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

Yesterday was the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists. With a globally significant election taking place, it’s a good time to remind ourselves that journalists, including those who work for public media organisations, play an essential role in democratic society.

Increasingly portrayed as ‘enemies of the people’, they are not working to divide societies but to investigate, enlighten, inform and to ensure accountability from those in power. That is their job, their profession and let no one talk us down from that understanding.

The PMA Team


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ALGERIA: Put real press freedom at “new Algeria’s” centre, RSF says

RSF: On the eve of a constitutional referendum in Algeria, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) calls on the country’s authorities to adopt the measures that are needed to ensure that the “new Algeria” sought by President Abdelmajid Tebboune is accompanied by real progress as regards press freedom.


BENIN: Jailing of Benin investigative journalist broke international law, UN body finds

ICIJ: Ignace Sossou spent six months in prison for tweeting about an official speech.


GHANA: Sorting out fact from fiction when it comes to the safety of Ghana’s media practitioners (Opinion)

The Conversation: The ability of the media to function effectively is inseparable from democracy. And that functioning depends on cooperation from different entities in society. So a clampdown on media practitioners is an assault on democracy.


GUINEA BISSAU: New Government, Old Repressive Attitude towards the Media

MFWA: Freedom of the press and of expression received some impetus with the advent of democracy in 1994 when the first presidential elections were held with General Joao Bernardo Vieira emerging victorious.


IVORY COAST: RSF’s recommendations for protecting press freedom during Côte d’Ivoire’s elections

RSF: On the eve of a presidential election in Côte d’Ivoire on 31 October and amid many threats to journalists, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is publishing its recommendations for making it easier and safer for journalists covering the elections in the field.


KENYA: 73pc of female journalists likely to experience sexual harassment: MCK study

Citizen: 73 percent of female journalists are highly likely to experience sexual harassment during assignments, a new study from the Media Council of Kenya (MCK) has found.


MOZAMBIQUE: Mozambican State Fails to Protect Journalists, Misa Accuses

Via All Africa: The Mozambican state is failing to protect journalists, and takes no measures against those who threaten and assault the media, accused the Mozambican chapter of the regional press freedom body, MISA (Media Institute of Southern Africa).


NAMIBIA: Geingob Claims ‘Unfair’ NBC Swapo Coverage

The Namibian: President Hage Geingob has accused state broadcaster the Namibia Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) of allocating more airtime to opposition parties to attack Swapo in the run up to the regional council and local authority elections.


NAMIBIA: Nam journalists to stand in solidarity against impunity

The Namibian: As Namibian journalists stand in solidarity with colleagues globally on the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists in Windhoek today, the Editors’ Forum of Namibia (EFN) and the Namibia Media Trust (NMT) have called on the United Nations (UN) to “protect the guardians of truth”.


NIGERIA: Lai Mohammed Condemns Attack On Media, Says FG Will Protect Press Freedom

Channels TV: The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed has condemned the recent attack on some media houses.


NIGERIA: Spread of Fake News Raises Censorship Fears in Nigeria

All Africa: The Nigerian government has made regulating social media its priority, blaming it for the spread of ‘fake news’ which it says, can destroy the country if left unchecked. 


SIERRA LEONE: New Dawn for Sierra Leone’s Media as President Assents New Law Repealing Criminal Libel

MFWA: What has for decades seemed impossible for the media and journalism in the West African nation of Sierra Leone has finally become a pulsating reality as President Julius Maada Bio on October 28, 2020 officially assented a new law that repeals Criminal Libel.


SOUTH AFRICA: SABC calls on public to submit comments on TV licence fee debate

SABC News: The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) has called on the public to submit their comments to government on the draft White Paper on Audio and Audio-visual Content Services.


SOUTH AFRICA: SABC Issues Request For Information (RFI) For OTT Media Streaming Platform

Broadcast Media Africa: Following our reporting that the South Africa Broadcasting Corporation is set to launch its own streaming platform early next year, the organisation have now issued an official Request for Information (RFI) document for the service.


SOUTH AFRICA: SABC wants to make radical changes – including more money from TV licences and easy access to sports rights

Business Tech: The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) plans to make a number of submissions on [the] government’s new white paper for content services in South Africa, with the national broadcasting considering a number of changes to TV licences and broadcast rules.


