Our weekly round-up of public service media related stories and headlines from around the world
Public media is in peril and facing many challenges. Social media platforms are presenting an existential crisis to public service media. Governments are trying to extend their control and influence on the editorial output of the broadcasters. Funding systems for many are up in the air. Journalists are facing threats, attacks and harassment, both online and in-person. But it’s also an exciting time for public service media – digital platforms provide new opportunities to reach audiences, technology means public broadcasters can be innovative in how they provide a public service.
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New report shows major drop in media trust
RNZ: Just a third of New Zealanders now say they trust the news. That’s the major finding of AUT’s research centre for Journalism, Media and Democracy’s fifth annual Trust in News in Aotearoa New Zealand report. Trust in news in general fell from 42 percent last year to 33 percent in this year’s report – but it’s a whopping 20 percent down from the first report in 2020 when it was at 53 percent.
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ALGERIA: Mitigate human rights threats of new media laws (Press release)
Article 19: ARTICLE 19 calls on the Government of Algeria to abolish three new media laws, adopted in 2023, as they fail to meet international human rights standards on freedom of expression.
ANGOLA: Angola’s proposed national security law threatens press freedom, puts journalists at risk
CPJ: Angola’s proposed national security law could hinder the public’s right to information and severely undermine press freedom, further exposing journalists to harassment, intimidation, and censorship by authorities, the Committee to Protect Journalists said on Monday.
BURKINA FASO: Journalist sentenced in absentia
IFEX: Burkinabé journalist Newton Ahmed Barry’s conviction without a fair trial raises questions about the rights for defence.
EGYPT: Ramadan icons: Egypt’s National Quran Broadcast turns 60
al-Ahram: The Quran Radio channel celebrates its 60th anniversary, being an essential element of the holy month of Ramadan as it is the channel that broadcasts the Fajr and Maghreb prayers.
GHANA: Ghana’s Independence at 67: Could we be better or worse without media, civil society contributions?
Ghana News Agency: Just a month ago, March 6, 2024, Ghana celebrated its 67th anniversary of independence, proudly embracing the theme: “Our Democracy, Our Pride.”
GHANA: The rise of climate disinformation in Ghana
IJNet: Climate-related mis- and disinformation is slowing down efforts to tackle these environmental consequences. “Climate disinformation affects the country, as journalists sometimes fail to connect climate change issues to everyday events like poor air quality and extreme heat,” said Nathan Gadugah, an editor for Dubawa Ghana.
GHANA & ZAMBIA: GBC DG Professor Amin-Alhassan says Africa must tell its story after signing MOU with Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation
GBC Online: On the back of strides the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation is making, the Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation has signed an MOU with Ghana’s public broadcaster (GBC), in Lusaka, Zambia.
MALAWI: Malawi Police, working for Corrupt Suspect, Arrest Journalist
Malawi 24: The Malawi police accused of abusing the Electronic Transactions and Cyber Security Act to intimidate the media
MALAWI: This journalist exposed corruption in the Malawian army. Now he’s on the run.
Christian Science Monitor: When journalist Gregory Gondwe began investigating corruption in Malawi’s military two years ago, he devised a secure way to communicate with his whistleblower on the inside.
NAMIBIA: Media union condemns assault on female journalist
The Namibian: The Namibia Media Professionals Union (Nampu) has expressed its outrage about an alleged assault on a female radio journalist by a senior male newspaper editor in Windhoek earlier this week.
NAMIBIA: NAMIBIA LEADS IN MEDIA FREEDOM WITH NEW POLICE TRAINING MODULE
Windhoek Observer: In a move to maintain media freedom and journalist safety, the Namibian Police (NAMPOL), in collaboration with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), has taken a significant step forward by introducing a new training module focused on freedom of expression and the safety of journalists.
NIGER: Western media amplify Russian propaganda targeting US troops in Niger
VOA: Russian state media disinformation has been amplified, though, by seemingly independent Western media outlets like New York-based BreakThrough News. While describing itself as fully independent and unbiased, the BreakThrough News team includes at least one journalist who hosted a political talk show at Russia’s Sputnik news agency.
NIGERIA: Netflix, Nigerian Broadcasting Commission partner on local content
Guardian Nigeria: As part of efforts aimed at promoting Indigenous content, the Netflix team, led by the Director, Public Policy, Shola Sani, recently paid a visit to the National Broadcasting Commission’s office in Abuja.
NIGERIA: Nigeria needs more professional business journalists —Olakoyenikan
Nigerian Tribune: Young Oluwasegun Olakoyenikan is a reporter on the Forbes’ Money and Markets Team covering Wall Street and everything investing in African frontier markets. In this interview with IFEDAYO OGUNYEMI, he spoke fact checking, business journalism and many other issues facing the journalism industry.
RWANDA: Genocide diary: A journalist’s account of the horror 30 years ago (Paywall)
Nation
SENEGAL: President Bassirou Diomaye Faye must launch new era for media
RSF: In his election campaign programme, Faye undertook to abolish jail terms for press offences, which was one of the ten key recommendations for safeguarding the right to information that RSF addressed to the presidential candidates.
SOUTH AFRICA: 28 media houses accused of price fixing by Competition Commission
Competition Policy International: On Tuesday, February 27, the Competition Commission of South Africa announced that it has referred 28 media companies to the Competition Tribunal for prosecution on charges of price fixing and the fixing of trading conditions, which were found to be in contravention of the Competition Act.
SOUTH AFRICA: COSATU raises concerns over SABC staff salary stagnation
SABC: COSATU’s Acting National spokesperson and parliamentary coordinator, Matthew Parks, has expressed deep concern over the lack of salary increases for South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) staff in recent years, despite high inflation rates.
