ARMENIA: Armenian rights activists call for restoration of Public TV’s independence

Panorama am: A group of Armenian human rights defenders, civil society members and political activists have issued a joint statement urging the government to “return Public TV Company of Armenia to the public”, accusing the state-funded broadcaster of serving the interests of the authorities rather than the public good.

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AZERBAIJAN: “If I were in Azerbaijan right now, I would probably be in prison” Exiled journalist Parvana Gurbanli about how the regime is punishing independent journalism (Interview) 

ECPMF: Azerbaijan has long been considered an authoritarian regime. For many years, the press has been restricted. But the 2022 “On Media” Law finally bans independent journalism.

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AZERBAIJAN & ROMANIA: Discussions focused on expanding cooperation between Azerbaijan and Romania in the field of audiovisual media (Arabic) 

Azertac: News agency reported that during the meeting, the two sides discussed the current state of cooperation between Azerbaijan and Romania in the field of audiovisual media, as well as possible new directions in this cooperation.

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BANGLADESH: 19 and counting: The price of independence in Bangladesh’s media

Bdnews24: As bdnews24.com turns 19, Biswadip Das reflects on what it takes to stay independent in Bangladesh’s punishing media climate—a landscape of throttled access, financial pressure, and viral noise—and why stubborn journalism still matters more than ever.

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BANGLADESH: Media urged to ensure fair, objective coverage during elections

Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha: The Information and Broadcasting Ministry has requested the media to cover the upcoming 13th parliamentary elections in a fair and objective manner.

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INDIA: Awaiting An Effective Press Council (Op-ed)

Eurasia Review: It may be astonishing for many but true, India does not house a fully functioning government-recognized press watchdog to safeguard and nurture freedom of the press in the largest democracy.

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INDIA: Why India’s media faces scepticism beyond its borders (Watch)

Al Jazeera English: India’s news channels were once symbols of a vibrant democracy. Today, they’re seen by many of India’s neighbours as propaganda tools – exporting jingoism, sensationalism and Hindutva politics across borders. Meenakshi Ravi reports on rising anti-India sentiment in the region and a crisis of credibility that no longer stops at home.

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INDIA & AFGHANISTAN: India Hosts the Taliban, But Not Female Reporters

Nieman Reports: Taliban officials, visiting India, bar women journalists from their press conference

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INDONESIA: TV BRICS launches media cooperation with Republic of Indonesia

TV BRICS: TV BRICS continues to strengthen its cooperation with the BRICS member and partner countries. The Republic of Indonesia, represented by its largest broadcaster TVRI, is joining the international media network’s information exchange.

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KYRGYZSTAN: Kyrgyzstan Court Brands Independent Media ‘Extremist’ in Latest Press Freedom Crackdown

OCCRP: Three independent news outlets in Kyrgyzstan — including OCCRP member center Kloop — have been branded “extremist organizations,” with a court banning all their online and social media activity.

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LAOS: Work begins on VN-funded broadcasting station of Laos’ Houaphanh province

Vietnamnet Global: Construction began on the Houaphanh provincial Radio and Television Station, a gift from the Vietnamese Government to the Lao Government and people of Houaphanh province, on October 27.

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NEPAL: Online media to be established as new mainstream media: Communications Minster Kharel

Radio Nepal Online: The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology held an interaction with journalists working for online television today to make online television well-managed and effective.

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NORTH KOREA: North Koreans left in the dark as foreign broadcasts cut

DW: For decades, US and South Korean broadcasts were a critical source of information for North Koreans willing to learn about life beyond their borders. Now, the airwaves have gone silent.

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PAKISTAN: Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists calls for holding press attackers accountable

Asia News Network: They noted with concern that crimes against journalists had witnessed a sharp surge, jumping nearly 60pc over the past year, with 142 cases documented between Nov 2024 and Sept 2025.

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SOUTH KOREA: South Korea’s Press Freedom: A Fragile Peace?

