Our weekly round-up of public service media related stories and headlines from around the world
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IFJ Climate survey
IFJ: The media are a long way from providing adequate coverage of the severity of the climate crisis, while journalists need more training to improve their reporting, a new International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) global survey has revealed.
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How media should cover gun violence
NPR: NPR’s Sacha Pfeiffer talks with Dr. Dannagal Young, professor of communications and political science at the University of Delaware, about how media coverage of gun violence affects news consumers.
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ALGERIA: Algerian media director sentenced to six months in prison over editorial
RSF: Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemns the six-month prison sentence that a court in the Algiers district of Sidi M’hamed imposed on media director Ihsane El Kadi on 7 June for an editorial.
CAMEROON: Solutions To Resolve National Printing Press Crisis Outlined (French)
Journal du Cameroun: The working group set up to outline proposals aiming at solving structural problems of the company were presented to the Minister of Communication.
GHANA & CHINA: GHANA STUDY HIGHLIGHTS CHINESE DRIVE FOR GLOBAL MEDIA INFLUENCE
China Digital TImes: Last week, the National Bureau of Asian Research, a U.S.-based think tank, released a report titled “Political Front Lines: China’s Pursuit of Influence in Africa.” One chapter of the report was written by Ghanaian journalist Emmanuel K. Dogbevi, who used a case study of Ghana to examine China’s strategies to influence African media.
LESOTHO: Journalism Needs to be Professionalized
African Business: The Lesotho Communications Authority (LCA) says journalism is a noble profession that has ethics hence all registered media houses should provide training for journalists in line with the Broadcasting Code, 2022.
Mali24: An eminent journalist, trained at the Graduate School of Journalism in Strasbourg, France, Mr. Diomansi Bomboté worked at the national daily L’Essor as a simple editor, then at Radio Mali as Editor-in-Chief.
MALAWI: Dvv International Courts Media in Adult Literacy Education
Nyasa Times: DVV International Regional Director for Southern Africa, David Harrington, says media is an important ally in informing the public of the importance and diverse nature of Adult Literacy Education (ALE).
MALAWI: MBC to cover live all Flames matches in AFCON Qualifiers
Malawi24: As the Flames are set to play against Guinea tomorrow in Conakry, Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) has said it will cover live all the national team’s matches in the 2023 AFCON.
MOZAMBIQUE: Proposed amendment to Mozambique’s anti-terror law threatens press freedom
CPJ: Mozambican President Filipe Nyusi should not sign amendments to the country’s anti-terror legislation into law and should instead ask parliament to change a sweeping clause that could criminalize reporting about the insurgency in northern Mozambique, the Committee to Protect Journalists said on Tuesday.
NIGERIA: Nigeria’s internet regulator releases draft to regulate Google, Facebook, TikTok and others
TechCrunch: Nigeria has announced plans to regulate internet companies like Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram (all owned by Meta), Twitter, Google and TikTok in a draft shared by the country’s internet regulator.
NIGERIA: The 30-month trial of Agba Jalingo and the growing SLAPP in the face of press freedom in Nigeria
MFWA: Jalingo’s case typifies a sad phenomenon of arrest and prosecution of journalists on frivolous charges in Nigeria. In a pattern that underlines the pettiness of these legal actions, most of the cases linger for months, even years before they are struck out, abandoned, or settled often with the acquittal.
SEYCHELLES: Seychelles Broadcasting Corp.’s new HQ to be completed in December 2022
SBC: A new five-storey building, SBC House, that will house the Seychelles Broadcasting Corporation (SBC), the public broadcaster, is expected to be completed in December of this year, the contractor undertaking the project said on Thursday.
SIERRA LEONE: UNDP-Sierra Leone donates equipment to MARWOPNET Radio
The New Dawn: The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), in Sierra Leone in collaboration with the Mano River Union (MRU), has turned over several broadcast equipment to the Mano River Peace Network (MARWOPNET) radio station in Grand Cape Mount County, western Liberia.
SOUTH AFRICA: “All Streaming Platforms Must Comply With All Of South Africa’s Regulations And Pay Local Taxes” – Says MultiChoice CEO
Broadcast Media Africa: According to MultiChoice CEO Calvo Mawela, international streaming platforms like Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, Netflix and Britbox must comply with Black Economic Empowerment policies (BEE) and pay tax in South Africa.