SOUTH AFRICA: Minister pushes for bailout money, ‘okay’ with SABC – and Post Office – performance
News24
SOUTH AFRICA: Public Broadcaster – SABC – Unveils “No-Government-Funding” Turnaround Plan
BMA: Broadcast Media Africa has learnt that the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) has a five-year turnaround plan based on the state-owned enterprise no longer needing government funding.
SOUTH AFRICA: SABC blackout warning
MyBroadband: The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) is at risk of a blackout, with the government actively defunding the public broadcaster.
SOUTH AFRICA: Strengthening crime and court reporting in South Africa
Journalism.co.za: The Wits Justice Project is a project housed within the Wits Centre for Journalism, aimed at strengthening justice journalism in South Africa.
SOUTH SUDAN: Failed investigation perpetuates impunity for the killing of journalist Christopher Allen
RSF: In presenting the findings of its long overdue investigation into the 2017 killing of US-UK journalist Christopher Allen, the government of South Sudan has demonstrated a clear failure to conduct a credible investigation and has further obstructed the path to justice.
SUDAN: Sudan Media Forum launches #StandWithSudan campaign to address famine and human rights abuses
Dabanga: Sudan’s independent journalists and media organisations, united under the Sudanese Media Forum (SMF), have launched a critical campaign for global solidarity with the Sudanese people as they face the devastating threat of famine and a worsening humanitarian crisis.
SUDAN: Sudan suspends three Arab satellite channels
VOA: The Ministry of Culture and Information suspended two Saudi state-owned broadcasters — Al Arabiya and Al Hadath — and the Sky News Arabia channel owned by the United Arab Emirates.
TANZANIA: Tanzania charges journalist, rights groups say case politically motivated
Yahoo: An investigative journalist in Tanzania has been charged with money laundering, tax evasion and assisting a criminal racket, according to a court document seen by Reuters, charges his lawyer and rights groups said were politically motivated.
TUNISIA: Radio journalist’s imprisonment is symptomatic of press freedom decline in Tunisia
RSF: Reporters Without Borders (RSF) calls for the immediate release of a prominent Tunisian radio journalist who has been held for the past two weeks for allegedly defaming a religious affairs ministry official by criticising the frequency of her official trips abroad.
ZIMBABWE: Media training enhances the quality of election coverage.
UNDP: For Toneo Rutsito aged 39, a journalist with TechMag TV, participating in ZIMECO2 media training significantly improved his expertise in election coverage and professional conduct during the 2023 Harmonized Elections.
AFGHANISTAN: CPJ calls on Taliban to drop plans to restrict Facebook access in Afghanistan
CPJ: The Committee to Protect Journalists is alarmed by reports that the Taliban plans to restrict or block access to Facebook in Afghanistan and calls on authorities not to move ahead on a measure that would further impede the free flow of information in the country.
AFGHANISTAN: Journalists face ‘growing challenges’ in accessing information in Afghanistan
Amu: A number of journalists in Afghanistan report increasing difficulties in accessing information and contend with numerous restrictions on their work, highlighting a growing concern for press freedom in the country.
BANGLADESH: Arafat warns against illegal broadcasting of domestic and foreign TV channels
BD News 24: State Minister for Information and Broadcasting Mohammad Ali Arafat has warned of legal action if feeds from domestic and foreign TV stations other than those approved by the government are aired.
BHUTAN: The right and wrong of journalism
Kuensel: Sixty-four percent of Bhutanese journalists reported that their request for information is often refused by authorities — for being not authorised to share information, stating that information is under process, and does not have information, according to the State of Journalist Survey 2023 by Bhutan Media Foundation.
CHINA: Foreign media in China face growing harassment and restrictions on reporting
The Globe and Mail: Within minutes of arriving outside a bank in Chengdu, capital of China’s Sichuan province, Dutch journalist Sjoerd den Daas was surrounded.
CHINA: Media feel pressure to tell ‘positive’ China story as party tightens grip
Al Jazeera: State-linked Sixth Tone news outlet, known for its coverage of socioeconomic issues, comes under scrutiny.
CHINA & MALAYSIA: Going global
China Media Project: One of Southeast Asia’s largest media groups announced this month that it would collaborate on content with a Chinese magazine. Is it turning a blind eye to the powerful political motives and interests that lay behind?
CHINA & US: China tests US voter fault lines and ramps AI content to boost its geopolitical interests (Blog)
Microsoft: China is using fake social media accounts to poll voters on what divides them most to sow division and possibly influence the outcome of the U.S. presidential election in its favor.
INDIA: BBC India To Transition to New Private Company in Compliance with FDI Rules
The Wire: Under the new FDI rules, companies exceeding the 26% FDI limit were required to reduce their foreign investment to comply with this regulation by October 2021.
INDIA: How social media is fuelling online hate against Muslims ahead of India’s election
SBS: India has a long and grim history of sectarian clashes between the Hindu majority and its biggest minority faith, Islam, but analysts warn modern technology is being used to deliberately exploit divisions.
Variety: Punit Goenka, MD and CEO of Indian media conglomerate Zee Entertainment Enterprises Limited, is trimming the organization’s workforce by 15%.
INDIA: Kerala: Doordarshan’s decision to broadcast The Kerala Story triggers row
The Statesman: Chief Minister Vijayan issued a strongly-worded social media post a few hours after Doordarshan listed the movie for 8 pm on Friday on DD National.
