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.
Every week, PMA compiles all the latest news from the public media and media freedom industry. Have a story to feature? Get in touch!
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What we're watching...
Investigations: What are journalists’ consortiums for? (French)
FranceInfo: Investigations published in the media are increasingly fueled by information provided by international consortiums of journalists. Tristan Waleckx, editor-in-chief of “Complément d’enquête”, explains in detail the purpose and functioning of these groups.
What we're listening to...
Five years of Corona – Have the media contributed to polarisation? (German)
Deutschlandfunk: What mistakes did the media make during the coronavirus pandemic? What blind spots were there? How did this contribute to polarisation? Journalist Georg Mascolo, Kathrin Kühn (DLF Science) and media researcher Carsten Reinemann talk about this.
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Global Headlines
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BENIN: Benin’s regulator suspends 6 media outlets until further notice
CPJ: The Committee to Protect Journalists urges Beninese authorities to reverse their January 21 orders suspending six privately owned media outlets — news sites Reporter Médias Monde, Les Pharaons, and Crystal News, the Mme Actu Tiktok account, and Le Patriote and Audace Info newspapers — and to return the press card of Audace Info’s publication director Romuald Alingo.
BOTSWANA: New Botswana Data Protection Act progressive step to a more secure digital environment
MISA: The Act replaces the repealed Data Protection Act 32 of 2018, which officially came into force in 2021, but had to be updated after facing criticism for inadequately addressing emerging data protection challenges.
ETHIOPIA: Samson Mekonnen takes helm of Broadcasting Authority after legislators’ endorsement
Addis Standard: Samson Mekonnen (PhD), Vice President for Strategic Communication and Internationalization at Addis Ababa University, has been appointed as the new Director General of the Ethiopian Broadcasting Authority (EBA) following his nomination’s approval by lawmakers earlier today.
KENYA: Kabogo Plans KBC Revamp, Warns Against Irresponsible Social Media Use
Nairobi Wire: The government is committed to restoring Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) as the nation’s leading broadcaster, ICT and Digital Economy Cabinet Secretary William Kabogo has affirmed.
SOUTH AFRICA: eTV Media, Others, Raise Alarms Over SA’s Digital TV Migration Deadline
Broadcast Media Africa: The eTV Media, joined by several other media organisations in South Africa, has raised significant concerns over the country’s new “ambitious plan” to complete the switch from analogue to digital terrestrial television (DTT) by March 2025.
SOUTH AFRICA: Mpofu accuses SABC of promoting government narrative on ‘GNU’
SABC: Senior Counsel for Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK) party, Dali Mpofu has argued that the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) is not entitled to repeat the term “Government of National Unity” simply because it is used by the government.
SOUTH AFRICA: SABC TV Licence levy for cellphones proposed
MyBroadband: The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) is on the brink of financial disaster, and controversial solutions have been proposed to transform its funding model and save it from collapse.
SOUTH SUDAN: South Sudan lifts suspension of Facebook and TikTok
The Print: South Sudan authorities have lifted the temporary ban on Facebook and TikTok, which was imposed last week following the circulation of videos depicting the alleged killings of South Sudanese nationals in Sudan.
TANZANIA: TBC to launch special programme to boost tourism
Daily News: THE Tanzania Broadcasting Corporation (TBC), in collaboration with various stakeholders, is set to launch a special programme aimed at educating local and international tourists on the history of the slave trade while enhancing revenue from the tourism sector.
TUNISIA: Tunisia uses new cybercrime law to jail record number of journalists
IFEX: Local journalists believe Decree 54 is being used to suppress investigative journalism, pushing many to self-censorship.
ZIMBABWE: New appointments made to ZBC, BAZ, and Transmedia Boards
The Chronicle
AFGHANISTAN: UN report: Female journalists marginalized under Taliban rule
Amu.TV: Female journalists are frequently excluded from press conferences organized by the Taliban or relegated to the back of the room, according to a new United Nations report covering October to December 2024.
BANGLADESH: Betar Ctg center to be modernized soon: Info Secy
BSS News: Information and Broadcasting Secretary Mahbuba Farzana said that Bangladesh Betar Chattogram center will be modernized with modern instruments and infrastructures for making its programmes more entertaining and attractive.
BANGLADESH: Legal team files UN complaint over jailed Bangladeshi journalists
VOA: Amid the political chaos in Bangladesh in August that included the ouster of the country’s prime minister, journalists Farzana Rupa and Shakil Ahmed were arrested at an airport in the capital, Dhaka, while attempting to travel to Paris.
