and telephone lines nationwide in response to the widespread protests shaking the country.

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IRAQ: Iraq imposes media bans, fines tv channels over broadcast violations

Shafaq: Iraq’s Communications and Media Commission imposed disciplinary measures against two television channels, a politician, an activist, and a program host for “violating decency and public conduct rules” under national broadcasting regulations.

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ISRAEL: High Court hears challenge to ban on independent journalistic access to Gaza

The Jerusalem Post: The High Court of Justice on Monday held a hearing on a petition challenging the state’s continued refusal to allow journalists to enter the Gaza Strip without a military escort, amid mounting pressure on the government to articulate when – and under what conditions – independent press access could be permitted.

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ISRAEL: Israel blocks Al Jazeera, Al Mayadeen on digital platforms, TV and YouTube

Türkiye Today: Israeli authorities ordered the blocking of Qatar-based Al Jazeera and Lebanon-based Al Mayadeen television networks across digital platforms, TV screens and YouTube, Israeli Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi announced Sunday. 

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KUWAIT: Kuwait TV’s Mohammed Dughaim elected chairman of ASBU Sports Committee

The Times Kuwait: The Arab States Broadcasting Union (ASBU) announced on Monday the election of Mohammed Dughaim, Operations Supervisor at Kuwait Television’s Channel 3, as Chairman of the Union’s Standing Committee for Sports.

CANADA: CBC opening a local bureau in Swift Current

Swift Current: The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation is planning an expansion into Swift Current.

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CANADA: Press freedom trial in B.C. Supreme Court could have broad implications for journalists in Canada

Indigenous Watchdog: The lawyer representing a photojournalist and an online news outlet says the civil suit against the RCMP over the arrest of a member of the press covering the Wet’suwet’en land defenders protest of a Coastal GasLink pipeline is about protecting press freedom.

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US: Congress Approves Funding for Public Broadcasting Emergency, Educational Programs

TV Tech: The U.S. House of Representatives this week passed its final fiscal year (FY) 2026 minibus package of funding, which includes money for public broadcasting’s Next Generation Warning System as well as its “Ready to Learn” grant program.

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US: CPB to award $12M in interconnection funds to stations

Current: “PMI, NPR, PBS and other system partners stand ready to serve together as thought partners as stations consider how to invest in distribution, technology, and service to their communities,” CPB CEO Patricia Harrison wrote.

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US: One year in, Donald Trump’s war on the press has become relentless (Opinion)

Poynter: Lawsuits, bans and retaliation now form a steady campaign against journalists and American press freedom

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US: Public TV stations lean into local film initiatives

Current: Public TV stations in several markets have embraced new film initiatives to help bolster their community ties and reach new audiences.

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US: The NPR and Colorado Stations That Took Trump to Court 

CJR: Nationally, the landscape of public radio has been charred since last July, when Congress stripped more than a billion dollars from public broadcasting, at the behest of Donald Trump, who released an executive order characterizing NPR and PBS as “biased.”

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US: United States revisits the place of public broadcasting in cultural life

Burg Telegram: In the United States, the debate over public broadcasting has returned with unusual intensity—not as a nostalgic quarrel about old television habits, but as a forward-looking argument about what a shared civic culture should look like when audiences scatter across apps, feeds, and podcasts.

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US & ITALY: ICE Agents Threaten Italian Journalists Documenting their Activities in Minnesota 

La Voce di New York: Two Italian journalists were threatened by Immigration and Customs Enforcement during their coverage of the federal agency’s activities in Minneapolis, according to “In Mezz’ora,” a news show on the Italian public TV channel RAI 3.

Advertising, subscriptions, public broadcasting: the funding of information is cracking (French) 

Media Leader: Digital advertising absorbed by platforms, public broadcasting finances under pressure, the rise of automated content, and growing distrust of sources: French news media are going through a turbulent period.

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Continuing to provide information on the ground regarding conflicts (Listen – French) 

RFI: Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan, eastern DRC, Venezuela, Iran… Faced with the proliferation of global crises and the technological evolution of conflicts, the safety of reporters is a central concern for newsrooms. 

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“Does this channel have more juice in it?” YouTuber J.J. McCullough on a “sustainable” life as a news creator

Nieman Lab: When J.J. McCullough first started making YouTube videos in 2015, he was 31, and worried he was too old to break through on an already saturated platform.

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Milano Cortina 2026: Why public service media matters at moments like this 

EBU: The Olympic and Paralympic Games are among the most complex and demanding sporting events to deliver. They test storytelling, logistics, editorial judgement and technical capability all at once. They also come with a clear expectation: coverage must be accurate, fair and trusted.

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People who use chatbots for news consider them unbiased and “good enough,” new study finds

Nieman Lab: Chatbots are already a burgeoning source of news. Seven percent of respondents in the U.S. use chatbots for news every week, according to a report last summer from the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism (RISJ). In India, that number jumps to nearly 20 percent.

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Radio Totchka, the sonic memory of communism (Episode 1) (Listen – French) 

RFI: Radio Tochka was present in every Bulgarian kitchen, as well as in public spaces, broadcasting national and local programs, a mix of news and propaganda.