AFGHANISTAN: Five years on, women’s voices stay on air

BBC Media Action: Five years after the Taliban returned to power in Afghanistan, in a studio in Kabul, a group of women journalists are sitting around a microphone, preparing another episode of Rawayat Man (My Story).

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CHINA: In Japan’s Asian Games, China’s growing footprint — on field & behind the scenes

The Indian Express: From opening and closing ceremonies, to broadcasting of the games, to equipment in nine sports and even temporary power supply for Games operations — Chinese companies have a big role to play, even as the country’s athletes surge to the top of the medal tally.

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HONG KONG: World News Day: Why independent journalism is a lifeline for Hong Kong

HKFP: If you rely on our coverage to navigate the complexities of our city, or if you have never donated to a news outlet before, consider joining us on World News Day as a monthly/yearly donor and unlocking eight benefits.

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INDIA: Prasar Bharati expands public broadcasting footprint with WAVES OTT, MyWAVES 

Medianews4u: Prasar Bharati is extending its public broadcasting model into the digital economy with WAVES OTT and MyWAVES, building an ecosystem that combines streaming, archives, education, regional content and citizen-generated programming.

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JAPAN: Regarding the termination of NHK Radio International’s temporary transmission to the Middle East. (Press release – PDF – Japanese)

NHK: NHK’s role as an international broadcaster is to provide information to Japanese residents and travelers in Iran in response to the changing situation there.

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JAPAN: Sharing achievements and case studies for ensuring information reliability in the AI era at an international conference (Press release – PDF – Japanese)

NHK: NHK will participate in the “Media Provenance Summit Tokyo 2026,” an international conference hosted by the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) , where it will present research findings and application examples in news reporting aimed at ensuring the reliability of information in the age of generative AI.

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MYANMAR: An exiled Myanmar journalist’s story: Echoing public’s voice and resilience

Global Voices: An Exile Hub fellow shares their personal experiences and reflections

AUSTRALIA: ABC response to Ombudsman review of “Cocaine Nation” and “Meth Highway” (Statement)

ABC: The ABC Board requested the Ombudsman investigate two Four Corners programs, “Cocaine Nation”, broadcast on 22 May 2023, and “Meth Highway”, broadcast on 22 April 2024, due to concerns relating to the use of certain anonymous sources.

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AUSTRALIA: My Feed, My way 

Alt_text: Australia’s proposed “My Feed, My Way” or the Online Safety Amendment (Digital Duty of Care) Bill is a significant departure from Australia’s previous bills, and a direct challenge to how platforms dictate users’ social media feeds.

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AUSTRALIA: Review of Harm and Offence guidelines (Statement)

ABC: The ABC has completed a review of its Editorial Policies guidance on content that may cause harm or offence. 

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AUSTRALIA: Trump’s decision to ban journalists from the White House – and One Nation’s actions – shows why Australia urgently needs a media freedom bill (Opinion)

The Guardian: Australians can’t afford to be complacent – Pauline Hanson also thinks it’s OK to shut out reporters she doesn’t like

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FIJI: Government widens media reach

The Fiji Times: THE Fiji Broadcasting Corporation no longer holds an exclusive position in delivering Government-funded public service broadcasting, with the model now opened to competing media organisations.

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FIJI: Kamikamica warns media freedom could change

FBC: The Coalition  Government cannot guarantee that a future administration will maintain Fiji’s current media freedom environment.

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NEW ZEALAND: Act: We’d sell TVNZ, Paul Henry would be a ‘shoo in’ as broadcasting, media minister (Paywall)

The New Zealand Herald

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NEW ZEALAND: Government officials think scrapping the BSA is a really bad idea

The Spinoff: The media minister was warned of ‘significant potential risks to audiences and New Zealanders more broadly’ if the Broadcasting Standards Authority was disestablished. He proceeded anyway.

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NEW ZEALAND: WHAKAATA MĀORI BRINGS MĀORI STORYTELLING TO THE MOBILE GENERATION (Press release)

Whakaata Māori: Whakaata Māori breaks new ground with the launch of its first-ever commissioned vertical drama series, premiering on @maoriplus YouTube and TikTok channels from 24 September.

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REGIONAL: Pacific AI push puts people, languages and culture at the centre

PMN: Leaders want stronger safeguards around digital technology and how AI can support journalism without replacing human judgement.

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REGIONAL: Pacific media leaders demand better access to climate loss and damage information

PMN: News organisations adopt the Savusavu Declaration at the Pacific Media Summit in Fiji and back a new regional platform to help journalists work together against misinformation.

