AFGHANISTAN: Afghanistan’s mainstream media shaken by Taliban takeover

The Print: The mainstream media in Afghanistan that had just started to get on its feet was shaken by the disruptions of 2021 – the takeover of the war-ravaged country by the Taliban.

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CHINA & HONG KONG: Chinese protests censored from Hong Kong media

Fair Planet: A rare banner reading anti-communist slogans was hung on a roadside of Beijing just before the supreme political assembly was held for the first time in five years.

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HONK KONG: Journalists’ sedition trial opens

DW: Patrick Lam and Chung Pui-Kuen are being tried under a little-used colonial era law for sedition and inciting hatred. The pair were editors at Stand News, known for its protest coverage.

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HONG KONG: Media tycoon Jimmy Lai convicted of fraud

IFJ: In the latest targeted prosecution of Jimmy Lai by Hong Kong authorities, the media tycoon and founder of Apply Daily was convicted of fraud on October 25 after a court found he violated the terms of a lease. 

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INDIA: Indian government creates body with power to order social media content takedowns

The Register: India’s government has given itself the power to compel social networks to take down content.

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INDIA: The Wire’s Statement on Seizure of Electronic Devices by Delhi Police Crime Branch

The Wire: The Wire’s editors and staffers fully cooperated but placed on record that all devices and hard disks were seized without mentioning any hash value – a unique numerical value used to ensure the integrity of the device and its data.

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INDONESIA: Cyber-attack targets independent media outlet

IFJ: Independent media outlet Konde.co was hit by a cyber-attack after publishing an article on sexual harassment within the Indonesian Ministry of Cooperatives and Small Medium Enterprises. 

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JAPAN: Japan’s Media Firms Embrace the Webtoon Phenomenon From Korea

Variety: First launched in Korea by Naver Webtoon in 2004, webtoons – comics read on smartphones and other devices – have become a worldwide phenomenon, consumed in more than 100 countries.

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KYRGYZSTAN: Kyrgyzstan Authorities Renew Attack on Media

HRW: In Kyrgyzstan, the authorities have increased efforts to control and censor mass media amid their recent crackdown on freedom of expression and civil society, Human Rights Watch said today.

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MALAYSIA: Angkasapuri Kota Media launched

New Straits Times: Malaysia now has its own media city complex, with impressive infrastructure to emulate the success of Hollywood or BBC studios.

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MYANMAR: Myanmar junta bans Irrawaddy news agency after months of harassment

Radio Free Asia: Myanmar’s junta has officially banned online news outlet The Irrawaddy and charged the outlet’s registered publisher for violating national security laws, state media reported over the weekend, following months of legal harassment.

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PAKISTAN: Radio Pakistan to launch full-fledged sports channel

Radio Pakistan: Radio Pakistan is going to launch a full-fledged sports channel to meet the demand of its listeners.

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PAKISTAN: Reporter falls to death trying to cover march

Dawn: Sadaf Naeem, a journalist covering Imran Khan’s long march for a private media outlet, was “run over” by the container of the PTI chairman after she reportedly fell off the vehicle trying to get an “exclusive interview” with the former prime minister.

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PHILIPPINES: Fighting irrelevance: Journalists hold the line against press freedom threats

Rappler: As information sources continue to grow, irrelevance and government suppression threaten to drown out credible news. 

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PHILIPPINES: Philippines becomes global case study of media repression

Rappler: The ways the Philippine government has repressed the media are part of a global trend on attacks on press freedom, legal experts said during the 2022 Reuters Trust Conference held in London on Wednesday, October 26.

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SOUTH KOREA: Yoon’s assault on South Korea’s press freedom

East Asia Forum: South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol’s tendency to avoid uncomfortable questions and attack specific media outlets undermine his promised initiatives for enhanced communication. 

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THAILAND: The Policy Committee approves the budget and the S.T.O. administration plan for the year 2023. (Press release – Thai)

Thai PBS: The Policy Committee approved the 2023 budget plan for the year 2023 with an amount of 2,840 million baht, along with a business management plan. transaction plan and organization indicators for the year 2023

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REGIONAL: ‘Environment of fear’, court convictions across Asia, and a new mandate for China’s Xi Jinping

IFEX: Pakistani journalists attacked in and out of the country, 100 days of media freedom decline in the Philippines, court convictions and harassment across the region, and the human rights implication of Xi Jinping’s re-election as China’s supreme leader.

