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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What we're watching...
How does CBC News project an election? Go behind the scenes as Quebecers prepare to vote
CBC: Reporter Julia Israel brings us a behind-the-scenes look into how CBC prepares to project election results on voting day.
What we're listening to...
Overhangs hang over election, RNZ’s next chief
RNZ: As the election campaign got underway officially, media seized on arguments about overhangs and vote-splitting dividing both sides. Also: RNZ’s next boss unveiled, and the light touch and depth of the late Phil Gifford.
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BENIN: REPROMED initiates the debate on the economic survival of online media
Benin Web TV: Benin calls for a consultation on the economic conditions of online media, following the signing of agreements between the High Authority for Audiovisual and Communication (HAAC) and 89 operators.
BOTSWANA: Botswana at 60: Saving journalism for the next 60 years
Mmegi Online: Sixty years is a long time in the life of a person but perhaps not so long in the life of a nation. On September 30, Botswana will turn 60 and there will rightly be speeches, celebrations and reminders of how far the country has travelled since independence.
CAMEROON: Cameroon Regulator Suspends Vision 4 For One Month Over Regulatory Breaches
Broadcast Media Africa: Cameroon’s Conseil national de la communication (CNC) has suspended Vision 4 from all audiovisual broadcasting for one month following an extraordinary session held on 29 September.
CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC & RUSSIA: Anthropic: Is Russia using AI for disinformation in Africa?
DW: An Anthropic report says the AI model Claude was used in pro-Russian campaigns in the Central African Republic. Similar allegations were raised for the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Sudan and Mali.
EGYPT: Egypt Regulator Clears ‘Al-Bulldozer’ To Return As Contributors Face Broadcast Ban
Broadcast Media Africa: Egypt’s Supreme Council for Media Regulation has lifted the suspension of sports programme Al-Bulldozer, allowing the show presented by Magdi Abdel Ghani to return to Al-Shams TV on 3 October.
EGYPT: Egyptian journalist faces terrorism charges after entire newsroom detained
The Guardian: Calls for release of six Matsadaash staff after one is charged, while whereabouts of other five remain unknown
Graphic Online: Never before has the ordinary person possessed so much power to communicate with so many people. With a smartphone and internet connection, anyone in Ghana can become a broadcaster, commentator, advertiser, citizen journalist or social critic. A Facebook post can reach thousands. A TikTok video can travel across continents.
KENYA: Media freedom concerns as MPs push for sanctions over political coverage (Watch)
NTV Kenya: Concerns over freedom of the media are growing as political tensions build ahead of the August 10th, 2027 General Election. A group of Members of Parliament, including Gladys Boss Shollei, Junet Mohamed and Peter Kaluma, have called for unnamed sanctions against media houses they accuse of misreporting.
MOROCCO & EGYPT: Morocco, Egypt Discuss Electoral Media Regulation And AI-Generated Content
Broadcast Media Africa: Morocco’s Haute Autorité de la Communication Audiovisuelle (HACA) has held discussions with Egypt’s ambassador to Morocco on media regulation, electoral pluralism and the emerging challenge of AI-generated political content.
MOZAMBIQUE: New media laws enter into force on November 22
Club of Mozambique: The new social communication and broadcasting laws will enter into force on November 22, with a process of socialization, clarification, and preparation for professionals, operators, and other sector stakeholders currently underway for their implementation.
NAMIBIA: Namibia’s media landscape: A welcome shift toward inclusive political reporting (Opinion)
Windhoek Observer: Credit must be given where it is due. It is very rare to hear the media fraternity in Namibia being praised for the role it plays; instead, people tend to criticise it.
NIGERIA: 2027 Polls: Nigerian Government Tasks Broadcasters on Responsible Reporting
Voice of Nigeria: The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, has charged broadcasters to uphold accuracy, verification and fairness ahead of the 2027 general elections, warning against the spread of AI-generated misinformation.
NIGERIA: The Raging Information Battle in Nigeria
Africa Center for Strategic Studies: Foreign actors are targeting Nigeria with manipulative information operations to erode trust, deepen polarization, and shape security narratives to gain greater leverage over Nigeria’s political and economic trajectory.
