Our weekly round-up of public service media related stories and headlines from around the world.

As the global Covid-19 pandemic continues and many countries enter a state of lockdown, the need for community solidarity and mutual support has never been greater. But this support requires quality, fact-checked and evidence based news and information.

With this in mind, the Public Media Alliance has compiled an extensive and growing resources featuring recommended tools, advice and sources for journalists and the public alike. The resources can be found via the link below or in the ‘Tools’ section of our website.

The resource will be frequently updated to reflect the changing needs and evolving situation. If you have any recommendations, please let us know.


We also want to hear about your local public media coverage! Email us!

As the coronavirus pandemic worsens, public media are rapidly adapting to best cover the crisis on a local level while also providing for educational needs and vulnerable groups as isolation policies are introduced.

We want to hear from our members about what you are doing to best cover the crisis on a local level. Email us using the link below.


Coronavirus: Resources & best practices

Essential resources for sourcing and reporting news about the coronavirus pandemic

What we're listening to...


How data journalists became the rock stars of news

The Media Show | BBC: Data journalists were until recently a niche part of the news industry, but the spread of coronavirus has meant their work is now regularly on the front page. How objective is data journalism and is it open to the same biases as any other type of reporting? Also, do journalists have a duty to lift the mood of the nation and look for good news stories? Or is that incompatible with journalism’s job of speaking truth to power?

What we're watching...


When the crisis came – about media reporting on the coronavirus (Swedish)

Sveriges Radio: Today, May 28, a digital breakfast seminar was organized on how media reporting has looked during the corona spring of 2020. The seminar was recorded in Radiohuset in Stockholm, this time with no audience in place and was therefore broadcast via web and social media. It is now possible to listen to the entire seminar afterwards.

Global Headlines


Click on the tab menu below to reveal the latest regional stories.

ALGERIA & FRANCE: Algeria recalls envoy to France over public TV documentaries

Al Jazeera: Move follows French TV airing documentaries on 2019 protests, one of which showed people kissing and drinking alcohol.


EGYPT: Egypt’s relentless war on journalism persists amid pandemic

The New Arab: News of the arrest of Lina Attalah, editor-in-chief of independent media outlet Mada Masr, in Cairo on 17 May triggered widespread calls for her release. 


ESWATINI: Justice Minister Misleads World Over Media Freedom in Swaziland (Comment)

Via All Africa: The Swaziland (eSwatini) Minister of Justice Pholile Shakantu misled the world when she claimed that the kingdom enjoyed media freedom, enshrined by the constitution.


ETHIOPIA: State Broadcaster Appeals for 191m Br Cash Injection

Via All Africa: The Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation has requested a 191-million-Br cash injection from the government for the payment of employees and satellite fees. The state broadcaster has been facing challenges due to declining advertisement revenue during the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.


GHANA: Corruption In The Media: How Akufo-Addo Has Almost Killed The Ghanaian Media (Opinion)

Modern Ghana: A genuine test to a well functioning democracy rest on free, fair, fearless and independent media that are committed to ensuring that the goals enshrined in the 1992 constitution are met. After the 2016 election, some media houses and particular journalists became the mouthpiece of the ruling party and the government. 


KENYA: KBC’s Purity Museo among Covid-19 heroes feted by President (Watch)

KBC: Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) news anchor and health reporter Purity Museo is among 68 Kenyans who have received the new Uzalendo presidential award for outstanding contribution in the fight against Covid-19.


LIBERIA: Two Ex-Press Union Leaders Red Flag Violations Against Journalists

FPA: Two former leaders of the Press Union of Liberia (PUL) have expressed alarm about the growing violation of freedom of speech and human rights in Liberia.


MALAWI: Malawi Court Dismisses Ban On Call-In Shows

VOA: Malawi’s Constitutional Court on Friday put a stop to a government directive banning call-in shows. The government accused broadcasters of careless and unethical coverage of protests following the disputed 2019 elections.


MALAWI: Misa Malawi Engaging Political Parties, Police On Attacks Against Journalists

MISA Malawi: MISA Malawi is concerned that journalists are increasingly becoming victims of political violence as the country prepares for the fresh Presidential Elections next month. The disturbing trend has prompted MISA to directly engage political party leaders from whom it seeks a commitment and action on ending political violence as well as commitment that they will do more in protecting journalists during and after the elections. 


