Our weekly round-up of public service media related stories and headlines from around the world.
As the global Covid-19 pandemic continues and many countries enter a state of lockdown, the need for community solidarity and mutual support has never been greater. But this support requires quality, fact-checked and evidence based news and information.
With this in mind, the Public Media Alliance has compiled an extensive and growing resources featuring recommended tools, advice and sources for journalists and the public alike. The resources can be found via the link below or in the ‘Tools’ section of our website.
The resource will be frequently updated to reflect the changing needs and evolving situation. If you have any recommendations, please let us know.
We also want to hear about your local public media coverage! Email us!
As the coronavirus pandemic worsens, public media are rapidly adapting to best cover the crisis on a local level while also providing for educational needs and vulnerable groups as isolation policies are introduced.
We want to hear from our members about what you are doing to best cover the crisis on a local level. Email us using the link below.
Coronavirus: Resources & best practices
Essential resources for sourcing and reporting news about the coronavirus pandemic
What we're listening to...
Kiwi kids screening out local media
RNZ: New Zealand children use a lot less Kiwi media than they used to. New research shows its Netflix, YouTube and TikTok engaging their eyeballs big time these days. If our kids screen out our local media, what does the future hold for them?
What we're watching...
The virus and us (German)
ZDF: Suddenly masks, plexiglass, distance rules – like all businesses, companies and private households in the country, the ZDF was overwhelmed by the corona pandemic and forced to rethink and act quickly.
Global Headlines
Click on the tab menu below to reveal the latest regional stories.
BOTSWANA: P24m Shortfall for Live Broadcasting Project
Via All Africa: Live broadcasting of parliamentary proceedings requires close to P27 million, says clerk of the National Assembly, Ms Barbara Dithapo. Appearing before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Wednesday, Ms Dithapo said Parliament was previously allocated P3.7 million for scoping and piloting of the project, over P24 million short of the required amount.
EGYPT: Egyptian journalist Mohamed Monir dies after contracting COVID-19 in pretrial detention (Statement)
CPJ: In response to the death of Egyptian journalist Mohamed Monir after contracting COVID-19 in pretrial detention, the Committee to Protect Journalists issued the following statement…
GHANA: Framework on police-media relations and Safety of Journalists launched
Via IFEX: The Media Foundation for West Africa recently launched a manual outlining the policy framework used to build a bridge between the police and media in Ghana.
KENYA: Govt in conjunction with UNESCO to broadcast STEM lectures
KBC News: Accomplished professionals in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) will deliver a series of lectures to students through Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) television and Radio stations and community radio stations every Saturday between 10.am and 10.30am.
KENYA: How community radio has contributed to building peace: a Kenyan case study
The Conversation: Kenya has witnessed post-election violence in varying degrees since the return of multiparty politics in 1992. The worst was in 2008. Since then the country has had two contested and deeply divisive elections (in 2013 and 2017).
MALAWI: Kazako should expedite operationalisation of Access to Information Act, free MBC – Panos
Nyasa Times: The newly-appointed Minister of Information Gospel Kazako has been persuaded by Panos Institute Southern Africa (PSAf) to expedite the operationalisation of the Access to Information Act (ATI) and free up Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) to function as a public broadcaster.
MFWA: A number of protesters have been killed, the internet disrupted and the state broadcaster attacked as a mammoth anti-government demonstration in Mali turned violent, with many press freedom violations.
MAURITANIA: Mauritanian Government Gags Foreign Media from Reporting on Slavery, Racial Discrimination
MFWA: The government of Mauritania has barred the correspondents of four international media organisations from reporting on the practice of slavery in that country and any other reportage that “may disturb the social peace.”
NAMIBIA: NBC will soon lift austerity measures introduced in 2019 (Watch)
NBC: The Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) will soon lift the austerity measures it introduced on television last year to cut costs. As from Friday, the public broadcaster will resume its 24 hour broadcasting service on NBC1 and 2, starting at 06h00 in the morning. The NBC already fully restored the radio services in October last year.
NIGERIA: Why rage over broadcast content regulation persists
The Guardian Nigeria: That a good number of practitioners are not happy about the outcome of the 6th review of the broadcasting code by National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) is evident in the public outcry that has continued to trail the report.
