BANGLADESH: PIB organizes 2-day ‘Election Journalism Training’ in Bogura

BSS: The Press Institute Bangladesh (PIB) has organized a two-day training workshop on ‘Election Journalism’ for journalists working in Bogura.

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CHINA & AFRICA: China uses African media for self-interest, harming local journalism – N’gang’a

Vanguard: Media expert and newspaper editor Mbugua N’gang’a has highlighted the double-edged nature of African media partnerships with China, noting that while they provide resources to strengthen operations, they often come at the cost of partial editorial independence to advance the interests of the Chinese Communist Party.

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HONG KONG: Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai’s health in focus at mitigation hearing

Reuters: Hong Kong’s High Court heard on Monday the mitigation plea of pro-democracy tycoon Jimmy Lai, the final step before sentencing in a landmark national security trial that has drawn international condemnation and could see Lai jailed for life.

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INDIA: COAI raises red flags over Prasar Bharati’s direct-to-mobile tech test 

Business Standard: Telecom industry body COAI on Monday raised concerns over a direct-to-mobile service technology test commissioned by public broadcaster Prasar Bharati without involving telecom operators and mobile device companies.

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INDIA: Govt to ask manufacturers to pre-install Prasar Bharati’s OTT app on new TVs 

The New Indian Express: Buoyed by the growing popularity of WAVES, Prasar Bharati’s over-the-top (OTT) application, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting is set to write to television manufacturers, urging them to pre-install the app on smart TVs. Currently, most smart TVs come pre-loaded with major OTT apps such as Netflix, YouTube, and Amazon Prime Video.

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INDIA: Prasar Bharati taps creator economy, launches ‘Creator’s Corner’ on DD News

The Times of India: Prasar Bharati on Friday launched Creator’s Corner on DD News, signalling what the government says will be a year of sweeping reforms for the national broadcaster. 

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INDONESIA: Indonesia’s Media Balances AI and Human Judgment

RRI: The mass media continuously evolves with the transition from the printed era to digital and the emergence of artificial intelligence (AI). Heading for 2026, AI has redefined how media works in Indonesia through technology integration that accelerates research, news drafting, and search engine optimization (SEO).

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MALAYSIA: TEH TARIK CAPSULES + NEWS (Press release – Malay) 

RTM: Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) continues to strengthen its role as a public broadcaster by introducing the Teh Tarik + Berita capsule (Teh Tarik campur Berita), a relaxed and informative approach to convey current issues to the public.

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PAKISTAN: PBC challenges KP Assembly probe panel in high court

Daily Times: The Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (PBC) has moved the Peshawar High Court against the formation of a special committee of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Assembly tasked with probing the 2023 attack on the Radio Pakistan building in Peshawar. 

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SOUTH KOREA: KBS Opens Path to Export AI-Driven Disaster Broadcasting Technology to the U.S. (Press release) 

KBS: KBS will introduce its AI-driven disaster broadcasting system to the United States through a strategic partnership with Sinclair Broadcast Group, one of the country’s largest media companies.

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SOUTH KOREA: KBS Partners with Los Angeles County to Bring Music Bank to North America for the First Time (Press release) 

KBS: KBS is marking a new milestone in the global expansion of K-pop by moving forward with plans to bring Music Bank, its flagship music program, to North America for the first time.

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SRI LANKA: The almost-forgotten – and still unpunished – ministerial attack on journalists at Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation

Himal Magazine: The 2007 assault on the news director of the state-owned Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation by Mervyn Silva, and the stalling of the investigation and case, remains a blot on media freedom during and after Mahinda Rajapaksa’s regime

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TAIWAN: “Taoyuan Tai Hakka” AI Hakka Language Learning System (Press release – Chinese)

Hakka TV: Taoyuan Hakka Affairs Bureau launches #AI Hakka Language Learning System, integrating three major functions: chat, translation, and puzzle game. 

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THAILAND: 25 media organizations make history by joining forces to report on the 2026 election and referendum results in real-time. (Press release – Thai)

Thai PBS: The Digital Television Association and 25 partner organizations are making history in Thai media by joining forces to report on the 2026 general election and referendum results in real-time, enhancing transparency, accuracy, credibility, and public participation.

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THAILAND: Thai PBS is organizing a major event, “Thai PBS Kids Day 2026: Small Power, Global Power.” (Press release – Thai) 

Thai PBS: Thai PBS held a grand Children’s Day event, “Thai PBS Kids Day 2026: Small Power, Global Power,” creating a creative space and important learning resource for Thai youth.