SOUTH AFRICA: “Future of Media: How can we make journalism better for everyone?” Webinar? (Event)
The Daily Vox: Join The Daily Vox team as they present a webinar on June 14 on the future of media and decolonisation in the media.
SOUTH AFRICA: Groundbreaking children’s hospital radio station RX Radio appeals to public for support
IOL: This Youth Month, award-winning RX Radio, run by and for children and based at the Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital, are appealing to the public for help to keep the groundbreaking initiative going.
SOUTH SUDAN: 9 journalists including Sudans Post reporter briefly detained by NSS for covering SPLM-IO press conference
Sudans Post: South Sudan’s National Security Service (NSS) this afternoon briefly detained at least nine journalists – including a Sudans Post reporter – for covering a press conference organized by members of SPLM-IO parliament.
TUNISIA: Tunisian police arrest journalist Salah Atiyah for TV remarks
Al Jazeera: The Tunisian police have arrested journalist Salah Atiyah for commenting in a TV interview that President Kais Saied had asked the army to close the headquarters of the powerful UGTT trade union, a witness told the Reuters news agency on Saturday.
ZIMBABWE: Letter to His Excellency Jakaya Kikwete on Freedom of Expression & Conflict Resolution
MISA: The Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA), by virtue of this letter, proffers its sincere greetings and compliments to you on your appointment as the Chairperson of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Panel of Elders (PoE) together with the esteemed members of the august advisory body on political and conflict resolution issues in the region.
REGIONAL: MENA region: new report published on Violence against Women in the Media
Council of Europe: The Abriged Report on Violence against Women in the Media in the MENA Region was presented during the Steering Committee of South Programme SP V. It summarizes the analysis of media behavior towards Violence Against Women of 23 traditional and online media in Algeria, Lebanon, Morocco and Tunisia.
AFGHANISTAN: Many arbitrary arrests of journalists in Afghanistan
RSF: At least 12 journalists were arrested in Afghanistan in May although the Taliban announced the creation of a system for protecting media personnel. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) condemns these arbitrary arrests and urges the Taliban government to keep its promises to protect journalists and comply with the press law.
HONG KONG: FactWire Becomes Latest Hong Kong Media Outlet to Close
VOA: Investigative news outlet FactWire became Hong Kong’s latest media company to close Friday, in another blow to the city’s once-vibrant press scene now subdued by a national security law imposed by Beijing to quell dissent.
HONG KONG: Hong Kong’s Journalists Are ‘Endangered Species’
VOA: With politics and protests off limits, and harassment by pro-Beijing media, pressure increases on Hong Kong journalists.
INDIA: AIR increases duration of its Persian language service
Dev Discourse: The duration of Persian language service of the All India Radio (AIR) has been increased from 1.45 to 3 hours every day, the public broadcaster said on Wednesday.
INDIA: DD Director-General Mayank Kumar Agrawal given additional charge of Prasar Bharati CEO (Paywall)
The Hindu: The move came after the five-year tenure of Shashi Shekhar Vempati as Prasar Bharati CEO came to an end on Wednesday.
INDIA: Independent journalists take risks, lack support
DW: As journalists increasingly use social media to get their stories out, they take on all the risks of the job themselves. And these are growing. Last year, India saw one of its deadliest years on record for reporters.
JAPAN: NHK Receiving Fee Free N Party Pledge for Pension Recipients (Japanese – Paywall)
Mainichi: The NHK Party announced the House of Councilors election pledge on the 10th. The main pillar is the free NHK reception fee for pensioners. He also appealed for raising defense spending to about 2% of the gross domestic product (GDP) and promoting discussions on “nuclear sharing” in which US nuclear weapons are deployed and jointly operated in Japan.
MALDIVES: HARASSMENT OF JOURNALISTS, ACTIVISTS AS WELL AS ANTI-PROTEST DECREE ERODES FREEDOMS IN THE MALDIVES
CIVICUS: The state of civic space in the Maldives remains ‘obstructed’ in ratings published by the CIVICUS Monitor.
MYANMAR: ‘Blood Comrades’ Issue Threats to Myanmar Media
VOA: A new militia threatens to kill journalists critical of Myanmar’s military, further escalating dangers for those reporting on the ground.
