The PMA Briefing

Urgent calls for action

29 July 2025

Major media and civil society organisations make renewed warnings over the welfare of journalists based in Gaza; there’s alleged political interference in the appointments process of ORF’s Foundation Board; and in Nigeria, there are calls for legislative broadcasting reforms to modernise the sector. Plus, RTVC signs an agreement to provide more cultural content; India’s broadcasting modernisation programme rolls out, and a new intervenor is appointed to oversee the defunding of Argentina’s broadcasting system.

Media sound alarm over welfare of journalists in Gaza

Several international media, including public broadcasters BBC and ABC, have issued urgent warnings of an increasing risk of starvation for journalists in Gaza. In a joint statement, BBC News, Agence France-Presse (AFP), Associated Press (AP) and Reuters said that journalists are increasingly unable to feed themselves and their families, and face “the same dire circumstances as those they are covering.” Similarly, Australia’s public broadcaster ABC said that some of its Palestinian freelancers are now too weak to work.

The calls come even as more than 100 human rights and international aid organisations have warned that famine is now unfolding in Gaza, intensifying concerns for all media workers’ safety and ability to report.

Meanwhile, media organisations and CSOs have also urged the Israeli government to grant access in and out of Gaza. At least 186 journalists and media workers have been killed since 7 October 2023 across Gaza, the West Bank, Israel and Lebanon — the deadliest period for the press since CPJ began keeping records.

A cityscape on apartment blocks, with a cloud smoke rising from a single point far away in the city.

Smoke rises after an Israeli air strike on the east of the city of Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, on May 8, 2024. Credit: Anas Mohammed / Shutterstock.com

Austria: Audience Council member alleges political interference in appointments

A member of the Audience Council for Austrian public broadcaster, ORF, has challenged the appointment of nine members of the ORF Foundation Board, which governs the broadcaster, saying it whiffs of political interference.

Martin Ladstätter, who represents people with disabilities on the Audience Council, said he had hoped to run for the board but was unable to because “instead of independent decisions, much points to partisan collusion,” he told Der Standard. Several others have recently quit ORF positions with similar accusations, the newspaper said.

Close up of ORF logo - the so-called "ORF brick". At the facade of the ORF Funkhaus in the city center. ORF is the austrian public service broadcasting network. Credit: Chris Redan / Shutterstock.com

Nigeria: Calls for reform for public broadcasting legislation

A parliamentary committee in Nigeria has said the public radio broadcaster FRCN needs a stronger rural reach, deeper digital innovation, and sustainable revenue growth. During a visit by the committee to FRCN headquarters in Abuja, director general Mohammad Bulama said there had been major reforms over the past two years, including infrastructure modernisation, digitisation of studios, and efforts to cut costs by improving energy efficiency.

He added commercial partnerships and better branding had seen a significant increase in revenue. The visit came as broadcasting leaders in Nigeria continue to push for major reforms of regulations they deem increasingly obsolete.

Lagos, Nigeria. Image: OpenUpEd/Creative Commons

Colombia: Pact for live arts broadcasting

Colombia’s public media system RTVC has partnered with the Ministry of Culture, Arts and Knowledge to launch “Las culturas tienen señal” (“Cultures have a signal”), a partnership to air live performing arts nationwide.

Via Señal Colombia and Radio Nacional’s 73 frequencies, audiences can turn their homes into their own auditoriums to enjoy plays, choirs, and other performing arts expressions. The broadcasts will provide the cultural works from the Teatro Colón, the Delia Zapata Olivella Hall, the Fanny Mickey Hall, and the Teresita Gómez Symphony Hall.

RTVC Manager, Hollman Morris, said the aim is to make public broadcasting more public, while Culture Minister Yannai Kadamani cast the initiative as a step toward democratising cultural access.

Bogota at sunset. Credit: ChandraDhas/istock

Argentina: New intervenor to preside over public media defunding

A close ally of Argentina’s president Javier Milei has been named as the intervenor for public media, responsible for furthering the country’s wind-down of its national broadcasting system, including TV Pública and the news agency formerly known as Télam.

Politica Argentina reported that Carlos Curci, a communications specialist who is currently spokesperson for the Argentine Rural Society, will take over from Eduardo González, who leaves this week. Curci will have to implement the government’s goal of slashing the budget of RTA by 40 percent, the latest move in the Milei administration’s antipathy towards public media in Argentina.

Panoramic aerial view of Downtown Buenos Aires, Argentina Credit: diegograndi/iStock

India: Modernisation and expansion programme underway

The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has begun a programme to expand and modernise India’s national broadcasters, including Akashvani (radio) and Doordarshan (TV), under the umbrella company, Prasar Bharati. Rs. 2,539.61 crore (nearly 300 million USD) has been earmarked for the project, which was announced in 2023.

In a press release, the ministry said the programme would oversee the modernisation of equipment, studios, infrastructure, and systems, as well as the introduction of new technology. The scheme is also designed to expand the reach of Akashvani from 68 percent of the population in 2023, to 80 percent by the project’s end. Akashvani already holds a monopoly on broadcast news in India, with private and community radio stations restricted by regulations.