Our weekly round-up of public service media related stories and headlines from around the world
As the global COVID-19 pandemic continues, the need for community solidarity and mutual support has never been greater. But this support requires quality, fact-checked and evidence based news and information.
With this in mind, the Public Media Alliance has compiled an extensive and growing list of resources featuring recommended tools, advice and sources for journalists and the public alike. The resources can be found via the link below or in the Tools section of our website.
If you have any recommendations, please let us know.
What is...
Our weekly explainers for key public media terms, phrases and values.
Week 29: What does CRISIS REPORTING look like?
During times of crises, news coverage of what has happened and relief efforts can provide critical and lifesaving information to publics. But crisis reporting is not limited to reporting an incident as it occurs; it involves media organisations acting before, during, and after an event by assessing crisis preparedness and mitigation; providing warnings; building resilience at both the individual and community-level; and ultimately aiding in long-term recovery. Public media organisations are especially important during crises due to their reach, trust, accessibility and other PSM values. Crisis reporting can be seen with public broadcasters like Australia’s ABC and Japan’s NHK, whose long established policies, use of new technology and inclusive messaging makes their emergency reporting globally renowned. And most recently, public broadcasters in Germany, Belgium and Switzerland stepped up as deadly floods ravaged parts of Europe, by providing flood-specific programming, facilitating relief efforts and funding drives, and giving prominence to climate change content on their websites.
We also want to hear about your local public media coverage! Email us!
As the coronavirus pandemic worsens, public media are rapidly adapting to best cover the crisis on a local level while also providing for educational needs and vulnerable groups as isolation policies are introduced.
We want to hear from our members about what you are doing to best cover the crisis on a local level. Email us using the link below.
Coronavirus: Resources & best practices
Essential resources for sourcing and reporting news about the coronavirus pandemic
What we're watching...
PLENARY PANEL: What’s the value of public service broadcasters?
Institute for Public Policy Research
What we're listening to...
Inside The Pegasus Project
The Media Show, BBC: A group of news outlets from countries around the world have banded together to expose the alleged use of a phone hacking tool to spy on leading journalists, politicians and human rights activists. How do you pull off a series of global scoops like this? Also in the programme, the role professional fact checkers now play in journalism.
ACME Talks with Irene Abalo and Carol Beyanga – Sexual harassment in the media
African Centre for Media Excellence: In this episode, Irene Abalo Otto and Carol Beyanga of Nation Media Group Uganda join ACME’s online content producer, Clare Muhindo, to discuss the pervasive problem of sexual harassment in the media in Uganda.
Sign up to our Global Call Out
Promote, support and advocate for public service media
Global Headlines
Click on the tab menu below to reveal the latest regional stories.
ANGOLA: Angola: Government Opens Tender for TV Zimbo Privatization
All Africa: Luanda — The Minister of Telecommunication, Information Technology and Mass Media, Manuel Homem, announced Thursday the opening of a public tender for the privatisation of TV Zimbo and the Media Nova group.
BOTSWANA: Botswana police use Israeli Cellebrite tech to search another journalist’s phone
CPJ: Tsaone Basimanebotlhe was not expecting security agents to appear at her home in a village outside Gaborone, Botswana’s capital, in July 2019, she told CPJ in a recent interview…
GHANA: GBC Director-General calls for inclusion of Media Literacy in Education Curriculum to check fake news on airwaves (Watch)
GBC Ghana: Director General of GBC, Professor Amin Alhassan, has called on stakeholders in Education to introduce media literacy in the curriculum.
MFWA: The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) has mobilised 642 people, most of them journalists, alongside some supporters of press freedom to petition Parliament to address recent attacks on journalists and the media in Ghana.
GHANA: Pro-partisan media organisations account for over 50% of media ethics violations in Ghana
MFWA: A recent media monitoring study by the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) has shown that politically-affiliated media organisations perpetrate over 50% of media ethics violations in Ghana.
MALAWI: Malawi police beat, detain radio reporter Oliver Malibisa
CPJ: Malawi authorities should ensure journalists can report without fear of violence, harassment, or detention, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.
NIGERIA: EDITORIAL: Assaulting Press Freedom in the name of Regulation (Opinion)
Premium Times: Our concern in this regard is that if allowed, the proposed amendments to the NBC, NPC and Electoral Acts would … end up strangulating the media for a number of reasons.