SOUTH AFRICA: EFF rejects SABC’s new editorial structure
SABC News: The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) has rejected the newly launched South African Broadcasting Corporation’s (SABC) editorial structure and calls for its immediate review. In the new Editorial Policy, the Group Executive of News and Current Affairs is the Editor-In-Chief. Previously the Chief Executive Officer also held this responsibility.
SOUTH AFRICA: SABC should explore all avenues before deciding on retrenchments: Minister
SABC News: Minister of Communications and Digital Technology Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams says the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) should ensure that it has explored all avenues before reaching a decision on Section 189.
TANZANIA: Tanzania Resorts To Fake News Laws To Shut Down TV Station
MISA Zimbabwe: The Tanzanian government has suspended Kwanza Online TV for 11 months for allegedly publishing an unbalanced, biased, misleading and disruptive story on the state of the COVID-19 in that country.
ZAMBIA: ZNBC Commits To Local Film Content
ZNBC News: ZNBC- has reaffirmed its commitment to continue supporting local film content. ZNBC Director General Malolela Lusambo says local content resonates well with the Zambian audience.
ZIMBABWE: Ex-ZBC bosses’ trial set for July 21…as four graft accused Harare council employees in court
New Zimbabwe: Trial on former Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation chief executive officer, Patrick Mavhura and Head Finance director Benania Shumba has failed to kick off after the presiding magistrate was said to be out of Harare. The duo are being charged on criminal abuse of office for allegedly swindling the national broadcaster out of thousands of dollars.
Balancing Act: With the Kenyan Government closing public schools until 2021 and saying students will repeat a year, the focus is now really on how parents, pupils and teachers can ensure their children will continue to learn. Russell Southwood looks at some of the initiatives across the continent.
GENERAL: Coronavirus media coverage must avoid the mistakes of the Aids pandemic in Africa
The Conversation: As COVID-19 becomes the most intensely covered virus in history, there are important lessons to be drawn from the media’s reporting of another global pandemic: HIV/Aids.
AFGHANISTAN: Media freedom in Afghanistan increasingly under threat
MENAFN: The media supporting agency (NAI) expressed concerns on possible terrorist attacks against the media and healthcare centers in Afghanistan, saying the Daesh terrorist group was seeking attacks on journalists, media workers and health servants.
HONG KONG: China’s Leash on Hong Kong Tightens, Choking a Broadcaster (Paywall)
The New York Times: RTHK, a government-funded news organization, has a fierce independent streak that has long angered the authorities.
HONG KONG: Former Hong Kong civil servant steps down as RTHK guest presenter
Asia Radio Today: Rachel Cartland, a former Hong Kong senior civil servant is stepping down as a guest presenter on an Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK) radio programme, citing concerns over the new national security law.
HONG KONG: Journalist association publishes annual report “Freedom in Danger” (Report)
IFJ: Covering a year of unrest marked by anti-extradition bill protests in June 2019, a pandemic and the National Security Law, the Hong Kong Journalists Association’s (HKJA) annual report, “Freedom in Danger” navigates the stifling political climate for journalists in the last year.
INDIA: 80 unpaid AIR RJs serve notice to Prasar Bharti
Outlook India: Facing acute survival issue, 80 radio jockeys (RJs) of public broadcaster All India Radio (AIR) or Akashvani”s flagship frequency 100.1 FM Gold have served a legal notice to Prasar Bharati seeking approval to get them back to work, pay their pending salaries and bring back the radio programme to its original format.
INDIA: J and K administration extends ban on 4G internet again
IFJ: Despite calls from media and human rights organizations to lift the internet ban, the Jammu and Kashmir administration has extended 4G internet restriction until July 29.
INDIA: Jobless AIR RJs send legal notice to Prasar Bharati, demand payment during lockdown
The Times of India
INDONESIA: Digital killed the analog star: Minister calls for TV transformation
The Jakarta Post: The government is calling for private television broadcasters to comply with a national plan to convert analog television to digital television, also known as the analog switch-off (ASO), as Indonesia lags behind regional peers in the digital migration.