SOMALIA: UNDP and BBC Media Action launch conflict-sensitive journalism initiative in Somalia
UNDP: UNDP Somalia, in partnership with BBC Media Action, has launched a new initiative to strengthen conflict-sensitive journalism and support Somali journalists to produce accurate, balanced and public-interest media content that contributes to social cohesion, trust and peacebuilding.
SOUTH AFRICA: New Study: Making Digital Platforms Accountable in South Africa
Konrad Adenauer Stiftung: The study by Nicole Fritz and Justine Limpitlaw explores what South Africa can learn from the EU’s Digital Services Act to address online harm while protecting freedom of expression.
SOUTH AFRICA: SABC competing with supplier it owes R1.6 billion for important TV channel in South Africa
MyBroadband: The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) and state signal distributor, Sentech, are competing against each other for a deal to broadcast and stream Parliament TV.
SOUTH AFRICA: SABC silent about R2.5-million plan to get more people to pay TV licences (27 September)
MyBroadband: The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) has gone quiet on its plans to encourage TV licence compliance through the gamification of its free streaming service, SABC+.
SOUTH SUDAN: USAID donates generator to Eye Radio (25 September)
Eye Radio: The US government has handed over a brand-new generator to strengthen Eye Radio’s ability to continue broadcasting accurate and reliable news to South Sudanese 24/7.
TOGO: Togo Moves State Broadcasters’ Commercial Services Onto National E-Government Portal
BMA: Télévision Togolaise and Radio Lomé have moved ten administrative services onto Togo’s national e-government portal, service-public.gouv.tg, in a development that brings elements of their commercial and public-facing operations into the country’s digital government infrastructure.
ZIMBABWE: No, Ms Rushwaya, a public institution is only as good as its constitutional compliance—which ZBC lacks (Opinion)
The Zimbabwean: When ZBC Board Chairperson Ms Helliate Rushwaya recently proclaimed that a public institution is judged not only by its policies, she set up a classic defense.
ZIMBABWE: Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation Prepares For New Radio Licensing Regime
Broadcast Media Africa: The Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) is preparing to implement a revised radio licensing regime as the Broadcasting Services Amendment Act of 2025 moves towards coming into force.
AFGHANISTAN: Radio Arman Marks 23 Years on Air in Afghanistan
Tolo News: The 27th of Hamal marks the day when a voice came to life in Afghanistan, the anniversary of Radio Arman’s first broadcast. A media outlet that began 23 years ago and still finds its way to listeners through the airwaves.
AFGHANISTAN: Taliban shut down 3rd Shiite-centered media outlet in 4 months in Afghanistan
CPJ: Taliban authorities should immediately permit the independent Afghan Voice Agency (AVA) to reopen its Kabul office, release reporter Zamin Ali Chavoshi and five other detained media workers, and halt their escalating campaign against news organizations serving Afghanistan’s persecuted Shiite Hazara community, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday.
ARMENIA: The Voice of Armenia: 100 years of public broadcasting (Press release)
BNR: This year, our Armenian colleagues are celebrating the 100th anniversary of their broadcasting service. To mark the occasion, they have sent the foreign-language services of Radio Bulgaria a special presentation on the history of the broadcaster and its relationship with its audience from 1926 to the present day.
BANGALDESH: BJIM condemns attack on journalists at Rajshahi University, seeks independent probe
The Report: Four campus journalists were among at least 10 people injured in an attack at Rajshahi University, prompting Bangladeshi Journalists in International Media (BJIM) to demand an independent investigation into the violence.
CHINA: Agenda-setting relations between Chinese state media reports and public social media posts: focusing on COVID-19 (Study)
Nature: This study explores differences and cross-arena relations in agenda construction between the People’s Daily, the official publication of the Chinese Communist Party, and Weibo, a widely used social media platform, by analyzing the structural similarities of attribute networks within media reports and Weibo posts about COVID-19 in China.
INDIA: From BARC to AI: Prasar Bharati CEO on the new battle for trust in news
Fortune India: With BARC under review and AI blurring lines between fact and fabrication, Prasar Bharati pushes ground reporting and clear labelling to rebuild credibility in television news.
INDIA: Prasar Bharati seeks global telco partners to expand WAVES OTT
Indian Broadcasting World: Prasar Bharati is looking to expand the international footprint of its WAVES OTT platform through partnerships with telecom operators, carrier billing and bundled entertainment offerings, with a focus on reaching the Indian diaspora across global markets.
