BANGLADESH: Govt eyes practical reforms in media, telecom sectors

The Financial Express: The government is moving towards a more pragmatic approach to reforms in the media and telecom sectors, aiming to address longstanding structural and regulatory gaps.

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BANGLADESH & INDIA: India and Bangladesh Agree to Enhance Exchange Visits of Media Delegations

The CSR Journal: India and Bangladesh have reached an agreement to improve the exchange visits of media delegations.

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CHINA: China’s state media turns to social media and AI to tell its story — and often mock the US

ABC: The messaging from China’s Communist government may once have been dogmatic and rigid — not anymore. Having largely tamed the internet at home with tight censorship, Beijing is now tapping the power of social media and artificial intelligence to tell its story — and often to skewer the U.S. and its president.

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HONG KONG: Hong Kong independent media outlet says reporters ‘harassed’ and ‘stalked’

HKFP: A Hong Kong independent media outlet has said its journalists have been targeted by harassing text messages and “stalked” by unknown individuals, the latest in a series of intimidations against the city’s press since 2024.

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HONG KONG & MALAYSIA: RTHK Signs Memorandum of Understanding with Malaysia’s Ministry of Communications (Press release) 

RTHK: Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK) today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Malaysia’s Ministry of Communications to strengthen media collaboration and promote cultural exchange.

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HONG KONG & VIETNAM: RTHK signs MOUs with Vietnam broadcasters

RTHK: RTHK has signed memoranda of understanding (MOUs) with two major media organisations in Vietnam to co-produce programmes and enhance exchanges, as it stepped up cooperation with broadcasters in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations bloc.

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INDIA: Doordarshan signs MoU with Indian Council for Cultural Relations in New Delhi

News on Air: Doordarshan has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) in New Delhi.

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INDIA: Draft IT rules threaten to kill safe harbour protections for social media platforms

Frontline: Proposed amendments would make informal government advisories binding law, bypassing parliamentary scrutiny and exposing tech companies to liability for user content. This violates Supreme Court precedent on free speech.

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JAPAN: Data shows Japan Prime Minister Takaichi eschewing press amid active social media use

The Straits Times: In the more than five months since becoming Japan’s first female prime minister, Ms Sanae Takaichi has shown a tendency to speak to the press less frequently than her recent predecessors, according to data on her daily activities.

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MALAYSIA: Eight decades of RTM: Driving digital credibility, uniting the soul of Malaysia (Press release – Bahasa) 

RTM: Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) today celebrates its 80th anniversary by reinforcing its sacred theme “Your Loyal Friend”, reflecting its continued role as a trusted source of information and a catalyst for national unity.

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MALAYSIA: Fahmi: RM30,000 contribution recognises services Of RTM veterans

The Malaysian Reserve: A total of RM30,000 has been contributed to Persatuan Veteran Radio Televisyen Malaysia (PVRTM) to support the association’s activities and the welfare of its members.

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NEPAL: Minister Timilsina Emphasizes Institutional Reform and Accountability in Public Service Broadcasting

Ratopati: Kathmandu. Minister for Communications and Information Technology Dr. Bikram Timilsina has stated that ensuring easy, swift, and effective service delivery to citizens through the institutional capacity development of government agencies and public institutions is a top priority for the government.

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PAKISTAN: Pakistani journalists miffed over lack of access during peace talks — ‘control was maintained’

The Print: It’s important to note that American and Iranian journalists were given information, whereas our journalists were not, senior Pakistani journalist Mubashir Zaidi wrote on X.

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PAKISTAN: ‘Press freedom in Pakistan under unprecedented pressure’

Dawn: Press freedom in Pakistan is under sustained pressure as censorship, economic constraints and direct restrictions shrink the space for independent journalism. The authorities’ tolerance for dissenting voices has reduced to a level which was not witnessed even during martial law periods.

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SOUTH KOREA: Kmcc seeks public input to set Korea media and communications agenda

ChosunBiz: The Korea Media and Communications Commission will gather public input to set the agency’s vision and future implementation plans.

AUSTRALIA: ABC drops sponsorship of LGBTQ+, disability and diversity groups including Acon

The Guardian: The ABC is walking away from three prominent diversity and inclusion groups after long-running external pressure over whether the relationships compromise the national broadcaster’s independence.

