Our weekly round-up of public service media related stories and headlines from around the world
Public media is in peril and facing many challenges. Social media platforms are presenting an existential crisis to public service media. Governments are trying to extend their control and influence on the editorial output of the broadcasters. Funding systems for many are up in the air. Journalists are facing threats, attacks and harassment, both online and in-person. But it’s also an exciting time for public service media – digital platforms provide new opportunities to reach audiences, technology means public broadcasters can be innovative in how they provide a public service.
Every week, PMA compiles all the latest news from the public media and media freedom industry. Have a story to feature? Get in touch!
Public media research
Our PSM Research and Resources page brings together all the latest academic studies looking into the world of public media.
What we're watching...
Putin Calling: Russia’s Disinformation Flows Unchecked Through Balkans
Balkan Insight: The 63-minute documentary shows how Russian leader Vladimir Putin and his propaganda against NATO and the European Union have found fertile ground among Balkan audiences and how powerful politicians, businesses, influential media and groups of supporters of Putin have built their havens in Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Kosovo.
The documentary concludes that across the region, disinformation peddlers have sought to spread the Kremlin’s narrative to draw parallels between NATO’s bombing of former Yugoslavia in spring 1999 and the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
What we're listening to...
The Czech fossil fuel magnate with a passion for media
Euractiv: Despite being at the head of a fossil fuel empire at a time when the union is traversing a green transition, Daniel Kretinsky has managed to stay off the radar. That was until the Czech billionaire started acquiring media through Europe, magazines such as Elle, Le Monde, Marianne, Czech tabloid Blesk and Czech News Center.
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Global Headlines
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CAMEROON: The high audiovisual and communication authority warns RFI for its professional failings (French)
Cameroun Actuel: In a press release published recently, the High Authority for Audiovisual and Communication (HAAC) pointed out a series of professional failings on the part of Radio France Internationale (RFI).
DR CONGO: DRC journalist Blaise Mabala freed after 4 months in jail over insult to governor
CPJ: The Committee to Protect Journalists welcomes the acquittal and release of journalist Blaise Mabala after more than four months in detention and calls for authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to swiftly reform their laws to prevent the criminal prosecution of journalists for their work.
EGYPT & JORDAN: Egypt, Jordan to collaborate across media technology sector
Egypt Today: The Supreme Council for Media Regulation in Egypt and Jordan’s Media Authority came together to sign a cooperative protocol, marking a step towards bolstering bilateral collaboration in the media sector.
GBC: The Director of Marketing of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation, GBC, George Lomotey, has met with the Communications Director of Wright State University, Seth Bauguess, and discussed a wide range of media collaborations as he concludes a week-long working visit to the United States.
KENYA: Africa Media Leaders To Hold Summit In Nairobi
Kenya News Agency: All Africa Media leaders have converged in Nairobi, Kenya for a three-day summit to discuss issues affecting the sector and the critical role media plays in shaping Africa’s future.
FrontPageAfrica: Aggrieved employees of the Royal Communications Incorporated (RCI), owned by former Liberian President George Manneh Weah, have staged a go slow action in demand for the payment of their nearly five months’ salary arrears owed them by the management.
NAMIBIA: Namibian media braces for artificial intelligence
The Namibian: The Namibia Press Agency (Nampa) recently found itself in uncharted waters when it allegedly had to navigate the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in producing a publication paying tribute to former president Hage Geingob without disclosing this to the public.
NIGERIA: Nigeria Frees Journalist Who Was Detained Under Cyber Crime Law (Paywall)
Bloomberg: A Nigerian journalist who was detained for nine days without trial was released Friday following protests from civil rights groups, who accused the government of trying to gag the media amid a cost of living crisis in Africa’s most populous nation.
SENEGAL: HANDOVER OF SERVICE TO RTS: PAPE ALÉ NIANG IS COMMITTED TO STRONG AND AMBITIOUS AUDIOVISUAL (French)
RTS: Pape Alé Niang officially took office as Director General of Radiotélévision Sénégalaise (RTS) this Friday, with a firm promise to serve the public interest.
SOUTH AFRICA: South Africa elections: SABC refuses to air DA flag-burning ad, cites prejudice
The Africa Report: South Africa’s national broadcaster SABC stood by its decision to snub the opposition Democratic Alliance’s controversial political ad which depicts the burning of the national flag, saying it ‘encourages damage of treasured national symbols’.
SOUTH AFRICA: South Africa’s media have done good work with 30 years of freedom but need more diversity
The Conversation: In 1992, two years before the end of apartheid, Nelson Mandela bemoaned the state of South Africa’s print media. He said the media’s domination by middle class males from the minority white population posed the biggest threat to freedom of expression in the country. We asked Prinola Govenden, a media and communications senior lecturer at the University of Johannesburg, what became of the vision for free, inclusive and vibrant South African media.
