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.
Every week, PMA compiles all the latest news from the public media and media freedom industry. Have a story to feature? Get in touch!
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What we're watching...
Australian journalist attacked amid violence at Israel’s Jerusalem Day march | ABC News
ABC News: Israel’s annual Jerusalem Day march has turned violent with participants assaulting Palestinians and journalists. ABC reporter Allyson Horn, who was abused at the scene, says the ongoing Israel-Gaza war has spurred hostilities to a different level at this year’s event.
What we're listening to...
The metamorphosis of Russian informational influence strategies (French)
RFI: How has the war in Ukraine transformed Russian media and the internet? What are the current dynamics of Russia’s influence strategy, particularly in terms of information? To discuss these questions, L’atelier des media welcomes two specialists in Russian influence: Maxime Audinet and Kevin Limonier.
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ERITREA: Who is telling Eritrea’s stories?
IJNet: There is no independent journalism in Eritrea, said Sadibou Marong, head of Reporters Without Borders’ (RSF) Sub-Saharan African bureau. “In a nutshell, it’s quite difficult for Eritreans to enjoy press freedom [or] freedom of expression,” he explained.
KENYA: Journalist says Kenyan official threatened to kill him over report on ambulance shortages
CPJ: Dindi, who works with the People Daily newspaper, told CPJ that on May 20, David Alilah, Chief Officer of Medical Services in Kenya’s western Kakamega County, threatened to kill him after the journalist sought comment on allegations that a lack of local ambulance services had contributed to the death of a mother and her newborn at a public health facility.
GHANA & SINGAPORE: Leveraging the Singapore “Media” experience: A blueprint for Ghana’s development
Asaase Radio: By examining how Lee handled the media to support Singapore’s development in the 1960s Ghana can derive strategic insights for its growth
GUINEA: Guineans suffer after media blackout in May
RFI: For six months now, the Guinean media have been subjected to restrictions by the authorities. With black screens and jammed airwaves, the country’s main TV and radio stations have finally been unable to broadcast their programmes.
MALI: The social movement launched following the incarceration of a union leader is growing (French)
RFI: Malian journalist Yeri Bocoum was also arrested on June 8 after covering an opposition demonstration.
MOZAMBIQUE: At least 5 journalists harassed or assaulted covering pre-election events in Mozambique
CPJ: Mozambican authorities should investigate the harassment and assault of at least five journalists covering election-related events since March, and take concrete steps to ensure the press can freely and safely report on matters of crucial public interest leading up to the country’s October general elections, said the Committee to Protect Journalists on Friday.
MOZAMBIQUE: Mozambique journalist arrested, 2 harassed and robbed at protest
CPJ: At around 6:00 p.m. on June 4, seven police officers chased and arrested Sheila Wilson while she was reporting live from a protest by hundreds of former secret service agents over alleged non-payment of pensions, according to news reports and the journalist, who spoke to CPJ.
NIGERIA: Group condemns attack on journalist by FCMB security guards
Premium Times: The journalist, Emmanuel Nwazue, who works at Afia TV, was allegedly assaulted by the security guards while he was monitoring the indefinite strike declared by the labour unions.
NIGERIA: Justice forces television giant Multichoice to offer a free month to subscribers
RFI: In Nigeria, the entertainment platform, MultiChoice, sentenced to a fine of 150 million naira (equivalent to 92,000 euros) and to provide a free month to its subscribers.
NIGERIA: Press Attack: Newspaper writes Tinubu over police harassment
Premium Times: The newspaper’s letter followed the harassment of its personnel by the police over a story published that exposed corruption in the sale of lands involving two former IGPs and other top cops.
NIGERIA: The Media Monitoring Industry in Nigeria: Key Players, Specialties, and the Need for an Association
Business Post: The media monitoring industry in Nigeria plays a pivotal role in shaping the landscape of advertising and public relations (PR).
SENEGAL: Press companies request adjustment of tax debts (French)
RFI: In Senegal, press companies have been sticking their tongues out since the General Directorate of Taxes demanded payment of heavy tax debts from them. Press bosses met urgently to request an arrangement for the payment of these debts.
SENEGAL: Strong reactions after Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko’s comments on the press (French)
RFI: The head of Pastef toured the government’s priority files without concrete announcements, but once again, the Prime Minister promised that those who spent public funds would be prosecuted, accusing the press companies among others.