MYANMAR: Myanmar’s ‘digital dictatorship’ aims to criminalize VPNs
TechRadar: More than a year has passed since Burmese citizens have started experiencing a worrying backsliding of their digital rights. And, sadly, things are not getting any better.
NEPAL: Politics of the TikTok generation
The Kathmandu Post: The role that the TikTok algorithm plays in a national poll will have to be watched with interest.
PAKISTAN: Escalating Attacks on Journalists (3 June)
Amnesty International: A recent series of attacks and growing pressure on journalists who criticize the Pakistan government is a cause for serious concern, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and the International Commission of Jurists said today.
PAKISTAN: PPF terms PEMRA’s prohibition of interview of former prime minister’s interview as a dangerous step (Statement)
Pakistan Press Foundation: Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) believes that a recent Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) prohibition order issued to Bol News Talk Show Tajzia hosted by Sami Ibrahim following the broadcast of an interview with former prime minister Imran Khan is a dangerous step taken by the regulatory body.
PHILIPPINES: Activists and journalists continue to be targeted as new president is elected in the Philippines
Civicus
SOUTH KOREA: Korean journalists call for freedom to report in war zones
The Korea Times: Some local journalists are calling on the government to guarantee freedom of the press in conflict zones such as Ukraine, pointing out that current laws banning journalists from traveling to war zones seriously undermine media freedom.
TAJIKISTAN: Tajiks Watching Less Russian TV, But Its News Still Shapes Public Opinion
RFE/RL: A new public opinion poll suggests that long-popular Russian television channels have seen a growing decline in their viewership in Tajikistan in the past three years.
THAILAND: Announcement of nominations for the policy committee of the SEC to replace the vacant positions of 4 positions from 6 June – 5 July (Press release – Thai – 1 June)
Thai PBS
TIMOR LESTE: Timor-Leste journalists challenge restrictions and assert their right to question China’s foreign minister
Global Voices: Pressured by media workers, Chinese officials relented and allowed local journalists to raise “impromptu questions”.
GENERAL: New speakers at Radiodays Asia 2022
Radio Info Asia: Radiodays Asia 2022 has announced more speakers for this year’s conference, to be held in-person and online on September 6 and 7 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
AUSTRALIA: ABC News Queensland’s Jenny Woodward on how weather presenting has changed over her 47-year career
ABC: ABC News Queensland weather presenter Jenny Woodward reflects on her career and how her job has changed over more than four decades.
AUSTRALIA: ABC to abolish 58 librarian and archivist jobs with journalists to do archival work
The Guardian: Archivists and librarians at the ABC are in shock after management unveiled plans to abolish 58 positions and make journalists research and archive their own stories.
AUSTRALIA: ABC’s Nas Campanella named Confident Changemaker of the year (Press release)
ABC: The ABC’s Nas Campanella has been named Disability Confident Changemaker of the year at the Australian Network on Disability’s inaugural Disability Confidence Awards.
AUSTRALIA: Kathryn Fink named SBS Director of Television (Press release)
SBS: Australian-born former Director of Programming for Sky Italia and senior Fox Networks and Disney executive to lead SBS’s TV and Online Content Division.
AUSTRALIA: Statement from ABC Managing Director, David Anderson: ABC Archives (Statement)
ABC: ABC Archives is an asset of national importance and the ABC will always protect it.
AUSTRALIA: The ABC’s plan to axe its librarians will damage its journalism. Here’s why (Opinion)
The Conversation: When the war broke out in the Ukraine early this year, journalists scrambled to gather stories and images from the archives to supplement information and images gathered on the ground.
NEW ZEALAND: TVNZ launches new streaming brand TVNZ+ (Press release)
TVNZ: From June 13, TVNZ OnDemand will have a new name, look and feel when TVNZ+ launches.
NEW ZEALAND: Whistleblower law leaves media out of the loop
RNZ: The Protected Disclosures Act was updated for the first time in 20 years recently with little fanfare or media attention. The government says it better protects whistleblowers who stick their necks out to report wrongdoing where they work – but not if they go to the media with it.
ABC: China’s presence in the Pacific has been thrown into the spotlight following a controversial pact with Solomon Islands.