JAPAN: NHK license fee, price cut from October: 35 yen/month for ground contract, 60 yen/month for satellite (Japanese)
NHK: NHK will start to substantially reduce the reception fee from October 1, 2020.
MALAYSIA: Al Jazeera journalists questioned over Malaysia documentary (Watch)
Al Jazeera: Several Al Jazeera journalists involved in a recent documentary about Malaysia’s treatment of undocumented workers during the coronavirus pandemic were questioned at the country’s police headquarters on Friday, as the network defended its journalism and expressed “deep concern” about the investigation.
MALAYSIA: Judgement in Malaysiakini case deferred
IFJ: Malaysia’s Federal Court reserved the verdict until a later date on whether Malaysiakini and its editor-in-chief Steven Gan are liable for readers’ comments the government views as contemptuous.
MALAYSIA: Police interrogate five Australian Al Jazeera journalists accused of sedition in Malaysia
The Guardian: Journalists ordered to be questioned after broadcast of documentary about migrant workers in Kuala Lumpur during Covid-19 pandemic
NEPAL: Nepal bans private Indian channels for airing ‘false propaganda’
Al Jazeera: Cable operators claim TV channels aired ‘objectionable’ content about the country’s Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli.
NEPAL: When it comes to media content, leave it to viewers’ discretion, experts say
The Kathmandu Post: Cable operators’ move of banning Indian news channels after insulting video about Oli has raised a question if the state should encourage them to control the content.
PAKISTAN: Free Editor; Stop Harassing Family Members (Statement)
Human Rights Watch: Anti-Corruption Laws Abused to Silence Critics
PAKISTAN: Media Matters for Democracy condemns suspension of broadcast license of ’24 News’ channel
IFEX: The suspension order by the Pakistan Electronic Media Authority could render 700 journalists jobless. Media groups described the order as ‘politically motivated’ and an attack on press freedom.
PAKISTAN: Pakistan media regulator suspends 24NewsHD broadcaster indefinitely
CPJ: The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority should immediately lift the suspension of independent news channel 24NewsHD, and allow it to broadcast freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.
PAKISTAN: PFUJ urges govt to end politically motivated cases
The News International: Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) has urged the government to withdraw politically motivated cases against Jang Geo group’s owner Mir Shakil-ur-Rehman and probe into the harassment being faced by his family.
PHILIPPINES: European Parliament urges Duterte to ‘drop all charges’ vs Maria Ressa, Santos
Rappler: The members of the European Parliament’s Media Working Group say that the cyber libel conviction ‘is part of an orchestrated campaign of legal harassment against Maria Ressa and Rappler’
PHILIPPINES: House committee rejects franchise for ABS-CBN
Rappler: The Philippines’ largest media network has 24 hours to appeal the decision of the House committee on legislative franchises
SINGAPORE: Government orders removal of critical comments on handling of COVID-19 pandemic
PEN International: PEN International is concerned by reports that legislation ostensibly intended to counter ‘fake news’ is being applied to remove legitimate commentary on the Singapore government’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.
VIETNAM: Acclaimed Vietnam Journalist Pham Doan Trang Quits Publishing House After Harassment
Radio Free Asia: Outspoken Vietnamese journalist and author Pham Doan Trang has withdrawn from an independent publisher of books on politics because of intense harassment by police over her work and the abduction and abuse of colleagues, she told RFA on Friday.
AUSTRALIA: ABC Fresh Start Fund supports 200 Australian productions and new content ideas (Press Release)
ABC: The ABC will support more than 200 Australian productions and new content ideas through its $5 million Fresh Start Fund, to help safeguard local content and creativity against the impact of COVID-19.
AUSTRALIA: ABC managing director rejects Scott Morrison’s claim broadcaster’s funding ‘increasing every year’
The Guardian: David Anderson says the ABC is costing the government half as much as in the mid-1990s.
AUSTRALIA: ABC staff demand Ita Buttrose and David Anderson ensure diversity not ‘just a cliche’
The Guardian: ABC staff have written to Ita Buttrose and David Anderson calling on them to ensure that diversity at the national broadcaster “won’t be just a cliche” after cuts.