NIGERIA: Names Of Only 10 Journalists Approved For Nnamdi Kanu’s Trial Revealed As Buhari Regime Gags Press
Sahara Reporters: More details have emerged of the media houses and journalists accredited for the coverage of the trial of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu slated for Monday, July 26, 2021.
NIGERIA: Media not disposed to giving terrorists exposure ― Nigerian Guild of Editors
Vanguard: Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) said that Nigerian journalists, especially its members, are not terrorists and bandits’ best friends, against the terrific insinuation by the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), and so, will never be disposed to giving the bloodthirsty criminals any exposure.
SOUTH AFRICA: SABC bill will not solve public broadcaster’s troubles, watchdog warns (Paywall)
Business Day: Harsher penalties for the nonpayment of TV licence fees and slashing the size of the SABC board are some of the proposals contained in a recently published bill meant to boost the governance structures and cash flow of the public broadcaster.
SOUTH AFRICA: South Africa: Public Broadcaster Lobbying To Cap Pay-TV Advertising Revenues
Broadcast Media Africa: The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) – the country’s free-to-air public broadcaster – is lobbying ICASA (the industry regulator) to limit the amount and scope of revenues that Pay-TV and subscription OTT providers can earn from advertising, infomercials and program sponsorships.
SOUTH AFRICA: Special tribunal postpones case against Hlaudi Motsoeneng, nine other ex-SABC executives
SABC News: Special Tribunal hearings in the matter between the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) and the SABC against former SABC acting COO Hlaudi Motsoeneng and nine other former executives have been postponed.
TUNISIA: Press freedom in Tunisia: From censorship to speaking out (Watch)
France 24: How has the situation for journalists changed in Tunisia in the decade since the revolution? Has the road to press freedom been entirely smooth?
TUNISIA: Tunisia police storm Al Jazeera office in Tunis
Al Jazeera: Security forces involved in the raid said they were carrying out instructions and asked all journalists to leave.
REGIONAL: IFC To Invest $25.1 Million In A New Digital Infrastructure Fund For Africa
Broadcast Media Africa: The International Finance Corporation (IFC) has allocated US$ 25.1 million to promote increased digital connection and access to digital across Africa through an equity investment in Convergence Partners.
REGIONAL: Shocking sexual harassment statistics in African media
Via IFEX: The latest Women in News survey on sexual harassment in African media organisations highlights that 1 in every 2 women working in the media sector, experiences some form of sexual harassment.
AFGHANISTAN: Afghanistan’s Media Freedom in Retreat as Taliban Advances
VOA: The day the Taliban entered Balkh district, 20 km west of Mazar e Sharif, the capital of Balkh province last month, local radio station Nawbahar shuttered its doors and most of its journalists went into hiding.
AFGHANISTAN: Calls Grow for Emergency Visas for Afghans Working With US Media
VOA News: A coalition of more than two dozen U.S. news outlets and press freedom organizations is calling on the U.S. government to help protect Afghans who worked with foreign media and may face risks from the Taliban as a result.
BANGLADESH: End crackdown on freedom of expression online
Amnesty International: Bangladeshi authorities must end the crackdown on people’s right to freedom of expression online and urgently repeal the draconian Digital Security Act (DSA) unless it can be amended in compliance with international human rights law and standards, Amnesty International said in a new briefing released today.
CHINA: Foreign journalists harassed by Chinese citizens over Zhengzhou flooding coverage
HKFP: Incidents are a “sad sign of increasing anger and suspicion towards foreign media,” writes one journalist.
INDIA: India tax authorities raid media companies critical of Modi gov’t
Al Jazeera: The move against leading Hindi-language daily Dainik Bhaskar and Bharat Samachar television channel draws criticism.
HONG KONG: ‘Fear and anxiety’ rules among local journalists, Hong Kong Journalists Association finds
CPJ: The Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA) found that authorities use the national security law to silence journalists, systematically limit the media’s ability to access to public databases, and force public and private broadcasters to minimize their political content and, in the case of at least one public broadcaster, spread government propaganda in its annual report, titled “Freedom in Tatters,” published July 15.
HONG KONG: Hong Kong’s press freedom clampdown echoes around the world (Opinion)
HKFP
HKFP: RTHK staff must now refer only to “Taiwan leader” or “the most senior leader of Taiwan” when referencing Tsai Ing-wen.