CAMBODIA: Promoting gender equality and safety in Cambodia’s newsrooms
The Khmer Times: The lack of policies related to gender equality and safety in media institutions has left women and LGBTQ+ journalists overlooked and facing double challenges.
CHINA & THAILAND: Central and Local Media Join Forces in Thailand
China Media Project: In Bangkok last week, officials from China and Thailand gathered to promote the achievements of the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation (LMC), a multilateral format created in 2016 to manage several waterways vital to Southeast Asia.
HKFP: A new wave of online harassment that followed a journalism students’ investigation into government “care teams” echoed an “organised attack” last year that saw dozens of reporters targeted, the Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA) has said.
INDONESIA: ‘There is so much more to explore’: Indonesian journalist Shyntia Aprizani on forging her own path
ABC: Shyntia Aprizani is a journalist from Padang Ekspres, a newspaper based in Indonesia’s West Sumatra province…
JAPAN: Fuji TV executives resign amid scandal (Watch)
NHK: Leaders of Fuji Television announced their resignations on Monday amid growing pressure on the Japanese broadcaster over a major scandal involving a TV personality.
MALAYSIA: MCMC, RTM should be independent, says report (Paywall)
Malaysiakini: A report has called for the independence of the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) as well as the national broadcaster Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM).
NEPAL: Communication Minister Gurung expects support from all concerned sides to develop PSB Nepal a model broadcaster (16 January)
Radio Nepal: Addressing the closing ceremony of the pre-launch program at the premises of Radio Nepal today, Minister for Communication and Information Technology, Prithvi Subba Gurung said PSB Nepal should work in a way that guarantees the people’s freedom of expression and right to information.
PAKISTAN: Senate approves contentious Peca amendments bill as journalists walk out in protest
Dawn: The Senate on Tuesday passed controversial amendments to the country’s cybercrime laws — the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca) 2016 — amid a walkout by journalists from the press gallery and protests by the opposition.
THAILAND: Thai PBS welcomes a working group from CMG to discuss cooperation in mass media. (Press release – Thai)
Thai PBS: On January 23, 2025, the Public Broadcasting Service of Thailand (Thai PBS), represented by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Wilawanee Phiphithakul, Director of Thai PBS, welcomed a working group from China Media Group (CMG), consisting of Li Min Bangkok Bureau Chief, Liu Chao Marketing Senior Manager, Xue Jing CMG Bangkok Correspondent from CMG, who traveled to meet with executives and staff of Thai PBS World to discuss and develop opportunities for cooperation between the two organizations in many areas.
AUSTRALIA: ABC executive who sacked Antoinette Lattouf departs broadcaster
The Guardian: Chief content officer Chris Oliver-Taylor’s role was substantially downgraded by Kim Williams.
AUSTRALIA: Australian journalism lifeline a short rope for some sectors (Opinion)
Otago Daily Times: The Australian government is spending millions on news, but crucial community media remains underfunded, Bridget Backhaus writes.
AUSTRALIA: Live Stream Registrations Open for Mental Health Matters: A Screen Leaders’ Summit (Press release)
ABC: The ABC, in partnership with Screen Well, invites registrations for the live stream of Mental Health Matters: A Screen Leaders’ Summit on Thursday.
FijiVillage: BBC Media Action plans to set up an office for the Pacific region in Suva soon and as part of this plan, two veteran Fijian journalists, Communications Fiji Limited News Director Vijay Narayan and Fijian Media Association Coordinator, Elenoa Masi Baselala will soon become BBC Media Action certified trainers for the region.
NEW ZEALAND: New cutbacks at NZME harmful for public, ‘news ecosystem’ – union
RNZ: Drastic cutbacks at NZME affect not only staff but also readers wanting information on important issues, a union says.
NEW ZEALAND: RNZ Pacific – 35 years of broadcasting to the region
RNZ: January 24, 1990, the same day the Auckland Commonwealth Games opened, RNZ International (RNZI) began broadcasting to the Pacific region.
NEW ZEALAND: The twilight of NZ journalism? Google, Big Tech and breaking news (Paywall)
The Listener: On a sunny Friday afternoon in early October, Google dropped a bombshell on the New Zealand media industry. It warned that if the Fair Digital News Bargaining Bill passed, imposing a “link tax” on news articles shared on Google, the platform would respond by dropping New Zealand news content from Google’s products – including search. It would also discontinue its commercial agreements with local media companies.