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AUSTRALIA: ABC’s Caper Crew delivers heists and heart – a bright spot in a struggling kids’ TV sector

The Conversation: Australian kids’ TV shows are now few and far between. During the pandemic, the Australian government scrapped decades-old quotas for minimum hours of children’s content to try and bail out flailing commercial television networks. They were never reinstated.

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FIJI: FBC radio available now worldwide

FBC: Fijians from across the world can now easily tune in to Fijian Broadcasting Corporations radio stations following the migration of all six live streams to a new, centralised platform.

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NEW ZEALAND: 531pi makes historic move to FM frequency (Press release)

PMN: The National Pacific Media Trust (NPMT) is proud to announce a significant milestone for Pacific media as its iconic radio brand, 531pi, prepares to transition its Auckland broadcast from AM frequency to 102.2FM.

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NEW ZEALAND: Media and Communications Minister Paul Goldsmith on the Broadcasting Standards Authority – ‘I’m tempted to scrap it’ (Paywall) 

The NZ Herald: The Government has today given the biggest indication yet that it will scrap New Zealand’s 37-year-old broadcasting watchdog.

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NEW ZEALAND: RNZ proud to be supporting journalists of tomorrow with five journalism scholarships (Press release) 

RNZ: The scholarships, launched last year as part of RNZ’s Centenary celebrations, also offer an internship in an RNZ newsroom, mentoring from a senior journalist and training with RNZ’s Director of Editorial Quality and Training Jane Patterson. 

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REGIONAL: Savusavu to host 8th Pacific Media Summit in September

FBC: The Fijian Media Association and the Pacific Islands News Association have announced that the 8th Pacific Media Summit will be held in Savusavu from the 21st to the 25th of September this year.

AUSTRIA: ORF Director General only once: President of the Court of Auditors has proposals for a more independent ORF (Paywall – German) 

Der Standard: Margit Kraker proposes fixed mandates on the foundation’s board of directors in combination with public functions such as presidents of supreme courts or university rectors.

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AUSTRIA: The SPÖ and Neos want to limit ORF managers’ salaries. (Paywall – German) 

Der Standard: A reduction in the size of the board of trustees is also desired. The Neos want to reduce the size of the ORF board from 35 to twelve members.

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BELGIUM: Content in the classroom: VRT bundles educational resources for teachers (Press release – Dutch) 

VRT: Children and young people come into contact with an abundance of media every day, spread across numerous channels. For teachers, it is not always easy to quickly find the right and reliable material within this landscape that aligns with their lessons.

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BELGIUM: VRT at Supernova: European media reinventing themselves in the AI era 

VRT: During the international technology and innovation event Supernova, VRT, together with international partners, looked ahead to how artificial intelligence is reshaping the European media landscape.

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BELGIUM: VRT will cease publishing articles in other languages (French) 

RTBF: The VRT will cease publishing news on its website in English, French, and German from December 1st, the public broadcaster announced. The reach of these broadcasts is too limited given the staff and equipment required, it stated.

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BULGARIA: Bulgarian National Radio and DK SREDEC signed a Memorandum of Cooperation (Press release – Bulgarian) 

BNR: It is completely natural to implement cooperation with the aim of creating conditions for the promotion and popularization of Bulgarian musical and performing arts.

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CZECH REPUBLIC: RSF condemns plan for “legislative ambush” against public broadcasting 

RSF: The Czech government’s plan to hastily abolish the broadcast licence fee risks undermining the independence of the country’s public media outlets.

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CZECH REPUBLIC: Statement by the General Director of Czech Television, Hynek Chudárek, after a meeting with the Minister of Culture, Oto Klempíř. (Press release – Czech) 

CT: On behalf of the entire Czech Television, I welcome the start of negotiations with the Minister of Culture, Oto Klempíř, which I tried to initiate in the past.

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CZECH REPUBLIC & SLOVAKIA: Are the Czechs going Slovak? Babiš’ attacks on independent media 

Euractiv: Andrej Babiš, the Czech Prime Minister, is facing mounting criticism over attacks on independent media, as press freedom watchdogs warn his approach mirrors tactics seen in Slovakia and Hungary.