SUDAN: Two journalists killed by paramilitary forces
IPI: IPI demands accountability for crimes against journalists amid ongoing conflict
TUNISIA: IPI demands an end to repressive use of cybercrime law against journalists
IPI: In a recent crackdown, authorities have censored, arrested, and jailed journalists who voice criticism of Kais Saied’s regime
REGIONAL: Africa Media Monitoring May 2024: Threats to press freedom in Nigeria, Uganda and Somalia (Report)
IPI: Journalists targeted through cybercrime law in Nigeria, others assaulted and detained in Uganda and Somalia
REGIONAL: First Quarter 2024: Senegal’s political troubles, Nigeria’s Cybercrime Law trigger massive repression (Report)
MFWA: In many West African countries, the fight for press freedom and freedom of expression still faces significant obstacles. Governments and powerful individuals use a variety of measures to control the narrative and crush dissent.
AFGHANISTAN: Taliban orders shutdown of broadcaster Tamadon TV
CPJ: In a breaking news announcement earlier that day, Tamadon TV stated that a Taliban delegation was inside its station to shut down operations.
CHINA: Chinese journalist who raised alarm over COVID is in hiding: is the world noticing?
The Conversation: China has finally “freed” citizen journalist Zhang Zhan who was jailed in 2020 for filming and writing about the outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan.
CHINA: Exiled Uyghur journalist links Urumqi arrests to his reporting
VOA: Former colleagues of exiled Uyghur journalist Kasim Kashgar have been imprisoned in China’s Xinjiang region, seemingly over their connection to the Washington-based reporter.
CHINA: Q&A: Xiao Qiang on the anniversary of Tiananmen Square and the right to information in China
CJR: Thirty-five years ago this week, the Chinese Communist Party sent troops into Tiananmen Square, in central Beijing, to suppress a student protest. With global media present and filming, soldiers opened fire on a crowd of activists that had amassed in the same location where Mao Zedong founded the People’s Republic of China in 1949.
CHINA: Talking Tiananmen with a Chinese Chatbot
China Media Project: As China strives to surpass the United States with cutting-edge generative artificial intelligence, the leadership is keen to ensure technologies reach the public with the right political blind spots pre-engineered. Can Chinese AI hold its tongue on the issues most sensitive to the Chinese Communist Party?
HONG KONG: Journalists obstructed, detained on Tiananmen anniversary
IFJ: As Hong Kong police crackdown on commemorations of the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre, journalists and media workers have faced obstruction and harassment from authorities. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) urges the Hong Kong Police Force to allow the media to work without interference from police, and authorities to ensure the city’s constitutional commitments to press freedom are upheld.
INDIA: Small signs of hope—but a long way to go—for Indian media independence
CJR: Over the past few months, nine hundred million Indians have voted over seven phases to elect 543 members of the Lok Sabha, India’s lower house of Parliament. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has ruled India with increasingly authoritarian tendencies since 2014, is set to return to power, but with a chastening cut in the number of seats for his ruling Hindu-nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party.
INDONESIA: Proposed laws could revive Indonesia’s media oligarchy
University of Melbourne: The Indonesian public has been taken aback by two proposed changes to Indonesia’s media landscape.
JAPAN: Japanese video-sharing website Niconico suspends services following cyberattack
The Record: A popular Japanese video-sharing platform, Niconico, is investigating a cybersecurity incident that forced the company to suspend its services.
KAZAKHSTAN: Kazakh Journalist Loses Appeal Against Fine For Voicing Support For RFE/RL
RFE/RL: A court of appeals in Kazakhstan’s largest city, Almaty, has rejected an appeal filed by journalist Zhamila Maricheva against a fine she was ordered to pay for her online article supporting RFE/RL’s Kazakh Service, known locally as Radio Azattyq.
KYRGYZSTAN: 11 Journalists From Kyrgyz Investigative Group Go On Trial
RFE/RL: Eleven former and current reporters for the Temirov Live investigative group in Kyrgyzstan have gone on trial in Bishkek on a charge of “calling for mass riots,” which the journalists and rights groups have rejected as politically motivated.
MALAYSIA: Malaysia leads global surge in social media takedown request
Malaysian Reserve: Last year, TikTok recorded a 447.6% increase in takedown request from govt, while Facebook and Instagram saw a 16- fold surge in content restriction
MALAYSIA: PM Anwar: Media freedom guaranteed, but don’t use it to divide country
Malaysian Reserve: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has reiterated that the government is firm in its stance to guarantee media freedom in the country, but that freedom cannot be used to undermine the country’s unity and harmony, including by stirring up 3R issues (Race, Religion and Royalty).
MYANMAR: Myanmar civilians struggle as junta’s social media crackdown disrupts daily life
Mizzima: The Myanmar junta’s crackdown on social media is causing widespread disruption for civilians, affecting various aspects of daily life, according to Burmese users.
NEPAL: Radio Nepal and BBC enter into first variation agreement on Programme broadcasting
Radio Nepal: Radio Broadcasting Service of Nepal (Radio Nepal) and The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) have entered into the first variation agreement relating to the broadcasting of programmes of the BBC on Radio Nepal: FM- Kathmandu.