PAPUA NEW GUINEA: Papua New Guinea government pushes forward with controversial media legislation
RNZ: The Papua New Guinea government is reportedly ready to pass a legislation to regulate its media, which journalism advocates have said could have serious implications for democracy and freedom of speech in the country.
SAMOA: Political turmoil drives up abuse against media workers (Listen)
ABC: The Samoa Alliance of Media Practitioners for Development says local journalists are being targeted with online abuse, and are calling for an end to it.
AUSTRIA: New ORF magazine “Daheim” for and about ethnic groups launched (German)
Der Standard: The ORF ethnic group magazine Heimat Fremde Heimat has been history since December. It is to be replaced by two more contemporary programs, was the reason given for the end after 35 years.
AUSTRIA: What the blue plans to cut the ORF budget by 15 percent mean for broadcasting (German)
Der Standard: ORF would have to cut ORF 3, ORF Sport Plus and RSO as well as several hundred jobs. There is speculation about further cuts
BELARUS: RSF files ICC complaint against Lukashenko
DW: Reporters without Borders has accused Belarusian leader Lukashenko of having “systematically persecuted” journalists. It’s filed a complaint with the ICC for crimes against humanity.
BELGIUM: MR chairman Georges-Louis Bouchez in conflict with RTBF because it broadcast Trump’s swearing-in with a delay (Dutch)
VRT: The journalists of the French-language public broadcaster RTBF and MR chairman Georges-Louis Bouchez are at odds over the swearing-in and inauguration speech of US President Donald Trump.
BELGIUM: Trump speech delayed: in Belgium, the controversy over the media “cordon sanitaire” becomes political (French)
rfi: Last Monday, RTBF, the French-speaking public radio and television station, decided to broadcast Donald Trump’s inauguration speech with a two-minute delay. The public channel actually applied a particularity of French-speaking Belgium, namely the possibility of establishing a “media cordon sanitaire”: the media refuse to receive or broadcast live parties or speeches deemed anti-democratic.
CZECH REPUBLIC: Disinformation Made in Czechoslovakia (Report)
IPI: Czechoslovakia as a state has not existed for 32 years, and the two halves of the former federation are now moving in visibly different directions – including the media sphere.
CZECH REPUBLIC: The Chamber of Deputies has not reached a decision on increasing concession fees (Czech)
ČT24: The Chamber of Deputies failed to reach a decision on increasing the radio and television fee on Friday. The reason was the obstructionist speeches by the leaders of the opposition movements, Andrej Babiš (ANO), and especially Tomi Okamura (SPD).
DENMARK: New media ombudsman to keep new and old media in the loop (Paywall – Danish) (17 January)
Politiken: The Government’s Media Responsibility Committee wants a media ombudsman who will keep an eye on both the new players in a digital media world and the established media.
DENMARK: The role of TV 2 regions must be strengthened and rethought (Press release – Danish)
Kulturministeriet: Over the past 15 years, the number of local newsrooms and printed weekly newspapers has almost halved. Areas of Denmark are at risk of becoming news deserts.
FINLAND: Result of Yle change negotiations: 309 jobs will be reduced, 156 will be made redundant (Finnish)
Yle: In September, a parliamentary working group decided on the biggest cuts in Yle’s century-old history. The funding cuts led to the largest change negotiations in the history of the media industry.
FRANCE: France’s culture minister says contested public media reform is back on track
rfi: France’s Culture Minister Rachida Dati says the controversial plan to reform the public broadcasting sector will be “completed by the summer”. Delayed several times, the proposed reorganisation has previously prompted angry strikes.
GBP: The members of the Board of Trustees of the Georgian Public Broadcaster express extreme concern over the fact that individual leaders and activists are addressing the participants of the rally as if a struggle for SAZMAU is currently underway in the country and are calling on them to gather on January 29 and win over SAZMAU, which will apparently be a strategic victory for winning re-election.
GEORGIA: Press freedom partners call for release of Mzia Amaglobeli, end to crackdown on free press
Osservatorio Balcani e caucaso: OBCT joins press freedom and human rights organizations in calling for the immediate release of Georgian journalist Amaglobeli, an end to media repression, and an investigation into her mistreatment
GERMANY: On a savings course into the digital future? (German)
Deutschlandfunk: The federal states have agreed on a reform of ARD, ZDF and Deutschlandradio. But the dispute over the broadcasting fee is still unresolved. And there are also open questions about the savings potential and the plan for digital.