INDIA: TRAI releases consultation paper to formulate ‘National Broadcasting Policy
Economic Times: The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in July last year requested the TRAI to provide its considered inputs under Section 11 of the TRAI Act 1997 for formulation of the National Broadcasting Policy.
INDONESIA: Reports denounce poor conditions of freelancers and prevalence of sexual harassment in the workplace
IFJ: The Media and Creative Industry Workers Union for Democracy (SINDIKASI), an IFJ affiliate, released on 24 March two groundbreaking reports that address issues of sexual harassment and the precarious living conditions of freelancers in the Indonesian media landscape.
INDONESIA: Tackling print decline and building a path to sustainability: Lessons from KG Media
WAN-IFRA: Andy Budiman, CEO of the KG Media, shares insights from the Indonesian media group’s journey to adapt its business model and build a sustainable future for its media brands, including its flagship publication Kompas, Indonesia’s largest newspaper.
KYRGYZSTAN: Media Watchdog Calls For Repeal Of Kyrgyz ‘Foreign Representatives’ Law
RFE: The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has called on Kyrgyz authorities to repeal a controversial “foreign representatives” law that the Central Asian nation’s President Sadyr Japarov signed on April 2, saying it is a replica of a repressive Russian law on “foreign agents.”
MALAYSIA: Malaysian civil society, media unite to launch #MZB365 movement
The Edge: Civil society and media organisations in Malaysia have joined hands to introduce the #MZB365 movement aimed at combatting ethno-religious hate speech and promoting forgiveness.
MONGOLIA: Advancing Media and Information Literacy and Digital Skills in Mongolia
UNESCO: The 5th National Stakeholder Forum on MIL, co-organized by UNESCO, Mongolian National Commission for UNESCO, and the Press Institute of Mongolia was held on 7 Nov, 2023.
MYANMAR: A Myanmar Newsroom that Covers Buddhist Extremism
GIJN: When monks in Myanmar threatened to kill Min Min for his reporting on Buddhist nationalism, they had hoped to scare him into silence. Instead, the experience inspired him to start his own news organization.
MYANMAR: PRESS CLUB SEEKS RELEASE OF AP JOURNALIST JAILED IN MYANMAR
Associated Press: The National Press Club called on Myanmar to immediately release an Associated Press journalist who was arrested last week while photographing security forces charging at anti-coup protesters.
NEPAL: Nepal’s Social Media Bill puts Freedom of Expression in Jeopardy
Media Action Nepal: The analysis carried out by Media Action Nepal highlights significant concerns regarding the proposed Social Media Bill (SMB) of the Government of Nepal (GoN), which threatens the fundamental rights to freedom of expression (FoE) and online civic space guaranteed under the Constitution of Nepal.
PAKISTAN: Exiled Afghan journalist shot, injured in Pakistan
VOA: An exiled Afghan journalist was shot in Pakistan on Wednesday, prompting calls from press freedom groups for the Pakistani government to investigate the incident.
PAKISTAN: Journalist attacked in office in Islamabad
CPJ: Senior journalist and Rawalpindi Islamabad Union of Journalists (RIUJ) Secretary General Dr Furqan Rao was attacked in his office by a large group of people allegedly associated with local tea merchant Rana Imran Latif, following recent elections to a union at the Associated Press of Pakistan.
SINGAPORE: Chan Yeng Kit to step down as Permanent Secretary for Health, take over as SPH Media CEO from Jul 15
CNA: The Public Service Division (PSD) announced on Monday (Apr 8) that he will be seconded to SPH Media, which publishes news titles such as the Straits Times, the Business Times and Lianhe Zaobao.
SOUTH KOREA: Social media supercharges South Korea’s ‘politics of hatred’
CNA: Online disinformation and hate speech are poisoning politics over the world, but in South Korea there have also been real-life acts of violence in a deeply polarised electorate before polls on Wednesday (Apr 10).
THAILAND: Apply now for Thai PBS World Journalist Fellowship Program! (Opportunity)
Thai PBS: As a fellow, you will experience multimedia news production first-hand with Thailand’s public broadcaster, covering a wide range of topics on domestic and international current affairs. This is a unique opportunity to exchange ideas and collaborate with us on our mission to tell the stories about Thailand to the world.
REGIONAL: The declining fortunes of Central Asia coverage
Eurasianet: The interest in the region evinced by international outlets in the post-9/11 period has faded. But ignoring Central Asia could come at a cost.
AUSTRALIA: ABC premieres weekly special series India Votes 2024 ahead of elections for the world’s largest democracy (Press release)
ABC: ABC International and the ABC’s Asia Pacific Newsroom deliver a new six-part series investigating the critical concerns and complex issues as almost a billion voters prepare for India’s 2024 general election.
AUSTRALIA: Chequebook journalism is nothing new, but allegations in court about Spotlight’s practices have left insiders ‘gobsmacked’ (Opinion)
The Guardian: Claims made by a former Channel Seven producer in a federal court defamation case this week that the network reimbursed Bruce Lehrmann for illicit drugs and sex workers are “astonishing” and “sleazy” if true, journalists and media ethics experts say.
AUSTRALIA: The forgotten aspect of diversity: Does the Australian media industry have a class problem?
SBS: Experts are calling for greater socio-economic diversity in Australian newsrooms. They say surging university fees have ‘widened the class gap’ in journalism, leading to concerns about the media industry being increasingly ‘out of touch’. What does this mean for the future of the press?
AUSTRALIA: triple j’s One Night Stand returns (Press release)
ABC: triple j’s One Night Stand is back and ready to make a regional town a live music capital for one unforgettable night.