JAPAN: International journalists face ‘sinister threats’ to privacy at Tokyo Olympics
Press Gazette: Foreign journalists will have to deal with “sinister threats” to privacy and strict anti-Covid regulations from Japanese authorities as they cover the Tokyo Olympics.
JAPAN: NHK To Broadcast 200 Hours Of Tokyo Olympics In 8K
TV Technology: Besides the opening and closing ceremonies, the broadcaster will cover seven events in 8K.
JAPAN: Opening Ceremony seen by 70 million people in Japan
The Asahi Shimbun: An estimated 70.61 million people in Japan–more than half of the country’s population–watched the July 23 Olympic Opening Ceremony on TV, according to audience rating firm Video Research Ltd.
MYANMAR & THAILAND: Myanmar’s Crackdown on Free Press Driving Journalists to Thailand
VOA News
PAKISTAN: Geo News team attacked during London Afghan protest
Geo: A group of Afghan nationals held a protest outside Pakistan High Commission London on Friday afternoon which turned violent when a Geo News reporting team was attacked by some of the demonstrators.
PAKISTAN: Pakistan Sees Surge in Silencing of Mainstream and Social Media
The Diplomat: Attempts to reign in the media have grown since 2018, when the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf came to power.
PHILIPPINES: Journalist Maria Ressa: ‘We’re Losing the Battle for Our Rights’ in Philippines
VOA: Under pressure but remaining defiant, award-winning journalist Maria Ressa has had a turbulent few years.
SINGAPORE: Mediacorp Names Doreen Neo as Chief Talent Officer and Virginia Lim as Chief Content Officer
Mediacorp: In a move to further strengthen its talent development and business strategies, Mediacorp has named former Chief Content Officer, Doreen Neo, as its Chief Talent Officer to oversee all talent management and practices across Mediacorp.
SOUTH KOREA: Chernobyl for Ukraine, pizza for Italy: South Korean TV apologises for Olympic images
The Guardian: MBC sorry for ‘inappropriate images and captions’.
SOUTH KOREA: South Korea’s fake news law: a real worry for press freedom?
South China Morning Post
THAILAND: Almost half of Thais trust social media for Covid info: poll
Bangkok Post: Medical personnel and other experts provide the most reliable sources of information about the Covid-19 pandemic, but almost half the population trust social media…
AUSTRALIA: ABC statement on employee numbers
ABC Australia: The ABC has recently provided updated data to the Senate Standing Committees on Environment and Communications about the number of employees at the public broadcaster.
AUSTRALIA: ABC statement on Legal and Business Affairs
ABC Australia: The ABC rejects any claim it allocates too many resources, either in staffing or cost, to its legal responsibilities.
AUSTRALIA: SBS is now interpreting NSW COVID-19 press conferences live in languages other than English
SBS: SBS and the New South Wales government have teamed up for the new initiative, providing live interpreting of critical health information in languages other than English.
AUSTRALIA: SBS asks the question: What Does Australia Really Think About….Disability? Old People? Obesity?
SBS: In a ground-breaking new documentary series, SBS seeks to explore how stigma and prejudice impact the lives of millions of Australians, by getting to the heart of what people really think about disability, old people and obesity.
AUSTRALIA: SBS provides a platform for diverse Australian writers as the SBS Emerging Writers’ Competition returns for 2021 (Opportunity)
SBS: SBS is on the hunt for the next generation of diverse Australian writers, with the return of the SBS Emerging Writers’ Competition for 2021.
NEW ZEALAND: Closed door sessions shape public charter for RNZ and TVNZ
Newsroom: TVNZ has no charter now, so it will feel most exposed to the wind of change: navigating a future under a new entity with government societal goals yet still meeting commercial imperatives.
NEW ZEALAND: Government and media get on same page for terrorism (Listen)
RNZ: A group representing our major news media have agreed a set of principles for reporting terrorism and “national security events.” It’s a response to fears extremists could use the media for their own ends and that disclosures during an emergency could put lives in danger – especially when information is unverified. But does giving ground on this mean the media surrender their right to publish in the public interest?
PAPUA NEW GUINEA: Misinformation to blame for low vaccination take up in Bougainville
RNZ: New figures from PNG’s Covid-19 controllers, show just 627 Bougainvilleans have been vaccinated out of a population of about 300,000.