AUSTRALIA: ABC given deadline to avoid strike action in wage negotiations

Sydney Morning Herald: Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s executives are facing pressure to improve wages by up to 6 per cent per annum or risk strike action after the national broadcaster announced it had received an $84 million boost in funding at last week’s federal budget.

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AUSTRALIA: ABC loses Doctor Who rights after BBC signs deal with Disney

The Guardian: The ABC has lost the rights to new episodes of the sci-fi series Doctor Who after the BBC signed a global deal with Disney Branded Television. 

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AUSTRALIA: Behind the scenes of the ABC’s coverage of Victoria’s floods

ABC: When natural diasters occur, the ABC scrambles to provide emergency broadcasting and deploy news crews to cover the event and keep the community informed on radio, TV and digital platforms.

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AUSTRALIA: Court dismisses bullying and unfair dismissal case against SBS (19 October) 

Sydney Morning Herald: A former SBS journalist who sued the multicultural public broadcaster to get her job back after an independent investigation found she suffered workplace harassment has had her case dismissed by the Federal Court.

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AUSTRALIA: “Creativity and community”: How SBS publishes news in 63 languages

Mediaweek: Bringing vital news to a whole country is no mean feat when you’re doing it in English. SBS faces the same challenge, but works to bring Australians news in 63 different languages. Mediaweek spoke to David Hua, director of audio and language content at SBS, about bringing information to Australians of all walks of life.

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AUSTRALIA: Journalists must be protected in police investigations. Here’s our five point plan for reform

The Conversation: Australia is now 39th in Reporters Sans Frontiers’ World Press Freedom Index, a staggering decline of 20 places since 2018. This reflects a fact acknowledged by both the Morrison and Albanese governments: Australia has a press freedom problem.

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AUSTRALIA: Opening statement to Public Works Hearing – ABC Ultimo and Parramatta (Statement)

ABC

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FIJI: Fiji academic warns over media ‘climate injustice’ in open access webinar

Asia Pacific Report: A Fiji-based academic challenged the Pacific region’s media and policymakers today over climate crisis coverage, asking whether the discriminatory style of reporting was a case of climate injustice.

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NEW ZEALAND: Local Democracy Reporting: Making a difference in the regions (12 October)

NZ On Air: We take a closer look at the LDR programme, the journalist network reporting local government issues across the motu.

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NEW ZEALAND: New Zealand prepares law to crack down on tech giants as Canadian news outlets face Meta block (Paywall)

Sydney Morning Herald: The Ardern government is preparing to introduce legislation that would force tech giants Meta and Google into commercial negotiations with New Zealand news outlets, as Australian authorities assess whether its laws aimed at supporting media companies have worked.

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REGIONAL: Journalism lacking Pacific diversity – report

Pacific Media Network: The Worlds of Journalism report shows there are fewer palagi journalists, but Pacific journalists are still a minority.

ALBANIA: Draft amendments to freedom of information law spark concern in Albania

Euractiv: The Albanian Ministry of Justice has published a proposed draft amendment to the law on the right to information sparking fears it could result in issues for the media when seeking to obtain information crucial to its work.

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BELGIUM: VRT selects LiveOS for software based studio project

Advanced Television: NetOn.Live, a media technology start-up, has announced that its LiveOS software platform has been chosen by Belgian public broadcaster VRT as the video service for its Software Based Studio Project.

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FRANCE: The Radio France platform brings together nearly 10 million unique visitors in September! (Press release – French)

Radio France: Launched at the end of 2018 and materialized by the development of the mobile application and the launch of the radiofrance.fr site, Radio France’s platformization strategy continues to bear fruit. 