AUSTRALIA: ABC and SCA stations off air as fires knock out the Mount Alexander transmitter site

Radioinfo: ABC Radio and Southern Cross Austereo stations went off air last Friday as a result of bush fire damage to the BAI regional Victoria transmission site at Mount Alexander in the heart of the fire zone.

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AUSTRALIA: Cricket Australia boycotts player interviews with ABC after Stuart Clark criticises team setup

The Guardian: Former fast bowler called head of cricket James Allsopp a ‘grade coach’ and said selector George Bailey lacks gravitas

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AUSTRALIA: ‘Run the risk of looking silly’: Media regulator criticised for coordinating with cricket body on illegal gambling questions

Choice: A document obtained under Freedom of Information laws suggests Australia’s communications regulator is co-ordinating their media responses with the very same bodies they are meant to be regulating. 

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FIJI: Fiji Media focuses on capacity building

Fiji Sun: Journalists encouraged to prioritise self-care, seek psychosocial support when needed and foster supportive newsroom environments.

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SAMOA: Journalists flag Samoa’s draft media protocol

Global Voices: The bill would require background checks on journalists and mandatory approval of questions during press briefings

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REGIONAL: New journal warns Pacific media near breaking point amid revenue collapse and political pressure

Asia Pacific Report: Pacific media are facing one of their most challenging reporting environments in their history, marked by governance issues, political instability, geopolitical pressures and escalating climate threats, while simultaneously grappling with declining revenue streams and threats to their financial survival.

FINLAND: Protesters gathered in Tampere – demanding that Yle boycott Eurovision (Finnish) 

Yle: Earlier on Wednesday, the door of Mediapolis was defaced with graffiti referring to genocide. It is not known if the graffiti and the protest are connected.

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FRANCE: Xavier Bertrand: “The parliamentary inquiry into public broadcasting is being used by its rapporteur for ideological purposes.” (Paywall – French) 

Le Monde: The president (The Republicans) of the Hauts-de-France region, in an opinion piece published in Le Monde, denounces the attacks by the far right against the press. He argues that the parliamentary inquiry into public broadcasting, which resumes its work on January 6, provides a serious example of this.

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GEORGIA: A year after Mzia Amaglobeli’s arrest, press freedom groups demand her release

IPI: Prominent Georgian editor and media founder now behind bars for one year

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GERMANY: ARD publishes further developed guidelines 3.0 for commissioned productions, which were developed in close consultation with the industry. (Press release – German) 

ARD: Effective January 1, 2026, the further developed “ARD cornerstones for balanced contractual conditions and a fair distribution of exploitation rights for commissioned productions in the genres of fiction, entertainment and documentary” (EPP 3.0) have come into force.

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GERMANY: More cooperation: ZDF podcasts now also available on RTL+ (Press release – German) 

ZDF: ZDF podcasts are now also available on the RTL+ streaming platform. The integration of “heute journal – der Podcast,” “Lanz & Precht,” “Aktenzeichen XY – Unvergessene Verbrechen,” and other informative ZDF podcasts into the RTL+ offering reinforces the promise: ZDF podcasts can be found wherever podcasts are available. The collaboration between ZDF and RTL promotes the exchange of content between public and private broadcasters.  

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GERMANY: The protracted dispute over the broadcasting fee (Listen – German) 

Deutschlandfunk: The broadcasting fee was supposed to increase to €18.94 in 2025. However, the German states did not agree. ARD and ZDF appealed to the Federal Constitutional Court. Its decision is expected soon. How much will households have to pay per month in the future?

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IRELAND: No second bailout for RTÉ as minister rules out renewed State funding after 2027 

Irish Examiner: Media minister Patrick O’Donovan says RTÉ must grow commercial revenue and modernise as ring-fenced funding ends in 2027. 

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ITALY: Usigrai: “RAI cannot do without an Oversight Commission.” (Italian) 

FNSI: Union representatives also expressed “serious concerns regarding the management of information in view of the upcoming constitutional referendum on justice.”

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LATVIA: Latvia is needlessly alienating its Russian-speakers (Paywall) 

The Economist: Shutting down Russian-language broadcasting is a gift to the Kremlin. 

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LATVIA: New formats, including risks of deception: content in Russian in Latvia after the closure of LR4 (Latvian) 

LR1: Public broadcasters have gradually stopped offering Russian-language content on linear broadcasts, leaving only the Russian and other minority language versions of the LSM internet portal.

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LITHUANIA: Lithuania’s LRT Crisis as a Test of Civil Resilience and Engagement (Analysis) 

BESA: The recent developments around Lithuania’s public broadcaster, LRT, caught a lot of attention both within the country and internationally. The situation runs deeper than just legislative efforts to reform LRT’s management.