INDONESIA: A new path for controlling the media (Opinion)
Tempo: The Broadcasting Bill could expand regulators’ control over digital content. It threatens press independence.
NEPAL: Floods and glacial collapse: How communication can save lives
BBC Media Action: From one of the most beautiful parts of Nepal’s mountainous border area, we are seeing scenes of devastation and pain – hundreds, maybe thousands, of innocent people, along with countless more homes and livelihoods, swept away in an instant by flash flooding.
NEPAL: Nepal’s proposed media law sets penalties from apologies to press pass suspension
Asia News Network: The government has proposed a legal framework classifying violations of code of conduct by media and journalists into three distinct tiers, introducing penalties that range from mandatory apologies to the suspension of press credentials.
PAKISTAN: Radio Pakistan Peshawar reopens after major rehabilitation and renovation
RadioInfo Asia: Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (PBC) has reopened its newly rehabilitated and renovated Radio Pakistan Peshawar building, marking an important milestone in the restoration of the historic broadcasting facility.
SOUTH KOREA: 88 Years with the Region… KBS Jeonju Headquarters Continues to Carry on the Responsibility of Public Broadcasting (Korean)
KBS: KBS Jeonju Headquarters is seeking a new role by listening to the voices of the people of Jeonbuk Province from close proximity to their lives and delivering local news to the wider world.
SOUTH KOREA: Court Dismisses Park Jang-beom’s Injunction Request, Ruling No Flaws in KBS Board Resolution
SBS News: An injunction request filed by KBS President Park Jang-beom to halt the procedures for appointing a new KBS president by the board of directors has been dismissed.
THAILAND: Bhumjaithai MP proposes Thai PBS budget funding with public hearing until October 14
The Nation: Bhumjaithai Party MP Supachai Jaisamut has proposed a bill to change Thai PBS’s funding from levies on alcohol and tobacco to annual allocations from the state budget.
THAILAND: Media network urges Anutin to halt proposed Thai PBS funding changes
Thai PBS World: A network of media professionals has urged Prime Minister and Bhumjaithai Party leader Anutin Charnvirakul to reconsider and halt proposed legislative amendments that would change the funding arrangements for Thai PBS and three other public organisations.
THAILAND: Thai PBS reasserts its independence following proposed new public media bill (Statement)
Thai PBS: Thailand’s Public Broadcasting Service (Thai PBS) has urged against political intervention in its funding model or in the role of the country’s public service media, as the ruling Bhumjaithai Party proposes a bill that has sparked concerns over media independence and freedom.
AUSTRALIA: Anthropic pushes for opt-out model for Australian content as ABC warns of ‘cannibalisation’ of news
The Guardian: The AI giant Anthropic has urged the Albanese government to consider giving “conditional approval” for big tech to train its models on Australian copyrighted works under an opt-out model, after conceding it won’t secure a blanket copyright exemption.
AUSTRALIA: New SBS podcast How Australia Works helps migrants to navigate Australia’s democracy (Press release)
SBS: At a time when public trust and civics education are declining, SBS is today launching a five-part multilingual podcast How Australia Works.
NEW ZEALAND: Jason Winstanley named RNZ’s next chief executive (Press release)
RNZ: The Board of RNZ has appointed Jason Winstanley as the organisation’s next chief executive.
NEW ZEALAND: New RNZ chief executive Jason Winstanley – why bombshell move goes far beyond public broadcaster (Analysis – paywall)
The NZ Herald: The bombshell move to appoint NZME radio boss Jason Winstanley as the new chief executive of RNZ goes far beyond the public broadcaster. What can listeners and RNZ expect?
NEW ZEALAND: The BSA isn’t gone yet but a Pacific expert says what comes next matters for NZ public (Opinion)
PMN: Pulotu Tupe Solomon-Tanoa’i says important questions remain about what will replace the Broadcasting Standards Authority and what protections communities will have.
NEW ZEALAND: TVNZ joins the News Publishers’ Association
StopPress: The News Publishers’ Association is pleased to announce that TVNZ has joined the Association as an associate member, further strengthening industry collaboration and representation across New Zealand’s news media sector.