The Chosun Daily: Ranked 29th in OECD media freedom, South Korea faces punitive laws and broadcasting restrictions

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SOUTH KOREA & CHINA: KBS and CMG Sign MOU on Media Partnership: Heralding the Return of Hallyu to China

KBS: KBS has announced a strategic agreement to strengthen media exchange and cooperation with China Media Group (CMG) on the occasion of APEC 2025 Korea. The agreement between the leading media organizations of both countries is expected to facilitate the easing of restrictions on Korean cultural content in China, known as the Hallyu ban (限韓令).

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SRI LANKA & ROMANIA: Maharaja Media Connects Sri Lankans in Romania: A New Bridge Between Home and Heart

Newsfirst: The Maharaja Media Network has entered building a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Radio Romania Broadcasting Company (Radio Romania) — the country’s national public broadcaster — to bring Sri Lanka closer to its growing community of citizens living and working in Romania.

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THAILAND: Free training for journalists: “Fact-Check Thailand 2026” opens for applications today (Press release – Thai)

Thai PBS: The Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Thailand, in collaboration with the Faculty of Journalism and Mass Communication, Thammasat University, the Public Broadcasting Service of Thailand (Thai PBS), and Cofact Thailand, is accepting applications from journalists, members of the media, and citizen media to participate in the workshop “Fact-Check Thailand 2026: Empowering Society to Fight False Election News Reporting” from 19 – 22 November 2025. The training is free! No charge.

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THAILAND: Thai PBS Director presents 2024 annual report, highlighting OTT VIPA’s next steps, pushing it to become a national platform. (Press release – Thai)

Thai PBS: Wanchai, Director of Thai PBS, presented his 2024 annual report, proud of Thai PBS news’s truthful, comprehensive, and reliable presentation. 

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VIETNAM & UK: BBC Journalist Barred From Leaving Vietnam, Broadcaster Says

The Diplomat: The news came as Communist Party chief To Lam departed for London, where he is expected to announce a major diplomatic upgrade with the United Kingdom.

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REGIONAL: After 29 years, RFA is on pause

RFA: From the executive editor: funding uncertainty is driving RFA’s remaining teams to stop delivering the news for now. 

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REGIONAL: RFA suspends remaining editorial operations amid funding uncertainty (Press release)

RFA: Protective measures taken with hope of rebuilding news operations in future.

AUSTRALIA: ABC executive who sacked Antoinette Lattouf paid $836,000 for eight-month employment, annual report shows

The Guardian: Chris Oliver-Taylor’s remuneration exceeded by former managing director David Anderson’s $1.2m package, broadcaster says.

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AUSTRALIA: After 90 years of serving the community, ABC Gippsland remains tuned in to help

ABC: As ABC Gippsland celebrates its 90th birthday, those behind the microphones have shared their key memories — from the heartwarming to the heartbreaking.

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AUSTRALIA: New research shows sense of belonging is growing stronger among multilingual Australians (Press release) 

SBS: A new report released today by SBS and the University of Canberra highlights an overall increase in multilingual audiences’ sense of belonging compared to the first wave of research published in 2023, and also demonstrates the powerful role of inclusive media.

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AUSTRALIA: Streaming services to be made to produce Australian content

ABC: Streaming platforms such as Netflix, Disney+ and Amazon Prime will be required to spend a share of their local revenue on making Australian programs. The rules were meant to be in place last year but were delayed over concerns about how they would interact with Australia’s trade agreement with the US.

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FIJI: Enhancing the Pacific storytelling culture

The Fiji Times: POWERFUL storytelling through the form of radio drama combines imagination, sound and voice to educate, inform and entertain audiences.

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NEW ZEALAND: Nark: How (and why) we used AI to recreate a dead man’s voice

RNZ: One of journalism’s most repeated purposes is to give voice to the voiceless. But what if the person speaking up has died while waiting to tell their story? Is it OK to use artificial intelligence to give that voice to someone trying to remove the darkest of stains from their reputation?

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NEW ZEALAND: Trust in news media – why standards still matter (Opinion)

The Spinoff: New research shows higher trust in reporting that’s covered in-depth and backed by solid evidence – but the concept of what’s ‘trustworthy’ depends a lot on people’s own perspectives, writes BSA chief executive Stacey Wood.