REGIONAL: Recruitment underway for key roles under new journalism scheme (Opportunity)
Pacific Media Network: A journalism project looking to foster and develop Pasifika journalists, under the collaboration of four major media organisations, have started recruiting key personnel.
AUSTRIA: ORF election: Kickl calls for a secret vote on general director (German)
Kleine Zeitung: “It is a basic democratic standard that important positions are elected secretly,” said FPÖ federal party leader Herbert Kickl. The new ORF general director will be elected on August 10th.
AUSTRIA: SWR director Gniffke: “It should not matter what ORF boss thinks politically” (German)
Kurier: The idea that ORF is moving in a certain direction with a new General Director is “just naïve” – wants to “let hot breath be felt in the neck” of streaming providers.
AUSTRIA: Vice Finance Director Weißmann applies to be head of ORF (German)
ORF: ORF Deputy Finance Director Roland Weißmann applies for the post of ORF General Director. He announced this today at a press conference in Vienna: “It was speculated for a long time, now I can say: Yes, I will run.” So far, incumbent Alexander Wrabetz and ORF1 channel manager Lisa Totzauer have announced their candidacy for the election on August 10th.
BELARUS: Belarus arrests 3 journalists in media crackdown
Al Jazeera: Belarusian authorities raid offices of independent newspaper Regionalnaya Gazeta and arrest three journalists.
BELARUS: State escalates attacks on media freedom and civil society in Belarus
Global Voices: Lukashenka’s crackdown on media and civil society reached unprecedented scale.
Yle: At the Tokyo Olympics, the public is not seen on site, and the athletes live in strict isolation in the Olympic Village. With the Yle app’s camera, you can make the audience’s voice heard and send your encouragement and greetings to Finnish athletes in Tokyo.
GEORGIA: One more detained for attack on Public Broadcaster cameraman at Tbilisi Pride counter rally
Agenda: Police have detained a 34-year-old man for the violent attack on a Public Broadcaster cameraman at the Tbilisi Pride march counter rally on July 5.
GERMANY: Exemption from radio license fee for flood victims is possible (German)
Süddeutsche Zeitung: Flood victims can, under certain conditions, be exempted from their broadcasting fees with immediate effect.
GERMANY: Flood disaster in the Ahr valley: Local journalism in constant use (German)
Deutschlandfunk: In the corona pandemic, the “Rhein-Zeitung” gave up the rooms of its local editorial office in Ahrweiler. Now editor-in-chief Uli Adams is looking for a place to stay again for his team, which has been reporting directly from the disaster area for days.
GERMANY: Germany mulls emergency text alerts after deadly floods
Deutsche Welle: Interior Minister Horst Seehofer has signaled his support for emergency text alerts on public broadcaster ARD. Privacy concerns have so far kept such mechanisms out but deadly floods have led to new support.
GERMANY: Television as a fundraiser (German)
Der Tagesspiegel: Donations for the flood victims: The themed ZDF evening raises 20 million euros. Now RTL, ARD and Sat1 follow.
GERMANY: WDR is contrite and sets up a task force (German)
Rheinische Post: Cologne. After the flood disaster in western Germany, WDR is self-critical and wants to develop a special digital offer for such dangerous situations. More people should be better reached, the broadcaster reported in a statement on Monday in Cologne.
HUNGARY: EU report to rebuke Hungary over corruption, press freedom concerns
Politico Europe: The European Commission on Tuesday will release a report criticizing Hungary for having inadequate anti-corruption rules and infringing on press freedom.
HUNGARY: Hungary spying accusations trigger new press freedom alarms
RFI: When Hungarian journalist Szabolcs Panyi realised he was on a list of people possibly targeted by Israeli-made Pegasus spyware, he wore it like “a badge of honour”, but then he was hit with a sense of shame.
HUNGARY: Journalists Targeted with Pegasus Spyware (Alert)
COE: On 18 July 2021, a media consortium led by the French NGO Forbidden Stories exposed the surveillance of journalists, human rights defenders, lawyers, politicians and others through the Pegasus spyware developed by the Israeli NSO Group.
HUNGARY & POLAND: ‘Causes For Serious Concern’: EU Warns Hungary, Poland Over Rule Of Law, Media Freedom
RFE/RL: The European Commission has slammed Hungary and Poland for eroding media freedoms and judicial independence, adding that corruption remains a major challenge in both EU members.