TANZANIA: Tanzania restricts social media during election

Deutsche Welle: A day after millions of voters cast their ballots in Tanzania’s general election, users and watchdogs in the digital space are reporting that authorities are blocking access to WhatsApp and Twitter.


GENERAL: Situation of journalists in Africa has worsened with Covid-19 restrictions

RFI: On 2 November, International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists, there are concerns that cases of physical attack and harassment of media representatives in several African countries have increased since Covid-19 lockdown measures came into force. 

AFGHANISTAN: Journalists Still Face Threats in Afghanistan

MENAFN: The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) in its annual global impunity index has put Afghanistan in the fifth row among 12 countries where journalists are singled out for murder and their killers go free.


BANGLADESH: PM’s Commitment to Free Press: The real test is in practice (Opinion)

The Daily Star: Nothing could please us more than to hear Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina reiterate her commitment to the freedom of the press and democracy. But does it match with how the Digital Security Act operates, especially against journalists?


HONG KONG: Hong Kong TV journalist arrested ‘over report on police misconduct’ 

The Guardian: Hong Kong police have arrested a journalist at a public broadcaster, reportedly in relation to a documentary about the 2019 Yuen Long incident, when police were accused of standing by as armed thugs attacked commuters.


HONG KONG: Security law: Why staff at Hong Kong’s public broadcaster may face a choice between editorial independence and allegiance to the gov’t

HKFP: Civil servants at Hong Kong public broadcaster RTHK will be among those required to pledge allegiance to the Hong Kong government if they are recent recruits, or in line for promotion. But veteran programming staff have told HKFP that the pledge would constitute a “practical deterrence” on editorial decisions. 


KASHMIR: Evictions Are Latest Obstacle for Kashmir’s Embattled Press

VOA: In its 66-year history, the Kashmir Times has weathered many attempts to block its reporting: pressure by militants, withdrawal of state advertising, even people setting fire to stacks of the paper in the street. Its latest hurdle: eviction from the newspaper’s Srinagar offices.


NEPAL: FNJ submitted a 13-point letter of recommendation to the finance minister on the rights and interests of journalists and freedom of press

FNJ: Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Poudel has said that he will move forward by cooperating with Nepali journalists and media. In a meeting with the officials of the Federation of Nepali Journalists at the Ministry of Finance today, Finance Minister Poudel said that the government would move forward by providing encouragement, cooperation and exchange of support to the media and journalists.


PAKISTAN: Media workers demand release of Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman

The News International: The media workers on Saturday continued the protest against the arrest of the Jang/Geo Group Editor-in-Chief Mir Shakil-ur-Rahman and demanded his release forthwith.


PHILIPPINES: For Filipino Journalists, Local Politics Can Be a Dangerous Beat 

VOA News: The phone calls came to his newsroom and his home. The person on the line told whoever answered that Joe Torres should “take care.” But the threats didn’t stop there. Armed men would follow the veteran Filipino journalist and “really show themselves.” Once, someone fired shots outside Torres’ house.


SOUTH KOREA: ‘Better Life, Safe Korea’ : KBS to Lead New National Safety Initiative (Press Release)

KBS: KBS has declared to serve as the nation’ most trusted Public Service Media, which is dedicated to creating ‘Safe Korea’.  


THAILAND: Thai PBS donated storytelling CDs and educational promotion kits to over 280 child development centers nationwide (Press release – Thai) 

Thai PBS: Sound Media Department Thai New Media Center, PBS organised a ceremony to give audio CDs for young children aged 3-5 years to 282 child development centers who expressed their intention to receive such audio media. For use as teaching materials It helps to develop various aspects such as listening skills, imagination and language knowledge of children in different ages.


REGIONAL: Across South Asia, rage and defiance against the Thai monarchy, Indonesia’s new labor law, and rape

IFEX: October has been marked by expressions of rage and defiance. Thai youth protesters continue to clamor for democracy, Indonesian workers are up in arms against a repressive law, Myanmar ethnic communities are challenging a flawed election system, and a wave of anti-rape protests has swept Bangladesh, Pakistan, and India.