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CYPRUS: Civil society groups urge CyBC to push for review of Israel’s Eurovision 2026 participation

Philenews: Nine Cypriot civil society organisations have written to the Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation urging it to push for a formal review of Israel’s participation in Eurovision 2026, invoking the same standard the European Broadcasting Union applied when it excluded Russia from the contest in 2022.

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ESTONIA: ERR trustworthiness up both among ethnic Estonians and other nationalities 

ERR: Compared with last December, trust in ERR increased in March among both ethnic Estonian respondents and other nationalities, according to a survey commissioned by the Government Office.

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FINLAND: We must dare to redefine Yle’s role and boundaries (Opinion – FInnish) 

Etelä-Suomen Sanomat: The role of YLE has been discussed for decades, but in recent years the debate has taken on a new tone. YLE has grown in a way that raises the question: is the public service media still doing its job – or steering us in the direction it wants?

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FINLAND: Yle responds: Yle is an independent public service media outlet (Press release – Finnish) 

Yle: We publish articles, replies and corrections sent to newspapers from Yle. This reply was sent to Etelä-Suomen Sanomat on 14 April 2026. Yle is a public service media, whose mission is defined in the Yle Act. Our operations are based on independence and reliability. We do not allow influence agencies from any party to control our content. We adhere to the ethical principles of journalism, which can be found, for example, publicly on the company’s website.

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FRANCE: Public broadcasting: the inquiry commission concludes after 67 tense hearings (French) 

France24: After more than four months of work, the parliamentary inquiry into public broadcasting concluded on Wednesday with a final hearing of Delphine Ernotte Cunci, the president of France Télévisions.

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FRANCE: Public service media are considered important, even indispensable, by a majority of French people. (French) 

France24: According to the annual barometer on the usefulness of journalism, published Monday and conducted for several media outlets including France Médias Monde, three out of four French people consider public service media essential to the proper functioning of democracy. More generally, 72% of those surveyed believe that the role of journalists in detecting fake news is fundamental.

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GERMANY: 10th Cologne Forum for Journalism Criticism: Media Conference on Journalism in Transition (Press release – Event – German) 

Deutschlandradio: How can journalism fulfill its democratic mission in times of polarization, platform dominance, and artificial intelligence? This is the central question at the 10th Cologne Forum for Journalism Criticism on May 8th.

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GERMANY: ARD and BFFS agree on further joint remuneration rules for actors. (Press release – German) 

ARD: The agreement builds upon the existing 2022 agreement and addresses key previously unresolved issues, particularly regarding subsequent remuneration for content in media libraries and commercial exploitation.

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GERMANY: Radio between disappointed love and a new beginning (German) 

Deutschlandfunk: Public broadcasting is facing a crisis of legitimacy. Too big, too cumbersome, too expensive, too left-wing. Time for a defiant assessment.

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GERMANY: “Your opinion counts”: ARD launches nationwide participation program (Press release – German) 

ARD: With this new initiative, ARD is deliberately focusing on dialogue and participation: people from all regions of Germany are invited to share their perspectives publicly.

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HUNGARY: EFJ calls on the new political leaders to restore media pluralism (Statement) 

EFJ: The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) commends the role of independent media in covering the 2026 Hungarian parliamentary election, against a backdrop of the outgoing government’s takeover of the media.

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HUNGARY: Hungarian journalist on life in Orbán’s media: ‘The moment they told me what I couldn’t ask, I knew it wouldn’t last’ (Interview) 

EUObserver: Alinda Veiszer is a Hungarian television editor, presenter, journalist, and author. She became known at a time when she was working in Hungarian public media. In recent years, she has run her own channel on Patreon, where she publishes conversations with some of the best-known figures in Hungarian public life and the arts.

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HUNGARY: Media freedom in Hungary at a crossroads ahead of election (Watch) 

MFRR: As the country approaches a critical vote on 12 April, the discussion explores two diverging scenarios: the risks of continued pressure on independent journalism under Viktor Orbán’s government, and the opportunities and challenges linked to the reform agenda proposed by Péter Magyar and the Tisza party.