NEW ZEALAND: First RNZ Asia scholarship recipients announced (Press release)
RNZ: A new RNZ scholarship programme, established with support from NZ On Air, that aims to reduce the financial burden associated with a postgraduate degree in journalism for students of Asian heritage has its first recipients, with Nabeelah Khan (of Fiji-Indian descent) and Chengqi (Mavis) Ye (of Chinese descent) set to receive up to $8000 for payment of one year’s fees and a two-week internship/work experience at RNZ.
NEW ZEALAND: Kate Hawkesby waitlist comments on Māori, Pasifika ‘misleading, discriminatory’
1News: Former Newstalk ZB host Kate Hawkesby’s on-air comments that “Māori and Pacific patients are being moved to the top of surgery waitlists” were “misleading and discriminatory”, the broadcasting regulator has ruled.
NEW ZEALAND: Kiwi trust in news now well below global average, report suggests
1News: The public’s trust in New Zealand’s news media has fallen sharply over the past year and is now “well below” the global average, a new report suggests.
NEW ZEALAND: NZ Post end to Saturday rural paper delivery called blow to media
The Post: New Zealand Post’s decision to stop newspaper and parcel deliveries to rural addresses on Saturdays is another blow to media in challenging conditions, the News Publishers’ Association says.
NEW ZEALAND: RNZ, Whakaata Māori, PMN, NZ on Air and NZ Film Commission leaders weigh in on media crisis
The Spinoff: Above the Fold: as two of our biggest media organisations face radical downsizing, Duncan Greive asks our media leaders what’s going on, and what can be done about it. First up: the leaders of our publicly-funded media organisations, and the funders themselves.
NEW ZEALAND: TVNZ cuts: Fair Go gets partial reprieve, Midday and Tonight axed
1News: TVNZ has confirmed it’s axing long-running current affairs show Fair Go and its Midday and Tonight news bulletins — as a union confirms it will take legal action over the changes.
PAPUA NEW GUINEA: PNG court rejects sex case accused MP’s bid to gag media
Asia Pacific Report: A Papua New Guinea court application to stop the news media from reporting on an alleged sexual offence incident involving Goroka MP Aiye Tambua has been thrown out.
ALBANIA: ‘Coordinated’ Cyber Attack Targets Albania’s Online Citizens Channel
Balkan Insight: A major cyber attack on the online media outlet Citizens Channel by unknown perpetrators has raised fresh concerns about media freedom and access to independent information in Albania.
ALBANIA: RSF and Albanian Media Council’s conference show the urgency of action
RSF: Online censorship by digital platforms caused by opaque and harsh moderation policy has been identified by journalists present at the Wednesday event as one of the main obstacles to public-interest journalism in Albania.
AUSTRIA: ORF transparency report: Half a million for PR (German)
Der Standard: According to ORF, the advertising volume of more than eleven million euros was largely transacted through counter-transactions
AUSTRIA: Turquoise-green tug of war over press freedom: Why the ÖVP is moving away from the quotation ban (German)
Der Standard: The ÖVP and the Greens will bind the media more closely to data protection law, but the so-called quotation ban is now off the table in this context. What’s going on behind the scenes?
RSF: Belarusian exile journalists in Europe face economic challenges that threaten the survival of their media, according to a report by The Fix, a knowledge hub for media professionals, and the JX Fund, created by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) to support journalism in exile.
BELGIUM: Fact or fiction: AI as a fact-checking tool (Press release – Dutch)
VRT: Research shows that Flemish people need to fact-check statements made by politicians following the elections. The VRT NWS check editors have various tools available for this purpose, and in the future they also want to use AI to verify statements and, more specifically, data.
BELGIUM: The Council on Journalistic Ethics launches its first campaign for the general public (French)
RTBF: The Council of Journalistic Ethics wants to make itself known to the general public through its first communication campaign. Broadcast until April 22 on radio, television and social networks, it will allow the self-regulatory body of the journalistic profession in French-speaking and German-speaking Belgium to communicate on its role in monitoring respect for journalistic ethics to guarantee a trustworthy information on the eve of the elections.
FRANCE: france.tv PARIS 2024 – 100% Cloud and 5G, a first in the history of broadcasting (Press release – French)
FranceTV: Official broadcaster of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, France Télévisions is innovating to broadcast the france.tv PARIS 2024 Olympic channel from May 8.
FRANCE: How a French media tycoon is spreading his conservative views (Opinion)
The European Correspondent: French lawmakers recently questioned French billionaire Vincent Bolloré about how he manages his media empire.
GEORGIA: Georgia president to veto ‘foreign agent’ bill
Euractiv: Georgian President Salome Zourabichvili will veto a disputed draft law on “foreign agents”, a senior aide was cited by local media as saying on Monday (8 April), the day the bill was formally registered in parliament by the government.
GEORGIA: Protests begin in Georgia against ‘Russian law’
Politico: Demonstrators have again taken to the streets of Georgian capital Tbilisi to demand the government drop controversial plans to brand civil society groups “foreign agents.”
Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism: The outlet revealed a racist secret plan to deport millions of people. We take a deep dive into Correctiv’s investigation, its mission and its funding
GERMANY: Hostility to the press in Germany is increasing (German)
ZDF: Kicks, punches, destroyed equipment: According to “Reporters Without Borders,” anti-press sentiment and violence are increasing in Germany. There is also a new type of aggression.
GERMANY: More dialogue, more reports: This is what the ARD reform sounds like on the radio (Press release – German)
ARD: In the course of the recent ARD reform, the ARD’s information and cultural waves are deepening their cooperation.
GREECE: Greek Newspaper Distribution Agencies’ Union Stages Strike
Balkan Insight: Union stages 24-hour strike demanding the signing of collective working agreements, higher wages and more staff.