AUSTRALIA: Arts and media reckon with racism and inequality amid Black Lives Matter movement
ABC News: 2020 started with catastrophic bushfires, but was soon overtaken by a global pandemic that caused unprecedented shutdowns and changes to nearly every aspect of everyday life.
AUSTRALIA: SBS seemed like a miracle, then I realised it was not a place for people who looked like me (Opinion)
The Sydney Morning Herald: When I started at SBS, the place seemed like a miracle. A truly unique TV network that heralded diversity and inclusion, the multicultural public broadcaster brought so many smart, passionate people together for a common cause – to shine a light on under-represented people and cultures on TV and online and give a voice to the traditionally voiceless. It was inspiring. But then things took a turn.
AUSTRALIA: SBS welcomes appointment of George Savvides AM as Chair
SBS: SBS has welcomed the appointment of George Savvides AM as the new SBS Chair, as announced by the Minister for Communications, Cyber Safety and the Arts for Communications, Paul Fletcher MP, today.
NEW ZEALAND: Kiwi kids screening out local media (Listen)
RNZ: New Zealand children use a lot less Kiwi media than they used to. New research shows its Netflix, YouTube and TikTok engaging their eyeballs big time these days. If our kids screen out our local media, what does the future hold for them?
PAPUA NEW GUINEA: PNG covid response controller warns public against fake news
Asia Pacific Report: Papua New Guinea’s Controller of the National Pandemic Response and Police Commissioner, David Manning, has told the public that a rumour circulating on social media about new cases of covid-19 in Port Moresby is false, the PNG Post-Courier reports. He also cautioned the public from spreading misinformation and fake news which was detrimental to public safety.
BELGIUM: Google Belgium will have to pay a fine of 600,000 euros for non-compliance with the right to be forgotten (French)
RTBF: It was the Data Protection Authority (APD) which took the decision to impose a fine of 600,000 euros on Google Belgium for non-compliance with a citizen’s right to be forgotten.
BELGIUM: “VRT is not paid to make radio and TV, but to write Flanders’ story” (Dutch – Interview)
VRT: The EBU (European Broadcasting Union) celebrates its 70th anniversary this year. The organization represents the interests of public broadcasters. Their director Media Jean Philip De Tender is an old acquaintance of VRT. He worked on Reyerslaan for 25 years. We asked about his views on the VRT and the media landscape.
DENMARK: Danes’ media habits – before and during the pandemic (Report)
Nordicom: Streaming services, podcasts and online news continue to increase, according to a new report on media development from the Danish Agency of Culture and Palaces. The report also provides an analysis of the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on the Danish media market.
FRANCE: France Télévisions: towards a duel between Delphine Ernotte and Christopher Baldelli (French)
Les Echos: The deadline for submitting applications for the presidency of France Télévisons is Friday. The battle should be played between the current president Delphine Ernotte and Christopher Baldelli, the former boss of RTL and France 2. The new president will arrive in a complicated period.
FRANCE: France Télévisions will be stocked with new products starting in September (French – Paywall)
Le Figaro: The public will discover “We are live”, hosted by Ruquier, or the family game “Le Club des 1%” on France 2.
GERMANY: ARD, ZDF postpone SD satellite broadcasting switch-off planned for January 2021 – report (Paywall)
Telecompaper: German public broadcasters ARD and ZDF will postpone switching to HD-only satellite broadcasting from 12 January 2021, Digital Fernseher reports.
GERMANY: Corona crisis forces media to be transparent (German)
Deutschlandfunk: How do editorial teams choose their topics, how do reporters get their sources? For a long time, the media found it difficult to report on their own work. In the corona crisis, they now show unusual insights. In the long run, that could lead to more trust in journalism.
GERMANY: The virus and us (German – Watch)
ZDF: Suddenly masks, plexiglass, distance rules – like all businesses, companies and private households in the country, the ZDF was overwhelmed by the corona pandemic and forced to rethink and act quickly.
HUNGARY: EU executive expresses concern over Hungary’s media freedom
Reuters: A senior European Commission official has expressed concern for the independence of Index.hu, one of Hungary’s last major independent news websites and a leading critic of Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s government.