PAKISTAN: Alarming signs for press freedom under Pakistan’s new authorities
RSF: Reporters Without Borders (RSF) urges Pakistan’s new federal and provincial authorities to adopt urgent measures to address the signs of an alarming deterioration in press freedom since they took office three months ago.
PAKISTAN: Pakistan’s top court issues notices to 34 channels for airing controversial pressers
VOA: The Supreme Court of Pakistan issued notices Wednesday to nearly three dozen news channels, demanding explanations for airing two press conferences critical of the judiciary.
CNA: Deepfakes, disinformation and foreign interference, to name a few, have troubled voters all around the world in a bumper year for polling. What are the lessons for Singapore?
THAILAND & CHINA: A Global Battle of Narratives: China’s Media Influence in Thailand
Friedrich Naumann Foundation: The infiltration of Chinese state-controlled media raises concerns about democratic values and freedom of expression in Thailand.
VIETNAM: Vietnam national security police confirm arrest of prominent writer Truong Huy San for Facebook post
AP: Authorities in Vietnam announced Friday that they have charged prominent journalist and historian Truong Huy San with violating a national security law because of writing he had posted on Facebook, the website of the newspaper Tuoi Tre and other state media reported.
AUSTRALIA: ABC Named Official Partner for 2024 NAIDOC Week (Press release)
ABC: The National NAIDOC Committee and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation are delighted to announce the ABC will once again be the home of National NAIDOC Week celebrations as the Official Broadcast and Education Partner.
AUSTRALIA: ABC Welcomes South Australian Government Decision To Extend Screen Partnership (Press release)
ABC: ABC Managing Director, David Anderson today welcomed the decision by the South Australian Government to extend South Australia’s Content Pipeline Fund screen partnership between the South Australian Film Corporation (SAFC) and the ABC.
AUSTRALIA: Australia drops case against X over stabbing videos
BBC: Australia has abandoned a legal battle to have graphic footage of a church stabbing in Sydney removed from Elon Musk’s social media platform X.
AUSTRALIA: Australia should force Meta to pay for news, News Corp executive says
Reuters: Australia should force Meta Platforms (META.O), opens new tab to pay news companies for content that appears on Facebook and impose broader regulation on social media firms, a senior News Corp (NWSA.O), opens new tab executive said.
AUSTRALIA: Does fast food have a supersized influence over Australian media? – Full Story podcast
The Guardian: Newsrooms constantly receive carefully curated press releases from companies and, while they usually form one side of the story, a new study has found that, when it comes to the fast food industry, a number of Australian media outlets aren’t fulfilling their half of the bargain.
AUSTRALIA: News Corp aren’t ‘obsessed’ with the ABC, executive chairman says
The Guardian: Michael Miller, who is responsible for The Australian, Daily Telegraph, news.com.au and Sky News Australia, also blames social media for many of society’s ills.
AUSTRALIA: Pro-Russian influence campaign targets Australian media outlets, including ABC, researchers find
ABC: Australian news outlets, including the ABC, have been targeted by a sophisticated new pro-Russian influence campaign, designed to sway public opinion about the war in Ukraine, according to researchers.
AUSTRALIA: Women in media report grim three-year-high for career dissatisfaction
ABC: A majority of women in the Australian media industry are dissatisfied with their career progression and more than one-third are thinking about leaving their jobs, new research shows.
NEW CALEDONIA, FRANCE & AZERBAIJAN: Exclusive: Azerbaijani Officials Targeted France With New Caledonia Disinformation Campaign
RFE/RL: Dozens of accounts on X, formerly Twitter, were suspended for spreading the disinformation, namely misleading photos and videos, RFE/RL has learned, after similar accusations leveled by French officials.
NEW ZEALAND: Can we trust surveys of our trust in the media?
RNZ: Recent surveys have said our trust in media’s falling fast, and made plenty of headlines. But lately new surveys say our trust isn’t plummeting. The latest one is part of a pitch to persuade the government of the media’s worth at a critical time for the business. Can we trust the media surveys of our trust in them?
NEW ZEALAND: Cook Islands language show gets high praise at NZ Radio Awards
PMN: Pacific personalities and programmes have been honoured for their excellence in broadcasting and contributions to media.
NEW ZEALAND: LANDMARK AGREEMENT REACHED WITH WHAKAATA MĀORI AND TG4 IRELAND (Press release)
Whakaata Māori: An unprecedented partnership between Whakaata Māori and TG4 Ireland, has been secured to share strategies, content development and potential co-productions.
NEW ZEALAND: RNZ joins with Pacific Media Network for talent retention pilot (Press release)
RNZ: RNZ and Pacific Media Network (PMN) will partner on a 12-month pilot to retain Pasifika talent in the industry and bolster coverage of Pasifika issues.