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NEW ZEALAND: What’s going on with Māori news media? (Podcast)

The Spinoff: The Spinoff’s Liam Rātana joins Dunan Grieve to discuss the seismic changes coming for the Māori media landscape. Rātana explains the background, and where Māori media is going – potentially presaging moves mainstream news funders will have to make in years to come.

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PALAU: Media Practitioners Strengthen Disaster Communication Skills in Palau

SIBC: Media practitioners from across the Pacific are enhancing their capacity to deliver effective disaster information through a Media Master Class Training currently underway in Koror, Palau.

ALBANIA: “RTSH on the path of transformation”, Hoxhalli: Review of financing and internal structure (Watch – Albanian) 

RTSH: The Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Albanian Radio and Television (RTSH), Fatjon Hoxhalli, has stated that the public institution is entering a new phase of transformation in close cooperation with the European Broadcasting Union (EBU).

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AUSTRIA: Promoting media literacy in all age groups: “ZIB” and the verification team launch “ZIB Magazin Media” (Press release – German) 

ORF: “ZIB Magazin Media” is a collaboration between the “ZIB Magazin” team and ORF defacto, the verification department in the ORF newsroom.

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AUSTRIA: “Trust threshold exceeded”: ORF confirms dismissal of sports director Aigelsreiter (German) 

Der Standard: Aigelsreiter had “crossed the line of trust” with his statements about internal matters to a newspaper.

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BULGARIA: Fragile media freedom progress in Bulgaria at risk of backsliding without urgent reform (Report) 

MFRR: While Bulgaria has experienced modest progress on media freedom in the last four years, the situation remains undermined by persistent structural, legal and political challenges, with urgent action needed by government and public authorities to push forward both domestic and EU-mandated reforms.

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CZECH REPUBLIC: Personalities: Abolishing fees for Czech Television and Czech Radio means the liquidation of public media (Czech) 

CTK: The proposal to abolish fees for Czech Television (ČT) and Czech Radio (ČRo) and transfer their financing to the state budget is, according to some figures, the liquidation of public media in the Czech Republic.

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DENMARK: Election results and modern dance music: This is how DR has covered municipal elections over time. (Press release – Danish) 

DR: DR has covered local elections since 1933. First on the radio, from 1954 on TV, and at the local elections in 1970 the first computer appeared on the screen. Here we tell – via archive clips and broadcast schedules – parts of the story of how DR has covered local elections over the years.

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FINLAND: Cultural figures submit petition to Yle: Finland out of Eurovision if Israel participates (Finnish) 

Yle: Yle will state its position before the EBU meeting in December, says Johanna Törn-Mangs, Director of the Culture and Affairs Unit.

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FRANCE: France Médias Monde obtains the renewal of its JTI (“ Journalism Trust Initiative  ”) certification (Press release – French) 

FMM: After being among the first French media groups to receive this label in 2023, France Médias Monde has renewed its “ Journalism Trust Initiative  ” (JTI) certification.

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FRANCE & CANADA: France 24 in English and French strengthens its presence in Canada by integrating the ROGERS offering. (Press release – French) 

FMM: Through a new distribution agreement with  ROGERS , a leading Canadian company in the communications and entertainment sector, France 24 continues its expansion in North America with a significant strengthening of its distribution in Canada.

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GERMANY: The state parliament in Saxony approves the reform of public broadcasting. (German)

Deutschlandfunk: The Saxon state parliament has approved the reform treaty on public broadcasting by a narrow majority. Among other things, the regulations aim to reduce the number of niche TV channels and ARD radio stations.

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GERMANY: This is how ARD and ZDF reporters should talk about migration (German) 

Bild: Training courses warn against words such as “refugee” ++ Paid for with taxpayers’ money ++ Expert sees violation of the constitution!

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GERMANY: Union criticizes ZDF: “Trust in public broadcasting has been shaken” (German) 

Deutschlandfunk: ZDF is facing criticism following the death of a technician from a production company in the Gaza Strip who belonged to Hamas.