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POLAND: Polish president vetoes “Orwellian” law allowing blocking of online content

Notes from Poland: The law would have granted two state bodies, the Office of Electronic Communications (UKE) and the National Broadcasting Council (KRRiT), powers to block online content deemed, for example, to contain criminal threats, child abuse, incitement to suicide or hate speech, or which violates intellectual property rights.

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SERBIA: Justice for Slavko Ćuruvija remains remote despite damning Supreme Court ruling

IPI: The International Press Institute (IPI) today expresses alarm over the ruling of the Supreme Court in Serbia identifying serious legal shortcomings in the decision which overturned guilty verdicts over the killing of Serbian editor and publisher Slavko Ćuruvija, and regrets that the prospect of justice remains painfully elusive.

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SLOVAKIA: Slovak journalist attacked, government ministers fault his public statements 

Politico: Well-known commentator Peter Schutz, 70, was beaten up in a mall washroom; police are investigating.

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SLOVAKIA: STVR will reduce its staff by five percent (Slovak) 

SME: Personnel steps are part of financial stabilization measures.

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SLOVENIA: Simple: 5 years of news in easy-to-understand language (Press release – Slovenian) 

RTV SLO: The portal Enostavno is celebrating 5 years of operation. Its mission is to provide access to information about current events to vulnerable groups and to implement the key principle: access to information is a human right.

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SWEDEN: Audience questions make us better (Blog – Swedish)

SVT: Monday at 8 p.m., SVT News will broadcast live from the defense and security conference in Sälen – an example of how we work in close dialogue with our audience, writes Karin Ekman, publisher in charge. 

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SWITZERLAND: Swiss to vote on initiative to cut media licence fee (Explainer)

Swissinfo.ch: On March 8, the Swiss will vote on an initiative that wants to almost halve the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SBC)’s television and radio licence fee for households and exempt companies from paying it. Critics say the cuts would be too drastic, arguing that national cohesion and democracy are at risk.

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SWITZERLAND: Swiss defence minister highlights media’s role in combating disinformation 

Swissinfo.ch: False information is spreading rapidly. For Swiss Defence Minister Martin Pfister, free and trustworthy media are essential to counter foreign propaganda and disinformation.

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SWITZERLAND: Swiss media study identifies growing pressure from AI 

Swissinfo.ch: Media companies are losing consumer share and revenues in the face of new digital platforms and artificial intelligence (AI), according to a Swiss study.

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UK: BBC seeks dismissal of $10bn Trump lawsuit over Panorama ‘fight like hell’ clip 

The Guardian: Broadcaster’s submission calls on Florida court to throw out defamation case where US president is suing over editing of 6 January 2021 speech

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UK: Scotland and Wales deserve local BBC radio (Letter) 

The Guardian: In his supportive piece on why the BBC is important to Britain’s culture (The BBC tells the story of Britain in a way Netflix simply cannot. In the year to come, please remember that, 29 December), Tony Hall makes a reference to how important Radio Cumbria is to the people of Cumbria, and tries to suggest the same is true for Radio Scotland and Radio Wales “serving the nations”.

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UK: Tim Davie says BBC will stay on X to try to stem ‘flood’ of global misinformation

The Guardian: Director general says BBC needs to reach young audiences online amid pressure to leave Elon Musk-owned site

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UKRAINE: Suspline Ukraine’s hyperlocal network: how it works and what it offers to editorial offices (Press release) 

Suspline: When a country is experiencing full-scale war and constant crises, news from communities often goes unnoticed by the media.

GAZA: Press association condemns Israel’s continued ban on media access to Gaza

Al Jazeera: Foreign Press Association pledges to submit ‘robust response’ to Supreme Court over Israel’s media lockout.

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IRAN: Media blackout in Iran: journalists isolated and information stifled

RSF: Internet access and telephone lines were cut overnight on 8 January by the Iranian regime following nationwide protests, according to Reporters Without Borders (RSF).

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TURKEY: Unchanging structure, deepening political control in Turkey’s media ownership

Bianet: “The media has not been a profitable sector for a long time. From now on, those who enter this field will do so to achieve the political and ideological goals,” says Prof. Yeşil.

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UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: UAE reshuffles media authority leadership amid digital, geopolitical shifts

Middle East Online: The appointments come at a time of heightened regional and global volatility, as governments grapple with the accelerating impact of digital platforms and artificial intelligence.

