Our weekly round-up of public service media related stories and headlines from around the world.
As the global Covid-19 pandemic continues and many countries enter a state of lockdown, the need for community solidarity and mutual support has never been greater. But this support requires quality, fact-checked and evidence based news and information.
With this in mind, the Public Media Alliance has compiled an extensive and growing resources featuring recommended tools, advice and sources for journalists and the public alike. The resources can be found via the link below or in the ‘Tools’ section of our website.
The resource will be frequently updated to reflect the changing needs and evolving situation. If you have any recommendations, please let us know.
We also want to hear about your local public media coverage! Email us!
As the coronavirus pandemic worsens, public media are rapidly adapting to best cover the crisis on a local level while also providing for educational needs and vulnerable groups as isolation policies are introduced.
We want to hear from our members about what you are doing to best cover the crisis on a local level. Email us using the link below.
Coronavirus: Resources & best practices
Essential resources for sourcing and reporting news about the coronavirus pandemic
What we're listening to...
Broadcasting during a pandemic (Podcast)
Monocle: We look at the role of public broadcasters during the pandemic. TV critic Scott Bryan tells us what the BBC has been up to while the CBC/Radio-Canada’s Catherine Tait talks about the practicalities of producing for a multilingual country.
What we're watching...
The geopolitical battle for the COVID-19 narrative (Watch)
Aljazeera: As they have been isolating their populations to keep the coronavirus contained, some powerful governments are simultaneously waging a worldwide war of perceptions – laying out how the pandemic happened, where the responsibilities lie and which country should lead the fight against it.
Global Headlines
Click on the tab menu below to reveal the latest regional stories.
CHAD: Chadian police attack TV crew covering coronavirus measures
RSF: Aly Mahamat Bello, a reporter for state-owned Télé Tchad, his cameraman, Abakar Mahamad Seid, and their driver were assaulted and detained by members of the Police Mobile Intervention Unit (GMIP) in the capital, N’Djamena, on 26 March while covering enforcement of measures taken by the government to combat the Covid-19 epidemic.
EGYPT: Coronavirus leads to violations of media freedoms in Egypt
MEMO: Thirty-nine violations against media freedoms were documented in Egypt in March, the Arab Observatory for Media Freedom reported yesterday.
ETHIOPIA: How internet shutdowns have affected the lives of millions of Ethiopians
The Conversation: The people of Wollega province in the western part of Ethiopia did not have access to the internet from January this year to the end of March.
GHANA: Curbing Misinformation in a COVID -19 Era, Ghana’s Approach
MFWA
LIBERIA: Liberia urged to guarantee access to coronavirus information
RSF: Amid growing difficulties for journalists trying to cover the public health crisis in Liberia resulting from the Covid-19 epidemic, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) calls on the country’s authorities to guarantee access to information and journalists’ safety.
NAMIBIA: Media Bemoan Exclusion From Press Briefing
All Africa: The majority of media houses have condemned their exclusion from covering certain press conferences hosted by the government.
NIGERIA: Communications Minister Orders Telcos To Reduce Data Cost During COVID-19 Lockdown
Broadcast Media Africa: Following the calls by Nigerians for the decrease of data cost during the nationwide COVID-19 lockdown, the nation’s Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, has ordered telecoms service providers to reduce calls and data rates for Nigerians.
NIGERIA: Nigerian Security Forces Censor Coverage of Covid-19, Obstruct Delivery of Newspapers
MFWA: The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) condemns recent violations against the media by security forces in Nigeria and urges the authorities to take steps to protect the media, especially at this critical moment of the COVID-19 emergency.
SOUTH AFRICA: Merlin Naicker Appointed As Head Of SABC TV
Broadcast Media Africa: The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) has announced that it has appointed Merlin Naicker as the new Group Executive of SABC TV.
SOUTH AFRICA: SABC appeals to public to allow journalists to do their job during lockdown
SABC News: The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) has appealed to the public to allow its journalists to do their job during the lockdown. This comes after the SABC News crew in Durban was attacked by community members.