BELARUS: Belarus Hands RFE/RL Freelancer Kuznechyk 6-Year Prison Sentence, Relatives Say
VOA News: The family of RFE/RL freelance correspondent Andrey Kuznechyk say the journalist has been sentenced to six years in prison in Belarus on a charge of creating an extremist group.
BELGIUM: Pandemic continues to weigh on RTBF’s finances
The Brussels Times: The financial impact of Covid-19 continues to impact the RTBF’s financial results, with their annual report for 2021 showing yet another net loss.
BELGIUM: “Screen faces are important, we pay fees in line with the market and do not bid”: CEO VRT after annual report (Press release – Dutch)
VRT: “We have chosen to develop a strong public broadcaster in Flanders. This means that you have to give the VRT the opportunity to use the same resources and strategies as commercial broadcasters.”
BELGIUM: VRT NU becomes VRT MAX: “VRT goes radically digital” (Press release – Dutch)
VRT: This autumn, the online video and audio platform VRT NU will change to VRT MAX. VRT NU is five years old and in need of renewal. The new name should bring the VRT content to an even wider, new and especially young audience.
CZECH REPUBLIC: Czech Television plans to dramatically cut costs, curtails support for film production
Cine Europa: The Czech public broadcaster, and the most-watched group of television channels in the domestic market, Czech Television, is preparing to veer towards a more frugal economic regime…
FINLAND: Yle Areena turns 15 – Arttu Wiskari, Kevin Lankinen and Helmarit take over Yle Areena (Press release – Finnish)
Yle: Founded in 2007, the streaming service Yle Areena, which includes both series and podcasts, celebrates its teens by inviting Finns to their content.
FINLAND & TURKEY: Finnish media labels Erdogan ‘dictator’ following censorship demands
Euractiv: Director and editor-in-chief of YLE news Jouko Jokinen brushed off Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s demands to stop broadcasting interviews with “terrorist leaders” on Thursday by describing them as “delusional imaginations of a dictator.”
FRANCE: French Senate report calls for unification of public service media
Digital TV Europe: French senators tasked with reporting on the future of public service media in the country in the wake of President Emmanuel Macron’s decision to abolish the licence fee have revived the idea of creating a unified public service broadcaster on the model of the BBC.
FRANCE: Nathalie Sonnac: “The State must rely on public broadcasting to train students to become citizens” (Paywall – French)
Le Monde: The end of the fee must lead to the development of a new contract between the State and the public media, analyzes the information specialist and former member of the Superior council of audio-visual, who proposes, in a forum at the “World”, that greater importance be given to media education.
FRANCE: The difficult status of France 24 correspondents abroad (Paywall – French)
Le Monde: Employed through production companies, these journalists are paid by invoice. A status even more precarious than that of a freelancer.
GERMANY: #DerSchwarmKommt: First insights into the international ZDF bestseller film adaptation for “World Ocean Day” (7 Jun – German)
ZDF: On the occasion of the “World Ocean Day” on the 8th. In June 2022, ZDF presented first insights into the eight-part thriller series for the international ZDF co-production “Der Schwarm”, based on Frank Schätzing’s international bestseller.
GERMANY: Journalism organizations see a need for clarification (German)
Deutschlandfunk: Too bureaucratic, too unaccommodating – the displeasure about the handling of journalists who fled Russia in Germany was great. Interior Minister Faeser has now presented a new procedure. But is that enough?
GERMANY: “Platformization” of journalism (German)
Deutschlandfunk: Public service media must be present on social networks in order to reach many people with their content. However, they also become dependent on the platforms and their algorithms, which could harm journalism, warns a new study by the Otto Brenner Foundation.
Nieman Reports: When you come under attack as a journalist, don’t make yourself the center of the story.
IRELAND: RTÉ hit with 29 separate sets of legal proceedings for defamation
Irish Examiner: RTÉ has been hit with 29 separate sets of legal proceedings for defamation over the past six years with a sharp uptick in cases so far this year.
ITALY: Italian police search newsroom and journalist’s home, surveil news crew in leak investigation
CPJ: Italian authorities should stop harassing journalists and refrain from actions that could endanger the confidentiality of their sources, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Monday.