ISLE OF MAN: Editorial independence is vital to news organisations – Manx Radio
Manx Radio: Chief minister won’t speak to station unless it apologises.
ISLE OF MAN: Quayle Manx Radio row sends ‘chills’
IOM Today: Chief Minister Howard Quayle’s continuing dispute with Manx Radio sent a chilling message about press freedom, it was claimed in Tynwald this week.
LATVIA: European Commission notes political attacks on Latvian journalists
Latvian Public Broadcasting: The European Commission published its 2021 Rule of Law report July 20, with the chapter on Latvia summarising efforts at ongoing judicial reforms and raising several points of concern including personal online attacks against journalists by politicians.
LUXEMBOURG: Luxembourg: New aid scheme with subsidies for newsrooms’ journalists approved
IFJ: The Luxembourg Parliament approved on 8 July a new aid scheme that aims at fostering media pluralism and offers support to digital and emerging media, including subsidies to accredited journalists working in their newsroom.
MALTA: ‘High risk’ threats to media pluralism in Malta highlighted in report
The Shift
POLAND: Poland Postpones Contested Media Law Debate Amid Coalition Splits
VOA News: Poland’s ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party postponed a parliamentary debate over a new media law, a senior lawmaker said on Wednesday, amid a split with allies over amendments that could see U.S.-owned channel TVN lose its license.
POLAND: TVP plans new TV channel aimed at teens (Paywall)
Telecompaper: Polish public broadcaster TVP has announced its plans to launch a new TV channel called TVP Tenn, reports Media2.pl. The channel will be focused on the 10 to 16 year-old audience. An exact date for the launch has not yet been announced.
RUSSIA: Russia names Bellingcat reporting partner a ‘foreign agent’
The Guardian: Move against the Insider seen as revenge for part in revealing Kremlin’s role in Salisbury and other assassination attempts
CPJ: Stockholm, July 20, 2021 – Russian authorities should allow the independent investigative news outlet Proekt and its staff to operate freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.
SLOVAKIA: Slovak public TV fired journalist for criticising fake story about Covid vaccine
RSF: Slovak public radio and TV broadcaster RTVS sanctioned several journalists who voiced internal criticism of an RTVS report falsely linking a young woman’s death to AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemns an editorial system that favours private and political interests at the expense of editorial independence, and calls for an enquiry by the media’s oversight body.
SLOVENIA: Ministry: Govt media freedom replies omitted from Commission report (Paywall)
STA: The Ministry of Culture reacted to the European Commission’s latest Rule of Law Report on Monday by saying the Slovenian government’s replies to concerns over media freedom in Slovenia were “mostly not to be found” in the report.
SPAIN: ERC, Podemos and Bildu join forces to request that the president of RTVE appear in Congress for the dismissal of Cintora (Spanish)
El Confidencial Digital: Unidos Podemos and Bildu have joined this Friday to the ERC [to request] the appearance of the president of Spanish Radiotelevisión (RTVE), José Manuel Pérez Tornero, in Congress with the aim of explaining the dismissal of the journalist Jesús Cintora, which until yesterday ran the space ‘Clear things’.
SWEDEN: New record for Summer in P1 – over two million podcasts in one week (Blog)
Swedish Radio: The podcast of Sommar in P1 has now crossed the two million mark in weekly range according to Poddindex. Never before has a Swedish podcast had so many listens in one week.
UK: BBC pulls local morning TV bulletins as ‘pingdemic’ leads to staff shortages
The Guardian: Breakfast programme’s regional coverage in England off air until September at least – with further regional programmes at risk.
BBC News
UK: BBC Three’s return to broadcast TV faces delay amid concerns from rivals
The Guardian: Corporation aims to attract younger viewers by bringing back channel, but plan has been challenged.`
UK: BBC to speak to Maitlis over her latest comments
BBC News: The BBC has once again voiced its commitment to impartiality after Emily Maitlis said she did not regret her comments about Dominic Cummings.
UK: Channel 4 Chair Pens Blistering Letter Warning Against “Very Harmful” Privatization Plans
Deadline: The simmering debate about UK government plans to privatize Channel 4 has boiled over into an all-out war.
UK: Major players back Broadcast’s Not 4 Sale campaign
Broadcast: Bectu, Directors UK and NUJ among organisations to support anti-privatisation push.