NIGERIA: Broadcast Regulator Fines 3 Radio Stations Over Covid-19 Related False Claims

Broadcast Media Africa: Nigeria’s National Broadcasting Commission said it has issued specific fines to three radio broadcasting station[s] and called-out 28 others for broadcasting false and unsubstantiated content with regard Covid-19!


SOUTH AFRICA: SABC’s Durban office to open after COVID-19 scare

SABC News: The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) has confirmed that operations at its Durban office will resume on Friday after the building was shut down when a staff member was informed that he had tested positive for coronavirus.


SOUTH AFRICA: SABC Radio Stations, Ukhozi Fm, Umhlobo Wenene, Lesedi Fm And Thobela Fm Celebrate 60 Years Of Excellence In Broadcasting

SABC: The SABC’s four radio stations, Ukhozi Fm, Umhlobo Wenene Fm, Lesedi Fm and Thobela Fm are celebrating 60 years of excellence in broadcasting since their inception today. All four radio stations have successfully served the different African language groups and each has secured a spot in the top 10 of South Africa’s most popular radio stations.


ZAMBIA: PRESS STATEMENT: On The PRIME TV Status Contrary To The News Circulating On Social Media

Zambia Reports: We note with concern the fake news published by some media section suggesting that Prime Television is resuming its broadcasting on Monday next week. Note that the news circulating on social media is fake and has no grain of truth.


REGIONAL: Covid-19, Fake News Laws Being Used To Stifle Free Speech

MISA: With the ubiquity of social media, governments in Southern Africa are coming up with several regulations under the pretext of regulating the scourge of misinformation, yet they are using these laws to target dissenting voices, civil society, the media and opposition political parties.


GENERAL: BMA Briefing On: Creating Quality Local African Content For Global Audiences (Briefing)

Broadcast Media Africa: Across Africa and around the world, consumers seek quality ‘world-class’ local content! BMA recently conducted an industry-wide survey “Creating Quality Local African Content For Global Audiences”. The overriding objective of this BMA survey was to check the factors that are and will drive the telling of African’s stories in a way that makes them compelling and attractive to quality-seeking local and international audiences.

AFGHANISTAN: Afghan Journalists Demand Press Freedom Assurances in Kabul, Taliban Talks

VOA:  Press freedom needs to be a key part of the Taliban peace deal if Afghanistan wants to avoid losing nearly 20 years of improvements for the media, journalists say.


AFGHANISTAN: Afghanistan: radio classes keep marginalised communities learning during the pandemic

JRS:  “With the spread of the Coronavirus, we cannot study with our teachers and classmates – only from books, which is difficult,” says Halima, a student at Bamiyan university, Afghanistan.


BANGLADESH: Bangladesh must end persecution of journalist, say UN experts

UN OHCHR: UN experts* expressed alarm about the ongoing persecution of journalist Shafiqul Islam Kajol in Bangladesh and his previous suspected enforced disappearance. They warned that his detention and the ongoing criminal cases against him compound fears that Bangladesh is using its Digital Security Act to stifle free speech.


CHINA: More than three decades after Tiananmen, China remains press freedom’s number one enemy

RSF: As the world commemorates the 31st anniversary of the Tiananmen Square Massacre, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) calls on democracies to unite to defend freedom of the press, a fundamental right claimed by the protesters and which Beijing is now attacking on a global level.


HONG KONG: Hong Kong public broadcaster to be reviewed by gov’t amid ‘wide public concerns’

HKFP: Hong Kong’s public broadcasting service will be reviewed by the government to ensure it fully abides by the service charter and codes of practice due to “wide public concerns.”


HONG KONG: Journalists’ group condemns electoral roll rules

RTHK: The Hong Kong Journalists Association has complained to Chief Executive Carrie Lam over new rules restricting which journalists can access the electoral register, saying it is a violation of media freedom.


INDIA: We deserve a better deal: All India Radio RJs unpaid since lockdown, Prasar Bharati not yielding

Times of India: Despite Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s repeated appeals besides letters from the finance and labour ministries to not fire employees or cut their wages, about 80 radio jockeys (RJs) of public radio broadcaster All Radio Radio (AIR) or Akashvani’s flagship frequency 100.1 FM Gold say they have not been paid their salary for more than a month.