AUSTRALIA: ABC upgrades emergency services (Press Release)

ABC: The ABC has announced upgrades to its emergency services  in preparation for this year’s emergency summer season.


AUSTRALIA: Julian Assange and the Future of the Press (Interview – Listen)

RNZ: We speak to the president of the  Media section at the Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance in Australia, Marcus Strom about the Julian Assange Case and about the implications of the case for press freedom and journalism around the world.


AUSTRALIA: Kevin Rudd demands fair shake of the sauce bottle after Murdoch’s ‘huge whack’

 The Guardian: Kevin Rudd, who is celebrating breaking the record for the biggest e-petition in the history of the national parliament with well over 400,000 signatures, says he knew Rupert Murdoch would take a “huge whack” at him when he called for a royal commission into News Corp’s dominance of Australian media.


AUSTRALIA: Response to today’s story by Jonathon Moran in News Corporation titles (Press Release)

ABC: A story in News Corporation titles today [28 Oct] by Chief Entertainment Writer Jonathon Moran seeks to attack the ABC’s reporting of an alleged war crime by Australian forces. It is a weak attempt to undermine the ABC’s important journalism on this public interest issue.


AUSTRALIA: Why are tech giants opposing a ‘news media bargaining code’?

Sydney Morning Herald: Global tech giants Google and Facebook are fighting the Australian government and media outlets over whether they should pay to have news on their platforms.


NEW ZEALAND: DoC reviews ‘nonsense’ media permits

Newsroom: The department demands the news media gets approval to film on public conservation land, if unaccompanied.


NEW ZEALAND: Reappointment Of Kris Faafoi Minister Of Broadcasting And Media

Scoop: The Better Public Media Trust congratulates Kris Faafoi on retaining his role as Minister of Broadcasting and Media. The next three years will be challenging times in media, as has the last decade, and it’s important for New Zealand to have a Minister who understands the issues and has the interests of audiences at heart.

ALBANIA: Albanian PM and President Criticised for Attacks on Journalists

Exit: International Media Freedom organisation Reporters Without Borders has condemned both Prime Minister Edi Rama and President Ilir Meta for their “derogatory comments against journalists.”


BELARUS: Journalists in Belarus detained 320 times since August 9 (Belarusian)

Belarusian Association of Journalists: Since August 9, journalists and journalists in Belarus have been detained 320 times.  


BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA: BH Journalists: We demand an end to violence against journalists and harsher punishments for perpetrators (Statement) 

Association of BH Journalists: …From the beginning of 2018 until today, the BH Journalists Association has recorded 143 crimes against journalists, including attempted murder, physical attacks and death threats, as well as other serious forms of endangering the rights and safety of journalists. According to the available data, only 1/3 of the mentioned criminal offenses have been adequately investigated and resolved in favor of journalists.


ESTONIA: Interview with Erik Roose, Director General, ERR (Interview)

EBU: In the first of a series of interviews with leaders of EBU member organizations, we talk to Erik Roose, Director General of Estonia’s ERR, on the challenges and key learnings of the last months.


FINLAND: Yle is number one in the public sector as an employer in the IT sector (Press release – Finnish)

Yle: Yle is the most ideal IT employer in the public sector and has risen to 12th place among all IT employers.


FRANCE: France Télévisions mobilizes its antennas for the start of the school year (Press release – French)

France Télévisions: France Télévisions is mobilizing its antennas this Monday, November 2 on the occasion of this new school year marked by the tribute to Samuel Paty. The antennas of France 2 , France 4 and France 5 will offer special programs and thematic evenings. 


GEORGIA: EU/UNDP study says Western actors on Georgian First Channel mainly presented as authorities whose opinions should be given special importance 

GPB: According to the EU/UNDP media monitoring project ‘Study and Research on Election Media Coverage for the 2020 Parliamentary Elections in Georgia,’ between August 28 and October 7, Georgian First Channel allocated 12 hours and 3 minutes to the election-related topics in the main evening news programs, of those, 11% were foreign actors. As study claims, about a quarter of the news stories (25 out of 99) related to foreign actors appeared in the top 5 stories of the news program.