SOUTH AFRICA: Tensions over SABC board “study group” meetings with ANC MPs
My Broadband: Tension is brewing in the SABC regarding so-called “study group” meetings with ANC MPs preceding its board and management’s appearances before Parliament, Sunday Times reports.
SUDAN: Urgent appeal for support of Sudanese media
Dabanga: The Sudan Media Forum, a coalition of prominent independent Sudanese media outlets and organisations, has launched an urgent appeal to the international community to assist the Forum and the Sudanese media sector as a whole, particularly in the important areas of safety of journalists, media survival, countering the proliferation of disinformation and hate speech, and to restore Sudan’s communications infrastructure, to ensure the Sudanese people’s right to information.
TUNISIA: Attacks on press freedom unworthy of a democracy (French)
IFJ: The union counts a considerable number of attacks on the press, including an increase in legal proceedings, which have affected 39 journalists and which have been initiated outside the framework of Decree-Law No. 2011-115 of 2 November 2011 on freedom of the press, printing and publishing.
TUNISIA: The Journalists’ Union condemns the campaign of arrests and attacks on press freedom
Nova.News: The organization also warned against “defamation and hate speech campaigns against journalists”
ZIMBABWE: Zimbabwe’s Media Houses Issue Legal Warning Against Content Theft
The Zimbabwe Mail: Zimbabwe’s prominent media houses, including ZimInd Publishers, Associated Newspapers of Zimbabwe, Zimpapers, and Business Times, have issued a stern legal notice threatening legal action against digital platforms found infringing on their copyrights.
REGIONAL: Africa needs emergence of globally respected African media — Adesina
Vanguard: The President of the African Development Bank Group, Dr Akinwumi Adesina, has called on African financial institutions to support the emergence of a globally respected African media company that will position the news of Africa to the world.
AFGHANISTAN: Journalist detained for alleged links to diaspora media
IFJ: Journalist Neda Mohammad Noori was detained by the Taliban’s General Directorate of Intelligence (GDI) in the eastern Parwan province, reportedly due to his alleged work with exiled Afghan media outlets.
AFGHANISTAN: Taliban ban cooperation with diaspora broadcaster
VOA: The Afghan Taliban on Thursday warned reporters and experts against working with the London-based broadcaster Afghanistan International TV, saying they would be committing a crime if they worked with the station.
AZERBAIJAN: Azerbaijani media say risk of arrests, repression increasing
VOA: A journalist for nine years, Aytac Tapdiq says the risks of working in media in Azerbaijan have always been present. But in recent months, conditions are getting worse.
BANGLADESH: Media’s access to information to be ensured under RTI Act: Arafat
The Daily Star: State Minister for Information and Broadcasting Mohammad Ali Arafat today said his ministry will work proactively to ensure mass media’s access to all types of information the people deserve to know under the Right to Information (RTI) Act.
CHINA: China’s Mouthpieces Go Quiet
China Media Project: In recent months, the unexplained disappearance of high-level ministers in China has fueled speculation about unease within the halls of power. What does it mean when the leadership’s most vocal mouthpieces also fall silent?
CHINA: Chinese woman jailed for reporting on Covid in Wuhan to be freed after four years
The Guardian: Citizen journalist Zhang Zhan’s search for the truth during the early days of the pandemic was seen as a threat by the authorities
HONG KONG: Hong Kong’s national security ‘conspiracy’ trial of media mogul drags on
VOA: Media mogul Jimmy Lai’s trial for “conspiracy to collude with foreign forces” and “conspiracy to publish incitement” is set to drag on longer than the 80 days initially planned.
Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism: As the country votes in this year’s crucial election, news channels are being banned or demonetised in a move criticised by press freedom groups
INDIA: Media Associations Urge EC to Facilitate Press Briefings on Election Days
Devdiscourse: Media associations demand press conferences from Election Commission after every phase of Lok Sabha polls. They request release of complete electoral data, including absolute vote count and percentage, soon after polling.
INDIA: The YouTube Election: Social media emerges as key player in Indian polls
The Economic Times: It has been a pretty hectic month for Vijeta Dahiya. The YouTube content researcher has been analysing political themes for infotainment creator Dhruv Rathee, working late nights to help him produce videos on topics concerning Election 2024.
INDONESIA: Indonesian Government Acts to Protect Student Media
Human Rights Watch: As student journalists in Indonesia face increasing intimidation, censorship, and newsroom closures, the Ministry of Education has agreed to have the national Press Council mediate all defamation disputes involving student journalists and publications. It’s an important step toward better protecting student media in the country.
INDONESIA: Transparent AI: Kominfo’s Vision for Ethical Journalism in Indonesia
Opengov Asia: In a bid to navigate the ever-evolving landscape of journalism, the Ministry of Communication and Informatics (Kominfo) of Indonesia has underscored the paramount importance of transparency in the utilisation of artificial intelligence (AI) by media entities.