JAPAN: NHK: MC to appear in studio on information program from 27th May 

Sponichi Annex: NHK announced on the 26th that it will respond to future interviews and production in response to the cancellation of the state of emergency over the spread of new coronavirus infection.


MALAYSIA: Journalists call for media reform and greater press freedoms

IFJ: Journalists in Malaysia are concerned at increasing controls on press freedom as they advocate for much-needed reforms to protect media workers from political power changes in the country.


MALAYSIA: PEN Malaysia denounces increased use of Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 (Call out)

PEN International: PEN International denounces the increased use of Section 233 of the Communications and Multimedia Act (CMA) in recent weeks to target writers and members of the public for expressing their views on social media and in the press.


MONGOLIA: RSF calls for media reform to tackle corruption (Callout)

RSF: Reporters Without Borders (RSF) calls on the Mongolian political parties and the candidates to the coming legislative election to voice their commitment to support newsroom independence as the best way to tackle corruption.


MYANMAR: Press freedom in Myanmar regresses

Deutsche Welle: Increased arrests of journalists, the partial shutdown of the Internet and the increasing blocking of websites show that the liberalisation of Myanmar’s press is in danger.


PAKISTAN: Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman detention: Protest continues despite Eid holidays, hot weather

The News: The protest against illegal detention of Jang/Geo Editor-in-Chief Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman continued despite Eid holidays and sizzling heat in the city.


PAKISTAN: Protests demanding MSR’s release continue across Pakistan

Geo News: Protests against the arrest of Jang/Geo Media Group Editor-in-Chief Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman continued on Sunday as scores of media workers and members of the trade and media union protested against his incarceration. 


PHILIPPINES: Advocacy groups call for the immediate renewal of ABS-CBN

IFJ: The International Federation of Journalists joins 63 global media unions and advocacy groups denouncing the Philippines government’s closure of the country’s largest broadcaster, ABS-CBN. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) urges the Philippines government to ensure the timely restoration of ABS-CBN’s broadcast.


PHILIPPINES: Duterte certifies as urgent anti-terrorism bill feared to clamp down on basic rights

Rappler: Security officials want the controversial law passed before Congress adjourns on June 5.


PHILIPPINES:Terror Bill’ threatens freedom and basic rights

IFJ: Lawmakers have approved the Human Security Act or new anti-terrorism law, giving the government more power to restrict dissent. 

AUSTRALIA: ABC commits $3 million from Fresh Start Fund to support Australian creatives during COVID-19

ABC: The ABC has committed more than $3 million to date from its Fresh Start Fund to help kickstart Australian productions and content ideas during the COVID-19 pandemic.


AUSTRALIA: ABC stands by ‘Life’ website amid internal staff tensions

The Sydney Morning Herald: A Twitter feud among journalists is not unusual and rarely interesting. But a recent spat about the ABC Life website betrays ongoing tensions within the public broadcaster about its controversial foray into digital lifestyle content. 


AUSTRALIA: Australian media companies face defamation liability for comments on Facebook after court dismisses appeal

The Guardian: NSW court of appeal upholds ruling in Dylan Voller case that media companies can be held responsible for defamatory comments under stories they post on Facebook.


AUSTRALIA: Australians turn to the ABC during bushfires crisis

ABC: Australians turned to the ABC in record numbers during Australia’s bushfire crisis. Independent research* commissioned by the ABC showed that not only was the national broadcaster the most trusted information source but lives were saved as a result of people acting on information the ABC provided.


AUSTRALIA: News Corp cuts are a massive blow to communities – MEAA

MEAA: MEAA, the union for Australia’s journalists, says the closure of mastheads and the job losses announced by News Corp Australia this morning represent a huge loss for communities in regional and suburban Australia.


AUSTRALIA: The rot in Australian media is already advanced. We need to understand the damage wrought in 2020

The Guardian: What happens when local news disappears, and entire communities are left without newsrooms? A bloom of misinformation, fertilised by social media


AUSTRALIA & US: Australian journalists assaulted as police clear George Floyd protestors outside White House

ABC News: Prime Minister Scott Morrison has instructed Australia’s embassy in the US to investigate after two Australian journalists were assaulted by police during a protest outside the White House.