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GERMANY: rbb launches new HbbTV service ‘Xplore’

Broadband TV News: Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg (rbb), the regional affiliate of German public broadcaster ARD serving federal states Berlin and Brandenburg, will accompany the crime series Polizeiruf 110 with the new HbbTV application ‘Xplore’ on October 27, 2022 for the first time.

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GERMANY: ZDF children’s news “logo!” launched with TikTok format (German – press release) 

ZDF: The ZDF children’s news program “logo!” start with an offer on TikTok : With the account “un.logo!” a format was developed that prepares news in a humorous way for young people between the ages of 13 and 16.

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GREECE: In Greece, reporters’ killings unsolved, critical journalists complain of growing threats

CPJ: In Greece, two unsolved journalist killings over the last 12 years as well as threats of violence and physical attacks against reporters have contributed to a climate of fear and self-censorship. 

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HUNGARY: Hungarian Public Media Budget Cut by Billions

Hungary Today: Even though Hungarian public media often gets criticized for being pro-government, especially when Western media outlets try to explain the result of the Hungarian parliamentary elections, they will have to tighten their belts next year. 

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IRELAND: RTÉ chairwoman accused Taoiseach of ‘deliberately undermining’ broadcaster over licence fee

Irish Times: The chairwoman of RTÉ accused the Taoiseach and his Government of “deliberately undermining” the broadcaster by not committing to reforming the TV licence system.

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ITALY: Journalists should not fear prison for their reporting

Article 19: ARTICLE 19 Europe and partner media freedom and journalist associations express shared concern over an Italian prosecutor’s request for a six-month prison sentence in a defamation case involving three journalists. 

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ITALY: Meet Italy’s New Culture Minister: Former Rai 2 News Supremo Gennaro Sangiuliano Plans To Shake Up Performance Art Funding, Challenge Political Correctness (25 October) 

Deadline: Citing 19th Century patriotic poetry and Mussolini-era writers and philosophers, the freshly appointed culture minister of Italy’s new right-wing government has promised a new era for the country’s cultural sector and revealed he wants to reform state funding for the performances arts.

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MALTA: The disgraceful Broadcasting Authority (Opinion)

The Shift: Iosif Galea was extradited to Germany by Italian authorities. Galea had been allowed to travel on holiday with Joseph Muscat by Malta’s police despite a European Arrest warrant having been issued against him.

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NETHERLANDS: Hostile political rhetoric against journalists must end

Article 19: The Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) and its partners express today their concerns about hostile rhetoric used against an independent journalist by Dutch political party Forum for Democracy (FvD). 

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NETHERLANDS: NPO to slap fine on far-right broadcaster ON! over “racist” segment; Broadcaster shocked

NL Times: The Dutch public broadcasting organization, NPO, is planning to impose a second financial sanction on Ongehoord Nederland (ON!).

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SLOVENIA: Public broadcaster’s worrying financial situation discussed

STA: The incumbent director general of RTV Slovenija and two of his predecessors discussed the situation at the public broadcaster on Wednesday evening, focussing on its financial situation and the changes the new law on RTV Slovenija will bring if it is not defeated in the November referendum.

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SLOVENIA: Public figures call for dismissal of RTV Slovenija council

STA: A number of prominent public figures have signed a petition to the National Assembly to dismiss members of the programming council of RTV Slovenija and appoint a new council in line with the relevant legislative act, proposing that the new council should dismiss the director of the television arm of the public broadcaster.

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SWEDEN: Reinforcement of SVT’s coverage of the war and the security crisis in the world (Press release – Swedish) 

SVT: In a dramatic world situation with Russian mobilization, nuclear threats and a world economy in turmoil, SVT is now strengthening its coverage with new services and cutting-edge expertise.

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SWEDEN: Sweden’s Radio in international collaboration with the podcast Vikingar (Press release – Swedish) 

Swedish Radio: The podcast series “Vikingar” is a new drama format with a documentary style. Sveriges Radio has developed the format, which will also be made in Danish, Norwegian, Icelandic and French.

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RUSSIA: Hundreds of Journalists Have Fled Russia Since Start of Ukraine War (Watch)

VOA: When Russia invaded Ukraine, Russian journalists who continued to work independently in the country came under significant pressure — so much so that many have been forced to leave. 