GERMANY: Welcome to the trial system (German)
Frankfurter Allgemeine: The states want to do more for private media in 2025 and limit the power of digital corporations. They expect ARD and ZDF to withdraw their constitutional complaint regarding the broadcasting fee.
HUNGARY: Hír TV management dismissed union leaders
IFJ: Several journalists working for Hír TV were dismissed on 23 December 2024, just days after forming a union to enhance their working conditions.
ITALY: It’s nice to reveal the radio to the kids (Italian)
Il Giornale: Rai Radio Kids will go to schools and present the live show Big Bang Live, a performance that mixes music, technology and fun
ITALY: Rai, a commissioner for each program. The union: “They control us” (Italian)
La Stampa: «An attack on the journalistic profession; a further way to put public service information under tight control». The Rai journalists’ union raises the alarm after reading a circular from the company’s CEO announcing the commissioners for the Genres’ journalistic programs, those «that produce some of the most watched television programs on public television».
NETHERLANDS: Looking ahead to 2025: Strong together for a reliable Public Broadcaster (Blog – Dutch)
NPO: The past year has shown us once again how important a strong, reliable and connecting public broadcaster is for our society. 2025 will undoubtedly bring new challenges, but also opportunities. I would like to share our plans and challenges for the coming year.
POLAND: Jacek Kurski couldn’t take it anymore. Suddenly he started scoring points against TVP authorities (Polish)
Onet: Jacek Kurski unexpectedly spoke on platform X, where he revealed that he was “notifying the prosecutor’s office about the crime committed by the liquidator of TVP consisting in sending false notifications”.
SERBIA: Full support to journalists on strike to defend public interest
EFJ: More than 80 newsrooms in Serbia are on strike today, in response to a call from the Coalition for Media Freedom.
SERBIA: The chilling truth behind Serbia’s surveillance state
The European Correspondent: Activists and journalists are targeted in an increasingly hostile environment for freedom of expression in Serbia.
SLOVAKIA: Expelled Hlas MP Radomír Šalitroš regrets voting for the Criminal Code, the change of RTVS to STVR, and the changes to the Fund for the Support of the Arts. (Slovak)
Dennik N: “These are exactly the laws for which I had to go and retract my vote. I did it consciously, I am not shirking responsibility.”
SLOVAKIA: STVR has confirmed that presenter Matej Baránek is quitting hosting Saturday Dialogues at his own request, with the management calling it a radical step. (Slovak)
Dennik N: Baránek cited criticism from the strike committee and colleagues in connection with his weekend interview with Robert Fico as the reason. STVR management has previously defended him.
SLOVENIA: RTV Slovenia: Despite concerns about finances, it still announces some news (Slovenian)
Delo: RTV Slovenia, which is entering the new year with temporary funding, has only just received a program-business plan.
REGIONAL: Could a European Streaming Platform foster democracy and a stronger European identity? (16 January)
CMPMF: The Centre for Media Pluralism and Media Freedom (CMPF) has launched a new project to evaluate the feasibility of a European News Streaming Platform (ENSP). This AI-assisted, multilingual platform would be free and accessible to all EU citizens, aiming to enhance their access to quality, independent media.
BOLIVIA: Bolivia remembers 100 years of the Printing Law as a bastion of freedom of expression (Spanish)
Swissinfo.ch: Bolivia is commemorating this Sunday the centenary of the Printing Law, a law that has withstood the country’s political transformations, considered one of the longest-standing in the region and an instrument that protects the freedom of expression of citizens and journalists.
BRAZIL: Journalist Marcelo Auler has accounts blocked to compensate judge (Portuguese)
Conjur: Journalist Marcelo Auler had his bank accounts blocked and cleared on the 14th, after being ordered to pay compensation to judge Márcia Regina Hernandez de Lima, of the 3rd Family Court of Pinhais (PR), for texts published in 2018 on Marcelo Auler’s Blog and in Jornal do Brasil.
COLOMBIA: Colombian journalist Oscar Gomez Agudelo murdered as he arrived at his workplace (Spanish)
Swissinfo.ch: Colombian journalist and former congressman Oscar Gomez Agudelo was shot dead Friday in the central city of Armenia as he headed to the radio station where he had a morning radio show, authorities said.