NETHERLANDS: Minister Slob: ‘Advertising NPO will remain before 20:00, but will be phased out’ (Dutch)
NU.nl: Minister Arie Slob (Media) presented a new plan regarding the advertising broadcasting time at the NPO on Wednesday. Previously, the minister wanted the NPO to no longer broadcast advertising before 8 p.m. from 2022, but now a plan has been chosen in which the advertising airtime will be reduced to half of what it is today in five years.
Article 19: ARTICLE 19 is concerned by the conduct of the Polish state TV, Telewizja Polska S.A. (TVP), during the ongoing presidential campaign in Poland, which includes providing one-sided coverage of the political campaign and broadcasting footage.
OSCE: While both candidates in Poland’s presidential run-off were able to campaign freely, hostility as well as biased coverage by the public broadcaster tarnished the election, international observers from the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) said in a statement.
POLAND: Polish Election Sparks Fears for Independent Media’s Future
Balkan Insight: On Thursday, the UK rights group Article 19 joined a chorus of independent voices criticising the coverage of the presidential race in Poland by the state television channel, TVP, which it said was “one-sided” and “amplified the government’s discriminatory rhetoric against minority groups”.
RUSSIA: Russian Journalists Fear Growing Media Persecution After Treason Arrest
VOA: Russian journalists have launched a petition demanding treason allegations against a former reporter be made public, fearing the case is bogus and that media are being increasingly persecuted.
SERBIA: Journalists attacked, harassed while covering anti-lockdown protests in Serbia
CPJ: Serbian authorities should quickly and thoroughly investigate attacks on journalists covering anti-government protests in the country, and bring those responsible to justice, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.
SLOVENIA: Culture Ministry Releases Proposals for Media Reform, Major Funding Cut for RTV Slovenija
Total Slovenia News: The Culture Ministry published on Thursday proposals for extensive changes to the media act, the act on public broadcaster RTV Slovenija (RTVS) and the act on the Slovenian Press Agency (STA). The changes, which reportedly include a EUR 13 million cut for RTVS, will be subject to public debate until 15 July.
SLOVENIA: EFJ and partners concerned over future of public service media in Slovenia (Statement)
EFJ: The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), the Broadcasting Union (EBU) and the South East Europe Media Organisation (SEEMO) are concerned by the proposed changes to the funding of public service media in Slovenia and the extremely short period of five days envisaged for public discussions. The proposed Law on amendments to the Slovenia Radio and Television Act drastically reduces finances for Slovenian public service and marginalises its role in the future.
SPAIN: Free television stops hate content, according to the UTECA barometer (Spanish)
El País: The result of the survey highlights the educational role of television and the responsibility of the chains in building a diverse and respectful society.
SPAIN: In defense of the current public contest for RTVE (Spanish – Opinion)
Teledetodos: Professor Isabel Fernández Alonso provides the parliamentary groups with legal arguments not included in the lawyers’ report so that the work of the RTVE Committee of Experts is respected.
SPAIN: The Committee of Experts of RTVE, against the lawyers of the Senate for “trying to destroy” their work in the public contest (Spanish)
Vertele!: 13 of the 17 members of the committee ask the Parliament for protection and demand that their evaluation criteria be respected.
SWEDEN: During the autumn, we will test transcription (Swedish – Blog)
Sveriges Radio: An earlier post on the blog described how Swedish Radio works with transcription. During the autumn, we will continue with that work and carry out an experiment with transcription, writes Elle-Kari Höjeberg, Supply Officer for accessibility issues.
UK: Judge condemns Northern Ireland police for raid on journalists’ homes (Paywall)
The Times: Morning raids on the homes of two journalists by police trying to unmask their sources were totally unjustified, a judge concluded yesterday in a historic ruling on press freedom.
UK: New Covid-safe TV Licence scheme for over 75s confirmed to start on 1 August (Press Release)
BBC: Any household with someone aged over 75 who receives Pension Credit will be entitled to a free TV licence paid for by the BBC.
UK: Public service TV needs a regulatory overhaul (Paywall)
The Telegraph: ITV boss says the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 urgently need a modern framework that recognises a seismic shift in broadcasting.
UK: Removing offensive shows will be exception not rule, says Channel 4 boss
The Guardian: Editor-at-large Dorothy Byrne says cleaning up archive erases evidence of past social attitudes.