PAPUA NEW GUINEA: Papua New Guinea’s National Broadcasting Corporation adopts digital future
Business Advantage PNG: Lemach Lavari reports on the PGK254.5 million project that is connecting the national broadcaster with the next generation of Papua New Guineans.
SAMOA: Media watchdog demands answers after Samoan PM’s security reportedly deletes journalist’s photos
RNZ: The Journalists Association of Samoa (JAWS) is demanding answers over the removal of a journalist’s camera and the deletion of photographs taken while she was covering a public event.
REGIONAL: New PINA president pledges to strengthen Pacific newsrooms
RNZ: The new president of the Pacific Islands News Association (PINA) wants to strengthen the region’s newsrooms.
AUSTRIA: Against ORF broadcast, for “clean information”: FPÖ launches its ORF referendum (German)
Der Standard: Hafenecker: “A third of the current budget will probably suffice” – “An objective ORF” without “special privileges, without luxury salaries” is demanded.
AUSTRIA: “Clear language”, audio description plus original sound: ORF TV is becoming more accessible. (German)
Der Standard: New TV audio tracks improve accessibility
BELGIUM: Impartiality in the media: can one truly be neutral? RTBF iXPé opens the debate with Jean-Pierre Jacqmin (Event – French)
RTBF: Can one truly be impartial when producing news? Between editorial choices, pluralism, personal opinions, and the growing power of creators on social media, the question is hotly debated.
BELGIUM: VRT must make further cuts, unions are “furious” and announce “major actions”. (Paywall – Dutch)
De Standaard: The public broadcaster VRT must make additional savings as a result of the Flemish government’s budget drafting.
CZECH REPUBLIC: Czech Radio reduced this year’s budget by 20 million to 2.716 billion crowns (Czech)
SZ: The Czech Radio Council has approved an amendment that will reduce this year’s budget by 20 million crowns. The reduction is possible due to a reduction in subsidies for foreign broadcasting and the symphony orchestra, and due to an adjustment to the plan for revenue from fees.
CZECH REPUBLIC: Déčko launches a new competition. WHO THAT WHAT guides children through the world of professions (Press release – Czech)
ČT: Who needs a uniform for work and who needs courage? The new year-round competition Déčka KDO TO CO TO will introduce children to the world of professions. It will show what different professions entail and what skills they require – from accuracy and patience to creativity and the ability to cooperate.
CZECH REPUBLIC: Editors-in-chief called on politicians to reject violence and not restrict access to information (Czech)
Media Guru: More than four dozen editors-in-chief of Czech media outlets jointly called on political representatives to reject violence, respect the basic rules of public communication, and maintain equal access to information for the media.
CZECH REPUBLIC: Rules for the use of artificial intelligence at Czech Radio (Czech)
Český Rozhlas: Czech Radio uses artificial intelligence ethically, responsibly and based on clearly defined principles. The aim of the directive is therefore to set understandable rules for the safe and useful use of AI tools at Czech Radio.
DENMARK: Emergency preparedness is more than water, canned goods and batteries (Press release – Danish)
DR: When the crisis hits, we need to know what we can do ourselves, and how we as a society are stronger together. That is why, with the theme ‘Together for preparedness’, DR invites Danes to explore what it really means to be prepared.
ESTONIA: Government approves new Estonian Public Broadcasting law
ERR: The government approved a bill amending the Estonian Public Broadcasting Act and will send it to the Riigikogu. The changes concern both ERR’s funding and governance model.
ESTONIA: Media executives: Foreign-language dubbing ban harms economy, security
ERR: ERR and private media outlets in Estonia have called for a reversal of the ban on foreign-language dubbing.
FINLAND: The Ministry of Transport and Communications pauses preparations for STT state aid (Press release)
Finnish Government: The Ministry of Transport and Communications is pausing the preparations for the STT state aid package until STT owners decide on the company’s future.
FRANCE: France mission report: Media freedom at critical juncture ahead of the 2027 presidential election (Report)
EFJ: Although France enjoys a legal and regulatory framework which is generally supportive of media freedom, challenges are mounting ahead of the 2027 presidential election, the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) concluded with its partners from the Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) in a new report published today.
FRANCE: The 2027 Finance Bill deals another blow to creation (Statement – French)
LA Scam: The draft budget submitted this Thursday by the Government weakens and disarms France in the cultural and informational spheres. The 2027 election year will thus be marked by an unprecedented withdrawal of sovereign news and French documentaries.