JAPAN & UKRAINE: Ukraine broadcaster teams with NHK to save film archives
NHK: Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is not just threatening lives. Recorded history could be lost forever as the country and its people are battered by ongoing attacks.
KYRGYZSTAN: Under the Pretence of Tradition: Media Repression in Kyrgyzstan
Centre for East European and International Studies: Since taking power in 2021, President Sadyr Japarov has established an increasingly authoritarian regime in Kyrgyzstan.
LAOS: Lao media continue highlighting 70th anniversary of Dien Bien Phu Victory
Vietnam+: Vietnam’s 70th anniversary of the Dien Bien Phu Victory has resonated in Laos, with major newspapers and state media outlets dedicating significant coverage to the historic event.
MALDIVES & JAPAN: Japan provides grant for Digital Terrestrial Television Broadcasting Network Development Project
Raajje: The government of Japan has provided a grand aid of an additional USD 3.5 million or 326 million Japanese Yen, for the Digital Terrestrial Television Broadcasting Network Development Project (DTTB).
NEPAL: Nepal’s Media Industry Is Facing a Severe Financial Crisis
The Diplomat: Nepali journalists say they frequently go months without pay. The hollowing out of the Fourth Estate leaves the country vulnerable to disinformation at a critical time.
NORTH KOREA: Kim Ki-nam, the ‘North Korean Goebbels’ who forged the personality cult of Pyongyang’s leaders, dies
El País: The North Korean propaganda mastermind helped cement the political legitimacy of the Kim family dynasty from the Cold War era to the present day
PHILIPPINES: Progress in Philippines’ Media Murder Cases Just a Start
Human Rights Watch: Advocates of media freedom in the Philippines got some good news within days of World Press Freedom Day on May 3. On April 29, police arrested a third suspect in the on-air shooting of radio broadcaster Juan Jumalon in Mindanao.
SOUTH KOREA: At 1st press conference in 631 days, Yoon seeks to mend media ties
The Korea Herald: Just as President Yoon Suk Yeol entered the briefing room filled with some 150 reporters in his office in Seoul on Thursday, for the first time in 631 days, one of the reporters asked Yoon to hold more frequent news conferences and boost communication with the public.
SRI LANKA: A dialogue on media guidelines for Sri Lanka’s upcoming elections
Newswire: The Election Commission and a collective of civil society organisations conducted a vital dialogue on the formulation of new media guidelines in view of upcoming elections in Sri Lanka.
TIMOR-LESTE: Comprehensive research on Timor-Leste media sector reveals valuable insights
ABC: State of the Media: Timor-Leste provides comprehensive new insights into Timor-Leste’s media sector, outlining achievements and challenges facing the industry in Asia’s youngest democracy, 22 years after independence.
AUSTRALIA: Australia targets social media with parliamentary probe
Reuters: Australia announced on Friday that it would hold a parliamentary inquiry to look into the negative impacts of social media platforms, saying they have significant reach and control over what Australians see online, with almost no scrutiny.
AUSTRALIA: Introducing ABC Family and ABC Entertains (Press release)
ABC: The ABC is introducing two new channels in June – ABC Family and ABC Entertains – and four new innovative digital streams that will bring together the best kids, family, and general entertainment titles.
ABC: Children under 14 could be banned from having social media accounts in South Australia, with a review now underway.
FIJI: FMA appreciative of MIDA repeal but more needs to be done
Fiji Village: Fijian Media Association President and Fiji Sun Managing Editor Rosi Doviverata says while the media is appreciative of the repeal of the Media Industry Development Authority Act, a lot still needs to be done.
NEW ZEALAND: Diversity shrinking with the media landscape
RNZ: What does the future hold for aspiring Māori and Pacific journalists who’ve graduated with the skills, only to find the opportunities in mainstream media have gone?
SOLOMON ISLANDS: Solomon Islands prepares to ban Facebook after government criticism on platform: media
Yahoo: The Solomon Islands is planning to ban the use of Facebook for an indeterminate period after inflammatory critique of the government was aired on the social media platform, the Solomon Times reported.
REGIONAL: Puna calls for Pacific ‘journalistic vigilance’ in face of climate crisis
Asia Pacific Report: Pacific Islands Forum Secretary-General Henry Puna stressed the importance of media freedom and its link to the climate and environmental crisis at the 2024 World Press Freedom Day event organised by the University of the South Pacific’s journalism programme.
BELGIUM: KIES24: VRT places voters centrally with clear information and customized interpretation (Press release – Dutch)
VRT: On Sunday, June 9, Belgians will go to the polls for the European, federal and regional elections. As a public broadcaster, VRT wants to inform all Flemish and Brussels residents well and clearly and to familiarize them with the complex flow of information that elections entail, more than ever.