UK: TV licences: BBC to go ahead with over-75s licence fee changes
BBC News: The BBC is to go ahead with a plan to end free TV licences for most over-75s, after a two-month delay because of the coronavirus pandemic.
GENERAL: The impact of the health crisis on freedom of expression and media freedom – Report by the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Marija Pejčinović Burić (Report)
COE: Over a year ago, the declaration adopted by the Committee of Ministers in Helsinki on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the Council of Europe stressed that “free and pluralist public debate is an essential condition for democracy and we must take firm action to reverse the recent deterioration of freedom of expression in Europe”. The work of the Council of Europe, including the activity of the Platform for Strengthening the Protection of Journalism and the Safety of Journalists, indicates that this trend has not been reversed, far from it. This challenge calls for co-ordinated action in various areas affecting freedom of expression.
GENERAL: To save European journalism, we need an anti-SLAPPS directive (Opinion)
EURACTIV: When Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia was brutally killed in October 2017, there were 47 lawsuits pending against her.
ARGENTINA: Intimidations against the press: more than 300 journalists signed a request in the country’s main newspapers (Spanish)
La Nacion: More than 300 journalists who work in the country’s main media have expressed their concern about public defamation campaigns and pressures against press professionals unleashed in recent weeks from some sectors of the political power, including those with functions of the highest responsibility. institutional.
ARGENTINA: Network of Digital Trainers FOPEA – Training of the month of July (Spanish – Training)
FOPEA: The FOPEA Digital Trainers Network, with the support of the Google News Initiative, will be conducting virtual training workshops for the provinces of Chubut, Misiones, San Luis and Río Negro.
BRAZIL: Brazil’s Bolsonaro Faces Suit For Unmasking As He Announced Coronavirus Diagnosis
NPR: A group representing Brazilian journalists says it will file suit against the country’s president, Jair Bolsonaro, after he took off a protective mask as he spoke with reporters about his COVID-19 diagnosis.
BRAZIL: Brazil’s Draft ‘Fake News’ Bill Could Stifle Dissent, Critics Warn
Voice of America: A proposed law in Brazil to counter misinformation and false news is being criticized by journalists, privacy activists, social media networks and even President Jair Bolsonaro, who’s been among the harshest media critics. Bolsonaro has vowed to veto the measure, which the Senate passed last week.
BRAZIL: How Brazil’s media resist “Bolsonaro system” harassment
RSF: In this, the second of its quarterly overviews of the press freedom situation in Brazil in 2020, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) analyses the strategy used by President Jair Bolsonaro and his closest allies to keep stoking mistrust of journalists and their work, and how the media have been fighting back.
BRAZIL: New FENAJ board reaffirms commitment to the defense of the field, journalism and democracy
FENAJ: The National Federation of Journalists (FENAJ) has a new board, which takes over the entity for a three-year term. The Federation continues to be chaired by Maria José Braga, reelected in a direct election, which took place in June. The board is made up of the Executive, regional vice-presidencies and departments, made up of union leaders from various states.
COLOMBIA: There is still no sanction for the members of the security forces who attacked journalists from Voces del Guayabero (Spanish)
FLIP: During the first days of June, three journalists from the Voces del Guayabero communications collective were attacked by members of the security forces while covering the protests carried out by the peasant community in the Guayabero region in southern Meta.
COLOMBIA: Three photographers arrested while covering protests in Medellín, Colombia
CPJ: On June 15, 2020, police assaulted, and detained overnight photographers Harrison Agudelo, Juan Carlos Londoño, and Juan Pablo Herrera, according to Londoño who spoke to CPJ via phone and the Bogotá-based group Foundation for Press Freedom (FLIP). The incident happened as the three were covering an anti-government protest in the western Colombian city of Medellín, FLIP said in a statement.
CUBA: “We cannot allow another Black Spring”, demand for guarantee for freedom of the press in Cuba (Spanish)
Radio Television Marti: The call, signed by journalists from more than a dozen publications on Cuban affairs, denounces the increase in physical, legal and psychological repression against those who participate in journalistic and communication projects that operate independently of the State and the Communist Party of Cuba and outside official publications.