GEORGIA: Zurab Tsetskhladze: This day and night will remain a black mark on the leadership of the Georgian Public Broadcaster (Georgian)
On: The 24-hour protest by parents and supporters of prisoners of conscience at the Georgian Public Broadcaster has ended. As Zurab Tsetskhladze, one of the participants in the protest, states, “This day and night will remain a black mark on the leadership of the Georgian Public Broadcaster due to the policy of ignoring it.”
GERMANY: 10 years of funk: Social media platforms come and go, but the mission remains. (Press release – German)
ZDF: TikTok, Instagram, YouTube: The major social media platforms are constantly changing; new ones emerge, while others lose relevance. funk celebrates its tenth anniversary in October 2026 and demonstrates that anyone wanting to engage young people with digital content must adapt to this change without losing sight of their core mission.
GERMANY: Confidently for a continued independent ZDF (Press release – German)
ZDF Council: A look back at the ZDF Television Council meeting of September 25, 2026.
GERMANY: Germany’s public broadcasters under fire from far-right AfD (Watch)
DW: After the AfD came out victorious in Saxony-Anhalt’s state election, critics fear Germany’s public broadcasters could come under pressure. The far-right party wants to end the media treaty that funds public broadcasting.
GERMANY: Hesse is to further shrink HR radio offerings. (German)
Meedia: Fewer radio programs and a lower director’s salary: The Hessian state government wants to streamline the ARD broadcaster Hessischer Rundfunk (HR), focusing on efficiency and cooperation.
HUNGARY: Hungary’s Media System After Orbán: What Has Changed, What Hasn’t, and What Comes Next (Blog)
Linkedin: Many people have asked me what is actually happening with the transformation of Hungary’s media system. The changes are significant, fast-moving, and often difficult to follow from outside Hungary, especially for those who do not speak Hungarian. Here is a brief summary.
Telex
CnaM: Coimisiún na Meán has today (29.09.2026) opened a six-week stakeholder consultation on its draft Statement of Procedure and Methodology for the three-year appraisal of the Public Service Media (PSM) providers, RTÉ and TG4, covering the period 2028-2030.
LATVIA: Latvia moves to nearly ban Russian-language content on public broadcasters
EUalive: Russian-language content on Latvijas Televīzija and Latvijas Radio will be permitted only in narrowly defined exceptional cases
LITHUANIA: EBU is watching the prosecutor’s investigation into LRT with concern: it poses a threat (Lithuanian)
LRT: The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) says it is following with great concern the investigation launched by the Lithuanian Prosecutor General’s Office into the provisions of LRT’s editorial policy related to secret information collection.
LITHUANIA: Former Constitutional Court judge on the prosecutor’s letter to LRT: frankly, I view it as censorship (Lithuanian)
LRT: After the Prosecutor General’s Office demanded that LRT explain how the organization regulates secret information gathering, a former Constitutional Court (CT) judge says that this contradicts the principles of media freedom and resembles censorship.
MALTA: EFJ and press freedom groups write to Prime Minister about media reform bill
EFJ: The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joined IPI, CPJ, RSF and ECPMF to send a joint letter to Maltese Prime Minister Robert Abela, calling on the government to commit to an open, transparent, and consultative review of a pending draft media reform bill.
THE NETHERLANDS: NOS Sport sets new course: fewer cycling rights, NPO 3 must prevent interrupted broadcasts. (Dutch)
Wielerfiets: Van der Wulp states that the NOS interfered too emphatically in the battle for sports rights in the past. “Historically, we have behaved like a commercial entity,” the editor-in-chief acknowledges.
THE NETHERLANDS: NPO websites and apps more digitally accessible (Press release – Dutch)
NPO: The NPO has made its digital platforms NPO Start and NPO Luister even more accessible. Thanks to a number of technical improvements, people with, for example, visual, auditory, cognitive, or motor impairments can also find their way around more easily.
RUSSIA: Russian state media banned from going off script in budget coverage
Pravda: Russian state-owned and pro-government online media outlets have received guidelines on how to report on the draft Russian budget for 2027-2029.