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GERMANY: ZDF: Killed Hamas member was not involved in journalistic matters – CDU/CSU demands clarification (German) 

Deutschlandfunk: ZDF has rejected comments by CDU/CSU politicians regarding the employment of a Hamas member at a production company commissioned by Hamas in Gaza. The man was neither a ZDF employee nor involved in journalistic matters.

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IRELAND: RTÉ PUBLISHES 2024 ANNUAL REPORT (Press release) 

RTÉ: Director-General of RTÉ, Kevin Bakhurst said: “RTÉ today reports a surplus of over €5m for 2024, thanks to careful cost controls which have continued into 2025. Alongside a full review and scrutiny of the balance sheet, RTÉ is also on course to deliver a surplus in 2025. 

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MOLDOVA: The mental cost of winning the disinformation war in Moldova

DW Akademie: In a country where attacks on journalists are on the rise, a DW Akademie project provides a lifeline.

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THE NETHERLANDS: Public broadcaster reaches ten million people with attention to elections (Press release – Dutch) 

NPO: The public broadcaster devoted considerable attention to the parliamentary elections through its various platforms, reaching a large part of the Netherlands.

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NORWAY: KI-Kjetil: TV 2’s AI avatar that transformed election coverage 

EBU: As a public service broadcaster, TV 2 needs to make news accessible to all Norwegians. We wanted to make the complex US presidential election in 2024 easier to understand. Our goal was to create an innovative, personalized news experience that could explain our exclusive real-time polling data in a conversational way.

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POLAND: Culture Minister announces end of broadcasting licence fee and reform of media regulation (German) 

PolskieRadio: In future, public broadcasters are to receive 2.5 billion złoty annually from the state budget. Another focus of the project is the depoliticisation of the media.

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POLAND: This is the definitive end of the RTV license fee – the government has finally decided: the radio and television license fee will be abolished (Polish) 

Infor: A bill has finally been announced that will permanently abolish this burdensome fee, which burdens the budgets of almost every household, including businesses using radio or television.

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PORTUGAL: Government approves second phase of redundancies at RTP affecting 41 workers. (Portuguese) 

SAPO: After the first redundancy plan, under which 97 workers left the company, the second phase, already approved, covers another 41 workers. The measure was budgeted at 2.4 million euros.

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SERBIA: EFJ-IFJ condemn President Vučić’s support of smear campaign against NUNS as the country prepares to mark anniversary of deadly station collapse 

EFJ: On 29 October 2025, the Independent Association of Journalists of Serbia (NUNS) was falsely accused once again of ‘supporting’ the ongoing anti-corruption protests by the newly formed, pro-government Association of Journalists of Serbia (ANS) and tabloids.

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SERBIA: Student and journalist Božidar Milovac: “The future of Serbian media depends on the outcome of the protests” (Interview) 

EFJ: While Milovac usually reports on politics and social issues for several media outlets, he has spent the past year primarily covering the massive anti-corruption protests that erupted after the tragedy.

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SLOVAKIA: Director of the film about the transformation of RTVS into STVR: Fico is a more intelligent politician than Mečiar (Interview – Slovak) 

SME: She observed the transformation of radio and television.

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SWEDEN: Yes to new law for public service (23 October – Swedish)

Dagens Media: The Riksdag has voted in favor of the government’s proposal for rules for the public service mission. The financing of the operation will be consolidated in a new law.

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SWITZERLAND: New law on communication platforms and search engines: Consultation period begins (German) 

Swiss Federal News Service: The Federal Council intends to strengthen the rights of users in the digital sphere and obligate very large communication platforms and search engines to greater fairness and transparency. A new law will enshrine key rules for services such as Facebook, X, TikTok, and Google.

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SWITZERLAND: “People who are news-deprived have less trust in politics.” (German) 

SRF: What is the state of the Swiss media landscape? Today, the Yearbook on Media Quality from the Research Center for the Public Sphere and Society at the University of Zurich was published. Director Mark Eisenegger was a guest on the program. 