ICELAND: A European perspective on RÚV (Press release – Icelandic)
RÚV: Selected news from European public service media are now published on RÚV.is in Icelandic. A European perspective is a remarkable collaborative project that aims to promote cultural diversity and knowledge.
KOSOVO: One Arrested in Prishtina Following a Physical Assault on Journalists Crew
Prishtina Insight: The Basic Prosecution Office in Prishtina has detained a woman following an assault on two women journalists in the capital, where they were prevented from filming.
NORTH MACEDONIA: The arrest of a journalist heated up the political scene (Macedonian)
DW: On Sunday evening, Furkan Saliu left the police station where he was detained, but numerous dilemmas and questions remain regarding the motives for his detention.
NORWAY: Only Norwegian and Sami music on NRK’s radio channels (Press release – Norwegian)
NRK: On the occasion of the distribution of the Spellemann prize on Thursday 4 April, NRK wishes to honor Norwegian and Sami artists, musicians, composers and producers by playing only Norwegian and Sami music throughout the day.
POLAND: Donald Tusk’s clean-up of public TV boosts Polish Fox News (Paywall)
The Financial Times: Viewers switch from state broadcaster TVP to conservative Republika as it mimics the US right-wing channel
POLAND: Mariusz Szczygieł intervenes in the elections. He mentioned TVN24 and TVP (Polish)
Onet: The 2024 local elections are covered on an ongoing basis by nationwide media, including the leading news television TVN24. However, Mariusz Szczygieł draws attention to how the station dealt with the issue of deaf people. In this context, the writer mentions TVP.
POLAND: TVP demands almost PLN 142 million from the head of the National Broadcasting Council. She gave him three days to pay (Polish)
Wirtualnemedia: The liquidator of Telewizja Polska, Daniel Gorgosz, sent a final pre-court request to Maciej Świrski, head of the National Broadcasting Council, for the immediate payment of approximately PLN 142 million from license fee revenues.
PORTUGAL: Fact-checking’s impact on elections: A case study from Portugal
Poynter: Elections are the ultimate expression of democracy and the prime metric for assessing the influence of fact-checking within democratic societies
RUSSIA: Voice of (Europe) Russia
The European Correspondent: The Czech secret intelligence has exposed one of the largest Russian networks trying to influence elections to the European Parliament in various European countries. According to the Czech counterintelligence agency (BIS), the scandal revolved around the website Voice of Europe – originally a Dutch news site.
SERBIA: Growing violence against journalists in Serbia (Macedonian)
DW: Insults, intimidation, threats, and even physical attacks on journalists in Serbia do not stop. They are the target of attacks for reporting, expressing opinions and views, but sometimes just because they are – journalists.
SERBIA: In Serbia, attacks on credibility of journalists undermine media
VOA: The threats reflect a wider trend in Serbia. The Independent Association of Journalists of Serbia or NUNS has documented 36 attacks on journalists so far this year.
SERBIA: In Serbia’s Vojvodina Province, Broadcaster Workers Strike for Higher Pay
Balkan Insight: Staff at the broadcaster in Serbia’s northern province held a brief warning strike in front of the building of the media house, demanding higher wages.
SLOVAKIA: Independence of Slovakia’s leading TV news channel must be protected
EFJ: The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joined the partner organisations of the Rapid Response for Media Freedom (MFRR) in expressing its deep concern at the actions of the Slovak government towards Slovakia’s leading commercial broadcaster, TV Markíza, aimed at silencing its critical journalism.
SLOVAKIA: With threats to judges and journalists, Slovakia spirals eastward
Politico: As the crucial April 6 second round of presidential elections approaches in Slovakia, statements by its Moscow-sympathizing prime minister, Robert Fico, are confirming his government’s reputation as Europe’s new problem child.
SLOVENIA: Council of RTV Slovenia: statement to the public about the lawsuit by Andrej Grah Whatmough (Press release – Slovenian)
RTV SLO: RTV Slovenia received a partial judgment of the Labor Court in Ljubljana, with which the court ruled on the lawsuit of Andrej Grah Whatmough against the dismissal from the position of Acting General Director of RTV Slovenia and the termination of the employment relationship.
SLOVENIA: Labor court: Grah Whatmough illegally dismissed from the head of RTV due to improper service (Slovenian)
RTV SLO: The Labor and Social Court concluded with a partial verdict that Andrej Grah Whatmough was illegally dismissed from the post of Acting General Director of RTV Slovenia. The management of RTV Slovenia does not comment on the verdict.
SLOVENIA: RTV Slovenia and ONA VE Association signed a commitment for activities in the field of gender equality (Press release – Slovenian)
RTVSLO: The President of the Management Board of RTV Slovenia, Zvezdan Martić, and the President of the ONA VE Association, Marta Kos, signed a 50-50 commitment on cooperation in the field of gender equality today at the premises of TV Slovenija.
Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism: “These are the problems we wanted to tackle and we wanted to tackle them fast,” writes product manager Olalla Novoa, who led on this new initiative
SWEDEN: Sweden expels Chinese journalist, calling her threat to national security, report says
VOA: The journalist, an unnamed, 57-year-old woman, was arrested by the Swedish security service in October and expelled by the government in Stockholm last week, Swedish broadcaster SVT reported. She is banned from returning.
SWEDEN: Sweden’s Radio Romano celebrates International Roma Day on April 8 (Press release – Swedish)
SR: The editorial office is the only one of its kind in the world that works with a public service mission. It takes courage and creativity to work between the majority and the minority in society, the editors write.