UK: Ofcom consults on BBC regulation
Advanced Television: UK broadcast watchdog Ofcom is commencing a review of its regulation of the BBC.
UK: The BBC faces major challenges from the government to its independence (Opinion)
The Guardian: Conservative interventions in editorial appointments are testing the public service broadcaster’s autonomy to the limit.
REGIONAL: MPM 2021: media pluralism further deteriorates in Europe, no country is free from risks
EFJ: The latest Media Pluralism Monitor (MPM2021) report was released on 20 July by the Centre for Media Pluralism and Media Freedom (CMPF). It shows an overall deterioration in the situation of media pluralism across Europe compared to last year’s report.
LatAm Journalism Review: Seventy stories and still counting. This is the main result of an ongoing struggle waged since 2017 for the disclosure of all pension and retirement payments by the Brazilian government. On the frontline is Fiquem Sabendo, a journalism agency specializing in the Freedom of Information Act (LAI, for its acronym in Portuguese).
BRAZIL: Paths of Reporting highlights public communication and citizenship (Portuguese – Press Release)
Agência Brasil: Communication and citizenship can go hand in hand. With programming for all ages, information and service provision, encouragement of culture through music festivals and national cinema, in addition to valuing sports and educational programs. This is the proposed model when it comes to public communication.
COLOMBIA: The media that have requested the most financial aid from the Government (Spanish)
La República: The MinTIC will award [funds] among companies in the sector that demonstrate that they need the public treasury to reactivate them.
CUBA: US, 20 Other Countries Condemn Cuban Crackdown on Freedom Protesters
VOA News: The United States and 20 other countries on Monday condemned Cuba for its crackdown on thousands of freedom protesters and called on Havana to release the demonstrators and restore internet access on the island nation.
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: They will modify regulations that regulate the content of the media so that it responds to the current reality (Spanish)
El Caribe: The president of the National Commission for Public Spectacles and Radio (CNEPR), Joseph Báez, revealed that he is making efforts to modify Regulation 824, which regulates the role of the entity as a regulator of content in the media in order to adapt it to the new times.
MEXICO: They will propose policies in favor of indigenous and community radio stations (Spanish)
El Economista: Yes, there have been reforms that in theory facilitate access to frequencies, but in reality there are structural obstacles, such as bureaucracy and discrimination, which must be dismantled, says the director of IMER and activist Aleida Calleja.
NICARAGUA: In Election Year, Nicaragua’s Media Are Being Scared into Silence
VOA News: In an election year, the investigation of a potential presidential candidate is a big story. But journalists, including some covering the house arrest of Nicaraguan journalist Cristiana Chamorro, have found themselves being questioned by authorities.
TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO: MATT: Media freedom no laughing matter
Newsday: The Media Association (MATT) is urging the Government to ditch any policy to limit access to private media houses during government functions, but give unrestricted access to state-owned television TTT.
URUGUAY: Public Media Relaunch: TNU became Channel 5 and Emisora del Sur will be Radio Cultura (Spanish)
Montevideo Portal: The new portal brings together radio and channel content and has live access to the signals.
IRAN: Under pressure, Iranian MPs postpone internet restriction bill
Al Jazeera: The legislation aims to criminalise the use of blocked services, hand some internet controls to armed forces.
ISRAEL: Dozens of Israeli Public Broadcaster Employees Allege Sexual Harassment, Abuse and Humiliation
Haaretz: Current and former employees at Kan tell Haaretz that they face a hostile work environment, including retribution for complaining.
QATAR & TUNISIA: Al Jazeera condemns raid on its office by Tunisian forces
Al Jazeera: Al Jazeera Media Network dubs closure of its office in Tunis a ‘troubling escalation’ that will impede coverage of events in the country.
SYRIA: Journalists attacked throughout northeastern Syria, 2 remain in detention
CPJ: All parties in northern Syria must do their utmost to ensure that members of the press can work safely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.
Global Voices: New measures underway to regulate foreign funded media and misinformation.
TURKEY: Turkey: Concern over proposals to introduce new regulation of “fake” and “foreign-funded” news
ECPMF: The Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) and undersigned partner organisations are concerned about and condemn recent statements by Turkish President Erdoğan and other government officials pertaining to the introduction of new regulation of so-called fake news and “foreign-funded” news in the country.