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REGIONAL: Rabuka launches new Pacific media centre amid calls for stronger journalism standards

PMN: Fiji Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka has announced the establishment of a new regional centre for journalism and communications, saying the Pacific needs stronger media networks to make sure communities across the region are heard.

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REGIONAL: Survey finds strong trust in traditional media

The Fiji Times: ESTABLISHED media organisations remain more trusted than social media during times of crisis, despite the growing use of digital platforms as a daily source of information across the Pacific.

AUSTRIA: ORF Director General asks Culture and Sport: “What if the ORF didn’t exist?” (German) 

Der Standard: Future General Clemens Pig gathers top figures from culture and sports and immediately answers: There is “no big stage” for Austrian sports and culture.

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AUSTRIA: ORF Foundation Board Chairman Lederer sees no majority for a higher ORF contribution. (German) 

ORF: Special Finance Committee of the Foundation Board in October. According to Vice President Medwenitsch, ORF faces “greatest economic challenge” in 20 years.

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BELGIUM: The CSA studied gender parity: the more the radio talks, the fewer female voices are heard. (French) 

RTBF: The latest barometer from the French Broadcasting Authority (CSA) is revealing. The more airtime radio stations dedicate to content-driven programming, the less women are heard.

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BELGIUM: VRT confirms participation in 2027 Eurovision Song Contest (Paywall) 

The Brussels Times: VRT will take part in the 2027 Eurovision Song Contest in Bulgaria, the Flemish public broadcaster announced on Wednesday after informing organiser the European Broadcasting Union.

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BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA: Prevent the shutdown of BHRT, urgent European action needed 

EFJ: The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joins its affiliate, Bosnia-Herzgovina Journalists’ Association (BHN), in warning that BHRT, Bosnia and Herzegovina’s public service broadcaster, is on the verge of shutting down, and in calling for urgent action from Bosnian and European institutions to prevent its possible collapse.

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BULGARIA: Bulgarian National Radio’s music ensembles will receive additional funding 

BNR: he Bulgarian Ministry of Finance and the Bulgarian National Radio (BNR) have agreed on an additional transfer of funds to the public broadcaster. The funding is earmarked for increasing the salaries of musicians in the BNR’s music ensembles, effective October 1, 2026.

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CATALONIA: “InfoK” celebrates 25 years with a conference on the challenge of informing children in the digital environment (Press release – Catalan) 

3Cat: The Super3 children’s news program, which has started the school year with a new format, wants to open the debate on this topic in the academic and professional world.

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CZECHIA: Czech Television Director Chudárek Defends Criticism of Reporter Moláček (Czech)

Denik: ČT director Hynek Chudárek protested against reporter Jan Moláček’s appearance on the podcast Mediální cirkus. “Responsibility for ČT lies with management, not employees who express opinions on the issue without knowledge of the entire issue and contrary to the facts,” he wrote.

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CZECH REPUBLIC: The court has finally rejected the claim of former ČT boss Souček for additional bonus payment (Czech) 

SZ: The Court of Appeal dismissed the lawsuit of the former director of Czech Television. He sought payment of a management bonus. He had previously failed in court, seeking the invalidity of his dismissal from office.

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FRANCE: French Film & TV Sectors Sound Alarm Over Cuts To State Broadcaster Budget; Say They Are At Odds With Macron’s Lumière Summit Pledges

Deadline: France’s film and TV sectors are sounding the alarm over a proposed €47M ($53M) cut in public funds for state broadcaster France Télévisions in 2027.

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GERMANY: More women in ZDF leadership positions than ever before (Press release – German)

ZDF: The number of women in leadership positions at ZDF is higher than ever before: 47.6 percent of ZDF’s managers are women. This puts ZDF significantly above the average of around 30 percent for German media companies.

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GERMANY: The use of AI tools and streaming services is increasing. (German) 

ZDF Heute: According to the new ARD/ZDF media study, the use of AI tools varies considerably depending on age. And more than half of Germans stream ARD and ZDF content.

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GERMANY: ZDF is focusing on greater accessibility in all program areas. (Press release – German) 

ZDF: The “Access 2028” roadmap includes subtitles for all new content.

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GERMANY: ZDFkultur and ARD Kultur initiate a format for social dialogue (Press release – German) 

ZDF: With a joint call for proposals, ARD and ZDF are demonstrating their commitment to collaboration in the public broadcasting sector, aiming to strengthen diversity of opinion and constructive dialogue.