ECUADOR: WPF Demands Authorities Act on Digital Threats Targeting Gisella Bayona
Women Press Freedom: This case exposes rising digital threats against journalists. Our data shows women journalists face disproportionate online harassment, often escalating into real-world dangers. Journalists must be able to work without fear of cyberattacks, impersonation, or intimidation
GUATEMALA: Progress in President Arévalo’s first year undermined by press freedom threats and Zamora case
RSF: Although his government has adopted a more open approach compared to previous administrations, the continued criminalisation of journalists and lingering corruption within the judiciary perpetuate the hostile environment for independent media.
HONDURAS: IAPA urges Honduran state institution to withdraw complaint against El Heraldo journalists (Spanish)
IAPA: The Inter American Press Association (IAPA) urged the National Emergency System 911 of Honduras to withdraw a complaint for libel against journalists from the newspaper El Heraldo and urged the state institution to avoid violating freedom of expression.
MEXICO: Armed group kidnaps journalist in the Mexican state of Veracruz (Spanish)
Swissinfo.ch: Mexican journalist Alan García Zúñiga was deprived of his liberty by a group of armed men on Wednesday in the state of Veracruz, a region considered highly dangerous for journalists.
NICARAGUA: Journalists on the verge of extinction in Nicaragua
El Pais: Ten of the country’s 15 regions lack any type of journalists, who have been expelled, persecuted, or detained by the Ortega and Murillo regime.
PERU: IRTP on approval of the First Section of the new Regulations on Organization and Functions (Spanish)
Radio Nacional: With its new Organization and Functions Regulations, the IRTP modernizes its institutional structure and optimizes its operational management.
PERU: Prime Minister Adrianzén confirmed the elimination of the IRTP Board of Directors (Spanish)
ATV: Following the update of the Regulations of Organization and Functions (ROF) of the Radio and Television Institute of Peru (IRTP) , the President of the Council of Ministers, Gustavo Adrianzén, confirmed the elimination of its Board of Directors.
GAZA: CPJ calls on EU to ensure media access and justice after Gaza ceasefire
CPJ: European Union officials and foreign ministers must seize the opportunity provided by the Gaza ceasefire at January 27’s Foreign Affairs Council meeting to ensure that a free press can prevail, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Friday.
GAZA: Saving history: These archivists’ mission to preserve social media record of war in Gaza
SBS: Archivists preserve social media posts from conflict zones — but verifying and protecting the vast quantity of dynamic content presents huge challenges for the teams that attempt it.
ISRAEL: Ministers advance bill to take control over public broadcaster’s oversight council
The Times of Israel: Communications minister has come under intense criticism for measures seen as aiming to erode the independence of Kan
SYRIA: ‘Not a mouthpiece of the regime’: Syria’s state news agency enters new era
The Guardian: Journalists and broadcasters at Sana wait for ‘actions, not words’ but look to future after fall of Assad government
SYRIA & US: Search for missing American journalist continues in Syria
VOA: Now that President Bashar al-Assad’s long rule in Syria has ended, family members and hostage aid groups are taking the search for missing journalist Austin Tice to Damascus, checking abandoned prisons for signs of the American.
REGIONAL: Union of OIC News Agencies Holds Session Presided by Djibouti
SPA: The Union of News Agencies of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (UNA-OIC) General Assembly convened its sixth session Monday via video conference, with representatives from member-state news agencies participating.
CANADA: ‘An equal seat at that table’: why Indigenous journalists have formed a new industry group
CBC: Indigenous journalists across Canada have formed a new industry group to better advocate for their needs.
CANADA: Fake CBC ads have flooded X with sketchy headlines. We looked for the source
CBC News: Ads featuring fake CBC articles have inundated the social media platform X in recent weeks. The ads are designed to lure Canadians into a sophisticated scam that uses Russian internet infrastructure, CBC News has found.
CANADA: Our own voice’: Organization supporting Indigenous journalists launches in Canada
CBC: Five veteran Indigenous journalists have launched a new organization dedicated to supporting and representing fellow First Nations, Metis and Inuit storytellers.
US: FCC reinstates complaints against ABC, CBS and NBC for 2024 election coverage
The Guardian: Before Trump appointee Brendan Carr stepped in, outgoing chair had rejected complaints as trying to ‘weaponize’ FCC
US: More Job Cuts Coming At Chicago Public Media and WBEZ
Radio Ink: Less than a year after its last layoffs and programming cuts, Chicago Public Media has announced new plans for staff reductions, affecting WBEZ and the Chicago Sun-Times. Chicago Public Media CEO Melissa Bell shared the news in a letter to donors and staff.