BELGIUM: The Royal Library of Belgium to digitise 4 million pages of the daily press by 2027 (Dutch)
VRT: The Royal Library of Belgium (KBR) is continuing to digitise old newspapers using the BelgicaPress interface. By 2027, four million pages printed in the second half of the 20th century will have been added to the collection already available online.
BELGIUM: VRT unions call for ceasefire in Gaza before semi-final (French)
RTL Info: VRT unions briefly interrupted the broadcast of the start of the second semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest on Thursday for protest action. A message of support for the Palestinian people was broadcast on the air.
BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA: EFJ denounces interruption of public broadcaster FTV
EFJ: The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) joins its affiliate in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Bosnia-Herzegovina Journalists’ Association (BHJA), in demanding the reactivation throughout the country of the federal public channel FTV, whose TV and radio broadcasts were interrupted at 6am on 8 May following a decision by the management of the public broadcaster BHRT in a financial dispute between the two entities.
CROATIA: Croatian far-right Homeland Movement calls for an end to funding for Novosti newspaper
MMF: On 8 May 2024, the leader of the far-right Homeland Movement, Ivan Penava, declared at a press conference in Šibenik city that his party would only support a new government coalition led by conservative Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) Prime Minister Andrej Plenković if it cut off funding for the weekly Novosti.
CZECH REPUBLIC: The rise and rise of Daniel Křetínský
IPI
FINLAND & MONACO: Monaco’s Court of Appeal will not hear Yle editor-in-chief Jouko Jokinen’s defamation suit: “I feel relieved” (Finnish)
YLE: Jouko Jokis, the editor-in-chief responsible for Yle’s news and current affairs operations, was accused of defamation in a Monaco court. Yle was also required to pay EUR 100,000 in damages.
FRANCE: Full support for journalist Nassira El Moaddem and her media Arrêt sur images
EFJ: Since 1 May 2024, French journalist Nassira El Moaddem has been the target of an unprecedented campaign of racist harassment. Her media, Arrêt sur images (ASI), specialised in media issues, has also received several death threats referring to the Charlie Hebdo attack.
FRANCE: Le Monde’s Olympian effort to attract more English-language subscribers
Press Gazette: French title is targeting 1m subscribers and attracts five million readers a month to English website.
FRANCE: Public audiovisual: the ambition of the reform, “it is not savings”, assures the deputy Quentin Bataillon in the face of the mistrust of the unions (French)
FranceTV Info: The Renaissance MP announces that he will present Monday evening “a proposal for an organic law” which will guarantee the “financial independence” of public broadcasting.
FRANCE: Strikes at Radio France, between support for Guillaume Meurice and contested audiovisual reform (French)
20 Minutes: The comedian is suspended from the air and summoned for an interview for repeating a joke about Benjamin Netanyahu
GEORGIA: Georgian journalists threatened after covering ‘foreign agent’ law protests
CPJ: Since May 7, more than 30 journalists covering the bill “on transparency of foreign influence” and public protests against it have been targeted with anonymous abusive and threatening phone calls, journalists from 10 different independent news outlets told CPJ.
GEORGIA: Georgian PM urged to withdraw the Law on Transparency of Foreign Influence, guarantee the safety of journalists and uphold press freedom in Georgia (Letter)
IPI: Joint letter calls on the PM to uphold press freedom in Georgia
IRELAND: RTÉ welcomes publication of reports (Press release)
RTÉ: RTÉ accepts in principle the recommendations made in the two Expert Advisory Committee Reports. To ensure we can formally respond in full within the timeframe suggested, the Board of RTÉ and RTÉ’s Interim Leadership Team will now take time to fully review all three reports, including the recommendations.
IRELAND, FRANCE & RUSSIA: France warns Department of Foreign Affairs about Russian disinformation targeting Irish voters
The Irish Times: French agency says Russian efforts have become more pronounced generally in the run-up to the European elections in June
ITALY: Press freedom in Italy: the European Media Freedom Rapid Response consortium on a mission to Rome (Italian)
IPI: Political interference in RAI, vexatious lawsuits and AGI sales are the focus of the visit
ITALY: Rai, Soldi: “Strong condemnation of social hatred and threats” (Press release – Italian)
Rai: Online hatred is increasingly radicalized and dangerous and the first victims of this phenomenon are always women: 43% according to VOX – the Italian rights observatory
ITALY: Right of the press, Fnsi and Order meet minister Piantedosi (Italian)
FNSI: Ample reassurance on the protection of journalists in carrying out their work in full respect of the right to freedom of the press was given by the Minister of the Interior Matteo Piantedosi to the leaders of the National Order of Journalists and the Press Federation, in a meeting held this morning at the ministry.