SWITZERLAND: Establishment of an umbrella organization to promote news literacy (Press release – German)
SRG SSR: Networking and information, educational offers, events as well as media research and studies: The SRG, the publishers’ association SCHWEIZER MEDIEN and Keystone-SDA are joining forces with the support of the Mercator Switzerland Foundation to work together to promote news literacy in Switzerland in times of increasing disinformation engage.
SWITZERLAND: Play Suisse reaches one million subscribers (Press release – German)
SRG SSR: Less than three and a half years after its launch, the SRG streaming platform Play Suisse is celebrating another milestone: more than one million registered users.
UK: CPS says it was wrong to pursue case against press photographer
The Guardian: The Crown Prosecution Service has admitted it was wrong to press on with a case against a news photographer arrested as he tried to lawfully take pictures at a crime scene.
UK: RSF condemns attacks on journalists in Northern Ireland
RSF: Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemns attacks on journalists in Northern Ireland including petrol bombs thrown at reporters covering an Easter parade in Londonderry, and calls on the police force to ensure that journalists can do their jobs safely and without fear of reprisal.
UK: ‘Show must go on’ for Iranian journalist stabbed in London
VOA: A journalist for an independent Iranian media outlet in London stabbed outside his home last week has returned to work, saying “the show must go on.”
REGIONAL: Attacks on Journalists’ Safety on the Rise in Europe, New Study Shows (Research)
Journalism Research: MJRC releases a new study that maps the latest developments related to the protection of journalists and journalistic sources in Europe
REGIONAL: CoE’s Recommendation represents a significant milestone in the fight against SLAPPs
EFJ: The Recommendation establishes robust standards that Member States must meet in order to ensure compliance with their human rights obligations. This Recommendation could help guide EU Member States as they transpose the anti-SLAPP directive into national law, and provide a roadmap for non-EU members of the CoE to introduce effective anti-SLAPP protections of their own.
REGIONAL: DELFI’S CONTENT SPRINTS: WHEN COLLABORATION BETWEEN MEDIA LEADS TO NEW BUSINESS TRANSFORMATIONS (Press release)
Stars4Media: What can collaboration do for the media? Does it have any impact on their development?
REGIONAL: EU parties and Commission sign campaign rulebook against foreign interference, disinformation
Euractiv: All European political parties will sign on Tuesday (9 April) to a set of code of conduct rules, brokered by the European Commission, as part of broader efforts to shield June’s EU elections campaign from foreign interference and disinformation.
REGIONAL: MAPPING MEDIA FREEDOM – Monitoring report 2023 (Report)
MFRR: Hacking attacks, abusive lawsuits, insults by public authorities, and violence when
reporting at demonstrations. These are just some of the most prominent threats that journalists and media workers faced in Europe in 2023.
REGIONAL: Publishing books as a digital-first news media outlet? Three European newsrooms share their experience (Analysis)
The Fix: Adaptability is the key strength of a news organisation willing to step into the book publishing world
ARGENTINA: General Assembly Resolutions of 4/6: strengthen the organization and fight in unity
SiPreBa: It was agreed that we have to strengthen our participation and construction to expand our bases and dialogues; continue trying to recover salaries from our participation and struggle in joint ventures; protect the income and sustainability of self-managed workers, combat adjustment with the entire working class; and defend public media, rights and sovereignty.
ARGENTINA: Pope Francis questioned the closure of Télam: “The future is not seen” (Watch – Spanish)
La Politica Online: “Sometimes I worry a little about communication when I see a situation of insecurity and I think about the workers of Télam, for example, as if we can’t see the future and we don’t know for sure how the path will continue,” said the Supreme Pontiff.
ARGENTINA: Télam: one month of camp for the reopening of the agency shut down by the government (Spanish)
Agencia Farco: The workers of the Télam news agency have been on strike for a month, demanding their reinstatement and the reopening of the state news portal.
LatAm Journalism Review: Two Brazilian media outlets dedicated to local journalism have embraced generative artificial intelligence to grow the impact of their work and automate tasks that demand precious time and effort from their lean teams.
BRAZIL: Brazil justice investigates Musk for social media attacks on judge who fights disinformation
El País: Elon Musk, the owner of X (formerly Twitter), will be investigated in Brazil for possible crimes of obstruction of justice and incitement to crime, following a decision by the judge of the Federal Supreme Court Alexandre de Moraes, who in recent years led the battle against disinformation on the internet and became the number one enemy of followers of former far-right president Jair Bolsonaro.
BRAZIL: Training programs in Brazil revamp to follow changes in journalism and increase diversity
LatAm Journalism Review: To bridge the gap between universities and newsrooms, some Brazilian media outlets offer training programs that combine classes on topics related to the daily life of the profession and the experience of working in a professional newsroom.
BRAZIL: Under attack from so many quarters, press freedom in Brazil is now threatened by some judges too
Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism: A reporter’s prison sentence and a controversial Supreme Court ruling fuel concerns among reporters and journalism associations
COLOMBIA: Cuestión Pública of Colombia creates AI tool to improve daily coverage with investigative journalism
LatAm Journalism Review: After experimenting with generative artificial intelligence tools to streamline design processes, at the end of 2022, Báez had the vision of finding a way to use said technology to provide their readers with timely coverage, but enriched with investigative journalism.
COLOMBIA: Hollman Morris is preparing for his inauguration as the new manager of RTVC: his resume is already published (Spanish)
Infobae: The Bogotá journalist, who has been immersed in a series of scandals, will take the place of Nórida Rodríguez, who resigned from her position on April 5 at the request of the director of Dapre, Laura Sarabia.