LATVIA: Blocked In Russia, TV Dozhd Gets License In Neighboring Latvia
Radio Free Europe: The popular Russian television station Dozhd, which was forced to suspend operations in March amid pressure linked to its coverage of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, says it will resume operations from Latvia.
MALTA: Help or leverage? Government’s opacity with media funding raises questions
The Shift: The news that an Italian court handed a prison sentence to Italian newspaper Il Sole 24 Ore managing director Roberto Napoletano for manipulating his newspaper’s sales figures, raises an issue that advertisers in Malta have been complaining about for some years – namely, that these figures are dictated to them by the same newspaper owners, with no independent body to check the veracity of those figures.
NETHERLANDS: Cabinet invests extra millions in local media and investigative journalism (Dutch)
NRC: In 2022, a total of 11 million euros will go to local public broadcasters. Investigative journalism will receive an extra 2.4 million euros.
POLAND: Court looks into Polska Press takeover by oil giant PKN Orlen
Reuters: A Warsaw court will look into the takeover of newspaper publisher Polska Press by state-controlled refiner PKN Orlen (PKN.WA) on Tuesday, after the human rights ombudsman, fearing restricted media freedom, appealed against an earlier approval.
POLAND: Increased attempts to silence Poland’s free media through lawsuits (Gazeta Wyborcza)
IPI: Poland’s Gazeta Wyborcza explains how it has been hit with around 90 SLAPPs or lawsuits intended to silence its coverage, and the chilling effect this has on independent Polish media.
SPAIN: The president of FORTA highlights the role of regional public radio and television organizations as guarantors of the rule of law (Spanish)
La Razón: He participated this Thursday in the New Communication Forum, organized by the New Economy Forum in Madrid.
SWEDEN: New research overview: “Democracy feels good from public service” (Swedish)
SVT: Nordicom publishes a new research overview of Swedish and international research on public service. It states that democracy feels good from public service. A media landscape with both a strong public service and private media is what best stimulates news consumption in the population.
SWEDEN: The tougher global and digital competition in focus in public service dialogue (Swedish – blog)
Sveriges Radio: Today, Cilla Benkö and the CEOs of the other public service companies and many other industry representatives participated in the so-called public service dialogue in the Riksdag. Here, Swedish Radio’s CEO Cilla Benkö explains what views she highlighted about public service challenges and opportunities for the next permit period.
UK: Minister denies ‘culture war’ on public service broadcasting as BBC and Channel 4 reforms loom
Press Gazette: The Government is “genuinely open-minded” about the future of the BBC funding model despite the Culture Secretary’s “serious concerns” about the licence fee, a minister told the House of Lords on Tuesday.
UK: BBC orchestras: broadcaster to explore alternative funding
Arts Professional: BBC to reduce licence fee funding for its performing groups as part of efforts to make £200m a year in savings.
UK: Expert panel on the devolution of broadcasting announced (Press release)
Gov.Wales: Members of a new expert panel to pave the way for the devolution of communications and broadcasting powers to Wales has today been announced by the Welsh Government.
UK: RSF welcomes landmark judgement in SLAPP case against investigative journalist Carole Cadwalladr
RSF: Reporters Without Borders (RSF) welcomes the High Court ruling in the case of investigative journalist Carole Cadwalladr, a laureate of RSF’s press freedom prize and many other prestigious awards, who faced a vexatious defamation case brought by British businessman and political donor Arron Banks.
UK: The relationship between police and media: is the Met less accountable than ever before?
LSE: Drawing on interviews with journalists, senior police, and press officers, Marianne Colbran explores changes between the Met and the mainstream media over the last 40 years.
UK: UK broadcasting union passes motions to defend public service broadcasting
The Independent: The UK’s biggest broadcasting union has passed two motions to defend public service broadcasting, creative content and jobs.
UKRAINE: Journalists’ Solidarity Centers provided assistance to almost 200 media workers
IFJ: The Journalists’ Solidarity Centers, which the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine, with the support of the International and European Federations of Journalists (IFJ-EFJ) opened in Lviv, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Chernivtsi, were visited by 196 journalists during 50 days of their work.
UKRAINE: Ukraine eyes European pubcaster pre-buys to ‘fuel’ productions
TBI: Ukraine’s top production and channel groups are approaching European public broadcasters to pre-buy content from the country as they seek to keep its TV industry functioning.