ITALY: The Italian journalism network using Twitch to reach young audiences
IPI: New Media Incubator participants Centro di giornalismo permanente applied media innovation strategies to a network to support freelancers.
MOLDOVA: Moldova fights to free itself from Russia’s AI-powered disinformation machine
Politico: With an EU referendum and a presidential election in October, the Ukraine-bordering Eastern European country fends off a barrage of disinformation, cyberattacks and Kremlin-backed political corruption.
NORTH MACEDONIA: Media freedom groups urge authorities to cease harassment of journalist Furkan Saliu (Letter)
IPI
POLAND: After eight years of propaganda, can Polish journalists regain public trust?
CJR: In late December, Poland’s public broadcaster descended into chaos. Two months earlier, Poles had elected former prime minister Donald Tusk for a third time, voting out a parliamentary slate of right-wing populists who, since 2015, had controlled the levers of government, including the state broadcaster, known as TVP.
PORTUGAL: “Europe, what future?” at RTP2 Civil Society Conferences (Portuguese)
RTP: In such an unstable time, where employment, emigration, populism and wars worry us all, and in a year in which the European Union is going to vote, RTP promotes dialogue between government actors and civil society, so that together they can think about space European Union and Portugal’s position in this force of 27.
RUSSIA: A Russia-linked network uses AI to rewrite real news stories
The Economist: CopyCop churned out 19,000 deceptive posts in a month
RUSSIA: BIRN Doc Lifts Lid on Russian Disinformation in Balkans
Balkan Insight: A Balkan Investigative Reporting Network, BIRN, documentary, launched on Friday, shows how Western Balkan countries audiences have become vulnerable to disinformation from Russian-backed channels, especially since the start of its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.
RUSSIA: Russia intensifies crackdown on journalists, dissenting voices on Ukraine
VOA: “The continuous attacks on free speech and the criminalization of independent journalism in Russia are very troubling,” Türk said in a prepared statement that called for the release of journalists detained “solely for doing their jobs.”
SERBIA: In Serbia, Xi Underlines Close Ties With Ally That Shares Wariness of U.S.
The New York Times: Serbia’s state-owned television station even interrupted a broadcast of the Eurovision Song Contest, a hugely popular event watched by millions across Europe, to make way for coverage of a welcoming ceremony for Mr. Xi at Belgrade airport.
SLOVAKIA: Slovakia’s Fico plots to dismantle the free press
POLITICO: Journalists warn new populist prime minister is trying to sideline those in the media he disagrees with.
SLOVENIA: Radio Slovenia’s programs are reaching more and more listeners (Press release – Slovenian)
RTV SLO: The latest data on listenership show that more and more people in Slovenia are listening to radio programs. Radio Slovenia reached more listeners in April 2024 than the previous month, and remains the strongest player on the Slovenian radio market.
SPAIN: RTVE, the most attractive company to work in the media sector (Press release – Spanish)
RTVE: Spanish Radio and Television is the most attractive company to work for in the media sector, according to the annual Randstad Employer Brand Research report, which analyzes the main reasons why a professional would choose a company to develop their professional career.
SWEDEN: Sveriges Radio’s CEO Cilla Benkö comments on the public service committee’s final report (Statement – Swedish)
Swedish Radio: Today, May 13, government investigator Göran Hägglund presented the public service committee’s final report. The proposal is now being sent out for referral. Sveriges Radio’s CEO Cilla Benkö comments on the proposal.
SWEDEN: The future of public service: Here are the most important questions (Listen – Swedish)
Swedish Radio: This morning, the new public service investigation is being presented, which proposes what should be included in the next permit period from 2026 to 2033.
SWEDEN: Verification and review in focus before the EU elections (Press release – Swedish)
SVT: SVT invests heavily in reviewing and verifying misinformation when the EU election campaign is now gaining momentum. Our award-winning verification team, which fact-checks the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, among other things, puts a full focus on the EU election to help voters identify false claims and misinformation.
SWITZERLAND: Nemo wins the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 (Press release – German)
SRG SSR: Switzerland has won the largest international music competition: The 24-year-old musical talent Nemo from Biel took first place at this year’s “Eurovision Song Contest” (ESC) in Malmö, Sweden.
SWITZERLAND: Swiss public broadcasters withdraw from X/Twitter
SwissInfo.ch: Swiss public broadcasters RTS and SRF are drastically reducing their communications via the social network X (formerly Twitter).
UK: BBC World Service risks being overtaken by Russia and China, warns outgoing director
Press Gazette: Outgoing BBC World Service director Liliane Landor has warned the organisation “cannot be overtaken by better-resourced competitors” in a speech urging proper resourcing for the service.