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YEMEN & SUDAN: Sky News Arabia slammed online for ‘legitimising’ UAE-backed Yemen secessionists (3 January)

Middle East Eye: Social media users slam UAE-funded broadcaster for ‘blatant promotion’ of Yemen’s STC and Sudan’s RSF

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REGIONAL: Middle East Media and Entertainment Market to Reach $76.79 Bn by 2031, Supported by Digital Viewing and Gaming Uptake

The Globe and Mail: The Middle East Media and Entertainment Market continues to show steady expansion as digital viewing habits, gaming adoption, and locally produced content gain stronger traction across the region.

CANADA: An Albert County wharf’s link to the beginnings of public broadcasting in Canada

CBC: It may be a long and circuitous route, but a decaying wooden wharf in Albert County inevitably leads to the founding of Canada’s public broadcaster.

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CANADA: Pary Bell Appointed CEO of TVO (Press release)

TVO.me: After an extensive search, TVO Media Education Group (TVO) Board Chair Chris Day today announced the appointment of Pary Bell as the agency’s next CEO.

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CANADA: The same firm ran a campaign to save CBC — and Canada Proud’s push to defund it

Canada’s National Observer: Last spring, two opposing messages were pumped into the social media feeds of Canadians. The first came from the Canadian Media Guild, a union of journalists across Canada, primarily made up of CBC employees. “Local journalism matters. Sign our petition to stand up for Canadian journalism,” it read.

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US: 2026 looks ominous for media, from Hollywood to journalism

Georgia Public Broadcasting: The worst thing about today’s media environment is that — bad as it is — it is easy to imagine how things might get worse in 2026.

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US: Lessons from NPR’s past efforts to reach minority listeners (Opinion)

Current: Despite its former slogan “Hear Every Voice,” National Public Radio has faced ongoing criticism for its lack of minority-oriented programming and its inability to hire and retain journalists of color.

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US: PBS Statement on Corporation for Public Broadcasting’s Vote to Dissolve (Press release)

PBS: PBS made the following comment after the board of directors at the Corporation for Public Broadcasting officially voted to dissolve. 

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US: Rightwing bloggers and Maga minions: meet the Trump-loving Pentagon press corps

The Guardian: A group of reporters meant to hold the Pentagon to account is full of pro-Trump sycophants … what could go wrong?

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US: Statement from NPR on dissolution of CPB (Press release)

NPR: The end of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) marks the close of a defining chapter in American public media. It does not mark the end of our mission.

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US: Trump officials urged to halt violence against journalists amid ICE protests

The Guardian: Journalists call on homeland security officials to reduce law-enforcement confrontations as tensions flare

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US: ‘What A Stupid Question’: Trump Loses It On Yet Another Female Journalist

Huff Post: The president again lobbed insults at one of the women who cover him.

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US: What the Dissolution of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting Means

CJR: The parent organization of NPR and PBS, already defunded, is shutting down—and claims that’s for the best. But there are dangers ahead.

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US & GAZA: US Press Coverage of Gaza Continues to Be Disconnected From Realities (Opinion)

Arab American Institute: After more than two years of Israel’s assault on Gaza, one might think that there would be appreciable improvement in the way the Israeli/Palestinian issue is understood and presented. But U.S. press treatment of last week’s meeting between President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made it clear we still have a long way to go.

Casualties are mounting in the war against real news (Opinion)

The Cap Times: Donald Trump takes over Venezuela in what seems an attempt to divert attention from the Epstein files and the fifth anniversary of the U.S. Capitol riot, which he instigated. Days later, one of his Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents kills a woman on a Minneapolis street.

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Corporate media is missing the moment. We need independent news. (Opinion)

USA Today: Without civic media, the democratic process atrophies. With it, citizens form the capacity to question and participate meaningfully in decisions made in their name.

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‘How can we have the best of machines and the best of humans?’

Nieman Reports: Gina Chua on how AI is reshaping the news industry

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How independent journalism is a form of resistance: ‘I’m not answering to anyone’

The Guardian: Trump’s attacks on mainstream media have opened a window for journalists who want to operate independently.

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International media call for transparency from AI companies 

Vatican News: “Facts In, Facts Out”: An international campaign urges major AI companies to prioritize the credibility of information in their decision-making.

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Journalism, media, and technology trends and predictions 2026

Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism: We are still at the early stages of another big shift in technology (Generative AI) which threatens to upend the news industry by offering more efficient ways of accessing and distilling information at scale.

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Should journalists be the superheroes of our times?

VoxEurope: Media workers are under increasing financial and political pressure. Their precarious situation and the rise of authoritarianism in Europe are leading to to democratic decline. According to Mustafa Kuleli of the Ethical Journalism Network, the EU must protect media workers, rein in platforms and act on the European Media Freedom Act.