RUSSIA: Xenia Fedorova, or how Russian propaganda turns free thinking on itself (Opinion)
The Conversation: The European Council has decided to adopt restrictive measures against Xenia Fedorova for her role in Russia’s continued hybrid activities, and in particular for engaging in foreign information manipulation and interference (FIMI), “thereby undermining democracy and stability in the EU and its member states”.
SLOVENIA: Igor Vobič: Politics should not have a hand in the financial tap of RTV Slovenia (Paywall – Slovenian)
Delo: Before the referendum, we spoke with a media expert from the FDV about the role of RTV Slovenia in society and the intention to abolish the RTV licence fee.
SLOVENIA: RTV Slovenia transmitters: much more than a television and radio signal (Press release – Slovenian)
RTV SLO: When we talk about RTV Slovenia transmitters, we first think of radio and television signals. But the transmitters and connections infrastructure is much more than that.
SLOVENIA: With Jansa’s Return, Slovenia’s Media Landscape Is Being Reshaped
Balkan Insight: A free press in Slovenia is at risk from the return to office of the populist Janez Jansa and media ownership changes that are shaking up the sector.
SPAIN: RTVE launches its new Electronic Portal to bring its procedures and services closer to the public (Press release – Spanish)
RTVE: The new platform centralizes digital access to RTVE procedures and services
SWEDEN: Joint blog post by Sveriges Radio, SVT and UR: We are further deepening the cooperation between the public service companies (Blog – Swedish)
SR: SVT, Sveriges Radio and UR are now taking further steps in the cooperation between the companies. By working more together, we want to use our resources more efficiently, reduce costs and create more robust operations with combined expertise. Ultimately, it is about protecting the program operations and the content that reaches the audience
UK: BBC appoints Rachel Jupp as new director of news
BBC: Rachel Jupp has been appointed the new director of BBC News, nearly a year after the previous CEO resigned.
UK: BBC morale dented by gradual ‘bloodletting’ after weeks of job cuts
The Guardian: Plans to shed as many as 2,000 employees have been announced in stages, and staff fear further cuts in 2027
UK: BBC Staff Revolt Over Job Cuts By Posting Laughing Emojis During Management Call
Deadline: BBC employees expressed their defiance over job cuts by posting laughing emojis during a management call, in which the corporation’s £500 million ($660M) savings plan was discussed.
UK: BBC Told By Lawmakers To Stop Paying “Over The Odds” For U.S. Shows Like ‘Scooby-Doo’
Deadline: The BBC should stop outbidding commercial rivals for foreign content acquisitions, according to an influential group of British lawmakers.
REGIONAL: A Promising Start, But Not Enough: The Case for Getting EU Journalism Funding Right Before 2028
EFJ: In the negotiations on the EU Multi-Financial Framework (MFF) 2028 – 2032, journalism funding is the new kid on the block. The EFJ has analysed where EU funding on journalism is currently being spent. Local, independent journalism does not come out on top.
COE: The Council of Europe held an online expert consultation on 29 September 2026 to support the development of a Practical Guide on Building Independent, Sustainable and Pluralistic Public Service Media, under the authority of the Steering Committee on Media and Information Society (CDMSI).
REGIONAL: ENTR Next Generation launches to tackle disinformation (Press release)
DW: ENTR Next Generation (ENTR-NG) marks a new phase for ENTR, the European social media project for young audiences.
REGIONAL: Eurovision seeks to expand brand despite frictions
DW: The 2026 Eurovision Song Contest was marred by boycotts in protest against Israel’s participation in the midst of its war on Gaza. It still aims to keep growing.
ARGENTINA: The libertarian government will change the name of Public TV (Spanish)
Página 12: The decision only seeks to try to close a past rather than project the channel into the future.
ARGENTINA: Two 23-year-olds used AI to create a daily audio briefing. It’s now the top news app in Argentina.
Nieman Lab: “We want society to trust [media] again, and to give them a platform built around current consumption formats that reduces friction between society and verified information.”
ARGENTINA: What does the City of Buenos Aires do with what its Magna Carta says? (Opinion – Spanish)
Tiempo: The same microphones are still in the radio station, repaired endlessly by the technicians. The console powers on, the sign reads “on air,” and when a program starts, we can pretend nothing’s happening for those few hours.