UK: Channel 4 now most popular public broadcaster with young people
Marketing / Beat: The latest numbers also reveal that viewing figures among 16-34 year-olds were up 15% year-on-year to 1.7 billion viewer minutes, with Channel 4 now reaching more young viewers than any other publicly-funded broadcaster.
UK: Warning over ‘disastrous’ BBC podcast advert plan
BBC: Some of Britain’s biggest media companies have written to the government to warn of their “deep concern” about the BBC’s plan to introduce advertising in podcasts for some listeners in the UK.
UKRAINE: ‘I have my iPhone, X and a brain in my head’: Ukrainian journalist and social media star Illia Ponomarenko (Interview)
The Guardian: Ahead of the publication of his raw account of the Russian invasion, the reporter talks about capturing the conflict in real time – and when the war will come to an end
UKRAINE: MFRR partners highlight ongoing press freedom issues
IPI: Surveillance of journalists and united news policy among top concerns
UKRAINE: Parliament restores limited access for journalists during plenary sessions
Kyiv Independent: Ruslan Stefanchuk, the speaker of Ukraine’s parliament, signed an order on May 8 to restore limited access for journalists to cover the legislature’s work. Since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022, journalists have been prohibited from attending plenary sessions due to security reasons.
REGIONAL: Fake news on the rise leading up to EU election
DW: Ahead of the European Parliament elections in June, fake news is becoming increasingly prevalent online. DW fact check explores four examples of how cybercriminals are spreading disinformation.
REGIONAL: No real progress in protecting journalists, contrary to what a European study claims
EFJ: The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) radically disputes the conclusions of a study commissioned by the European Commission to assess the implementation of the EU Recommendation on the protection, safety and empowerment of journalists.
ARGENTINA: Argentina’s government removes teleSUR from the air (Spanish)
elDiarioAR: The multi-state news channel Telesur, with its main headquarters in Venezuela, reported this Monday that its broadcast on Open Digital Television (TDA) of Argentina was canceled, the network reported in a statement.
ARGENTINA: Argentine government orders journalists and photographers from Télam to return work items (Spanish)
Política Argentina: The Government, through the controller [of the public media system] Diego Chaher, ordered journalists and photographers from Agencia Télam to return cameras and equipment they were assigned to complete their daily tasks.
BRAZIL: Federal government allows radio stations in Rio Grande do Sul to broadcast Voice of Brazil (Portuguese)
CNN Brasil: Radios will be able to use the program’s time slot, while the calamity situation lasts in the state, to report events about the heavy rains
BRAZIL: Journalism defense organizations form coalition in Brazil (Portuguese)
Abraji: Ten press freedom organizations launched this Monday [May 6] the Coalition in Defense of Journalism during a session of the Senate Social Communication Council (CCS), in Brasília.
ECUADOR: Ecuadorian journalist held hostage in front of cameras asks for asylum in United States (Spanish)
Telemundo 51: José Luis Calderon did not return to work in the media where he had already spent 23 years as a reporter and presenter and had to leave his family behind to seek asylum in the United States.
GUYANA: Guyana Working On Improving Press Freedom Rating
St Kitts & Nevis Observer: The Guyana Government has announced that it believes in press freedom and access to information and is taking part in the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s (UNESCO) World Press Freedom Day Conference in Chile as part of an effort to show that it is serious about this commitment.
HAITI: Eight people charged in killing of Haiti journalist, including a former senator
Yahoo: A former senator and the acting mayor of a small Haiti town have been charged in the death of a journalist whose 2019 killing, amid the country’s deepening political crisis, sparked protests and calls for an investigation after he became the third journalist in the country killed in less than two years.
JAMAICA: Distrust growing between gov’t and Jamaica’s media – RSF
Radio Jamaica: Despite Jamaica’s improved ranking in the latest World Press Freedom index, global media watchdog, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) says there is a growing gulf of distrust between government officials and the media.
MEXICO: Where is the promised protection? Journalists in Mexico threatened by state actors and organized crime (Press release)
Amnesty International: Despite having an injunction preventing the Mechanism for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders and Journalists from withdrawing the surveillance detail that guarantees his integrity, journalist Alberto Amaro warns: “I continue to face obstacles in my quest for safety.”
NICARAGUA: “Audience in Nicaragua Continues to Trust the Press in Exile”
Confidencial: Lucía Pineda and Eduardo Enríquez: “Independent journalism is defeating censorship and is preparing for the worst: the control of internet content”
PARAGUAY: Paraguayan journalists face judicial criminalization, threats for their work
LatAm Journalism Review: Judicial criminalization and threats against Paraguayan journalists have become evident in recent months, warned the Inter American Press Association (IAPA) in its mid-year report on the state of press freedom in the Americas.
VENEZUELA: Armando.info rejects prosecutor’s bribery accusations, journalist organizations defend investigative site (Spanish)
Runrunes: Prosecutor Saab presented an alleged accusation by Samark López, in which he mentioned journalists from Armando.Info and other social communicators of belonging to a bribery network and writing stories to “destroy the reputation of Venezuelan State officials.”