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UK: Ministers to delegate some public appointments in attempt to cut delays

The Guardian: Ministers are planning to speed up public appointments to bodies such as Ofcom, the Environment Agency and BBC by allowing more of the hiring process to be delegated to senior officials.

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UKRAINE & SWEDEN: SVT visited Ukrainian public service (Press release – Swedish) 

SVT: SVT’s CEO Anne Lagercrantz has visited Ukraine together with Radiohjälpen’s Secretary General Kristina Henschen, among others. Here she writes about the role of public services in war and visits some of the projects that Radiohjälpen supports.

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REGIONAL: European Commission makes €13.8 million available for cross-border journalism partnerships and pluralism

EU Reporter: The European Commission has made a total of €13.8 million available for cross-border journalism collaboration and media pluralism through the sixth annual call for proposals, under the Creative Europe programme.

IRAN: Iranian Journalists’ Group Protests Crackdown on Media

Iran Wire: A professional journalists’ association in Iran has protested a wave of government-ordered website blockages targeting independent news outlets, calling the actions illegal and a threat to press freedom.

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ISRAEL & PALESTINE: ‘Gaza has been the deadliest place for journalists in any conflict,’ says UN

MEMO: Secretary-General Antonio Guterres calls for “independent, impartial” investigations into the killings of journalists, emphasizing that “impunity is an assault on press freedom and a threat to democracy itself,” Dujarric said.

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ISRAEL & PALESTINE: The Push to Get International Reporters into Gaza

CJR: Even after the ceasefire, Israel has blocked members of the press from entering. The country has said “there will come a time soon” when journalists flood in—but preemptively cast doubt on the story they might cover.

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JORDAN: The state of media in Jordan: Loss of presence and influence (Arabic) 

Amman net: Traditional newsrooms and online news sites in Jordan are currently facing significant challenges and radical shifts in the media landscape, ranging from changing journalistic content formats and declining advertising revenue to increasing restrictions on press freedom and access to information.

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QATAR: Qatar made massive progress in promoting press freedom: FAJ 

Qatar Tribune: The Permanent Committee for Freedoms of the Federation of Arab Journalists (FAJ) has released its Annual Report on the Reality of Press Freedom in the Arab World (2024–2025), covering developments across the region, including Qatar.

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TURKEY: How Turkey is cracking down on the media

The Conversation: Hakan Tosun, a 50 year-old Turkish journalist, died on October 13 three days after he was assaulted in a street attack in Istanbul. Two people have been arrested. The motive for the attack remains unclear, but several political groups have suggested that it may be linked to Tosun’s work.

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REGIONAL: In the Middle East, women journalists and activists have been driving crucial change

The Conversation: Though authoritarian powers and patriarchal systems continue to oppress, women journalists in the Middle East have combined reporting and activism. Many of these professionals operate under regimes that criminalize dissent. For them, reporting isn’t just a profession, it merges with acts of resistance.

CANADA: CBC, Radio-Canada launch new ad-free kids’ streaming channels

Broadcast Dialogue: CBC has launched a new commercial-free CBC Kids streaming channel, available on CBC Gem and the CBC Kids YouTube channel.

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US: Alabama Public Television may cut ties with PBS, cutting off Sesame Street, other educational shows

AL.com: Alabama Public Television is debating whether to sever ties with PBS, cutting off Sesame Street and similar programs. If it did APT would be the first education network in the country to do so.

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US: Corporation for Public Broadcasting Must Set Aside $36 Million (Paywall) 

Bloomberg Law: The Corporation for Public Broadcasting must hold onto the nearly $36 million in funding it’s withholding from National Public Radio Inc. and not disburse it to any third parties, a district court said Thursday.

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US: CPB Continues to Protect the Independence of Public Media (Press release) 

CPB: Patricia Harrison, president and CEO of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) issued the following system message today: As CPB enters the final phase of our winddown, our remaining staff continues to work 24/7, under extraordinary circumstances on behalf of the public media system, concluding new music rights agreements to help stations, closing grants, and applying funds balances where they are most needed through new grants.