REGIONAL: Great financial gain from sports cooperation (Danish)
Nordvision: The sports newsrooms in the five North Vision countries are cutting a third of the costs by joining forces to cover the women’s European Football Championship this summer and the men’s World Cup this winter, according to a Swedish project manager. The collaboration gives extra weight in negotiations, adds Norwegian sports director.
REGIONAL: New European Commission internet regulation undermines media freedom
IPI: IPI joins civil society groups in warning about dangers of proposed regulation.
GENERAL: EBU DG Noel Curran welcome address to the Media Summit 2022 (Speech)
EBU: Director General Noel Curran welcomes delegates to this year’s EBU Media Summit which was held in Istanbul in May and hosted by TRT.
GENERAL: European collaboration to boost media experimentation and innovation (Opportunity)
IPI: Introducing Media Innovation Europe, an ambitious initiative to energize the European ecosystem for independent and local journalism.
GENERAL: MICHAEL NUGENT FROM ERT ELECTED CHAIR OF NEW EBU TECHNICAL COMMITTEE
EBU: The 28th EBU Technical Assembly has elected a new Technical Committee and Chair at its annual meeting, which was hosted by France Télévisions in Montpellier this year.
ARGENTINA: Journalist’s Day: They highlight the importance of public media (Listen – Spanish)
Radio Nacional: The manager of Emisoras de Radio Nacional, reviewed the history of journalism and highlighted the importance of the media that do not have the same interests as the private media.
ARGENTINA: The Province advances in the federalization of public media (Spanish)
Nueva Rioja: In order to stimulate the participation of presenters and communicators from the interior of the province so that they participate as hosts in the central newscast of Channel 9, the Provincial Government, through Radio and Television Riojana, informed that journalists will be able to tell in first person the news of each Region and Department from central studies.
BOLIVIA: Bolivian newspapers demand justice for six journalists kidnapped in 2021 (Spanish)
ANP: The main Bolivian newspapers represented by the National Press Association (ANP) expressed concern that 220 days after the kidnapping of six journalists, the investigations show no progress and only two of the 80 responsible for the violent act are detained.
BRAZIL: Bolsonaro is sentenced for collective non-pecuniary damage to the category of journalists after an action by the São Paulo Journalists’ Union (Portuguese)
IFJ: On National Press Freedom Day, journalists won a historic victory against Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro. In a decision released on June 7, Judge Tamara Hochgreb Matos, of the 24th Civil Court of the District of São Paulo, sentenced the current President of the Republic to pay R$100,000 (US$20,000) as compensation for collective non-material damage to the category.
BRAZIL: Brazilian police deny bodies found in search for UK journalist, indigenous expert
France24: Brazilian police and indigenous search teams dismissed reports on Monday that they had found the bodies of a British reporter and a Brazilian indigenous expert, more than a week after the pair were last seen in the Amazon rainforest.
BRAZIL: “Like a slow-motion coup”: Brazil is on the brink of a disinformation disaster
Nieman Lab: “I think about January 6, and the fact that Brazil is a much younger democracy. I’m really worried. Everybody knows this is going to happen, because every single day [President Jair Bolsonaro] says these things.”
BRAZIL: The Brazilian press unites in defense of professional journalism (Spanish)
Swissinfo: The main Brazilian media joined this Tuesday in a “defense of professional journalism” and denounced the “attacks” that start from public power and social networks as a threat against democracy.
COLOMBIA: ‘Emisoras de Paz’ project advances by 60% (Spanish)
Seguimiento: The Rtcv indicated that currently 12 of the 20 stations contemplated in the agreement are operating.
JAMAICA: RJRGLEANER committed to celebrating the great contributions being made by Jamaicans at every level
Jamaica Gleaner: Now in its 42nd year, the RJRGLEANER Honour Awards continues its time-honoured tradition of recognising the initiative, accomplishment and courage of individuals and organisations that have contributed significantly to improving Jamaica’s quality of life, at any time in the preceding year, or are likely to bring about such a change in the immediate future.
MEXICO: A Lethal Field for Journalists | Freedom of the Press (Watch)
Al Jazeera: Mexican media professionals discuss how their country became one of the world’s most dangerous places for journalists.