GERMANY: Germany is getting involved in direct press funding (German – Listen)

Deutschlandfunk: In July, the Bundestag decided to grant press publishers up to 220 million euros over several years. Now there is a concrete concept from the Ministry of Economic Affairs, which is available to Deutschlandfunk. But it is not clear whether this will also be implemented. There remain open questions.


GERMANY: Public service mandate also includes sustainability (Press release – German)

ZDF: From the point of view of the statutory supervisory bodies of the public broadcasters, the federal states, in their function as legislators, are called upon to support broadcasters’ efforts to create sustainable value by anchoring sustainability in the State Media Treaty. The federal states can thus set an important course for a sustainable media world.


GERMANY: Unions urge government to support small media and freelancers in funding scheme for media

EFJ: The German Association of Journalists (DJV) has called on the Federal Ministry of Economics to link the agreed press funding to certain conditions in order to countervail media concentration and preference of large media groups.


ITALY: Rai: No desire to shutdown TV channel (Paywall)

Sport Business 


KOSOVO: Kosovo: new report shows how Covid-19 exacerbates existing problems for media workers 

EFJ: It appears to be a global trend that the Covid-19 outbreak has aggravated previously existing problems in the journalism industry and added another layer that concerns health measures for journalists. 


NORWAY: Prix ​​Radio 2020: All podcast awards for NRK (Press Release – Norwegian)

NRK: On Friday 30 October, the winners of Prix Radio 2020 were announced. Several of the prizes went to NRK productions, and NRK cleared the podcast.


POLAND: As violence escalates in Poland, journalists come under attack (Statement)

IPI: Reporters assaulted as media caught in the middle of polarized protests following court ruling on abortion.


POLAND: Poland’s bitter divisions laid bare in battle of television networks (Paywall)

The Times: As social tensions grow between liberals and conservatives on issues such as abortion, the ruling Law and Justice party stands accused of making a power grab for control of the media, Maria Wilczek writes.


SLOVENIA: 22 Slovenian editors-in-chief speak out: “we will not succumb to pressure” 

EFJ: 22 editors-in-chief of leading Slovenian media said on 28 October in an open letter intended “to the public” that they will stand against political interference as they face increasing pressure from the government. 


SLOVENIA: Kadunc staying on as RTV Slovenija director general

STA: The programme council of public broadcaster RTV Slovenija did not adopt on Monday a motion to dismiss director general Igor Kadunc which had been proposed by 13 councillors. 


SLOVENIA: Meeting of the Committee on Culture on government pressure on public media without conclusions (Slovenian) 

STA: The parliamentary committee for culture resumed its session on Thursday due to a quorum on allegations of government pressure on the public media.


SPAIN: RTVE Rosa María Mateo announces more investment in Spanish and European cinema (Press release – Spanish)

RTVE: The sole provisional administrator of RTVE, Rosa María Mateo, announced today in the October appearance in Congress an increase in  funding  for the production of feature films, short films and films for television, Europeans and Spain, from 16.5 million euros provided for through the 6% established by law, to  22.7 million euros.


SWEDEN: Congratulations SVT News Skåne 50 years! (Blog – Swedish)

SVT: It started as a coup. Today it is an integral part of everyday life. SVT Nyheter Skåne, formerly Sydnytt, paved the way for local TV news throughout Sweden. 


SWEDEN: Swedish Radio is investing in bilingualism for the youngest audience (Press release – Swedish)

Sveriges Radio: Striped fairy tales is a new investment in playful, bilingual stories for children from 3 years and up. The stories are produced with children in mind who have a connection to one of the five national minority languages, but it is just as well to listen if you only speak Swedish. 


SWEDEN: The vital local journalism and about threats that come close (Blog – Swedish)

Sveriges Radio: During the autumn, several journalists have testified about serious threats facing them, just because they are trying to do their job. It is important that society clearly marks that this is a crime of democracy, and it is necessary to especially highlight the vulnerability of local journalism, writes Swedish Radio’s CEO Cilla Benkö on the international day against impunity for crimes against journalists.


SWITZERLAND: Austerity measures and further steps towards transformation (Press Release – German) 

SRF: SRF director Nathalie Wappler informed the SRF employees today about the savings targets for the next two years as well as further steps for the transformation as part of “SRF 2024”. What will be foregone in the program in the future? How many jobs will be cut?