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IRELAND: Minister to ask media watchdog to review protest coverage 

RTÉ: Minister for Communications Patrick O’Donovan has said that he will be asking Coimisiún na Meán to review the media coverage, including coverage from RTÉ News, of the fuel protests in recent days.

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ITALY: Rai jumps on Disney (Italian) 

Il Giornale: The state television and Disney have signed an agreement that will bring some of the most iconic Rai titles to Disney+ subscribers.

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LATVIA: Māris Zanders: Autumn election may lead to ‘Orbanization’ of Latvia 

LSM: Writer, journalist and political commentator Māris Zanders was the guest in last week’s “Brīvības bulvāris” discussion show on Latvian Radio, casting his experienced and expressive eye over the political landscape in general and the looming parliamentary elections in October in particular.

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LITHUANIA: Another huge protest against LRT took place: perhaps not the last (Lithuanian) 

Delfi: A massive protest was held outside the Seimas on Wednesday against amendments to the LRT law. However, those gathered expressed concern not only about them and the threat to freedom of speech, but also about the situation in the country.

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RUSSIA: Freedom of the press in Russia: offices of independent media outlet Novaya Gazeta raided in Moscow (French)

RTBF: Searches conducted by members of the security forces are underway Thursday at the offices of the independent Russian media outlet Novaya Gazeta in Moscow, the newspaper announced on social media.

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SLOVAKIA: Bill on media regulatory restructuring and public media layoffs a crucial test for EMFA (2 April) 

IPI: New developments represent crucial test of the EU’s new regulatory framework for media

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SLOVAKIA: The Media Services Council is taking legal action against STVR for failing to ensure impartiality (Slovak) 

SME: Bratislava, April 9 (TASR) – The Media Services Council (RpMS) imposed sanctions and initiated several administrative proceedings at its meeting on Wednesday (April 8). Lucia Michelčíková, head of the RpMS communications department, informed TASR about this.

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SPAIN: RTVE statement on the PP’s proposal to create a Senate commission of inquiry into the public broadcaster. (Press release – Spanish – 30 March) 

RTVE: Following the announcement by the People’s Party of the creation of a Senate commission of inquiry into Spanish Radio and Television (RTVE ), the Corporation expresses, first and foremost, its complete institutional respect for the Upper House .

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SPAIN: The PP is pushing for a Senate investigation into RTVE: “It’s Sánchez propaganda paid for with the money of all Spaniards.”

El Mundo: The People’s Party ( PP) sees Spanish Radio and Television (RTVE) as “degraded,” “turned into a private employment agency at the service of those in power.”

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SWEDEN: Defending democracy and media freedom (Press release – Swedish) 

SR: The state of the world’s democracies is getting worse. I have never been as concerned as I am now in my 40 years as a journalist, writes Cilla Benkö today on the debate page in Dagens Industri and earlier this week in The Times, calling for a broader discussion in defense of democracy and media freedom.

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SWEDEN: Six questions. Six locations. Six days. (Press release – Swedish) 

SR: On March 24, the “Echo from Sweden” initiative kicked off. Over six broadcast days, Echo travels to six different locations to portray the voters’ six most important issues – directly from places where the problems are felt and the solutions are tested.

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SWITZERLAND: Annual result 2025: slight deficit in the context of transformation (Press release – German) 

SRG SSR: The Swiss Broadcasting Corporation (SRG) reports a loss of CHF 2.9 million for 2025 on operating revenue of CHF 1.56 billion.

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UKRAINE: Brussels Calling: First Ukrainian-language vodcast by DW (Press release) 

DW: DW’s first Ukrainian-language video and audio podcast, “Вас викликає Брюссель” (Brussels Calling), brings fresh perspectives on EU and NATO policy – directly from Brussels.

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UKRAINE: “MediaTrack 2025”: Suspilne Ukraine and partners present a large-scale study of Ukrainians’ media consumption (Press release) 

Suspilne: Which platforms do Ukrainians choose — radio, television, or digital? Are there distinct audiences for each of them? How are media consumption habits changing, and what is known about audiences in small towns?