SOLOMON ISLANDS: Mojo training is timely for digital era – reporters
Solomon Star: Reporters who participated in a five-day Mobile Journalism (MoJo) training course at the King Solomon Hotel last week commended the training as timely for this digital era where people access news stories via their mobile phone devices.
AUSTRIA: ORF boss Weißmann: “The biggest threat to the ORF is its financing” (German)
Der Standard: Director General: Referendum on ORF “we would win” – but “we have to explain to the public what we are using the money for”
AUSTRIA: ORF expects 70,000 to 80,000 cases against ORF contribution (German)
Der Standard: 430,000 new payers since the beginning of the year, mostly via direct debit, reports ORF management in the Finance Committee
AUSTRIA: ORF Foundation Council enters explosive week of meetings (German)
Der Standard: SPÖ against ORF cuts to “basic broadcasting”, it seeks responsibility for 33 million euros missing from ORF contributions. Westenthaler keeps committee busy
AUSTRIA: ORF’s “ZiB 3” threatened with closure, replacement on YouTube (German)
Der Standard: ORF confirms that late news will go on summer break and editorial staff will now help develop ORF news channel on YouTube
AUSTRIA & RUSSIA: Russia expels ORF correspondent Knips-Witting (German)
Der Standard: The move was a reaction to the withdrawal of accreditation of a Russian correspondent of the state agency TASS in Austria, according to the Moscow Foreign Ministry
BELGIUM: Belgian election tests limits of media’s far-right boycott
DW: The media in Belgium’s Francophone region tightly control coverage of the far right. Experts say it has kept extremists at bay. But is it fair? And can it last?
BELGIUM: Election day is a hit on RTBF, which confirms its position as a reference media (French)
RTBF: Nearly half of French speakers followed the elections on RTBF. Whether on TV on La Une or on digital with Auvio, RTBF Actus and our social networks, many of you trusted us throughout this election day.
CZECH REPUBLIC: AI popularizer Petr Salaba describes how he prepared pre-election slogans and posters generated by artificial intelligence for ČT’s Superdebate (Czech)
ČT24: The director and popularizer of artificial intelligence, Petr Salaba, described how he prepared pre-election slogans and posters for the Super Debate program on the relationship between national and European politics.
DENMARK: Danish Media Threatens to Sue OpenAI (Paywall)
Wire: anish media outlets want a group deal with OpenAI amid fears that smaller countries will become marginalized as chatbots become prolific. If they don’t get one, they are threatening to sue.
DENMARK: Kim Bildsøe on fake ads on Facebook: ‘It’s borderline-crossing’ (Press release – Danish)
DR: Fake ads and articles abound on social media that take advantage of well-known hosts and mislead the Danes.
FINLAND: Yle Uutiset and Yle Urheilu are being renewed – the new studios and brand looks will be visible already in June (Finnish)
YLE: This is the biggest reform work in more than ten years, and with it, Finns can continue to watch top-class news and sports content.
FRANCE: Saadé, before Arcom, promises not to intervene “in the editorial line” of BFMTV and RMC (Listen – French)
RFI: Following the takeover of BFM TV and RMC by the maritime group CMA CGM, its shareholder Rodolphe Saadé was interviewed by Arcom, the regulatory authority for audiovisual and digital communications.
GERMANY: More sport at ARD’s first 5G broadcast test during the European Football Championship and the Olympic Games (Press release – German)
ARD: For the first time, the four ARD media companies BR, NDR, RBB and SWR will be broadcasting live video streams via 5G broadcast during the European Football Championship EURO 2024 and the Olympic Games.
SVG News: Riedel Communications announces that the Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation, Greece’s state-owned public broadcaster, has once again acquired Riedel’s Simplylive Production Suite to elevate its live production capabilities across a wide range of events.
HUNGARY: Why this Hungarian newspaper has to print in Slovakia
RTÉ: Zsombor György, the newspaper’s editor-in-chief, told RTÉ News that they could not find “any printing house brave enough to print” the edition in Hungary.
ICELAND: RÚV Orð supports immigrants in learning Icelandic (Press release – Icelandic)
RÚV: The aim of the project is to promote the integration of people with diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds into Icelandic society.
ITALY: ABU Rai Days 2024 on AI (Event)
Rai: What many consider to be the greatest technological revolution humanity has ever faced transforms the way we work and presents an existential challenge to public service broadcasters: embrace new technologies, evolve, while maintaining audience trust, authority and quality of information.
KOSOVO: At Kosovo War Crimes Trial, Journalist Admits Exaggerating Guerrillas’ Strength
Balkan Insight: Prosecution witness Nuhi Bytyci asked the court not to use his book as evidence against “freedom fighters” Hashim Thaci and three co-accused, saying it was based on his “views as a journalist”, not a historian.