MEXICO: public media (Opinion – Spanish)
Etcetera: For a long time, public media have suffered from being an instrument of the governments in power rather than fulfilling the social, cultural, informative and entertainment function for which they were conceived.
VENEZUELA: Journalists Ramón Centeno and Gabriel Guerra have been detained for four months (Spanish)
Tal Cual: The journalists Gabriel Guerra and Ramón Centeno are involved as part of the “iron hands” operation, which is being carried out to end an alleged drug trafficking network that involves high-ranking government officials
REGIONAL: Authoritarians don’t like free speech (Spanish)
Infobae: On Journalist’s Day, it is good to remember that politicians should not have the microphone secured just to say what they want to communicate, but also to be questioned and answer for their public actions.
REGIONAL & US: US’s Blinken warns of threats to media freedom in Americas
Reuters: U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken on Tuesday criticized efforts to suppress press freedom in several Latin American countries and said the United States seeks to increase media protection in the region with the most murders of journalists.
CPJ: Iraqi authorities must cease their legal harassment of journalists Sarmad al-Taei and Saadoun Damad, and ensure they can work freely and safely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday.
RSF: Al Jazeera TV reporter Shireen Abu Akleh was fatally shot in the West Bank city of Jenin exactly one month ago. Although a proper investigation into her death has not been carried out, expert analyses suggest that the Israel Defence Forces probably fired the shot that killed her.
PALESTINE: Palestinian journalist Ghufran Harun Warasneh shot and killed
IPI: The IPI global network strongly condemns the killing of Palestinian journalist Ghufran Harun Warasneh who was shot dead by Israeli forces on June 1 in the occupied West Bank. Warasneh was killed at an Israeli checkpoint near the Al-Arroub refugee camp as she commuted to her job at a radio station in the city of Hebron.
QATAR: Qatar steps closer to ‘right to access information’ as Shura Council approves draft law
Doha News: Qatar’s Shura Council has approved a draft law regulating the right to access information on Monday, following an “extensive discussion” on the matter.
TURKEY: ‘Groundbreaking and revolutionary’: TRT enters the Metaverse (Press release)
TRT World: With the tagline “Tomorrow’s broadcasting starting from today,” Türkiye’s public broadcaster unveiled its TRT Metaverse project that aims to usher in the future of news.
TURKEY: Police Detain 20 Kurdish Journalists in Turkey Over Alleged Terror Links
VOA News: Turkish police have detained 20 Kurdish journalists in an ongoing operation in the Kurdish-majority southeastern province of Diyarbakir.
TURKEY: Turkish Media Groups Voice Concern Over Draft Disinformation Bill
VOA News: A years-old piece of draft legislation that seeks to criminalize the spread of disinformation is moving toward a vote in the Turkish parliament. The bill is being met with deep concern by media rights groups across the country.
CANADA: 3 reasons why our partnerships with public libraries are paying off (Blog)
CBC/Radio-Canada: Valérie Landry manages the Library Partnerships Program and tells us how the public broadcaster strengthens its connections with local communities one library at a time.
CANADA: CBC, BIPOC TV & Film and CFC announce new showrunner catalyst to support the advancement of diverse canadian creators (Press release)
CBC: CBC, BIPOC TV & Film and the Canadian Film Centre (CFC) today announced at the Banff World Media Festival the creation of a new accelerator program, the CBC-BIPOC TV & FILM SHOWRUNNER CATALYST, which will support the career advancement of senior writers who identify as Indigenous, Black or People of Colour through hands-on and personally tailored on-set experience.
CANADA: CBC News and Radio-Canada Info receive top rating for trustworthy journalism from Reporters Without Borders (RSF) (Press release)
CBC/Radio-Canada: Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and CBC/Radio-Canada today announced that the national public broadcaster’s news services are the first Canadian broadcast media to be awarded Journalism Trust Initiative (JTI) certification.
Deadline
CANADA: Creamy or traditional radio? (French)
Le Devoir: On the occasion of the 100th anniversary of French-language radio in North America, Le Devoir explores this medium in transformation.
CANADA: Indigenous-themed podcasts offer richness, diversity of First Nations, Inuit and Métis cultures
CBC News: June is National Indigenous History Month and a time for learning about, appreciating and acknowledging the contributions of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples. CBC offers you a wide variety of Indigenous-themed podcasts, including this newest eight-part series, Kuper Island, hosted by Duncan McCue.