FIJI: Free-to-air Education Channel scheduled to start next week

FBC News: The Education Ministry is working to soften the negative impacts on the children’s education who are staying home due to COVID-19. Minister for Education Rosy Akbar says the free-to-air Education Channel on the Walesi platform is scheduled to start on Monday through which the curriculum-based lessons will be aired.


NEW ZEALAND: Funding boost is music to the ears of musicians and fans

NZ On Air: As NZ Music Month edges to a close New Zealand’s musicians have reason to celebrate with government funding to NZ On Air for supporting local music creation to more than double for the next two years.


NEW ZEALAND: $1 deal paves the way for staff stake in Stuff

RNZ: This week the CEO of this country’s biggest news producer – Stuff – pulled off a $1 deal to take the company off the hands of Aussie owners who didn’t want it. She says she wants Stuff’s staff to take a stake in it under her new management. Sounds like a nice idea – but how might that work?


NIUE: Radio Sunshine rises over Niue

RNZ: Niue’s public broadcaster has managed to get most of its services back on air only a week after its studios were gutted by fire.


SOLOMON ISLANDS: Police investigate social justice commentator

Pacific Media Watch: Solomon Islands police are investigating several people, including prominent female development and social justice commentator Wendy Amangongo, for recent articles published in print and social media.


REGIONAL: Australian ‘soft power’ push in Pacific with $17m free TV deal misses mark (Editorial)

Asia Pacific Report: Homegrown Australian television shows to the tune of $17.1 million will be broadcast in the Pacific in a bid believed intended to stymie China’s diplomatic and media rise in the region.


REGIONAL: Pacific audiences turn to the ABC during COVID-19

ABC: Just as Australian audiences have looked to the ABC during the COVID-19 crisis for news, information and entertainment, audiences in the Pacific have relied on ABC programming in recent months to stay informed about coronavirus.

AUSTRIA: ORF boss Wrabetz wants to use the digital area “much more” (German)

Der Standard: For ORF Director General Alexander Wrabetz, one finding from the corona crisis is that ORF must use the digital area “much more”. “If we want to reach the population comprehensively, then we have to be active on a large scale and with new formats, in the digital and social media sectors,” he said on the presentation of the public value report on Tuesday evening.


BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA: Bringing reliable information during COVID-19 is a joint effort in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Free Press Unlimited: Journalists in Bosnia and Herzegovina have been facing many challenges since the start of the pandemic. They have been prevented from attending press conferences, attacked by policemen and are facing huge financial losses. However, they are finding support from unexpected places, and continue to have a strong ally in the journalists’ association, BH Novinari.


CZECH REPUBLIC: Follow Up to Request to Preserve Freedom and Independence of Public Service TV (Letter)

ECPMF


ESTONIA: ETV’s summer program will be playful and versatile (Estonian)

ERR: ETV will launch the summer program with a special program for Child Protection Day on Monday, June 1. 


FINLAND: Yle is trying to distribute regional news coverage on the website of the local newspaper Ylä-Satakunta (Finnish)

Yle: Yle and Ylä-Satakunta have agreed on a co-operation experiment, in which Yle’s regional news content will be available on Ylä-Satakunta’s digital distribution platforms.Yle hopes that the experiment will lead to a broader cooperation model with local media.


FRANCE: Sibyle Veil announces that Radio France will adjust the social aspect at the start of the school year (French – Paywall)

Le Figaro: The pandemic has changed everything within Radio France. While management and unions discussed the plan to break collective agreement providing for the elimination of 299 jobs (and 76 job creations in parallel), the crisis has reshuffled the cards. The president of the group gives herself the summer to modify the balances of her departure plan.


FRANCE: “Strengthening our public utility in times of crisis” (French)

Mind News: Marianne Siproudhis, director general of France Télévisions Publicité, highlights the social bond that the group’s channels create in times of crisis and their contribution to economic recovery. 


GERMANY: 40 exclusive stories: ARD cultural radios support authors (German)

ARD: The corona crisis also affects literature: by eliminating readings, writers lose an important opportunity to bring their work closer to the public.