KOSOVO: BIRN Launches ‘Reporting House’ Exhibition to Mark End of Kosovo War
Balkan Insight: A three-month exhibition exploring media coverage of the war in Kosovo, and how artists have interpreted its legacy in the 25 years since, opened on Monday in Pristina, encouraging survivors to tell their stories.
MONTENEGRO: Alarming last-minute changes to the draft Law on National Public Broadcasting
IFJ: The Prime Minister’s Office has amended the agreed text of the draft Law, on which the Working Group on Media Legislation had been working for almost 30 months, without public consultation.
NORWAY: How Norway’s public broadcaster uses AI-generated summaries to reach younger audiences
Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism: The Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation (NRK) recently began adding AI-generated summaries to many articles published on its website to appeal to younger audiences.
POLAND: Telewizja Polska simplifies its organizational structure and creates the Office of Trade and International Cooperation (Press release – Polish)
TVP: The Company’s management decided to merge the Sales and International Cooperation Office with the Purchasing and Production Standards Office.
POLAND & US: Poland, US launch group against Russian disinformation on Ukraine
Euractiv: The United States and Poland on Monday (10 June) launched a multinational group based in Warsaw to counter Russian disinformation on the war in neighbouring Ukraine, the US State Department said.
PORTUGAL: RTP increases results compared to 2022 (Press release – Portuguese)
RTP: RTP closed 2023 with positive Net Results for the fourteenth consecutive year, worth 2.5 million euros.
RUSSIA: Russia ups pressure on foreign journalists (Watch)
VOA: Since the start of Russia’s large-scale invasion of Ukraine, the Kremlin has carried out a campaign of repression against local and foreign journalists including via intimidation, threats, expulsions and arrests.
RUSSIA: Russia’s requests to block YouTube is ‘political censorship,’ says rights group
VOA: Videos on YouTube offering advice on evading conscription or on the safe use of VPNs (virtual private networks) to audiences in Russia have been disappearing.
SERBIA: Serbia Transfers Belarusian Journalist To House Arrest
RFE/RL: Serbian authorities have transferred Belarusian journalist, filmmaker, and political activist Andrey Hnyot from jail to house arrest, according to self-exiled Belarusian opposition politician Paval Latushka.
SLOVAKIA: Disinformation in full swing in Slovakia ahead of EU elections (Paywall)
Euractiv
SLOVAKIA: I sense the potential to fight from the Markíza editorial office, says moderator Kovačič (Watch – Czech)
ČT24: The decision to interrupt the broadcast of two Markíza programs was made after Kovačič criticized the station’s management in a live broadcast.
SLOVAKIA: Media freedom groups call on Slovakia’s Parliament to reject public broadcasting bill
MFRR: Journalists and media freedom groups are urging Slovakia’s MPs to reject the proposed public service broadcasting bill scheduled for parliamentary review next week.
SLOVAKIA: Slovakia public broadcaster employees hold 3-hour walkout over government overhaul plans
AP: Employees of Slovakia’s public radio and television broadcaster staged a three-hour walkout on Monday to protest a contentious overhaul of their services, a move that critics say would result in the government taking full control of the media.
SLOVENIA: The content of Radio Slovenia is now also on radio AGORA
RTV SLO: Today, Radio Slovenia and Radio AGORA signed an agreement on program cooperation, with which they will provide Slovenians in the Austrian Carinthia with quality radio or audio content of national public radio.
SPAIN: RTVE Institute organizes the ‘AI, transformation and training in the media’ conference at its headquarters in Barcelona (Event – Spanish)
RTVE: The Barcelona headquarters of RTVE Instituto hosts on Thursday, June 13 , from 4:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., the conference ‘AI, transformation and training in the media’ , to address the changes that Artificial Intelligence is producing at work , information ethics and in the training of professionals.
SWEDEN: The TV4 reporter: “There is no respect for what is true or false” (Paywall – Swedish)
Dagens Nyheter
UK: ‘Quite a nightmare’: UK media face tricky few weeks juggling football and politics
The Guardian: Broadcasters weighing how to cover Euro 2024 at same time as general election, with BBC facing extra complication of Wimbledon
UK: The BBC and Channel 4 may soon be safe from Tory attacks – but they still need reform (Opinion)
The Guardian: Public service broadcasting has been threatened by a hostile government for years. A Labour win offers the chance for a reset
REGIONAL: E.U. Censorship Laws Mostly Suppress Legal Speech (Report)
Reason: European speech regulations reach way too far to muzzle perfectly acceptable content.
REGIONAL: Fact check: EU elections and fake news about ballot fraud
DW: As European parliamentary elections kick off, voters have been exposed to plenty of disinformation regarding voting rules. DW looked at four popular claims aimed at disrupting the democratic process.