VENEZUELA: Venezuelan prosecutor targets investigative journalists ahead of documentary exposé
ICIJ: The founder of Armando.Info said he fears for the safety of his reporters in Venezuela after the country’s attorney general publicly attacked the outlet ahead of a new documentary on government corruption.
IRAQ & SYRIA: ISIS’ Propaganda Machine: Global Mediated Terrorism (Book review)
Middle East Monitor: Despite being banned from Twitter, now X, in 2014, Daesh has managed adeptly to churn out propaganda, reinforcing the narrative of its “imagined nation-state”.
IRAN: CPJ Demands Release of Iranian journalist
IranWire: The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has urged the Islamic Republic to immediately release Shirin Saeedi, an economic journalist, and stop repressing media workers.
ISRAEL & GAZA: Attacks, arrests, threats, censorship: The high risks of reporting the Israel-Gaza war
CPJ: In addition to documenting the growing tally of journalists killed and injured, CPJ’s research has found multiple kinds of incidents of journalists being targeted while carrying out their work in Israel and the two Palestinian territories, Gaza and the West Bank.
ISRAEL & PALESTINE: Anatomy of a scroll: Inside TikTok’s AI-powered algorithms
Politico: Israel or Palestine? What users see in their social media feeds related to the Middle East crisis and other global political events is determined by opaque AI-powered online content curation systems.
ISRAEL & QATAR: Al Jazeera shutdown in Israel spells ‘dark day for democracy,’ say media groups
VOA: Israel’s decision to shut down Al Jazeera in the country puts audiences at risk of missing out on news and may herald a concerning turn for the future of free expression, analysts say.
JORDAN: Security forces close Al-Yarmouk TV channel
Middle East Monitor: The Jordanian authorities raided the offices of Al-Yarmouk TV channel on Tuesday and shut it down by force, Arabi21 news site has reported. The channel’s executives have been referred to the public prosecutor on charges of broadcasting from Jordan without official permission.
TURKEY: Turkish court sentences 5 journalists from shuttered newspaper to prison
CPJ: After an Istanbul court on Thursday sentenced five journalists for “aiding a terrorist organization without being a member” in connection to their work at the shuttered pro-Kurdish daily Özgürlükçü Demokrasi (Liberal Democracy), the Committee to Protect Journalists called on Turkish authorities to not fight their appeals and end the judicial onslaught against the Kurdish media.
YEMEN: Journalists’ union leader survived a shooting in Sana’a
IFJ: On 7 May, the Secretary General of the Yemeni Journalists’ Syndicate (YJS) and Assistant Secretary General of the Federation of Arab Journalists (FAJ), Mohammed Shubaita, was shot while travelling in a vehicle with relatives in the capital Sana’a .
CANADA: CBC head spars with Conservative MPs as she testifies about executive bonuses
Pique News Magazine: An appearance by the CEO of the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. at a parliamentary committee turned personal Tuesday, even before Catherine Tait faced a barrage of questions from Conservative MPs over executive bonuses.
CANADA: Is The Hub the future of journalism in Canada?
Canadian Dimension: News media in Canada increasingly features an array of ideological voices, for good and ill
CANADA: Letter to the Chair of the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage (Press release – Letter)
CBC/Radio-Canada: The following letter was sent to the Chair of the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage on March 26, 2024 to clarify some possible confusion regarding the Committee’s motion of March 19, 2024.
CANADA: Opening Remarks from Catherine Tait, President and CEO, at the Standing Committee on Canadian Heritage (Press release)
CBC/Radio-Canada: […] “All Canadian media organizations face serious challenges from a digital world ruled by global players who simply do not share the same commitment to our country’s interests.”
CANADA: Screenshots are one big winner of Meta’s news ban in Canada
Nieman Lab: “We observe a dramatic increase in posts containing screenshots of Canadian news stories in the post-ban period.”
CANADA: Seven media experts selected to help modernize CBC/Radio-Canada before next election
CBC: Seven multimedia experts have been selected to advise Heritage Minister Pascale St-Onge as she renews the role of Canada’s public broadcaster.
CANADA: The Narwhal makes waves in Canada for environmental journalism (Listen)
Mongabay: On this episode of Mongabay’s podcast, co-founder of the award-winning Canadian nonprofit news outlet The Narwhal, Emma Gilchrist, speaks with co-host Rachel Donald about their successes covering the most vital environmental news in the nature-rich nation.
US: CPB Response to April 25 Letter from Senator Ted Cruz (Letter)
CPB
US: Deal or no deal? Media companies take divergent paths on AI.