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RUSSIA & GERMANY: Russia’s liberal ‘Echo of Moscow’ radio returns, from Berlin

France 24:  Taken off-air shortly after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the liberal Echo of Moscow radio station has found a new home in Berlin from where it has resumed the fightback against President Vladimir Putin’s propaganda.

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RUSSIA & LITHUANIA: Russian media figure flees to Lithuania

France 24: Ksenia Sobchak, a Russian media figure and the daughter of Vladimir Putin’s mentor, has fled her country for Lithuania, border officials in Vilnius said Wednesday, after Russian news agencies reported that she had become a suspect in an extortion case.

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UK: Asian Network turns 20: ‘A safe space for British Asians’

BBC: ​​When BBC Asian Network went national 20 years ago today, it was described as being “a one-stop shop for Asian communities”.

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UK: BBC at 100: scrapping the licence fee would disrupt the whole broadcasting market

The Conversation: The BBC has been celebrating its 100th birthday this year, proudly looking back on a century of striving to inform, educate and entertain. 

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UK: BBC local radio stations face big cuts to content made for their area

The Guardian: BBC local radio stations could be left with just a handful of programmes specific to their area under proposals set to be announced this week. 

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UK: Channel 4 study unearths what gen Z really thinks about social media

The Drum: Channel 4 has commissioned a study into the beliefs and media consumption habits of gen Z, finding that a majority of youths believe social media is a net positive in their lives (and more).

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UK: DCMS to consider cost of BBC subscription model (Paywall) 

Broadcast Now: Plans to assess potential for introducing access fee due to ‘increasingly outdated’ licence fee model. 

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UK: S4C: Birthplace of SuperTed and Fireman Sam turns 40

BBC: Alex Jones, Fireman Sam, Rhys Ifans, Duffy, Ioan Gruffudd, Gethin Jones, SuperTed – all of these well-known faces have one thing in common.

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UKRAINE: ECPMF to host RE:Cover Conference on War Reporting in Ukraine

ECPMF: From 9-11 December 2022, ECPMF will host RE:Cover, a conference focusing on every aspect of war reporting in Ukraine.

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UKRAINE: “It could be an action drama with screenplay awards, but this is our life.” How the Public Broadcasting Company of Ukraine creates content with the support of the Council of Europe

Council of Europe: The Council of Europe provided the grant to the Public Broadcasting Company of Ukraine (UA:PBC) aimed at provision of assistance in technical services for enabling sustainability of UA:PBC’s operation during war and at producing journalistic materials debunking Russian disinformation, namely investigative stories about the alleged crimes of the Russian army against the civilian population of Ukraine.

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REGIONAL: EBU MEMBERS TO SHOW COMPREHENSIVE COVERAGE OF FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP 2023™

EBU: Eurovision Sport is delighted to announce a new agreement with FIFA to acquire comprehensive media rights to broadcast next year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023™ covering 28 territories on behalf of 32 EBU Members, including four radio Members.

ARGENTINA: Public media workers held an assembly in defense of information sovereignty  (20 October – Spanish)

TV Pública: Press workers from Telam, National Radio and Public Television held an assembly called by SiPreBA within the framework of Fatpren’s national day of struggle, under the slogan “defending public media is defending information sovereignty.” 

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BRAZIL: Election Disinformation in Brazil Concerns Analysts, Media

VOA: From claims of rigged polls to accusations that the presidential front-runners are cannibals or Satan worshippers, Brazil’s election has been marred by disinformation.

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CHILE: TVN held a journalism and disinformation seminar (Spanish)

24 Horas: The activity featured prominent speakers from the academic and journalistic world.

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COLOMBIA: This is the balance of the Colombian Public Media System on the radio stations of Paz (24 October – Spanish) 

PR Noticias: The peace stations are an initiative of the Colombian government after the Peace Agreement signed between the Colombian National Government and the former FARC guerrilla. Their intention is to show the reality of the communities, give them a voice and connect them with the rest of the country.