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UKRAINE: Suspilne Ukraine’s archives among case studies on the role of creative industries in Ukraine’s recovery (Press release) 

Suspilne: The team of the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change visited Suspilne Ukraine in Lviv on March 31. During the visit, the delegation explored the work of Suspilne’s archival department — including the restoration, digitisation, and preservation of audiovisual heritage, as well as the Suspilne Mediateka platform.

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UKRAINE & GERMANY: Pro-Russian ‘doppelganger’ campaign exploits DW brand (Press release) 

DW: A DW fact-check describes a pro-Russian disinformation campaign in the context of Hungary’s election campaign: manipulated videos were intended to stir outrage against Ukrainian refugees.

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REGIONAL: Journalists covering the EU: how to re-engage citizens with European news? (French) 

RTBF: How can we address current events in the European Union, a complex web of institutions, procedures, and jargon, in a way that is accessible to the general public?

IRAN: Iran is dominating the ‘slopaganda’ war on social media (Listen)

ABC: Has your social media feed been flooded by video clips of Lego figurines, depicting scenes from the Iranian warfront and White House?

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ISRAEL: Inside the Israeli army’s propaganda wing

+972: Psy-op campaigns, selective leaks, exclusive reporter access: Soldiers and journalists reveal how the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit controls public discourse and promotes Israel’s narrative abroad.

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ISRAEL: KAN marks 90 years of Israeli public broadcasting with cross-platform celebration

The Jerusalem Post: Broadcasts will include unforgettable historical clips from the KAN archive, and the anniversary will also be marked on the beloved comedy/variety show, Zehu Ze.

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ISRAEL & PALESTINE: CPJ demands answers after deaths of journalist, media worker in Israeli custody

CPJ: The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Israeli authorities to provide immediate and transparent explanations for the deaths in Israeli custody of Palestinian journalist Ihab Diab and media worker Marwan Harzallah, return their bodies to their families without delay, and ensure an independent, impartial investigation that leads to accountability.

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ISRAEL & PALESTINE: How Israel’s Unprecedented Killing of Palestinian Journalists in Gaza Makes Accountability Reporting Almost Impossible

Global Investigative Journalism Network: Jumping from the top of a truck, Gazan journalist Anas Al‑Sharif landed in the arms of his best friend, Saleh Al‑Ja’farawi, with a joy that felt almost borrowed from another world, brief, bright, and impossibly alive amid a landscape cratered by warplanes.

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LEBANON: When media becomes a weapon: Lebanon’s battle between journalism and chaos (Opinion)

En Annahar: From social platforms to TV screens, partisan voices exploit lawless airwaves, turning information into division and testing the limits of ethics, responsibility, and national stability.

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PALESTINE: The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate criticizes the European Broadcasting Union over the “Future of Journalism in Gaza” conference

Yaffa News Network: The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate and its European branch expressed deep concern and strong condemnation over the European Broadcasting Union’s (EBU) call to hold a conference titled “The Future of Journalism in Gaza,” considering the conference a political and media threat, particularly after Palestinian media representatives were not invited or included.

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SYRIA & JORDAN: Syria, Jordan sign media and social cooperation agreements in Amman

SANA: Syria and Jordan on Sunday signed several cooperation agreements and memoranda of understanding covering media, labor and social affairs, during the second session of the Syrian-Jordanian Higher Coordination Council held in the Jordanian capital, Amman.

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UNITED ARAB EMIRATES: Gulf media crackdown sanitizes images of the war

SEMAFOR: After a few photojournalists were arrested in the UAE last month, some global newswires stopped publishing original images showing damage from Iranian missile and drone strikes on the country.

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TURKEY: Does Turkey Want to Protect Children on Social Media – or Increase Surveillance?

Balkan Insight: Turkey’s planned new restrictions on accessing social media platforms without identity verification will erode anonymity and further tighten censorship.

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TURKEY: Turkey among Europe’s most hostile environments for journalism, Council of Europe report says

Turkish Minute: Turkey has become one of Europe’s most hostile environments for independent journalism, with a high number of jailed journalists, widespread legal harassment, intimidation and censorship, the Stockholm Center for Freedom reported, citing a new report by the Council of Europe’s Platform to Promote the Protection of Journalism and Safety of Journalists.