US: On Free Speech and Speaking Freely
Columbia Journalism Review: Yesterday, Karoline Leavitt, the new White House press secretary, appeared on Fox & Friends. She was asked whether, at her first press briefing, she would have to painstakingly consult a binder before answering reporters’ questions—a snarky reference to her Biden-era predecessor Karine Jean-Pierre.
US: Southern California Public Media Stations Collaborate to Provide Trusted, Life-Saving Information about Wildfires (Press release)
CPB: As the devastating wildfires raging across Southern California have killed dozens, destroyed tens of thousands of buildings, and forced the evacuation of more than 100,000 people, California public media stations are banding together to provide life-saving news, information, and essential resources to their audiences.
US: Trump’s vision of “free speech” comes at the expense of press freedom
RSF: Among his first official acts on returning to the White House, President Donald Trump issued an executive order “restoring freedom of speech and ending federal censorship.” Implicit in this vaguely written document: the United States is done fighting mis- and disinformation online.
The Conversation: With President Donald Trump installed for a second term, one big item on the new administration’s agenda appears to be rearranging the media landscape, undermining its journalistic critics and giving a boost to the media that have supported it during the campaign.
US: What will happen to Voice of America in Trump’s second term?
Nieman Lab: Although Trump has announced that Kari Lake will be the next VOA director, the president does not have the legal authority to unilaterally make this appointment.
Are Multi-Publisher Subscription Bundles a Good Idea?
A Media Operator: Growing the number of paid subscribers you’ve got is incredibly hard. What if you could partner with other publishers and share in that difficulty?
Climate change and news audiences report 2024: Analysis of news use and attitudes in eight countries
Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism: This report is part of an ongoing project to explore public engagement with news and information about climate change, and how people perceive, experience, and respond to its escalating impacts. The data come from an online survey of people in eight countries: Brazil, France, Germany, India, Japan, Pakistan, the UK, and the USA. The data were collected in November 2024.
Foreign media couldn’t get into Gaza, so the journalists living there recorded it for the world
CBC: Their cameras dusty, their blue press vests worn from extreme use and emotions still running high, Palestinian journalists in Gaza are still at work after rejoicing at having survived the war amid the ceasefire announced a week ago.
Freedom of expression on social media must come with responsibility (Opinion)
LSE: Freedom of expression on social media must be protected, writes Robin Mansell. But we must also protect the rights of those exposed to content that fans hate speech and misinformation.
Global Fact Check Fund awards $2 million to 20 fact-checking groups across 15 countries
Poynter: The grants support fact-checking innovation and audience engagement worldwide
Inside a network of AI-generated newsletters targeting “small town America”
Nieman Lab: Good Daily, which operates in 47 states and 355 towns and cities across the U.S., is run by one person.
Media: Generative AI, an effective tool for protecting your sources (Analysis – French)
La Croix: “Welcome to Chechnya”; “We, Youth(s) of Iran”; “In the Shadows”… These documentaries have in common the use of generative artificial intelligence, particularly “deepfake,” to protect their sources by transforming their voices or appearance. While this technique helps humanize anonymous testimonies, it further blurs the lines between truth and falsehood.
The Conversation: The way we get our news is changing fast. The latest research from the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at Oxford University shows that, around the world, news consumers are turning to Facebook, Instagram, X and TikTok rather than television, radio or newspapers.
Substack Advertising Is Turning Writers Into Part-Time Sales Reps
Wall Street Journal: Casey Lewis never thought she would sell advertising space. Now the journalist who puts out a Substack newsletter called After School is finding herself in the world of contract negotiations and rate cards as brands continually offer to sponsor her work.
The French and the media: what can be done when trust no longer reigns? (Listen – French)
Radio-France
The podcast bros who helped put Trump back in the White House (Paywall)
The Financial Times: Star presenters such as Joe Rogan and Theo Von have monetised the ‘manosphere’ and influenced politics. Will traditional media be next?
To Protect Democracy, Policymakers Must Protect Journalists from Spyware
Tech Policy.press: In a year that witnessed reports every few months of high-powered spyware tools hacking journalists’ devices in Jordan, Mexico, Turkey, India, and Togo, news of Serbia as another spyware hub capped an alarming year.
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