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DOMINICAN REPUBLIC: In the Dominican Republic, journalists await approval of the new Media Law (Spanish)

PR Noticias: Journalists in the Dominican Republic are currently awaiting a new media law that is under discussion, according to an IAPA report approved this Sunday during its 78th General Assembly.

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HAITI: The IAPA condemns the seventh murder of a journalist in Haiti in 2022 (Spanish)

Swissinfo.ch: The Inter-American Press Association (IAPA) condemned this Monday the death of Romelo Vilsaint in Haiti due to police shooting and asked the Haitian authorities for a thorough and expeditious investigation and punishment for those responsible.

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MEXICO: Despite Threats, Female Journalists in Mexico Vow to Continue Work (Watch)

VOA: For journalists in Mexico, verbal assaults and online harassment are on the rise, and women are a main target. But many say the attacks won’t stop them from doing their job. 

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MEXICO: Mexico is the country with the most murdered journalists and represents a serious setback, the IAPA warned at its 78th assembly (Spanish)

Infobae: Jorge Canahuati, outgoing president of the IAPA, said that the murders of journalists will exist “as long as there is impunity”.

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MEXICO: RSF and Propuesta Cívica file complaints with the UN over disappearances of journalists in Mexico

RSF: Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and its Mexican partner organisation Propuesta Cívica will lodge complaints against Mexico with the United Nations Human Rights Committee in Geneva on 2 November, the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists. 

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URUGUAY: Communicators and stations celebrate 100 years of radio in Uruguay (20 October – Spanish)

El País Uruguay: With an event and the pre-launch of the book “Uruguay al aire”, the centenary of the word-based media was celebrated.

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REGIONAL: For the IAPA, freedom of the press in America is in decline (Spanish)

Ultima Hora: Censorship, persecution, murders, but also the loss of sustainability of companies due to the pandemic and the advance of large platforms constitute a mix that weakens democracy in the Americas, which today needs more than ever a journalism that is strengthened and protected by society.

IRAN: Iran journalists demand release of jailed colleagues

DW: Dozens of journalists have been arrested during widespread protests that were triggered by the death in custody of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini.

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IRAN: RSF slams the Iranian government’s attempt to silence foreign media

RSF: Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemns attempts by the Iranian government to silence foreign media after issuing sanctions to foreign media outlets, in countries such as France, Germany and the United Kingdom. The sanctions highlight another way in which the regime continues to crackdown on free and independent media, RSF says. 

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ISRAEL: Israeli court orders left-wing party to let Channel 14 broadcast

i24 News: Israel’s High Court of Justice on Monday ruled that the left-wing Meretz party must allow the Channel 14 television station to broadcast from its party headquarters on election night.

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TURKEY: Eleven journalists arrested following raids

IFJ: On 25 October 2022, eleven journalists were arrested following raids on their homes in the cities of Ankara, Istanbul, Van, Diyarbakir, Urfa and Mardin in Turkey. 

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TURKEY: Turkey arrests 34 Egyptian journalists to accelerate normalization with Egypt: report

SCF: Turkish authorities have arrested 34 Egyptian journalists who are allegedly members of the Muslim Brotherhood in an attempt to accelerate the process of normalizing relations with Cairo, Turkish Minute reported, citing the London-based Asharq al-Awsat.

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QATAR: How Qatar Can Save Its World Cup Legacy

Foreign Policy: Media liberalization would allow journalists to report on the country’s labor reforms from within rather than imposing a jaded narrative from without.

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YEMEN: YJS reports 21 media violations against media in the third quarter of 2022

IFJ: Twenty-one media violations have been recorded in the third quarter of 2022, according to a report published by the Yemeni Journalists Syndicate, an International Federation of Journalists (IFJ)’ affiliate. 

CANADA: A fall with green ambitions (Blog)

CBC/Radio-Canada: While the leaves have changed colour this past month, our vision for the future remains green. In line with our environmental strategy Greening Our Story, our teams marked Circular Economy Month in many ways, including as partners of the Sustainable Production Forum.

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CANADA: BMW and CBC take on sustainability with new TV series (Paywall)

Media in Canada: The series, airing on Gem and YouTube, aims to showcase the automaker’s environmental principles.