CANADA: CBC prepares to broadcast Olympics opening ceremony in 8 Indigenous languages (Watch)
CBC: CBC North journalists Kowisa Arlooktoo and Jordan Konek discuss the excitement and challenges of broadcasting the opening ceremony in Inuktitut.
CANADA: MTM Spring 2021 Data Analyzes Canadian Media Habits Including Canada’s Northern Regions
CBC/Radio-Canada: The MTM releases its Spring 2021 Sneak Peek report which explores our top findings on how Canadians are redefining their media habits as we slowly emerge from the pandemic.
US: Bezos’s Space Stunt Got Almost as Much TV Time as Climate Crisis in All of 2020 (Opinion)
Truthout: Broadcast news networks are notoriously bad at covering the climate crisis, dedicating a vanishingly small amount of airtime — year after year — to the grave existential threat despite the many potential stories they could be running about it.
US: Current’s first-ever pubmedia salary survey finds age and gender gaps, higher union wages (Paywall)
Current: More than 1,900 readers told us about what they earn in public media. See the key findings and dig deeper into the data.
US: Democrats Want To Hold Social Media Companies Responsible For Health Misinformation
NPR: Democratic senators introduced a bill on Thursday that would hold Facebook, YouTube and other social media companies responsible for the proliferation of falsehoods about vaccines, fake cures and other harmful health-related claims on their sites.
US: Emergency infrastructure needed to keep Americans safe: Public media (Opinion)
The Hill: When wildfires, floods, ice storms, tornados, hurricanes, earthquakes and other disasters threaten American communities, public radio and television stations are lifelines for affected residents.
US: Policy-palooza: How Congress, state and local governments can stabilize local news
Medium: Here’s a guide to all the potential bills — and existing New Jersey and New York City programs — to help make local news sustainable.
US: The Former Harvard Law Dean Who Wants Government to Save the News Business (Opinion)
Washington Monthly: In an interview, Martha Minow argues the constitution doesn’t merely allow government to keep journalism outlets afloat, but requires it.
US: Watch our webinar about collaborations that are shaping public media (Watch – Paywall)
Current: Collaboration is a key ingredient in the culture of creative and productive workplaces. But it’s not a skill that comes easily to media organizations.
Burner phones, fake sources and ‘evil twin’ attacks: journalism in the surveillance age (Opinion)
The Guardian: When I heard my number was on a leaked data list, I wasn’t surprised. Reporters have never been more vulnerable.
The Conversation: When the media pits academics against each other in an attempt to represent “both sides of the argument”, no one wins.
Facebook’s disinformation problem is harder than it looks
CJR
How COVID-19 Compounded Journalism’s Mental Health Crisis
GIJN
Journalists Say They Feel Constantly Watched by Pegasus Spyware (Watch)
VOA: Human rights and media rights groups have expressed outrage over revelations that 180 journalists around the world were targeted for surveillance by military-grade Israeli spyware. VOA’s Senior Diplomatic Correspondent Cindy Saine reports on a widening scandal, with some world leaders also targeted, such as French President Emmanuel Macron.
Television reboots are an easy sell — but are they crowding out BIPOC voices?
CBC News: Many reboots feature multiracial casts, but some experts say BIPOC-created shows are better for representation.
Olympic Broadcasting Services says it’s working to curb overly sexualized images of female athletes
CBC News: IOC, which controls output from Tokyo, updated guidelines to ‘respect the integrity of the athlete’
UNESCO brief calls attention to the safety of foreign correspondents (Report)
UNESCO: A new UNESCO report sheds light on trends and challenges regarding the security of foreign correspondents , as well as the crucial role they play in informing the public around the world.
What the Reuters Institute’s Digital News Report 2021 means for your audio strategy
Journalism.co.uk: Professor Damian Radcliffe offers a US perspective on audience habits and opportunities for newsrooms.
PSM Weekly is available via email. You can subscribe by signing up to our mailing list at the bottom of the page or email editor@publicmediaalliance.org.
All PSM Weekly stories are provided for interest and their relevance to public service media issues, they do not necessarily reflect the views of the Public Media Alliance.
All headlines are sourced from their original story.
If you have any suggestions for our weekly round-ups, please email PMA at editor@publicmediaalliance.org.
Header image: Professional camera filming a video podcast from home. Credit: mixetto/iStock
Sign up to PSM Weekly
Receive our weekly round-up of public service media headlines and PMA news straight to your inbox.
Related Posts