SOUTH AFRICA: SABC board reassures staff as COVID-19 fears rock the public broadcaster
SABC News: The SABC Board has rejected claims that management put workers at risk of exposure to the coronavirus by concealing information about a staff member who had been exposed to the pandemic.
TANZANIA: Covid-19: Media fined for broadcasting against Tanzania’s stance
The Citizen: Tanzania COmmunications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) has ordered three local media outlets to make a public apology as well as pay a fine of five million within 30 days after the institution said they breached the license conditions and the law.
TOGO: Seizure and Destruction of Journalists’ Digital Tools : The Data Privacy and Censorship Implications
MFWA: Over the past two years, the MFWA has recorded a total of 40 seizures and or destruction of digital devices of media houses and journalists.
UGANDA: Covid-19: Media condemns latest assault of journalists
Daily Monitor: Media house owners under their umbrella body the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) have condemned the latest beating of journalists by security forces.
ZIMBABWE: Another Journalist Arrested While Covering COVID-19 Lockdown
Via All Africa: Police continue to disregard government directives to allow journalists to use their 2019 accreditation cards after another journalist Nunurai Jena was arrested Thursday morning while doing his duties in Chinhoyi.
UNESCO: The COVID-19 pandemic is accompanied by an Infodemic, a spread of disinformation and misinformation making it difficult for people to find accurate information. To contribute to tackling this issue, UNESCO, in partnership with the Innovation for Policy Foundation (i4Policy), is launching an online campaign to crowdsource local openly licensed content to inform communities across Africa about COVID-19.
BANGLADESH: Bangladesh journalist’s nightmare ordeal exposes troubling media climate
IPI: Impunity and intimidation leading to self-censorship, journalists say.
CHINA: China steps up western media campaign over coronavirus crisis
The Guardian: The Chinese state is ramping up its English-language media campaigns in a bid to defend the country’s handling of the coronavirus crisis, highlight the failings of western governments, and raise China’s standing on the world stage.
HKFP: Hong Kong’s commerce minister Edward Yau has accused public service broadcaster RTHK of breaching the “One China” policy after one of its journalists pressed the World Health Organization’s Bruce Aylward on Taiwan’s status.
HKFP: Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam said on Tuesday that RTHK must uphold “One Country, Two Systems,” after a minister condemned a journalist’s question about Taiwan during an interview with a World Health Organisation (WHO) adviser.
INDIA: Coronavirus is the crisis that can show India the value of media (Opinion)
Quartz: The Covid-19 pandemic is disrupting every industry. For the media sector, coronavirus creates both opportunities and challenges.
INDIA: No Democracy Is Fighting The COVID-19 Pandemic By Gagging Its Media: Editors Guild Of India
NDTV: The Editors Guild of India has said it is “deeply perturbed” over the government blaming the media in the Supreme Court for causing panic among migrant workers, leading to their mass departure in the wake of the lockdown, and asserted that such actions could obstruct the process of dissemination of news.
CPJ: Police in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh have filed criminal complaints against Siddharth Vardarajan, editor of news website The Wire. The police opened a criminal investigation into Vardarajan on accusations of spreading discord, enmity, and rumors during the COVID-19 lockdown, according to Mrityunjay Kumar, media adviser to the Uttar Pradesh chief minister, who posted copies of the complaints on his Twitter account, and various news reports.
JAPAN: Corona Press Conference “Sign Language Interpretation” (Paywall – Japanese)
Asahi Shimbun: Press conferences on the new coronavirus are broadcasted on TV and online. However, there are people who may not have been able to understand them well. People with hearing disabilities.
JAPAN: NHK postpones program recording at emergency declaration (Japanese)
Jiji Press: NHK announced on Tuesday that it will postpone recordings and live broadcasts with external performers, excluding news, for the time being, based on a declaration of emergency following the spread of the new coronavirus.
MALAYSIA: As media layoffs grow, industry pleads for urgent relief
FMT: The ailing news industry, struggling during a pandemic-induced economic slump, is pressing for new government relief as media outlets scramble to keep covering the health crisis.
MYANMAR: Myanmar faces backlash over media clampdown during pandemic
Myanmar Times: Civil society groups in Myanmar have accused the government for using COVID-19 as a pretext to restrict the media and freedom of expression. They said the government is “taking advantage” of the pandemic to “censor legitimate information and curtail freedom of expression.”