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US: CPB grants $1.1M to form Upper Midwest Newsroom

Current: CPB is supporting the establishment of a regional journalism collaboration led by Minnesota Public Radio with a $1.1 million grant, the corporation announced Thursday in a press release.

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US: NPR lawsuit alleges Corporation for Public Broadcasting gave in to political pressure

NPR: The chasm is widening between NPR and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the nonprofit that funneled federal dollars to public media until Congress killed that funding earlier this year.

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US: SDPB retaining nearly half of scheduled layoffs thanks to community support

Dakota News Now: South Dakota Public Broadcasting will keep 7 of 15 layoff positions, thanks to community support.

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US: White House restricts access for journalists to press secretary’s office

Reuters: A new White House rule issued Friday restricts the ability of credentialed journalists to freely access the offices of press secretary Karoline Leavitt and other top communications officials in the West Wing, near the Oval Office.

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US: Why public funding still matters for journalism in a democracy (Opinion) 

Current: Referring to the local public media outlets most strongly affected by the cuts, Schiller suggested this approach: “Let’s get support for those rural stations from the communities, from philanthropies, and find other ways to support them.”

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US & UK: The British Broadcaster Is Coming

CJR: The BBC is making a play in the US. Can it find a market?

30 journalists embody struggle for freely reported environmental coverage

RSF: From Cambodia to the Amazon, from France to Egypt, journalists covering stories related to natural resources, their exploitation or protection are often obstructed, threatened, arrested, attacked or even jailed or killed.

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A new fellowship is all about putting the news in news creator

NiemanLab: The goal of the News Creator Corps is to “flood social platforms with accurate information.”

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Cutting through the bull: AI slop and MIL (23 October) 

DW Akademie: The ever-increasing amount of AI slop now filling online spaces brings new challenges to media literacy.

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For Podcasters, a Voice Clone Is a Double-Edged Sword

The New York Times: Are A.I. replicas a boon for productivity or a betrayal of the bond with listeners?

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How AI Browsers Sneak Past Blockers and Paywalls

Columbia Journalism Review: OpenAI’s Atlas and Perplexity’s Comet present a new challenge for media companies that want to limit AI access.

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IDEI: fighting impunity is a universal responsibility

EFJ: The EFJ and IFJ condemn the fact that, since the launch of this commemorative Day by the United Nations 12 years ago, intimidation and violence perpetrated against journalists have continued to grow.

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Journalism Under Attack: Emily Maitlis in conversation with Ayala Panievsky 

City St George University of London: Emily Maitlis joined City St George’s academic and author Dr Ayala Panievsky to discuss the challenges facing journalists today and what can be done to still hold power to account.

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Media Freedom Coalition statement on the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists 2025

Media Freedom Coalition: On the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists, the Media Freedom Coalition draws attention to the growing threats that journalists and media workers face, in particular women journalists, due to artificial intelligence and technology-facilitated gender-based violence.

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Media literacy, not AI machines, will define journalism

Euractiv: As AI rewrites the rules of journalism, critical literacy has never mattered more.

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Media Went All-In on Diversity. Now It’s in Full Retreat

The Wrap: Experts say the rollback of newsroom investment in DEI suggests they were never fully committed in the first place.

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Music and international radio: A lost opportunity

Red Tech: Music is the lifeblood of national radio. Whether it’s classical music, rock, jazz, contemporary pop or traditional folk, music defines the identity of many radio stations and offers listeners a space of comfort, culture and connection. Nevertheless, when it comes to international radio, speech is the king.

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News creators get more attention in countries where traditional media struggles

Nieman Lab: A new report highlights how “messy, fragmented, and loosely defined news sources have become for many people.”

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Reporters Without Borders head on group’s list of ‘press freedom predators’ (Watch) 

France24: The director general of Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has spoken to FRANCE 24 about the “series of crises” affecting journalism.

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The personalisation dilemma in public service media: ways forward (Report) (17 October) 

BBC: The false choice between personalisation and the public interest and how we can move past it.

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Who’s Going to Save Local Newspaper Archives?

Columbia Journalism Review: Archivists worry in particular about photographs that have never been digitized.