CJR
US: Frustrated by Gaza Coverage, Student Protesters Turn to Al Jazeera
The New York Times: “Many student protesters said in recent interviews that they were seeking on-the-ground coverage of the war in Gaza, and often, a staunchly pro-Palestinian perspective – and they are turning to alternative media for it. There’s a range of options: Jewish Currents, The Intercept, Mondoweiss and even independent Palestinian journalists on social media, as they seek information about what is happening in Gaza.”
US: Gannett fires editor for talking to Poynter, and other media news (Opinion)
Poynter: Firing a single mother of three who was speaking up for more newsroom resources is a horrible look that deserves scrutiny and criticism.
US: House hearing on NPR bias brings criticism from Republicans, but praise for local stations (Paywall)
Current: Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers said the committee will “investigate the allegations against NPR and take appropriate action based upon what we find.”
US: How a new tool is helping stations boost election coverage (Paywall)
Current: ElectUp “gives newsrooms an efficient way to organize and present” election information “that feels very intuitive.”
US: How Television Advertising Lost Its Relevance (Paywall)
The Wall Street Journal: Brands turn to retailers, Google, Meta and TikTok for additional reach
US: Journalists face retaliation for their Gaza war coverage, NWU reports
IFJ: As the report highlights, retaliation can come from leaders inside the workplace or from outside individuals or interest groups – A worrying pattern that not only threatens honesty in reporting but also shows problems in how the media industry supports diverse voices.
US: Journalists in Trouble: President Biden Calls for Alsu Kurmasheva’s Release (Press release)
RFE/RL: Speaking at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on April 27, U.S. President Joe Biden called on Russia to immediately release American RFE/RL journalist Alsu Kurmasheva. Alsu’s husband Pavel Butorin was in the audience.
US: LAist offers staff buyouts amid budget gap (Paywall)
Current: The organization is “facing a significant budget shortfall over the next two years in the range of $4-$5 million.”
US: Student newsrooms at HBCUs to receive $200,000 in boost for journalism
The Guardian: Ten Historically Black Colleges and Universities in line for grants for technology, operations, audience engagement and reporting
US: WABC Cancels Giuliani’s Radio Show Over False Election Claims (Paywall)
The New York Times: The station’s owner, John Catsimatidis, a Republican billionaire, said he suspended the former mayor for persisting in talking about the legitimacy of the 2020 election on the air.
US: “We’re there to cover what’s happening”: How student journalists are covering campus protests
Nieman Lab: “We don’t come in when there’s something crazy happening and then leave when it’s over. This is just what we do all the time. And I really hope that makes people trust us more as a newspaper.”
US: WVIA bets big to build local newsroom with ‘boots on the ground’ (Paywall)
Current: The station’s board authorized a drawdown from an endowment to reinvent WVIA’s service to northeast Pennsylvania.
Deal or no deal? Media companies take divergent paths on AI.
CJR
YLE: Social media and its audience are often blamed for the escalation of the discussion atmosphere. Researcher Margareta Salonen recommends that news editors take more responsibility than they currently do.
Facebook’s referral traffic for publishers down 50% in 12 months
Press Gazette: Facebook referral traffic continues to plummet for news publishers as Meta’s turn away from the news industry continues.
First Google core update of 2024 brings bad news for most news publishers
Press Gazette: Google’s latest core algorithm update has dealt yet another blow to publishers striving to improve their search visibility. It follows a string of recent updates that have led to most news publishers to fall down the search giant’s rankings.
How Rest of World is tracking AI use around elections worldwide
Reuters Institute: Features Director Victoria Turk explains how the news site is running a tracker for instances of AI use around elections throughout 2024
Reuters Institute: Cabra’s exhaustion after winning a Pulitzer Prize encouraged her to help others. In this interview she offers valuable tips for newsroom managers
Pitch, Please: three podcasters tell us why their shows are must-listens (Listen)
CBC Radio: This week, we sit down with three accomplished podcasters to hear about their shows.
Positive news on social media has no long-term effect on adolescent well-being (Research – Dutch)
Media Punt Vlaanderen: This study examined whether sharing positive news on social media has a long-term influence on the well-being of adolescents . Studies that looked at the short term found that positive news also had a positive effect on adolescents’ well-being. This does not seem to be the case in the long term.
Post-Perugia thoughts: what went wrong between big tech and the news?
journalism.co.uk: Google’s former director of news ecosystem development, Madhav Chinappa, looks ahead to better working relationships between publishers and platforms
The state of global press freedom in 10 numbers
CJR
UN Civil Society Conference: Media development wants its voice heard
DW: The conference in Nairobi is an opportunity for media development actors to highlight the importance of resilient information ecosystems for sustainable development and multilateral cooperation.
What news leaders should keep in mind when hiring Gen Z journalists
The Fix: Advantages of bringing on board Gen Z employees and the traits to look for
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