GERMANY: Buhrow: “No tactical considerations” when choosing a location (German)

Deutschlandfunk: The public broadcasters are planning a new cultural portal – based in Halle. ARD chairman Tom Buhrow sees no connection between the choice of location and the debate about the broadcasting fee. 


HUNGARY: COVID Pandemic Adds to Pressure on Hungarian Media

VOA: When the coronavirus pandemic came to Hungary in March, media freedom in the country was already on life support. The consolidation of news organizations into the hands of a few government allies, and financial pressure placed on independent outlets, had led to a degree of media control described by Reporters Without Borders as “unprecedented” in the European Union.


HUNGARY: Ending Hungary’s State of Emergency Won’t End Authoritarianism

HRW: Following international outrage, the Hungarian government’s announcement to revoke the rule-by-decree and state of emergency law this week at first glance seems a positive step.


LATVIA: The coalition has not yet agreed on the equipment of Latvian Television (Latvian)

LSM: One of the main technological equipment of Latvian Television (LTV) is the program release complex or PIK for short. It is a device that ensures that messages, programs and other content reach the screens in the format you normally see. If this device went awry, you would only see a black screen. LTV PIK is so outdated that such a possibility is becoming more and more real. This was also discussed at the co-operation meeting of the parties forming the government on Monday, June 1.


SPAIN: Journalists attacked during far-right protests in Spain

RSF: Journalists were aggressed, harassed and insulted as flag-waving Vox supporters drove through several Spanish cities in cars and on motorcycles on 23 May in protest against the way Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s centre-left government has been handling the coronavirus crisis.


SPAIN: Management announces to unions that territorial information in RTVE is guaranteed (Spanish)

RTVE: The management ensures that the territorial information in RTVE is guaranteed. The managers of the corporation have detailed in the meeting of the Intercenter Committee held today the new offer of the territorial news, that they will not see reduced broadcast times, but will be redistributed between the different time zones.


SPAIN: RTVE donates 60,000 euros obtained in prizes for research on the coronavirus (Spanish)

RTVE: RTVE has decided to donate 60,000 euros obtained by twelve awards to different television programs to a project of the CSIC (Higher Council for Scientific Research) related to Covid-19 research. The selected study will investigate the reasons that have facilitated the spread of the disease in nursing homes and will allow adopting measures that reduce the risk of contagion.


SWITZERLAND: Radiotelevisione Svizzera RSI starts the management’s successor process (German)

SRG SSR: Maurizio Canetta, Director of Radiotelevisione Svizzera RSI and member of the SRG Executive Board, has announced his retirement for the first half of the coming year. The SRG initiates an orderly procedure for the succession plan.


UK: BBC exploring BBC Four global subscription service plan

Digital TV Europe: The UK’s BBC is “exploring potential commercial opportunities” around turning its culture-skewing channel BBC Four into a global subscription service.


UK: BBC freelancers without coronavirus financial aid seek help

The Guardian: Contractors not eligible for self-employed schemes or furlough write to Rishi Sunak.


UK: BBC local news programming in balance due to budget cuts

The Guardian: The BBC is looking to cut its local news output across England in order to reduce costs, with both the award-winning Inside Out series of investigative programmes and regional political debate shows potentially facing the chop.


UK: The idea of a national Open School is an excellent one. The BBC is ready to make it happen

The Guardian: A Guardian article set out a plan to revitalise schooling after the pandemic. The BBC wants to take a lead, writes its director general.


REGIONAL: Covid-19 support for Nordic media – a list of political measures

Nordicom: Since late March, Nordic politicians have launched targeted support measures for the Nordic media industry struck by the Covid-19 crisis. Below we list the measures country by country. The overview will be updated and republished if, and when, it becomes relevant.


REGIONAL: News on public service – week 22 (Swedish)

Nordvision: Yle’s new strategy focuses on meaning and direction, DR’s marketing was rewarded European, and the BBC should give the younger ones more value. This, among other things, we have noticed this week.


GENERAL: Controlling the message, attacking the messengers and a “make or break” moment for LGBTQI+ rights

IFEX: May in Europe and Central Asia: A round up by IFEX’s Regional Editor Cathal Sheerin of key free expression news, based on IFEX member reports and news from the region.