REGIONAL: How AI chatbots responded to basic questions about the 2024 European elections right before the vote
Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism: We give examples of how three chatbots reacted to questions and widely shared misinformation about the EU vote in France, Germany, Italy and Spain
REGIONAL: What kind of political media influence is desired: Public media services between “melonization” and “dePiSization” (Opinion – Bosnian)
Censolovka: Battles over political influence on public services have spread across the European Union, from Germany, Italy, Sweden and Greece to Poland, Slovakia and Hungary.
ARGENTINA: Privatization of Radio and Television Argentina: required $34 billion from the Treasury in 2023, has almost 2,400 employees and the countries in the region have public media (Spanish)
Chequeado: The draft Base Law provides for the privatization of the state company under whose orbit Public TV and National Radio operate. The national government ordered the company’s intervention and in recent weeks closed the social networks of both media.
ARGENTINA: The extreme right faces the worst defederalization of public media (Spanish)
Tiempo: National public media play a fundamental role in Argentina, a large and diverse country, and even more so in times when communication in private hands tends to segment information.
BRAZIL: EBC Public Communication Award focuses on combating misinformation (Portuguese)
Agência Brasil: Empresa Brasil de Comunicação ( EBC ) launches, in June, the EBC Public Communication Award. The fight against misinformation, the resumption of incentives for national audiovisual production and the traditional recognition of the country’s radio production guide the three axes of the award.
BRAZIL: TV Brasil: Audience falls under Lula’s administration, despite high spending (Portuguese)
Pleno.news: Known for its already modest numbers, TV Brasil’s audience has registered even more pronounced drops since the beginning of the Lula (PT) government.
LatAm Journalism Review: Almost half (48.7%) of Brazilian municipalities do not have a journalistic outlet serving their population.
CHILE: Susana García, executive director of TVN: “We want to show that Chile has many positive things to tell” (Spanish)
Universidad de Chile: Susana García now has to take on a great challenge, both professional and personal, which she feels confident that she will achieve: repositioning the public channel as a friendly and attractive alternative for an audience that watches less and less TV.
COLOMBIA: Colombian mayor is accused of hitting a journalist: “Everything that happens to me I hold them responsible” (Spanish)
Infobae: The work of journalists in Colombia has been pointed out on more than one occasion as a dangerous profession, which is why the Foundation for Press Freedom (Flip) constantly monitors violations against this exercise in the country; However, attacks against communicators continue to be recorded.
CUBA: Persecution in Cuba: the regime published the controversial Social Communication Law (Spanish)
Infobae: Cuba’s controversial Social Communication Law , which ignores the unofficial press and allows commercial advertising for the first time since the triumph of the communist revolution (1959), was published this Wednesday in the Official Gazette, more than a year after its parliamentary approval.
PERU: IRTP: Minister Urteaga clarifies that the budget has 34.7% execution (Spanish)
IRTP: The Minister of Culture, Leslie Urteaga, clarified the statements related to the budget of the National Institute of Radio and Television of Peru – IRTP.
PERU: TV Peru in crisis: President of the IRTP spent 80% of the budget in just 4 months (Spanish)
Cutivalú: The 2024 budget of the National Institute of Radio and Television (IRTP) has been at serious risk due to poor administrative and financial management, carried out by its president Ninoska Chandía.
VENEZUELA: Site blocking and impersonation threaten media in Venezuela, according to IPYS report
LatAm Journalism Review: In Venezuela, digital information freedoms are systematically censored and attacked, according to “Algorithms of Silence,” the 2023 Digital Rights Annual Report from the Press and Society Institute of Venezuela (IPYS Venezuela, for its acronym in Spanish).
REGIONAL: Journalist chronicles Caricom’s journey: Sandra Ann Baptiste’s ‘Caribbean Perspectives’ unveiled
Trinidad & Tobago Guardian: Sandra Ann Baptiste’s career as a journalist and specialist in Caribbean affairs spans over three decades, during which she has chronicled major developments across the region with a particular focus on the regional integration movement, Caricom.
IPI: The members of the International Press Institute (IPI), meeting at their 73nd annual General Assembly during the IPI World Congress on May 23, 2024 in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, adopted by vote a resolution calling on Israel and the international community to take immediate measures to protect the safety of all journalists in Gaza.
IRAN: Iran’s State TV Chief Outlines Presidential Debates Amid Tight Control
Iran International: Iran’s upcoming televised presidential election debate will be held under strict government control, according to Iran’s broadcast chief.
IRAN: Tehran Will Continue Pressure on Iran International, Says Official
Iran International: Tehran has vowed to continue threatening the news channel Iran International in blatant disregard of the call by UN experts to cease its transnational violence against the UK-based network and its journalists.