SWITZERLAND: How Switzerland has responded to online disinformation

Swissinfo.ch: If the 2016 US presidential election helped to popularise the term “fake news”, then the Covid-19 pandemic has shown just how disruptive the problem can become if left unchecked.


SWITZERLAND: How will we consume media in the future? (Watch – German)

Swiss Digital Days: From classic television station to media platform. An interview with Bakel Walden, Director of Development and Offering at SRG.


UK: BBC issues staff with new social media guidance

BBC News: The BBC has issued new guidance on social media usage, which will force staff to maintain impartiality.


UK: BBC Radio 1 to give listeners one minute to speak to the nation – Media Centre 

BBC Media Centre: BBC Radio 1 has announced plans to open up the airwaves to young people around the country, offering them the opportunity to share what makes them who they are.


UK: BBC staff can attend Pride parades, director general Tim Davie says

BBC News: BBC staff can still attend Pride parades under the corporation’s new impartiality guidelines, director general Tim Davie has said.


UK: Channel 4: ‘Improved’ outlook enables £1.5m furlough repayment

BBC News: Channel 4 is to repay the government around £1.5m in furlough payments after finding itself in a “robust financial position ahead of expectations”.


UKRAINE: Every 5 days in Ukraine there is an incident of physical aggression against journalists – NSZHU (Statement – Ukrainian)

NSJU: The National Union of Journalists of Ukraine is concerned about the unacceptably high level of physical aggression against bloggers and media workers. In fact, physical aggression against journalists is recorded every 4-5 days in Ukraine. 


REGIONAL: Nagorno Karabakh: Urgent concern on physical safety and restrictions faced by journalists covering the conflict (Callout)

EFJ: We undersigned partner organisations of the Council of Europe Platform for the promotion of journalism and the safety of journalists express our urgent and deep concern about the ongoing risks of injury and harm to media workers reporting on the armed conflict inside Nagorno Karabakh.

ARGENTINA: Argentina ranks second in the region’s Freedom of Expression ranking

Elentrerios: At its Annual Conference, the Inter-American Press Association (IAPA) presented the results of the measurement of Freedom of Expression carried out with the Chapultepec Index. The study carried out between May 2019 and April 2020 shows Argentina in second place in the ranking, preceded by Chile. The report warns of the threats posed by the change of government in our country.


BARBADOS: BARJAM president suggests PM’s announcement coloured view of debate

Barbados Today: President of the Barbados Association of Journalists and Media Workers (BARJAM) Emmanuel Joseph is cautioning political leaders to refrain from engaging in conduct that would raise doubts about the impartiality of media workers, especially in relation to elections.


BRAZIL: Journalist Romano dos Anjos kidnapped and assaulted in Brazil

CPJ: Brazilian authorities must promptly and thoroughly investigate the kidnapping of journalist Romano dos Anjos, bring those responsible to justice, and ensure he can work safely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.


BRAZIL: November 2: For a United Nations convention to end impunity for crimes against journalists (Portuguese)

FENAJ: On the eve of November 2, World Day for the End of Impunity for Crimes against Journalists , the National Federation of Journalists (FENAJ), a Brazilian affiliate of the International Federation of Journalists (FIJ), joins the worldwide campaign for governments around the world to urgent measures that lead to the investigation and punishment of all those responsible and responsible for crimes against journalism professionals. 


COLOMBIA: Colombia court’s ruling in Vicky Dávila, RCN defamation case sets dangerous precedent for investigative reporting

CPJ: On October 29, the Committee to Protect Journalists  condemned a Colombian appellate court’s decision ordering journalist Vicky Dávila Hoyos and media outlet RCN to pay damages for reports broadcast in 2014 on alleged police corruption.


CUBA: Public media, impossible in dictatorship: debate on the 70 years of Cuban Television (Spanish) 

ADV Cuba: Is Cuban Television the best public TV in the world? The question posed on social networks by a state magazine, provoked a debate in which the most weighty criteria were inclined towards a certainty: true autonomy is not possible under a regime of the Communist Party.