HONDURAS: Unidentified attackers shoot and kill 2 journalists in Honduras
CPJ: On July 2, two unidentified individuals shot German Vallecillo Jr., a host for the local privately owned TV station Canal 45, and Jorge Posas, a camera operator and technician at the station, while they drove in the residential area of El Naranjal, in the northeastern city of La Ceiba, according to news reports.
PANAMA: Panama court freezes La Prensa’s assets amid defamation suit by former president
CPJ: On July 4, a Panamanian civil court ordered a freeze on the assets and bank accounts of Corporación La Prensa, which owns the newspapers La Prensa and Mi Diario, totaling $1.13 million, as part of a civil defamation lawsuit filed by former President Ernesto Pérez Balladares, according to news reports and a report by La Prensa. The order was finalized on June 22, but was not communicated to the company until July 4, according to La Prensa.
ISRAEL: Outcry about Israeli TV news channel’s firing of journalists
RSF: After many attempts by the Israeli government to influence its editorial policies, Channel 13 News has announced that it is firing around 40 members of its editorial staff, including journalists critical of Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu. The announcement threatens investigative journalism and pluralism, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) says.
LEBANON: Army bars journalists from reporting on Beirut’s Hamra Street, citing permit regulations
CPJ: Lebanese authorities should allow journalists to report from Beirut’s Hamra street and other public areas in the country without seeking prior approval, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.
LEBANON: ‘I won’t be silenced’: Lebanese journalist hits back at misogynistic ‘Saudi-linked’ smear campaign
The New Arab: Ghada Oueiss has said she was targeted for presenting reports critical of powerful Arab royals.
LEBANON: Lebanese rights groups face off against ‘alarming’ crackdown
Al Jazeera: Lebanese authorities are engaged in an “alarming” crackdown on critical free speech aimed at suppressing widespread demands for accountability over corruption and mismanagement, 14 rights organisations said on Monday.
PALESTINE: 58 violations against media freedoms in Palestine during June
MADA: June 2020 has witnessed a broad wave of the attacks against media freedoms in Palestine, most of which committed by the Israeli occupation authorities and forces.
TURKEY: Fears of draconian social media law in Turkey
IPI: Discussion on draft regulation from ruling AKP party hints at new legal basis for prosecuting journalists over social media posts
YEMEN: Journalists continue facing harsh conditions
IFJ: Yemeni journalists have suffered numerous press freedom violations ranging from killings, torture and kidnapping to threats, attacks on media headquarters and work suspensions, according to the latest report by the Yemeni Journalists’ Syndicate (YJS).
REGIONAL: ‘Silent pandemic’: How women in the Middle East and North Africa are threatened online
Middle East Eye: A hostile environment on social media has subjected women to harassment and abuse for speaking out – with little legislation to protect them.
CANADA: Calls grow for news outlets reporting on systemic racism to address own failures
Toronto Star: Journalists have not had to go far to uncover searing stories of racism in Canada — they’re finding them in their own newsrooms, among their co-workers and involving their bosses.
CANADA: The forever battle of a journalist of colour: Dalton Camp Award winning essay (Essay)
Toronto Star: Radiyah Chowdhury is the winner of the 2020 Dalton Camp Award, a prize for the best essay on the subject of media and democracy, presented by Friends of Canadian Broadcasting. She is a writer, producer and poet from Scarborough with a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Carleton University and currently works as Assistant Editor at Chatelaine.
CANADA & UK: United Kingdom and Canada mark the one-year anniversary of the first Global Conference for Media Freedom
GOV.UK: The Foreign & Commonwealth Office of the United Kingdom and Global Affairs Canada today issued the following statement to mark the one-year anniversary of the first Global Conference for Media Freedom.
US: 2020 US elections: Eight recommendations to protect press freedom
RSF: In response to attacks on the free press in the United States in recent years, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has introduced eight policy recommendations for the Democratic and Republican committees, presidential nominees and congressional candidates leading up to the US elections.
US: Congress Proposes $50M Boost to Public Broadcasting Funding
TV Technology: The House Appropriations Committee has officially proposed $515 million in advanced funding for the Corporation of Public Broadcasting in Fiscal Year 2023, which would represent a $50 million increase from the $465 million in funding it received in 2020.