COLOMBIA: Hollman Morris will be the new manager of RTVC in Colombia. (Spanish)
Valora Analitik: The appointment follows Rodríguez’s departure in the wake of a corruption scandal following alleged irregularities within RTVC.
COLOMBIA: The Ministry of Technologies will investigate what is happening at Rtvc, after the departure of Nórida Rodríguez (Spanish)
Infobae: The departure of the position occurred on the morning of Wednesday, April 3, in the midst of the investigations carried out by the Attorney General’s Office for alleged irregularities in the hiring of the media outlet.
HAITI: Regional group urges support for media workers in Haiti
Jamaica Observer: In a briefing note on Haiti to be submitted to the secretariats of the Organization of American States (OAS) and the Caribbean Community (Caricom), the ACM also outlined a number of recommendations to aid media workers, particularly women in the French-speaking Caricom country where criminal gangs are seeking to overthrow the Government.
PERU: Gustavo Gorriti, journalist persecuted by the Peruvian Prosecutor’s Office: “Disinformation works” (Spanish)
El País: The investigative reporter faces criminal proceedings against him for having revealed cases of corruption in which the political and business elite of his country are involved.
PERU: Peruvian authorities target journalist Gustavo Gorriti in bribery probe
CPJ: Peruvian authorities must drop their investigation of journalist Gustavo Gorriti and respect the right of reporters to maintain confidential sources, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Tuesday.
REGIONAL: Climate Tracker Caribbean Climate Justice Journalism Fellowship 2024 (Opportunity)
Opportunity Desk: The Fellowship aims to empower and support dedicated climate journalists across the Caribbean region to effectively report on climate justice issues.
IJNet: Communicators, journalists and storytellers working in Indigenous territories of Latin America marked the last two World Press Freedom Days by penning manifestos calling attention to realities that affect their right to free expression.
IRAN: Internet Disruptions Confirmed by NetBlocks and State Media
NCRI: Following reports from users across Iran regarding widespread disruptions and a significant decrease in internet speed, NetBlocks has confirmed the occurrence of these disruptions.
IRAN: Iranian Security Forces Arrest Kurdish Journalist Rasool Galleban
Iranwire: Rasool Galleban, a Kurdish journalist and media activist from northwestern Urmia, has been arrested by the Iranian security forces.
IRAN: Iran Prosecutes Over 90 Media Professionals This Year
Iranwire: Further diminishing Iran’s press freedom, the Islamic Republic has prosecuted at least 91 journalists, media activists, and media outlets in the first quarter of 2024.
IRAN: Iran Arrests One Journalist, Summons Another
Iran Wire: Authorities of the Islamic Republic have summoned and arrested two Iranian journalists, Hassan Abbasi and Hessam Abediha, due to their critical reporting.
ISRAEL & GAZA: A deadly six months for a press at war
Columbia Journalism Review: A week ago today, a series of Israeli strikes killed seven aid workers in Gaza.
ISRAEL & GAZA: More than 100 journalists killed in six months in Gaza – where is the international community?
RSF: Reporters Without Borders (RSF) reiterates its call to the international community to protect Palestinian journalism and step up pressure on Israel for an end to the massacre in Gaza, where more than 105 journalists have been killed since 7 October, including at least 22 killed in the course of their work.
JORDAN: Reporters covering protests against Gaza war increasingly harassed in Jordan
RSF: Reporters Without Borders (RSF) calls on the Jordanian authorities to stop hounding journalists who are just doing their job after three reporters were arrested in the space of 10 days in March while covering protests near the Israeli embassy in Amman against the war in Gaza.
PALESTINE: Journalist Ahmed al-Bitawi arrested while covering pro-Gaza march in the West Bank
CPJ: Palestinian authorities in the West Bank must immediately and unconditionally release journalist Ahmed al-Bitawi, who has been in detention since March 30, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Friday.
Women Press Freedom: Women Press Freedom firmly condemns the recent assaults, intimidation, and detentions of journalists in Turkiye, as they covered the protests against the electoral authorities’ decision to block a pro-Kurdish mayor-elect in Van despite his election victory.
TURKEY: Ruling Party Politician Sues İzel Sezer
Women Press Freedom: Women Press Freedom views the lawsuit by Deputy Ali İhsan Arslan of the ruling AKP party against İleri Haber journalists İzel Sezer and Doğan Ergün as an attempt to stifle critical journalism, and we call for the case to be dismissed.
REGIONAL: A New Media About Middle East Launched — The Sandy Times
Business Insider: At the heart of The Sandy Times lies a clear mission and goal. The outlet’s mission is to showcase the wealth of talent, creativity, and visionaries residing in the Middle East.
REGIONAL: The impact of Israel’s war in Gaza on media in the region
Free Press Unlimited: For journalists outside of Gaza the situation also worsened, with three Lebanese journalists killed by Israeli strikes in the South of Lebanon.
CANADA: GOVERNMENT OF CANADA SELECTS GROUPM’S GOVERNMENT PRACTICE POWERED BY ESSENCEMEDIACOM AS NEW MEDIA AGENCY OF RECORD (Press release)
GroupM: The Government of Canada has selected GroupM’s Government Practice Powered by EssenceMediacom as their new media agency of record.
CANADA: Retirees from Groupe Capitales Médias could request a review
Radio-Canada: Retirees from the regional newspapers of the Capitales Médias Group, including those from the newspaper Le Quotidien , have not said their last word. Even though the Administrative Labor Tribunal (TAT) rejected their complaint against their unions for failure to fulfill their duty of representation, they are now considering requesting a review of this decision.