HONDURAS: Court finds journalist guilty and intensifies criminalization against him (Spanish)

C-Libre: After two days of hearing, the journalist Jairo López was found guilty of three crimes, in the Criminal Courts of the city of Choluteca, in the south of the country, sharpening the criminalization against him after a criminal proceeding dating from January 2019.


MEXICO: Despite convictions, justice for murdered journalists in Mexico remains abstract

CPJ: Some recent convictions in the cases of journalists murdered in Mexico may give the impression that the state is making significant progress in the fight against impunity. While CPJ has welcomed the convictions as an important step, the outlook for breaking the cycle of impunity and violence in Mexico has grown more dim under President Andrés Manuel López Obrador.


NICARAGUA: Nicaragua passes bill criminalizing what government considers fake news

Reuters: Nicaragua’s congress overwhelmingly passed legislation on Tuesday to regulate what can be published on social media and in the news, a move critics condemned as a brazen attempt to muzzle opposition to President Daniel Ortega.


Regional: A journalist killed every four days this past decade: UNESCO

Al Jazeera: Latin America and the Caribbean recorded 40 percent of of the total killings registered worldwide in 2019, UNESCO says.

IRAN: Combined total of 128 years in prison for 10 Iranians with journalism links

RSF: Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemns the exceptionally severe prison sentences that have just been passed in Iran on eight employees of a state video-sharing service, a jailed photojournalist’s mother, and a citizen-journalist.


ISRAEL: Israel arrests Palestinian journalist in West Bank

MEE: Filmmaker Abdelrahman al-Thaher one of more than 20 Palestinian journalists reportedly currently detained by Israel. 


SAUDI ARABIA: In Saudi Arabia, a tweet could land you to prison

MEMO: Saudi authorities have been using social media platforms mainly to crackdown on opponents and critics of the state and to curtail freedom of expression in the kingdom.


SYRIA & IRAQ: Syria and Iraq among deadliest countries for journalists

MEE: Committee to Protect Journalists says little has changed in the two countries, where investigative reporting comes with high risks.


TURKEY: Turkey threatens legal action over Charlie Hebdo’s caricature of president

The Guardian: Turkey has threatened “legal and diplomatic” action against the French satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo after it published a caricature of president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on its latest front page.


REGIONAL: Indefinite detainments, torture parades, and MENA’s unfinished revolutions 

IFEX: As the world continues to battle a second wave of the COVID19 pandemic, authorities in MENA are clamping down on freedom of expression and assembly in an effort to avoid a second wave of the protests that dominated late 2019.


REGIONAL: No to Impunity (Report)

GC4HR: Journalists in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region continue to face grave violations of their civil and human rights, including murder by governments or armed groups, usually with total impunity. Countries such as Syria, Iraq, Libya and Yemen continue to be classified among the most dangerous places for journalists.

CANADA: Canadian publishers call for Canadian government to tackle Google/Facebook monopoly

News Media Canada: Canada’s news media publishers today called on all political parties in Parliament to support the adoption of Australia’s approach to combat the monopolistic practices of Google and Facebook.


CANADA: CBC/Radio-Canada recognized for gender parity by Women in Governance

CBC/Radio-Canada: For the second year in a row, CBC/Radio-Canada has been certified Platinum for gender parity by Women in Governance, a not-for-profit organization that supports women in their leadership development and career advancement.


US: Another Trump term could be a fatal blow to press freedom (Opinion – Paywall) 

The Washington Post: With attacks on journalists increasing and the space for free expression shrinking, Tuesday’s presidential election will be decisive for the future of press freedom in the United States and around the world.


US: Coronavirus-Driven Downturn Hits Newspapers Hard as TV News Thrives

Pew Research Centre: The coronavirus outbreak has had a major impact on the U.S. economy, wiping out five years of growth in the second quarter of 2020.


US: Here’s How NPR Reports Election Results

NPR: There have been a lot of questions heading into Election Day 2020 about how much information will and will not be available on election night, as everyone waits to see who has won the presidential contest and other races.


US: Here are 19 tools and resources for covering the 2020 presidential election

Poynter Institute: How to track what voters are searching for and monitor extremist violence, key dates to know, lawsuits to track, polling place rules to know and more.