US: Foreign Journalists Working For U.S. Government Broadcasters May Lose Visas
NPR: Dozens of foreign nationals working as journalists in the U.S. for the federal government’s international broadcasters are at risk of expulsion as the agency determines whether to renew their work visas.
US: I am not your Black unicorn (Opinion)
Poynter Institute: If newsrooms want to make progress with diversity, we must consider the humanity, complexity and goals of individuals. Here’s why I am a journalist. Priska Neely, a reporter and producer at Reveal from the Center for Investigative Reporting, shares her perspective.
US: Newsrooms ramp up audience engagement tactics for coronavirus coverage (Paywall)
Current: Newsrooms that leaned into audience engagement strategies during the fast-evolving coronavirus health crisis have found new ways to connect with audiences and ensure that their coverage is addressing community needs.
US: Share Your Story With “PBS American Portrait” (Opportunity)
GPB: GPB invites you to be a part of PBS American Portrait! PBS American Portrait is a national storytelling project which invites America to participate in a national conversation about what it really means to be an American today. A digital-first initiative, PBS American Portrait begins as a platform for people to share photos, videos, and text submissions to capture the state and spirit of our nation.
US: Top UN official says ‘Trump effect’ is harming global press freedom
The Guardian: The UN special rapporteur on freedom of expression has accused the White House of mounting an “onslaught” against the media and referred to a negative “Trump effect” on global press freedom.
US: Trump’s new global media chief fires top editor at Radio Free Asia
NBC News: The new chief of U.S.-funded global media has sacked the top editor at an outlet that serves a large audience in China and across Asia, the latest firing to raise fears the Trump administration could undermine the editorial independence of the news networks, three sources with knowledge of the matter said.
US: Voice of America visa review could put journalists at risk
CPJ: The Committee to Protect Journalists today expressed concern that the U.S. Agency for Global Media’s review of visas at Voice of America could endanger journalists who have worked for the international, U.S.-Congress funded news outlet. The visa review, which follows the confirmation in June of Michael Pack as head of the agency, could affect 62 contractors and 14 full-time employees at Voice of America, according to reports by Voice of America and NPR.
The Independent: Boris Johnson has been urged to raise concerns over the freedom of the press with president Donald Trump, after The Independent’s chief US correspondent Andrew Buncombe was arrested while covering a Black Lives Matter protest in Seattle.
CPJ: CPJ is honored to present its 2020 Gwen Ifill Press Freedom Award, for extraordinary and sustained achievement in the cause of press freedom, to lawyer Amal Clooney.
Black journalists face challenges that stem from systemic racism
CJR: The fallout from recent protests over the killings of George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, and Breonna Taylor have reignited long-standing concerns on the part of many Black journalists about their roles in the newsrooms they work in, and the value they are given (or not given) by the media companies they work for.
EBU names new head of Brussels office
EBU: Public broadcaster organisation the EBU has named Wouter Gekiere as head of its Brussels Office. The EBU office in Brussels represents the interests of member broadcasters to the European Institutions.
Experimenting With News Fatigue And News Avoidance
EBU: Audiences may have been consuming a lot of news lately, but the dangerous trend of news avoidance starts to reappear again. Viewers become tired of negativity and of how news affects their mood. As a consequence, they decide to stop exposing themselves to news.
New insights in the battle against misinformation
Deutsche Welle: Philip Mai and Anatoliy Gruzd are at the forefront of global research on social media. On #mediadev, they discuss their research on misinformation, their new portal, COVID19MisInfo.org, and the future of fact-checking.
Poynter: Addressing digital harassment will remove one of the obstacles to achieving diverse media workplaces where every journalist can feel safe.
Statement by Media Freedom Coalition on situation in the Philippines
GOV.UK: The undersigned members of the Media Freedom Coalition have issued the following statement concerning media freedom in the Philippines.
Trusted News Initiative (TNI) steps up global fight against disinformation with new focus on US presidential election (Press Release)
BBC
We shouldn’t let press freedom be eroded – it’s an important pillar of democracy (Editorial)
The Independent: Being arrested for doing your job is something that many in America – and journalists around the world – face all too often
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