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CANADA: ‘Final nail in the coffin’: Why SiriusXM dropping CBC Radio 3 is ‘potentially catastrophic’ for Canadian artists

Toronto Star: SiriusXM’s decision to drop the eclectic digital station threatens one last viable sources of income for many independent artists and record labels.

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CANADA: Introducing CBC Corner!

CBC/Radio-Canada: October is Canadian Library Month! To help spotlight the amazing work we are doing with public libraries across the country, we’re highlighting a unique digital initiative called CBC Corner! 

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CANADA: Leading Canada’s largest public broadcaster (feat. Catherine Tait) (Listen)

Toronto Star: When you begin your entrepreneurial journey, you may end up in a position you hadn’t even expected. Though Catherine Tait, President and CEO of CBC/Radio Canada, might tell you that about herself, her experiences and journey feel like it naturally led to her current role. Today, Catherine and Manjit talk about the importance of story telling and communication for people of many different voices to be heard and so much more.

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US: Change is slow, but pubcasters are ready to become anchors of local news ecosystems (Paywall)

Current: Having reviewed the sustainability, capacity, and reach of the public media system, as well as the insights generated through this assessment, we turn now to address the limitations of our analysis and weaknesses within the public media system.

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US: CPB and PBS Team Up With 24 Public Media Stations to Support Early Literacy, Critical Thinking Skills (Press release)

CPB: The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) and PBS today announced collaborations with 24 public media stations across the country to develop Learning Neighborhoods, an innovative model of community engagement designed to extend the reach and impact of Ready To Learn-funded PBS KIDS early learning resources to local communities.

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US: How WGCU rode out Hurricane Ian and maintained radio service through the thick of the storm (Paywall)

Current: When Hurricane Ian headed for the coast of southwest Florida in late September, the region’s public broadcaster girded to deliver more than just its own coverage of the storm’s impact.

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US: NPR to launch donation option for the NPR Network (Paywall)

Current: NPR will debut on its website this week an option to donate to the NPR Network, its new collaborative initiative with member stations. 

Action Plan or Inaction Plan? The fate of the world’s journalists – and our democracies – hangs in the balance 

IFEX: On the 2022 International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists, and the 10th anniversary of the UN Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists, IFEX’s Executive Director underscores the need for States to start living up to their commitments.

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Climate change: 5 ways journalists can fight disinformation (Spanish)

UN News: Drawing on the experience of UN agencies and veteran reporter Andrew Revkin, who has covered climate change for years, UN News has outlined five ways journalism can support climate action and combat disinformation.

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Decisions by Twitter’s new boss must not endanger journalism

RSF: Elon Musk has taken control of Twitter after months of provocations and hesitation that were slavishly covered in the media. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) calls on Musk to exercise the utmost caution in his restructuring of this social media company. Journalism must not be a collateral victim of his management decisions.

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How a Media Nonprofit is Supporting Local Newsrooms in Hiring Diverse Voices

VOA: At a time when newsrooms globally are under economic and other pressures, an American media initiative is helping some of them by finding staff to cover underrepresented communities.

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Impunity: IFJ demands a Convention to enhance journalists’ safety

IFJ: To mark the International Day to End Impunity for crimes committed against journalists on 2 November, the IFJ is calling on governments, journalists and media groups to support the adoption of a UN Convention on the safety and independence of journalists and other media professionals.

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Killing with impunity: Vast majority of journalists’ murderers go free

CPJ: The vast majority of killers of journalists continue to get away with murder, according to CPJ’s 2022 Global Impunity Index.

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Trust Conference 2022: seven things we learnt about press freedom and new tools

Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism: Here are a few highlights from speakers such as Joel Simon, Dmitry Muratov, Patrícia Campos Mello and Irene Khan at TRF’s flagship event.

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Twitter: What Elon Musk must do if he really wants to protect free speech

Article 19: ‘The bird is freed,’ Elon Musk announced as he finalised the acquisition of Twitter on 27 October. 

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Why we are launching the Global South Climate Database

Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism: Too many voices are missing from this crucial coverage. We aim to change this by listing 400 scientists and experts from 80 countries.