ARGENTINA & FRANCE: RSF protests against Milei, “predator” of press freedom, in France (Spanish)
France24: Reporters Without Borders protested Wednesday against Javier Milei, whom they consider a “predator” of press freedom, with a truck that projected messages from the Argentine president on the social network X against journalists through the center of Paris.
BRAZIL: EBC provides extensive journalistic coverage of the first round of the 2026 Elections. (Press release – Portuguese)
EBC: To cover the first round of elections next Sunday (4), the vehicles of Empresa Brasil de Comunicação (EBC) carry out national, integrated and multiplatform journalistic coverage, with the theme “Public Journalism at the Service of Democracy”.
COLOMBIA: RTVC has a deficit of $148.391 million: Is public radio at risk? (Spanish)
Portafolio: Public radio and television in several regions of the country are at risk due to a $148.391 billion deficit that, according to the official report from the Office of the President, the Public Media System RTVC faces in 2026.
HONDURAS: NGO in Honduras calls on families of journalists killed or disappeared to create a network (Paywall – Spanish)
La Prensa: The institution advocates for truth and justice, strengthening families to follow up on investigations and confronting impunity.
MEXICO: AMLO accuses media of “manipulation” and lashes out against journalists (Spanish)
Infobae: Andrés Manuel López Obrador , the former president of Mexico , once again made clear his break with the media , as well as his position against those who practice journalism in the country.
MEXICO: Fernanda Tapia responds to criticism about her assets and management at Radio Educación (Spanish)
Gente: The director of the public broadcaster faces questions about her income and presence, while the institution defends her work and assures that the infrastructure is not neglected.
PERU: Concern at IRTP over the removal of news reports on violence and police operations (Spanish)
Uno: Workers are asking for clarification on who ordered the removal of content published in August and September and under what editorial criteria the decision was made.
PERU: IRTP will provide special coverage of the 2026 Regional and Municipal Elections (Press release – Spanish)
IRTP: The National Institute of Radio and Television of Peru (IRTP) will deploy extensive journalistic and technical resources to provide comprehensive coverage of the 2026 Regional and Municipal Elections, taking place this Sunday, October 4.
URUGUAY: From YouTube to FM: Why a Uruguayan newspaper turned to radio
LatAm Journalism Review: A Uruguayan news outlet that spent two decades building a successful subscription model and investing heavily in digital media decided this year to invest in a much older technology: radio.
URUGUAY: South American Games: Channel 5 prioritizes sports on screen (Spanish)
Gub.uy: The director of Channel 5, Erika Hoffmann, praised the public media’s coverage of the South American Games (ODESUR) in Argentina. She stated that the goal is to prioritize sports on state television and recalled the channel’s historic coverage of the FIFA World Cup. The institution is already planning its coverage for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games.
VENEZUELA: Venezuela keeps 149 websites blocked; Media Network denounces censorship by Conatel (Spanish)
Alianza de MediosMX: Since 2018 in Venezuela, massive digital blockades have affected independent news portals and informative websites by operators such as CANTV.
REGIONAL: Are free speech and the right to reliable information at odds? An audience rights expert weighs in
LatAm Journalism Review: Latin America, in recent years, has seen a growing debate over how to guarantee not only press freedom but also the public’s right to receive reliable information.
IRAQ: Iraq’s media and the price of false credentials
Shafaq News: Amid blurred boundaries around professional journalism and the organized rise of “shadow media,” journalism in Iraq is facing a deep structural crisis that affects both its independence and its role in shaping public awareness.
KUWAIT: Media law a step toward modernizing sector, says minister
Kuwait Times: The new Media Regulation Law is a significant step in developing and modernizing Kuwait’s media legislation, Minister of State for Communications and Information Technology and Acting Minister of Information and Culture Omar Al-Omar said on Sunday.
TURKIYE: A heart-to-heart conversation with Turkey; how was access to T24 blocked? (Turkish)
T24: Access to T24, which ranked first among the “channels used by artificial intelligence platforms for verifying information in Turkish” in a Stanford University study whose results were announced in July and which is also referenced worldwide, has been blocked.
TURKIYE: Inside Turkey’s Lawfare: How Turkey uses its disinformation law against journalists
CPJ: Turkish authorities have weaponized the country’s disinformation law to stifle independent reporting by repeatedly detaining and arresting journalists on charges of spreading false information based on the vague tenets of this poorly conceived legislation.