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GERMANY & GREECE: Deutsche Welle reverses decision to axe Greek service 

Ekathimerini: German broadcaster Deutsche Welle (DW) has revoked its decision to close its Greek-language program. The broadcaster’s Board of Directors decided at its last meeting on Friday that a scaled back Greek service will continue to produce content and maintain a presence across all platforms.

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IRELAND: Public consultation launched on new Broadcasting Services Strategy (Press release) 

Coimisiún na Meán: Coimisiún na Meán has today (28.09.2026) launched its public consultation on a new Broadcasting Services Strategy (BSS). The Strategy aims to set out a clear direction on An Coimisiún’s approach to the licensing of radio and television broadcasting services and inform its licensing plans over a multi-year period.

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ITALY: Rai: talk of a licence fee cut resurfaces, with opposition now off the table (Italian) 

24 Ore: An amendment tabled by Forza Italia to the public service reform paves the way for a reduction in the licence fee, whilst providing for compensation from other public funds.

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ITALY: RaiPlay Scuola e Learning is born (Press release – Italian) 

Rai: Designed for a broad and diverse audience—students, teachers, families, and anyone looking to learn more, learn more, and learn more—the new RaiPlay Scuola e Learning section, online starting today, offers over 400 constantly updated titles, approximately 30 subjects, more than 100 thematic collections, 250 in-depth segments, and 10,000 videos, including programs, documentaries, series, and reports, always available.

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LITHUANIA: “Denies the essence of democracy”: LRT council criticized for member’s early vote (Lithuanian) 

LRT: The national broadcaster’s council voted late Tuesday evening to find the head of LRT guilty of misconduct. Shortly after the meeting, it emerged that four council members boycotted the vote.

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LITHUANIA: LRT and media partners invite you to choose news sources responsibly  (Lithuanian) 

LRT: In commemoration of World News Day, LRT has brought together Lithuanian national media outlets with a common goal – to remind the public of the importance of reliable and fact-based information, according to an LRT press release.

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LITHUANIA: LRT Council censures director general, she calls it ‘psychological pressure’ (Lithuanian) 

LRT: The LRT Council characterised the violation as a regular breach of duties rather than a serious one, meaning Garbačiauskaitė-Budrienė cannot be dismissed over the matter. Under the procedure adopted by the parliament earlier this year, immediate dismissal of the LRT director is possible only in cases involving a serious breach of duties.

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THE NETHERLANDS: The Netherlands will take part in Eurovision Song Contest again (Press release – Dutch) 

NPO: The Netherlands will once again take part in the Eurovision Song Contest from 2027 onwards with a Dutch participant. An independent team of experts will carefully guide the process surrounding the act. The coverage of the Eurovision Song Contest semi-finals and final will be provided by NOS.

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NORWAY: NRK expands correspondent network (Press release – Norwegian) 

NRK: NRK establishes its first case correspondent and two new correspondents in Europe and Asia.

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POLAND: English public service broadcasters join forces to promote financial education (German) 

Polskie Radio: Poland’s public service media organisations have joined forces to launch a new initiative. The aim is to promote financial and economic literacy across the country.

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ROMANIA: Attacks against journalists covering violent protest must be properly investigated 

IPI: At least three journalists suffered injuries requiring medical attention

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SERBIA: Ownership Changes Unsettle Serbia’s Critical Media Ahead of Elections (17 September) 

Balkan Insight: Fears are growing for the editorial independence of the remaining media outlets that give space to dissenting voices in Aleksandar Vucic’s Serbia, after a change of ownership not long before elections.

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SERBIA: Serbia’s government tames the press with batons and cash

Vox Europe: Press freedom in Serbia has never been in such a dire state. Political leaders are fanning the flames of hatred, the government is extending its grip on public broadcasting, attacks against journalists are multiplying, and independent media are under ever greater threats – but they are resisting.

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SLOVENIA: Accessibility means that information reaches everyone. (Press release – Slovenian) 

RTV SLO: At RTV Slovenia, we ensure accessibility through various forms of adaptations – with subtitles, Slovenian sign language, audio description and audio subtitles, and with content in an easier-to-understand language.

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SLOVENIA: Ahead of license fee referendum, RSF calls for protections to public broadcaster’s independent funding and governance 

RSF: Less than a month before Slovenians vote on abolishing the mandatory contribution that finances the public media outlet RTV Slovenija (RTV SLO), Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is warning of the importance of retaining this funding model.

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SLOVENIA: Referendum coverage on Television Slovenia, Radio Slovenia and MMC (Press release – Slovenian) 

RTV SLO: RTV Slovenia will comprehensively cover the events before the referendum vote on October 11 and on referendum Sunday on all three platforms – Television Slovenia, Radio Slovenia and MMC.