ARGENTINA: Coronavirus in Argentina: journalism and the media, more necessary than ever, according to ADEPA (Spanish) 

Clarin: “The Covid-19 pandemic is the event with the largest journalistic coverage in history. No other event had the number of hours, images and lines of text dedicated to testifying and analyzing a phenomenon that affects all the inhabitants of the planet. Journalism and the media are more necessary today than ever, ”said the report by the ADEPA Press Freedom Commission…


BRAZIL: Brazilian media stop going to “dangerous” presidential press conferences

RSF: Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemns the increasing aggressiveness of President Jair Bolsonaro’s supporters towards journalists attending his press conferences, which has led many media outlets to announce that they will cease to go for the time being. 


BRAZIL: Censorship leads to dismissal of PRF-PR chief of communication (Portuguese)

FENAJ: FENAJ endorses Sindijor PR’s complaint about censorship suffered by journalist Fernando César Oliveira and sympathizes with the professional.The control of public information, established by the Bolsonaro government, is putting the lives of the Brazilian population at risk. Not only is there censorship regarding the official data of the Federal Highway Police (PRF), but the government is silent who, at the very least, passes on information specific to the corporation.


 BRAZIL: Hunger, Lack of Income and Misinformation Hamper Fighting the Virus, Community Leaders Say

Folha de S. Paulo: Hunger, lack of income, and misinformation contribute decisively to the failure to comply with isolation measures adopted to contain the coronavirus in impoverished areas of the country’s largest cities, according to a survey conducted with community leaders from six metropolitan regions.


COLOMBIA: In Colombia, a shipping container on wheels brings a roving reporting workshop to news deserts

CPJ: Can the key to ending news blackouts in isolated areas of Colombia come from inside a shipping container? The Bogotá-based Foundation for Press Freedom (FLIP) thinks so. In an experiment to turn community activists into reporters in regions that lack local news outlets, FLIP has converted a shipping container into a roving journalism classroom.


EL SALVADOR: President Bukele attacks journalists from El Faro and Factum again

APES: President of the Republic, Nayib Bukele, verbally attacked journalists from El Faro and Factum during a press conference on Sunday, May 31.


HAITI: Battle for Press Freedom in Haiti (Watch)

VOA: In Haiti, journalists investigating wrongdoing and corruption face intimidation and violence.


MEXICO: Mexican reporter’s car firebombed in Sonora state

CPJ: On May 27, at about 11:30 p.m., unknown assailants set fire to journalist Marco Antonio Duarte Vargas’ car at his home in Ciudad Obregón, in the northern state of Sonora, according to news reports. Duarte, the founder and editor of the online news outlet Ciudad Obregón Sin Censura, told CPJ in a phone interview that the car was damaged but no one was injured in the attack.


PERU: Peru: at least 20 journalists died from Covid-19 as they covered pandemic

The Guardian: At least 20 journalists have died from Covid-19 in Peru as reporters, photographers and camera operators raced to cover the pandemic’s spread through the country, often without protective equipment.


TRINIDAD: Newsday lays off senior reporters

Trinidad Guardian: As private companies fall victim to the economic fallout resulting from COVID-19, several permanent members of the editorial staff at Daily News Limited (Newsday) have been temporarily laid off.


TRINIDAD: PM lashes out at media

Trinidad Express: Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley has accused media houses of “harassing people with lies”, saying yesterday media in Trinidad and Tobago were not independent but instead “have interests to protect”.


TRINIDAD:  ‘We are committed to fearless accurate, independent journalism’

Trinidad Express: One Caribbean Media (OCM) will continue to be committed to accurate, fearless and independent journalism that will never be compromised, according to chief executive officer Dawn Thomas.


GENERAL: Unnecessary, disproportionate and widespread: The normalization of surveillance in Colombia and Latin America 

IFEX: An investigation has revealed a list of 130 individuals subjected to profiling by the Colombian military, including 30 journalists – among them correspondents for the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, NPR, and a National Geographic photographer, all US citizens. 


REGIONAL: Experts discuss freedom of expression during COVID-19 during Knight Center, UNESCO and Rapporteur webinar (Watch)

Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas: With the participation of at least 300 people, the webinar “Legal challenges for the protection of freedom of expression in times of COVID-19” was organized by the Knight Center, UNESCO and the Special Rapporteurship for Freedom of Expression of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.