CANADA: Ten months after being fired, 3 former CFAI employees are still waiting for their money (French)
Radio-Canada: Ten months after being fired by community radio CFAI in Edmundston, three employees have still not seen the compensation they were promised.
CANADA: Whitehorse newspaper closes after 124 years (French)
Radio-Canada: The owners of the Whitehorse Star announced in a letter published in Friday’s edition that the paper’s final issue will be in May. In January, co-owner Michelle Pierce and former reporter Max Fraser launched a new strategy in an effort to save it.
US: Citing lagging income, Chicago Public Media cuts staff, ends Vocalo broadcast (Paywall)
Current: In an email to staff, outgoing CEO Matt Moog and board chair Robert Pasin said that revenues “are not growing to support our mission.”
US: Gannett journalists in the solar eclipse’s path go on strike
Poynter: Unionized workers at the Austin American-Statesman and the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle are striking over stalled contract negotiations
US: Growth of games on PBS Kids aims to meet children where they are (Paywall)
Current: “We are reaching a really big audience,” says Abby Jenkins of PBS Kids. “They are born gamers.”
US: Herridge case shows the need to pass the PRESS Act (Opinion)
Freedom of the Press Foundation: A recent court filing by veteran journalist Catherine Herridge demonstrates the unpredictability journalists face when they commit to maintaining source confidentiality.
US: HBCU Radio Preservation project expands to 29 stations (Paywall)
Current: A $5 million grant from the Mellon Foundation supports HBCU stations in preserving historical recordings in their archives.
US: Kansas newspaper publisher files lawsuit over police raid
VOA: The publisher of a small Kansas newspaper that police raided in August is suing officials involved in the act, accusing them of violating the newspaper’s First Amendment rights.
CNN: Meta blocked a newspaper’s critical report about it on Facebook and its other social sites for hours, sparking a backlash that intensified after the company appeared to subsequently block links to the website of an independent journalist who republished the report.
US: Signal Infrastructure Group acquires Sony’s share of Public Media Management, announces rebrand (Paywall)
Current: SIG will rebrand itself to Media Management as part of the purchase.
US: This nonprofit has newsrooms in all 50 state capitals. Is it the future of state journalism?
Columbia Journalism Review: The Monitor is one of the latest outlets launched by States Newsroom, a nonprofit operation whose publications on policy and politics have quickly turned it into one of the biggest players in state-level coverage.
US: Why our system for valuing podcasts is broken
Current: The CPM model of advertising does not — and will not ever — work to sustain podcasting.
US: WNET Group announces layoffs to its New Jersey newsroom, plans to cancel ‘NYC-Arts’ (Paywall)
Current: The job cuts affected staff working in children’s media, local news and the Interactive Engagement Group, among other units.
At nonprofit newsrooms, is good journalism but sparse audiences a recipe for irrelevance?
Poynter: Nonprofits offer hope in a dire media world. But, at too many startups, disappointingly few readers actually see the work.
Digitally modified photos, videos and sound are labeled on Facebook and Instagram (Dutch)
VRT: From next month, photos, videos and sound recordings created or edited with artificial intelligence (AI) will receive special labels on Facebook, Instagram and Threads.
Fact-checking grows but concerns remain over funding, harassment, report finds
Poynter: The 2023 State of the Fact-Checkers report surveyed 137 fact-checking organizations across at least 69 countries
GIJN Launches First E-Book — Reporter’s Guide to Investigating War Crimes
GIJN: To better share this unprecedented investigative reporting resource, GIJN has now published the online guide as its first-ever e-book. It is now available on multiple online book platforms (see below) for immediate download at a nominal fee.
Google: ARTICLE 19 objects against unfounded accusations of ‘unacceptable business practices’ (Statement)
Article19: We believe that Google’s lack of transparency and accountability in this matter represents a serious impediment to the ability to carry out our mission to protect the right to freedom of expression and information and reduces and limits awareness of our work and engagement.
How to elevate your audio interviews from good to great
Current: Here are six practical interviewing strategies for reporters, producers and hosts, drawn from the day-to-day practices of some of today’s best audio storytellers.
Is social media harming teens? Yes and no. (Analysis)
Columbia Journalism Review
Journalists are happy to be disconnecting from platforms, should news organisations be worried?
Journalism.co.uk: Journalists are disconnecting from social media platforms, despite their importance for discovering audiences, amplifying news content and facilitating investigations.
Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism: As she launches nonprofit Proof News, the reporter shares tips to cover this technology and argues that cutting deals with AI platforms is not worth it
More people than ever are listening to podcasts
Nieman Lab: The news out of the podcast industry hasn’t been very cheerful for a little while now.
Navigating career transitions: Key tips and advice
IJNet: Facing an increase in layoffs across the media industry, many journalists today are confronting the prospect of career transitions, including ones that may take them outside of the newsroom.
LatAm Journalism Review: For more than 20 years, Brazilian-German political scientist Paula Diehl has studied populism, especially its relationship with media. In her investigations, she found that populism and the mass media operate following the same logic to capture the public’s attention.
What mainstream media can learn from niche news sites
Journalism.co.uk: Appealing to small and specific audience groups can have a big impact – if you know what you are doing
Why health fact-checking is still important (Opinion)
Poynter: The fears and mistrust largely stem from social stigma associated with reproductive health issues, exacerbated by false narratives about the vaccine on social media platforms.
Why the BBC has a licence fee and what might happen if it were scrapped
The Conversation: The TV licence is as much part of British life as the BBC, which it helps to fund.
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Header image: Babel’ by Cildo Meireles – tower of radios. Credits: Andrea de Santis / Unsplash.com
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