IRAN: The Iranian news outlet Tehran targets
CBS: This week on 60 Minutes, correspondent Lesley Stahl reported on a type of proxy war Iran is waging around the world: hiring hitmen to intimidate, abduct and assassinate perceived enemies. Among the dissidents the Iranian government is increasingly targeting are journalists working abroad to report Iranian news.
ISRAEL: Attacks, arrests, threats, censorship: The high risks of reporting the Israel-Gaza war
CPJ: Since the Israel-Gaza war began on October 7, journalists and media across the region have faced a hostile environment that has made reporting on the war exceptionally challenging.
ISRAEL: Israel extends Al Jazeera ban by 45 days, citing security threat
Reuters: A ban on Al Jazeera’s operations in Israel was extended for another 45 days by Israel’s telecoms regulator on Sunday after the cabinet agreed its broadcasts posed a threat to security.
ISRAEL: Journalists assaulted by mob in Jerusalem
IPI: The IPI global network is deeply alarmed by reports of multiple violent attacks against journalists by crowds who participated in an annual march in East Jerusalem on June 5.
TURKEY: Fighting Back: A Victory for Freedom of Expression in the Turkish Constitutional Court (28 May)
Automattic Transparency: Today, we are pleased to announce an important victory for freedom of expression online: we beat Turkish President Erdoğan in the Turkish Constitutional Court.
TURKEY: Streaming platforms to pay 1.5 percent of annual revenue to Turkey’s media watchdog
Turkish Minute: In yet another move tightening its grip on digital media, Turkey’s broadcasting and streaming regulator, the Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK), has made it compulsory for online streaming platforms operating in the country to pay 1.5 percent of their annual net revenue to the council.
TURKEY: Turkey’s local newspapers protest public savings curbing official ad revenues
Duvar English: Several local newspapers have blacked out their front pages in protest against the Turkish government’s public saving measures to curb official advertisements for local media, one of the main revenues of the local dailies.
YEMEN: How the Yemeni Listening Project reveals the lives affected by the civil war
IJNet: Nonprofit newsroom The New Humanitarian (TNH) hired a refugee journalist to do a deep reporting project on the impact of the ongoing Yemen civil war.
APTN: APTN is embracing a new way of celebrating National Indigenous Peoples Day (NIPD) by focusing on community engagement and continuing to place a strong emphasis on entertaining programming for June 21.
CANADA: Google signs deal with organization to distribute $100M to Canadian news companies
CBC News: Canadian Journalism Collective tasked with ensuring news organizations get their share of the money
CANADA: INDIGENOUS SCREEN OFFICE, CBC AND APTN ANNOUNCE THIRD YEAR OF EARLY STAGE SCRIPTED DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM FOR INDIGENOUS CREATORS (Press release)
CBC: This program will create a unique opportunity for up to three emerging creators with projects still in the pre-development phase to work closely with CBC and APTN executives to help move their projects into development and ultimately into the production phase.
CANADA: Mississauga residents have their say at CBC byelection events (Press release)
CBC: Over 60 attendees had their say, meeting with journalists and voicing the most pressing issues facing their community — topics they feel are often under-reported due to what residents say is a lack of mainstream media in Mississauga.
CANADA: TVO statement on National Indigenous History Month (Press release)
TVO: As a learning organization, TVO Media Education Group (TVO) recognizes the significance of National Indigenous History Month as an opportunity to deepen understanding and appreciation of Indigenous histories, culture, and contributions to our society.
CANADA: Why culture matters: Catherine Tait at the Walrus Talks (Press release – Speech)
CBC/Radio-Canada
CANADA & INDIA: Proxies and ‘media manipulation’: What the NSICOP report said about political meddling by India
CBC News: India is seeking to exert ‘influence across all orders of government’ in Canada, report says
US: After a week of chaos, Washington Post and embattled publisher try to move forward (Opinion)
Poynter: Publisher Will Lewis said it was ‘time for some humility from me’ and said that ‘trust has been lost’ at the Post
US: ASL-accessible PBS Kids programs put interpreters inside story frame
Current: Focus group research informed how PBS Kids and producers added American Sign Language interpretation to select series for kids ages 2–8.
US: Bad TV
CJR: News networks got Trump wrong in 2016. Can they do any better now?
US: CPB’s first post-pandemic analysis of stations finds stagnating radio revenue, drop in TV income (Paywall)
Current: The latest State of the System report was shared during the Public Media Business Association’s annual conference.
US: How journalists can shape society through ethical storytelling
Current: In a time when Americans are more polarized by politics than ever, when people can access information more easily than ever, and when trust in media is at an all-time low, journalism has the power to be a healing and connecting force for our democracy.
US: How Media Outlets on the Left and Right Covered Biden’s Immigration Order
The New York Times: President Biden’s immigration policies are a frequent target of conservative and liberal media outlets, often mirroring criticisms from Republican and Democratic elected officials.