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SPAIN: RTVE strengthens its cooperation with European public media at the EBU/UER International Relations Plenary (Spanish) 

RTVE: The meeting has strengthened collaboration with other public broadcasters, opened new avenues of cooperation, and brought other European media outlets into initiatives promoted by RTVE.

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SPAIN: Urtasun defends the European Media Freedom Regulation… but it is the Government that decides what constitutes a Media Outlet (Opinion – Spanish) 

Hispanidad: The Minister of Culture, Ernest Urtasun, has assured that the Government is currently working on the implementation of the European Media Freedom Regulation (EMFA) and has warned that “it is not enough that there is no censorship” but that freedom of information requires being able “to know who is behind a media outlet”.

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SWEDEN: An important part of Sweden’s preparedness – therefore terrestrial network costs should be compensated (Blog – Swedish) 

SR: This summer, the government proposed extra funds for public service companies to cover the sharply increased costs of terrestrial network distribution. Sveriges Radio welcomes the initiative.

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SWEDEN: Some thoughts on public service, the audience and AI (Blog – Swedish) 

SR: How should public service reach the audience and maintain its mission when AI changes the media landscape?

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SWEDEN: SVT advocates full compensation for extraordinary terrestrial network costs (Blog – Swedish) 

SVT: Public service must be fully compensated for the extraordinary costs that arise when commercial operators leave the terrestrial network. This is a prerequisite for the Riksdag’s decision on the financing of public service to be upheld.

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SWITZERLAND: SRG affected by cyber incident (Press release – German) 

SRG SSR: The Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SRG) has detected a cyberattack in which unauthorized individuals accessed the data of SRF employees.

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UK: BBC ‘risks entering inescapable doom spiral’ as further cuts hit TV and radio

The Guardian: Warning from union comes as corporation cuts local specialist correspondent roles as part of plan to save £500m

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UK: BBC Sport’s digital revamp poses wider questions about purpose of the corporation (Analysis) 

The Guardian: Some staff fear digital approach will pull BBC towards commercial model built around football, leaving minority sports and older TV viewers behind

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UK: Channel 4 CEO Priya Dogra Open To Putting Shows On BBC iPlayer — Just Don’t Mention A Merger

Deadline: The Great British Bake Off could be back on the BBC one day, according to Channel 4‘s chief executive.

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UK: Some BBC channels and radio stations may well have to close, director general says

BBC: The BBC’s financial situation and changing audience habits “may well mean” some channels and radio stations have to close so resources can be invested in on-demand services, its director general has said.

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UK: TV remotes should have BBC button, corporation urges ministers (Paywall)

The Times: TV viewers should be able to access the BBC at the press of a button on their remotes, the corporation has urged ministers. 

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UKRAINE: “Under Fire: How Suspilne Is Shaping the Future with AI”: Dmytro Khilchenko’s Interview with DW Akademie (Press release) 

Suspilne: How the Ukrainian public broadcaster became one of the first in Europe to publish an AI strategy, and why it refuses to let AI publish anything, explains Dmytro Khilchenko, member of the managing board of Suspilne Ukraine, responsible for production and technology, in an interview with DW Akademie.

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UKRAINE: Working with different audiences and AI: Angelina Kariakina on key takeaways from the EBU News Committee Meeting (Press release) 

Suspilne: Reaching new audiences and working with social media, newsroom preparedness for crisis situations, and the use of artificial intelligence were among the topics discussed at a meeting of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) News Committee.

IRAN: Iran sentences two journalists as media crackdown widens

CPJ: The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Iranian authorities to overturn the convictions of two journalists sentenced on September 27, drop a new prosecution against a magazine editor, and immediately release veteran photojournalist Majid Saeedi, whose whereabouts remain unknown nearly three weeks after his arrest.

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KUWAIT & AZERBAIJAN: Azerbaijan, Kuwait discuss expanding media cooperation

Caliber: Azerbaijan and Kuwait have discussed the development of media cooperation and opportunities to expand information exchange between news agencies of the two countries, Azerbaijan’s Embassy in Kuwait has said.

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PALESTINE: Rights group says some people it classified as journalists killed in Gaza were militants

AP: The Committee to Protect Journalists said Thursday that 19 Palestinians killed by Israeli fire who it had previously identified as journalists or media workers were actually militants or participants in combat. 

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TURKEY: Türkiye blocks 93 X accounts over alleged Israeli propaganda, disinformation

Turkiye Today: Turkish authorities have blocked access to 93 accounts on the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, after determining the accounts were spreading propaganda favorable to Israel, threatening national security and running coordinated disinformation campaigns.