US: ‘It’s not up to him’: how media outlets plan to sidestep any Trump ‘victory’ news

The Guardian: With reports that the president intends to make a premature speech, newsrooms across the US are bracing for misinformation.


US: Reuters editor-in-chief Stephen J Adler interview: Agency’s US election reporters given flak jackets and gas masks

Press Gazette: It’s not uncommon for a global news agency like Reuters to have to kit out its staff with gas masks and helmets ahead of a major political event. What is unusual, though, is that the latest recipients of this protective gear are reporters covering an election in the United States of America.


US: Show your work: AP plans to explain vote calling to public

AP: The Associated Press, one of several news organizations whose declarations of winners drive election coverage, is pulling back the curtain this year to explain how it is reaching those conclusions.


US: The ‘Local that Works’ — and what’s still needed (Paywall)

Current: “The presence of frontline reporters throughout the country provides a different sort of opportunity for public media journalism: to surprise, to uncover, to find not just the local angle but the issues that are most engaging local citizens and might be of broader interest as well.”


US: US plans to restrict foreign journalist visas would be chilling, must be scrapped

CPJ: The Trump administration has made a proposal to slash the time foreign journalists can stay on U.S. soil and to increase scrutiny of their output. This week the Committee to Protect Journalists along with 35 media organizations joined an initiative of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press to protest the move.

A journalist killed every four days this past decade: UNESCO

Al Jazeera: Latin America and the Caribbean recorded 40 percent of the total killings registered worldwide in 2019, UNESCO says.


Amal Clooney to receive press freedom award as lawyer of embattled journalists

ABS-CBN: The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) announced it would award its prestigious Gwen Ifill Press Freedom Award to lawyer and human rights advocate Amal Clooney after representing embattled journalists around the world.


CPJ’s 2020 Global Impunity Index spotlights countries where journalists are slain and their killers go free

CPJ: Incremental progress toward reducing the murders of journalists worldwide is fragile and could be thwarted by legal appeals and lack of political leadership, CPJ found in its latest report on impunity in retaliatory media killings.


English law ‘abused by the powerful to threaten foreign journalists’

The Guardian: The government is allowing English law to be abused by powerful individuals in order to threaten foreign journalists, according to a report by a leading foreign policy think tank, whose authors say the libel industry is in “clear need” of review.


How imposter syndrome hounds me as a journalist of colour (Opinion)

SBS: When good things happen, I instantly think I don’t deserve it. I work myself to burnout. I don’t sleep. I barely eat. Weekends are forgone for work that’s perfect or spent procrastinating.


How social media is preparing for US election chaos

BBC News: There aren’t many in the US who are sure there’ll be an election result on the night.


Improving ethnic diversity is the most important diversity priority for newsrooms around the world, a new report says

Nieman Lab: More than four out of ten newsroom employees believe ethnic diversity is the highest diversity priority in the next year, according to a new study by the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism published on Thursday.


Journalists’ killings – masterminds are walking free (Campaign)

IFJ: Threatened, attacked, beaten, imprisoned and killed, many journalists pay with their lives every year for their commitment to freedom of information and democracy. 


#PressSafety2020: Safely covering the 2020 U.S. elections (Resource)

CPJ: The United States is scheduled to hold presidential and congressional elections on November 3, 2020. Journalists covering elections and political rallies in the U.S. in recent years have been subjected to online and verbal harassment and even physical assault, CPJ has found.


Study reveals press freedom falling off the news agenda despite worsening global picture

Press Gazette: News coverage and Google searches of press freedom issues have fallen over the past 16 years, according to a new report.


Welcome to #srfrukost: Voices that must not be silenced – about hatred and threats against journalists [Event – Swedish]

Sveriges Radio: Welcome to a digital, live #srfrukost in connection with UNESCO’s International Day against Impunity for Crimes against Journalists, which addresses issues about journalists’ work situation and how hatred and threats in the long run affect democracy and free speech. As the breakfast is carried out without an audience on site, the event will be broadcast live on Sveriges Radio’s website and via Sveriges Radio’s Facebook page. * PLEASE NOTE NEW DATE 9 DECEMBER*


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