US: How Politics Broke Content Moderation
CJR
US: Mindless Reply
CJR: In the realm of political disinformation, AI-generated deepfakes are not such a big problem. Our susceptibility to gossip is.
Nieman Lab: The survey data from 346 member outlets, as “the most comprehensive dataset on nonprofit news in North America,” is an important resource for taking the pulse of trends and changes across the nonprofit news sector.
US: PBS News Hour Debuts New Studio with Updated Logo Treatments and Motion Graphics
PBS: PBS News Hour will rebrand as PBS News across its digital and social platforms, while retaining the iconic PBS News Hour name for its Monday – Friday nightly broadcast, senior executive producer of PBS News Hour and WETA senior vice president Sara Just announced today.
US: SAG-AFTRA files unfair labor practice charge against Chicago Public Media
Current: Chicago Public Media’s Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists union has filed an unfair labor practice charge against the organization.
US: The Slow Death of a Fabled Media Empire (Opinion)
The New York Times: “60 Minutes.” MTV. “The Daily Show.” The future of some of America’s most recognized cultural icons is unknown as the fate of their owner, the Hollywood and media conglomerate Paramount Global, hangs in the balance.
US: Three years in, the Recording Inclusivity Initiative is still fighting to diversify classical radio (Paywall)
Current: All Classical Radio’s marquee project has encountered a few hiccups, but it’s pushing forward — and expanding.
US: US newsrooms are in trouble: are these British journalists the answer?
Financial Times: Outsiders are challenging cultures and business models at news outlets from The Washington Post to CNN
US: Washington Post C.E.O. Promised Interview for Ignoring Scandal, NPR Reporter Says (Paywall)
The New York Times: David Folkenflik of NPR wrote that the offer, in exchange for agreeing to stop his coverage of a phone hacking scandal, was made “repeatedly — and heatedly.”
US: What sort of media moment is this?
CJR: Ten days ago, Salem, a right-wing media company, apologized to a man who was falsely depicted voting illegally in the widely debunked 2020 election film 2000 Mules, which Salem coproduced, and said that it would no longer distribute the film.
Advertising, philanthropy and AI: How the AP is diversifying its revenue streams
Press Gazette: AP revenue boss says “not all” diversification efforts will work but “we have to experiment”.
Christophe Deloire, Secretary General of Reporters Without Borders, has died (French)
Le Monde: The face of the press freedom NGO passed away on Saturday at the age of 53, “as a result of cancer”, RSF announced.
Community radio stations: a useful tool for the environment (Listen – French)
RFI: Analog, digital, live or recorded… today and tomorrow is the Radio Festival!!! Despite the rise of video, particularly on social networks, radio remains the preferred media in the world. These waves that carry voices and music penetrate your homes or cars and create unparalleled intimacy.
Ethics for protecting vulnerable sources
IJNet: In a column about how to interview vulnerable sources without exploiting them, media ethicist Kelly McBride issued a reminder: “Reporters have an extra ethical obligation when working with people who don’t routinely give interviews.”
How Politics Broke Content Moderation
CJR: First came Elon Musk, then the House of Representatives.
How Wikipedia fights against fake news
Brussels Times: Fighting in the online information space can bring non-profit organisations like Wikimedia to come up against powerful and fast-evolving technologies which are used to peddle disinformation for political ends – whether domestic or international.
It Looked Like a Reliable News Site. It Was an A.I. Chop Shop.
The New York Times: BNN Breaking had millions of readers, an international team of journalists and a publishing deal with Microsoft. But it was full of error-ridden content.
Deadline: Public service broadcasting is in a “red alert situation” in “many many markets” around the world, according to the most powerful man in British broadcasting.
Nieman Lab: While the sector is still growing, that growth is slowing, by some metrics. And audience data for 2023 shows that across all outlets surveyed, average monthly web traffic fell.
News avoidance: Publisher rewrites journalism rulebook for most contentious stories
Press Gazette: Sentiment tracker finds it’s not “just kittens and sports” that make people happy – “really good analysis” does too.
Night broadcasts: which radio for night owls? (Listen – French)
RFI: For the Radio Festival, we hold out the microphone to the voices of the night. To all those voices that talk in the station when the others are asleep. Intimate and free confession on the air for insomniacs and the sleepless: how does radio free speech? And relieve loneliness?
Talking “SLAPPs” and media freedom with Flutura Kusari
DW: Flutura Kusari leads the legal support programme of the ECPMF which has supported hundreds of media workers across Europe.
What does the public in six countries think of generative AI in news?
Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism: Based on an online survey focused on understanding if and how people use generative artificial intelligence (AI), and what they think about its application in journalism and other areas of work and life across six countries (Argentina, Denmark, France, Japan, the UK, and the USA), we present the following findings.
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