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YEMEN: “When I go out, I check there are no bombs under my car”: Journalists speak out about the war in Yemen

RSF: Following the Houthis’ lightning offensive along Yemen’s western coast on 9 September, journalists spoke to Reporters Without Borders (RSF) about forced displacement, threats and harassment in a country ranked 164th out of 180 countries and territories in the World Press Freedom Index, where working conditions are already severely undermined by an unstable political environment.

CANADA: CBC/Radio-Canada announces return of Hockey Night in Canada in PWHL partnership

CBC: CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada is returning for a 90th season this fall after all.

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US: Birmingham public radio station warns forced ‘Gulf of America’ use ‘threatens independence’

AL.com: A station official for WBHM in Birmingham wrote a letter to “friends and listeners” warning that the public radio station is being coerced into using “Gulf of America” instead of “Gulf of Mexico,” and that it threatens the station’s independence.

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US: Blanche defends Trump’s White House media ban: ‘It is a privilege, not a right’

The Guardian: US attorney general argues that president was ‘sick and tired’ of inaccurate reporting by CNN, MS Now and Politico

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US: IPI launches timeline monitoring threats to free media

IPI: New IPI resource documents efforts by the Trump administration to expand executive control over the U.S. media through political and market pressure

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US: In its punk moment, public media must choose between the status quo and total reinvention (Opinion) 

Editor & Publisher: It’s now been just over a year since public media was federally defunded (but not defeated). The defiance that materialized following that independence day was immediate, creative and lucrative. It also inspired reflection.

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US: Media outlets banned by Donald Trump: “We are witnessing a likely authoritarian escalation” ahead of the elections (Listen – French) 

RFI: American television viewers had to watch Donald Trump inaugurate a project close to his heart on Monday, September 21, without sound.

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US: Solidarity, Finally

CJR: In July, we gave a dart to the White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) for forging ahead with its rescheduled annual dinner. The event, ostensibly a celebration of the First Amendment, ultimately took place weeks after the Trump administration subpoenaed New York Times journalists.

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US: Station Resource Group, Public Television Major Market Group will merge

Current.org: The Station Resource Group and the Public Television Major Market Group will merge operations to create a new nonprofit that will strategize with public TV stations, radio stations and joint licensees.

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US: White House launches ‘Trump TV’ after ban on major news outlets

NPR: Days after President Trump barred reporters from three major news outlets from the White House, the administration has launched a 24/7 YouTube channel promising to put its “biggest moments all in one place.”

A lack of professional AI guidelines leads to feelings of “AI shame,” a new study finds

Nieman Lab: Are you a journalist who has used AI for work in some capacity but been nervous to tell anyone about it? Worried about how your bosses might see you, or that your work might be discredited?

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Climate disinformation as a geopolitical weapon (French) 

RFI: Climate disinformation can indeed come from various actors in the fossil fuel industry, Big Tech, or even state actors, according to a note published last May by the Defence & Climate Observatory. 

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Fact-checking isn’t just for journalists. Here are 5 reasons it’s for you, too (Opinion) 

Poynter: Fact-checking makes you a clearer communicator, a better decision-maker and a more trusted friend. A new course helps you learn how

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“Free speech vs. free press”: new book defends journalism, gives proceeds to RSF

RSF: On 25 September 2026, “Free Speech vs. Free Press?” a new book by Thibaut Bruttin, Director General of Reporters Without Borders (RSF), on journalism in the face of the cult of free speech, will be released by the French publishing company Éditions du Seuil.

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How to shape newsroom AI policies to accommodate journalists with disabilities

JournalismUK: Journalists who are disabled may need to use assistive tools to do their jobs – here’s how newsroom editors should review and approve these crucial requirements

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Is republishing content worth it? A look at SEO, user needs and syndication amid AI disruption

JournalismUK: As AI reshapes how audiences find news, republishing and syndication deals are under fresh scrutiny. We look at the SEO risks, the licensing marketplaces stepping in, and why experts warn that borrowed content is no substitute for knowing your own audience

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RSF publishes guide for journalists covering major earthquakes

RSF: Major earthquakes in different parts of the world have once again highlighted the crucial role of journalists in providing reliable information during large-scale crises. Reporters covering the recent seismic emergencies in Venezuela, Colombia and Indonesia faced major challenges, including physical risks, communication difficulties and obstacles to accessing affected areas.

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When disaster strikes, newsrooms scramble. A new website aims to help tame the chaos.

Nieman Lab: Emergency Mode for News has checklists and other tools to help journalists respond to disasters before, during, and after they happen.