TURKIYE: Turkey bans T24 news site as dissent crackdown widens: What to know
Al-Monitor: Turkish authorities cited alleged LGBTQ+ propaganda for the ruling against the independent news website.
CANADA: ‘Hockey Night in Canada’ returns, will broadcast PWHL games
The New York Times: “Hockey Night in Canada,” the Canadian hockey program formerly tied to NHL broadcasts, will shift its focus to the Professional Women’s Hockey League.
CANADA: Local hockey fans adjust to watching NHL games without Hockey Night in Canada on CBC
CBC: Fans must pay to view after CBC, Rogers Sportsnet couldn’t cut sublicensing deal for Saturday program
CANADA: The NHL final is no longer free to watch. This group wants to pass a law to change that
CBC: Sports events tied to ‘shared national identity’ shouldn’t be behind paywalls: Friends of Canadian Media
CANADA: The Weather Network Is Canada’s Most Trusted Media. What’s It Doing Right?
The Walrus: For the fourth consecutive year, Canadians’ most trusted media isn’t the CBC, CTV, or the Globe and Mail. It’s the Weather Network, with 78 percent of respondents to a Pollara survey, published this June, expressing confidence in it.
CANADA: Why does CBC Gem keep buying American during a trade war? (Opinion – paywall)
The Globe and Mail
US: California’s big local news bill becomes law
Nieman Lab: At the end of August, the state of California passed a bill to give news organizations tax credits based on the number of journalists they employ. It’s the largest local news bill in the United States — expected to generate as much as $40 million for the state’s newsrooms each year — and on Wednesday, California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed it into law.
US: Chicago Public Media CEO Melissa Bell is Leading the Nation’s Most Watched Local News Experiment (Listen)
Local News Initiative: Bell discusses the progress and challenges of the landmark 2022 merger of the Chicago Sun-Times and NPR station WBEZ—and how she weathered the federal defunding of public broadcasting.
US: Governor Ivey removes 5 Alabama Public Television commissioners amid controversy
Al.com: Gov. Kay Ivey has terminated five commissioners from one of Alabama Public Television’s governing bodies following a year of controversy.
US: Mark Thompson To Remain At CNN As Chairman Under Ellison’s Skydance
Deadline: Mark Thompson will remain at CNN as Chairman and Editor-in Chief for CNN Worldwide after Skydance closes its purchase of Warner Bros. Discovery.
US: Nine PBS receives $11M in Ready to Learn funding for literacy initiative
Current: Nine PBS will launch a literacy initiative for kids using $11.1 million from Ready to Learn, a federal grant program for public media stations that has resumed after halting funds last year.
US: NPR, the quintessential audio news brand, adapts to a video-first future
Nieman Lab: NPR’s new chief content officer Nadine Zylstra on how the public media company acquired Machine Gods — which she thinks can be “the Car Talk of AI.”
US: Read the results of the Alabama Public Television survey
WSFA 12: The results of a survey to gauge the public’s opinion on Alabama Public Television programming were released Tuesday.
DDoS attack temporarily disrupts European platform documenting press freedom violations
ECPMF: Mapping Media Freedom, the platform operated by the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF), was the target of a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack on 1 October 2026. The attack deliberately overwhelmed the platform’s servers, temporarily disrupting public access to a resource that documents violations against journalists and media workers across Europe.
Kak highlights the importance of press cartoons for the 20th anniversary of Cartooning for Peace (Listen – French)
RFI: To mark the 20th anniversary of Cartooning for Peace, press cartoonist Kak, president of the association, was a guest on L’atelier des médias . For nearly an hour, they discussed the defense of freedoms in the face of rising authoritarianism and the rise of AI.
New global IFJ report urges stronger regulation of surveillance (Report)
IFJ: The International Federation (IFJ), the largest journalists’ organisation across the world, has launched its latest report, Hacked Silence: Journalists and surveillance- addressing legal and regulatory challenges on 5 October.
“Platforms Will Push Back”: Forcing Public Service Media Onto The Online World (Opinion)
The House: In making the case for trustworthy news in the digital age, the government may force online platforms to carry public service media. Ros Taylor explores whether the proposal is workable
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