CANADA: Radio-Canada launches paid internship program for racialized and Indigenous professionals (Press release)
CBC/Radio-Canada: Radio-Canada announces a new paid internship program to provide racialized and Indigenous professionals with opportunities to grow their talent in the Canadian audiovisual industry.
US: How pandemic evacuations created openings for pubcasters to build new studios (Paywall)
Current: Disruption and dislocation allowed some public media stations to plan — and even finish — upgrades to their headquarters.
US: How police treatment of journalists at protests has shifted from cohabitation to animosity
Poynter: Journalists have moved from observers to targets in recent years, opening a dark, new chapter for press freedom in the United States.
US: Minnesota Public Radio receives $56M gift for classical music (Paywall)
Current: An anonymous donor has given a $56 million cash gift to Minnesota Public Radio to support its classical music service YourClassical.
US: PBS LEADS WITH SIX PEABODY AWARDS (Press release)
PBS: PBS was honored with six Peabody Awards, more than any other organization; proving PBS continues to present “stories that matter.”
US: Seeking ‘answers and accountability’: Reporters cover Uvalde shooting amid police obstruction
CPJ: False narratives, threats of arrest, and a biker group blocking access. These are just a few of the challenges journalists have faced while covering the aftermath of the May 24 shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas.
US: US Senators Consider Former VOA Director to Head US Agency for Global Media
VOA News: U.S. President Joe Biden’s nominee to head the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM) pledged Tuesday to advance the agency’s mission of objectivity and balanced reporting at a time when disinformation is on the rise globally.
A lack of newsroom diversity is hurting readers
The Angry Editor: Three Questions with Barry Malone, deputy editor-in-chief for the Thomson Reuters Foundation.
Every newsroom needs to update its social media policies
Poynter: Here are four steps to revise a social media policy, because a policy that staffers ignore is worse than no policy at all.
How science helps fuel a culture of misinformation
Nieman Lab: We tend to blame the glut of disinformation in science on social media and the news, but the problem often starts with the scientific enterprise itself.
ILO adds safety and health as a fundamental principle and right at work
IFJ: Delegates attending the International Labour Conference (ILC) adopted a resolution to add the principle of a safe and healthy working environment to the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) welcomes this major breakthrough in occupational safety and health for workers.
Journalism, media and social networks, the great entanglement (Opinion – Spanish)
La Estrella de Panamá: Keep in mind that the main tenets of the serious journalistic media are to impartially inform and guide, then entertain, while the networks were born for idle entertainment.
Media viability case studies provide innovation to strengthen independent news
UNESCO: The collapse of independent news media is getting headlines as an epidemic of ‘fake news’ makes the need for trustworthy news outlets ever more critical. But what if that wasn’t the whole story, and news media were finding new ways to thrive?
Never without my fixer: French documentary a shout-out to hidden colleagues
RFI: The local helpers known as fixers are vital for journalists working in countries where there is conflict and political instability. A documentary by a French reporter highlights the dedication of his contacts in Afghanistan, Mexico, Syria, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Ukraine.
Providing context for data in journalism
Reynolds Journalism Institute: This month, for Innovation in Focus, we’ve created an accessible data context checklist that journalists can use to provide proper context when reporting on datasets. This checklist was created in partnership with KBIA reporter Sebastiȧn Martinez Valdivia.
The Authoritarian Playbook: a media guide (Resource)
Protect Democracy: Our report, The Authoritarian Playbook: How reporters can contextualize and cover authoritarian threats as distinct from politics-as-usual outlines the seven fundamental tactics used by aspiring authoritarians, describes examples from in and outside the United States, and offers a framework journalists can use to differentiate between politics-as-usual and something more dangerous to democracy.
What The Economist’s move into education can teach other publishers
Digital Content Next: Education may not be an obvious segue for a news publisher. But when you look more closely, it can actually be an incredibly powerful way to leverage the expertise of journalists to create something valuable for your audience (and bottom line). The Economist launched its Executive Education pillar in February 2021 as a growth initiative that would allow it to leverage its journalists’ deep knowledge and understanding of global issues.
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