IRAN: Iran admits at least 200 protesters killed in November crackdown 

Al-Monitor: Iran’s interior minister has acknowledged that “sad things happened” during the unrest last year.


PALESTINE: Calls for Red Cross to stop Israel’s torture of detained journalists

Middle East Monitor: The Palestinian Journalist Support Committee (SJC) appealed to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and human rights groups to immediately intervene and stop Israel’s crimes and violations against detained journalists.


SAUDI ARABIA: Saudi activists: Khashoggi murder case ‘political, not personal’

Al Jazeera: Saudi activists say perpetrators in homicide cases cannot be pardoned and reaffirm Jamal Khashoggi’s case as political.


TURKEY: Turkey’s presidential communications director targets journalists in court

Free Turkey Journalists: In the latest case, Fahrettin Altun launches criminal complaints against journalists over report on suspicious land dealings


TURKEY & RUSSIA: Erdogan vs. Putin in battle over fake news

Arab News: Relations between Turkey and Russia have reached a new low with Ankara’s launch of a Russian-language TV channel and social media account to fight “fake news” from Moscow. The official aim of the new digital platform is “battling disinformation and manipulation.”


YEMEN: The Five-Year Detention of Yemeni Journalists Tops June Ranking Of One Free Press Coalition’s “10 Most Urgent” Press Freedom Cases

One Free Press Coalition: Yemini journalists, who’ve been held in prison for five years and sentenced to death, top the June ranking of the One Free Press Coalition’s “10 Most Urgent” list of press freedom cases.


REGIONAL: Qatar blockade: Saudi-led disinformation war is the tip of the iceberg

Middle East Eye: The past three years tell us that the worst is yet to come, as the crisis created a febrile environment for disinformation in the region.

CANADA: A free press is no luxury: Time for Canada to recognize press freedom as more than free expression

Ricochet: The Canadian news media is facing an existential threat that, unlike fake news or the rise of social media — or indeed the shuttering of entire publications — is flying under the radar. The conflation of freedom of expression and freedom of the press, while seemingly innocuous, is imperilling the very existence of our news media.


CANADA: CBC announces new fall TV series, returning favourites

Canada.com: At a time when TV networks are wracked with uncertainty, thanks to production shutdowns amid the coronavirus pandemic, CBC is forging ahead with a schedule for the 2020-2021 season.


CANADA: CBC/Radio-Canada celebrates 68 wins at the 2020 Canadian Screen Awards

CBC/Radio-Canada: CBC/Radio-Canada and its production partners were recognized with 68 Canadian Screen Awards from the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television at this week’s series of virtual presentations. 


CANADA: Journalism is more important than ever — and we can’t let the pandemic destroy the industry (Essay)

CBC Arts: Matthew Hays has seen his field jeopardized time and time again, and it’s facing another threat now.


CANADA: Media Technology Monitor spring data analyzes the impact of COVID-19 on Canadian media habits

CBC/Radio-Canada: The Media Technology Monitor (MTM), a research product of CBC/Radio-Canada, today announced the release of its latest Sneak Peek Report. With Canadians altering their daily activities during the time of a global pandemic, the report provides trend information on their technology use and communication patterns during COVID-19. It is based on 4,000 online Canadians.


CANADA: News Photographers Association of Canada Reacts to Press Freedom Violations 

Via Cision: Members of the News Photographers Association of Canada (NPAC) are extremely dismayed over numerous press freedom violations occurring across the United States in recent days. The organization urges law authorities in the United States to instruct their police officers and agencies not to target photojournalists and their colleagues who are doing their jobs in documenting protests.


US: After arrest of CNN crew covering Minnesota protests, RSF calls on US police departments to revisit press protections 

RSF: Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is appalled by the arrest of a CNN crew on the morning of May 29 during protests in Minneapolis. This is in violation of the First Amendment rights of these journalists, and authorities must ensure such unconstitutional actions are not repeated.


US: CPJ condemns targeting of journalists covering protests across the U.S. 

CPJ


US: DW team confronted by Minneapolis police during nighttime curfew

Deutsche Welle: A DW reporter and his camera operator have been shot at with projectiles by Minneapolis police and threatened with arrest. Reporter Stefan Simons confirmed with “absolute” certainty that the shot was fired by officers behind him as he was preparing to go live on air.