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UNITED ARAB EMIRATES & IRAN: The War You’re Not Allowed to See: How the UAE Rewrites the Story of Iranian Strikes (2 April)

Bellingcat: Bellingcat has identified several high-profile incidents where authorities in the United Arab Emirates have downplayed damage, mischaracterised interceptions and in some instances not acknowledged successful Iranian drone strikes on the country.

CANADA: Canadian Broadcasting Corporation joins the Digital Preservation Coalition (Press release) 

CBC: The Digital Preservation Coalition (DPC) is pleased to announce that the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) has joined as its latest Associate Member.

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CANADA: Losing the Local Journalism Initiative leaves communities in the dark (Opinion)

Pique News Magazine: In December 2024, I had the privilege of being hired on in my first paid, non-university-paper reporting gig. Pique Newsmagazine took a chance on a recent University of British Columbia graduate and assigned me to cover Pemberton, the Lil’wat Nation, and a little bit of the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District.

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CANADA: NFB and CBC/Radio-Canada announce expanded collaboration to strengthen Canadian storytelling (Press release) 

CBC/Radio-Canada: The National Film Board of Canada (NFB), the country’s public film producer and distributor, and CBC/Radio-Canada, Canada’s public broadcaster, today announced a new phase of collaboration aimed at strengthening Canadian storytelling and better serving Canadians.

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CANADA & US: Is Canada’s ‘Netflix tax’ worth the hassle it’s getting from the U.S.?

CBC: When she was growing up in Australia, Carla de Jong remembers watching the iconic Canadian TV show Degrassi — which at the time was airing on Australia’s public broadcaster.

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US: ‘A Statement That Probably Needed to Be Made’

CJR: Three Colorado stations signed on to a lawsuit that challenged the Trump administration’s defunding of NPR and PBS. It’s too late to recover lost funds, but their court victory sets an important precedent. 

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US: FCC chair threatens TV networks amid Iran war coverage — but his warning rings hollow

CNN: President Donald Trump’s attack dog atop the FCC, Brendan Carr, garnered lots of attention on Saturday for threatening the licenses of local broadcasters over news coverage he deemed to be “fake.”

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US: Growth continues but at slower pace, especially for new donors

Current: Early indicators in 2026 point to eventual plateaus and likely declines in new donors and high-end giving in the next fiscal year.

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US: Trump’s exhausted media outlets Voice of America and Radio Free Europe are still alive, but much weakened (Latvian)

LSM: A year after the decision of the US President Donald Trump administration to deny reallocation of funding to several Congress-funded broadcasters – including Voice of America and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty – the impact of this decision is being felt not only in their work and content, but also in how easy it will be to reach or try to regain lost audiences.

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US & RUSSIA: US Condemns Russia Over Targeting Journalists, Urges Respect for Free Speech

RFE/RL: The United States has condemned Russia’s latest actions against independent media following reports of new detentions and a high-profile newsroom raid in Moscow.

60 years of journalism: Then, now and what comes next

Massey University: For journalism students at Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa Massey University today, a university ‘newsroom’ isn’t just a class with desks and computers. It’s a constant rhythm of deadlines across a range of platforms, including live social media updates, audio packages, video reports and web-first storytelling, often produced side by side.

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French-language public media, facing the same turbulence, are celebrating 10 years of collaboration (French) 

RTBF: The media landscape is facing profound changes. Public media outlets must find ways to adapt without compromising their public service commitments. This is a difficult challenge. For the past 10 years, 14 French-language public service media organizations have been collaborating to develop projects and new ideas together within this evolving context.

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‘No comment’: How public officials’ silence is shaping public trust in journalism

Editor and Publisher: The job of a journalist is often a continuous tug of war — not just a single rope, but many, some requiring hard pulling.

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Retrospective: Public Pioneers AI Filmmaking (Press release – Dutch) 

NPO: Six teams of innovative makers from the public broadcaster. For the second time, filmmakers and AI experts came together for the Public Pioneers hackathon  AI Film Making, an initiative of NTR and NPO Innovation, in collaboration with Oasis.

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Saving local news also means saving the archives

Poynter: Yes, the physical ones, but the digital ones, too. Because losing them means losing the only record many communities have of themselves.