US: Journalists covering protests face assault and arrest

CNN: From Minneapolis to Washington DC, from Louisville to Las Vegas, reporters are facing assault and arrest while reporting on widespread protests and unrest.


US: Police targeted journalists covering the George Floyd protests

Vox: Though police were responsible for most of the violence, some protesters got in on the act too.


US: Public media reporters arrested, face attacks from police while covering protests (Paywall)

Current: Public media journalists are sharing details of incidents from the weekend’s protests against police violence in which officers attacked them with pepper spray, rubber bullets and other aggressive measures.


US: Twitter and Facebook diverge on the fight against infox (French)

RFI: A new escalation in the battle between Donald Trump and the digital giants, especially Twitter. The President followed through on Thursday May 29 with the signing of a decree to change the status of content hosts, in retaliation for what he sees as censorship by Twitter against him.


US: US attack on press freedom gains supporters

DW: The violence, hate and mockery aimed at the media in the United States reflect how freedom of the press is being eroded. Donald Trump’s anti-media strategy is also finding imitators in other Western democratic states.


US: U.S. police have attacked journalists more than 100 times in the past four days

Nieman Lab: As Black Lives Matter protests spread across the country one week after a white police officer allegedly murdered a black man, George Floyd, it’s becoming clear that attacks by police on journalists are becoming a widespread pattern, not one-off incidents


US: U.S. Press Freedom Tracker (Resource)

CPJ: CPJ and the Freedom of the Press Foundation, in collaboration with other press freedom groups, lead this nonpartisan website on the number of press freedom violation in the United States.


GENERAL: Trump signs executive order to narrow protections for social media platforms

The Guardian: Move comes amid president’s feud with Twitter after it factchecked him for the first time.

23 guidelines for journalists to safely cover protests (Resource)

Poynter


As U.S. Journalists Endure Assault And Arrests During Protests, Media Coalition Releases List Of ‘10 Most Urgent’ Press Freedom Cases Worldwide 

Forbes: Law enforcement officials have arrested and deliberately targeted journalists with rubber bullets, tear gas and pepper spray during recent protests held across the United States. These members of the press have been reporting on the protests, unrest and violence following the death of George Floyd caused by a Minneapolis police officer and more generally racism and injustice exhibited against the African American community.


Attacks on media covering the protests are simply following the president’s rhetoric (Opinion)

Poynter: Police brutality. Racial injustice. Storefronts burning. More than 100,000 dead from the coronavirus. Massive unemployment. A country in complete disarray. You would think President Donald Trump had enough concerns to deal with, and yet his attention Sunday afternoon was on … the media?


Broadcast Continuity in a Pandemic

Radioworld: Engineers shared ideas about workflows during a special TWiRT episode


EBU promotes media execs

Digital TV Europe: Public broadcaster organisation the EBU has made two senior internal promotions within the management team of its media department.


Global coronavirus crisis highlights role of public service media

Pacific Media Watch: International public service media from G-7 countries have reported “strong audience increases” since the covid-19 pandemic, which they interpret as a show of confidence for the “reliable and independent information” they deliver on multiple communication platforms, in a variety of languages, on all continents.


How the free press worldwide is under threat

The Guardian: From Mexico to Malta, attacks on journalists and publishers have proved deadly to individuals and chilling to broader freedoms. And now Covid-19 is being used as an excuse to silence more voices.


Journalists, attacked by police and rioters alike, must build local bridges

CJR: In six days and nights of protests across America in response to the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis police custody, journalists have been assaulted, harassed, pepper sprayed, shot with rubber bullets, and arrested on live TV. 


#Scumedia? There may be problems with journalism – but we need it more than ever (Opinion)

The Guardian: The political and media classes have been way too close for way too long, but YouTube and 5G conspiracies are no replacement for good reporting


The bad news quietly buried during the pandemic

CJR: With the world’s attention glued to the coronavirus pandemic, news about anything else has been slipping farther and farther down the proverbial front page. But that doesn’t mean nothing’s been going on. Whether by design or coincidence, politicians and others are taking cover under coronavirus news to move forward on their plans—and with so much to say about the pandemic, journalists have been letting slide what might otherwise land above the fold.


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Header Image: A young man using a professional camcorder outdoor. Credit: porpeller/iStock