MYANMAR: Myanmar Govt’s Crackdown on Journalists Angers Media and Legal Insiders
The Irrawaddy: The government’s crackdown on journalists under the Counter-Terrorism Law this week has attracted public condemnation.
NEPAL: FNJ seeks relief package for media houses
The Himalayan Times: The Federation of Nepali Journalists today issued a press release urging the government to bring a relief package for journalists and media houses that are rendering public service in the face of coronavirus pandemic.
PAKISTAN: No level-playing field for private media in Pakistan
Geo News: The decision, reportedly, of allowing the state-run Pakistan Television (PTV) to collect Rs100 instead of Rs35 per month in electricity bills, is yet another addition to a long list of discrimination towards the mainstream media in Pakistan. A list which began in 2003, the year the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) was formed.
PHILIPPINES: Philippines social news network challenges government’s narrative
IMS: As the Philippines is in lockdown and people are at home, social news network Rappler is reaching millions of people through social media stories informing about the virus and challenging the narrative coming from the government.
PHILIPPINES: Two reporters charged for spreading ‘false information’ about COVID-19 in the Philippines
CPJ: On March 27, the Philippine National Police filed a criminal complaint against Batuigas, owner of the Latigo News TV news portal, and Virata, an independent online reporter, for spreading “false information” about the country’s COVID-19 crisis, Rappler reported. The police complaint was filed in response to a complaint issued by the government of Cavite City, according to that report.
SOUTH KOREA: 1st and 2nd graders in Korea to begin new school year with EBS TV lessons
ABU: In a new learning environment in South Korea created by the coronavirus outbreak, getting glued to the television screen won’t be such a bad thing for young students.
SOUTH KOREA: KBS and CMG join forces in Coronavirus outbreak (Press release)
KBS: KBS has joined forces with one of its closest media partners, China Media Group, as part of the global effort to deal with the Coronavirus pandemic. KBS is delighted that CMG has provided 10,000 medical masks to be utilized for all staff members of KBS across the nation.
SOUTH KOREA: Special Message by President: We will soon face profound changes at KBS (Press release)
KBS: Yang Sung-dong, KBS President and CEO, has announced that he will set out an extensive strategic plan in a bid to come up with exclusive solutions to the continuing financial difficulties. The plan will be unveiled in the second quarter of this year.
TURKMENISTAN: Turkmenistan Has Banned Use Of The Word ‘Coronavirus’
NPR: The Central Asian country of Turkmenistan claims it has no coronavirus cases. But if you happen to utter the word “coronavirus” while waiting, say, for the bus in the white-marbled capital Ashgabat, there’s a good chance you’ll be arrested.
REGIONAL: In Southeast Asia, Governments Exploit Coronavirus Fears To Tighten Grip
NPR: Three Southeast Asian nations — Thailand, Cambodia and Myanmar — are using fears over the coronavirus to double down on repressive measures aimed at silencing critics or opponents.
AUSTRALIA: ABC and Expression Australia launch weekly national news in AUSLAN (Press Release)
ABC: Expression Australia and the ABC have partnered to give Deaf Australians greater access to important information during the COVID-19 pandemic.
AUSTRALIA: ABC provides for all Australians at work, at home and online (Press Release)
ABC: The ABC has outlined how it is keeping the nation informed, educated and entertained in response to COVID-19, with trusted content and services all Australians can turn to.
AUSTRALIA: Broadcasters roll out podcasts to ease self-isolation woes
Brisbane Times: Broadcasters are fast-tracking new podcasts and repurposing existing content to keep Australians entertained as they self-isolate during the COVID-19 pandemic.
ABC News: Advocates are demanding the Federal Government provide immediate assistance to save regional Australia’s shrinking commercial media, as the forced shutdown of communities continues to drive advertising sales into the ground.
AUSTRALIA: Pain continues for media industry as local news titles cease printing (Watch)
ABC Media Watch
AUSTRALIA: Regional media broadcasters to shut down signals, end bulletins
The Sydney Morning Herald: Regional media outlets are preparing to stop news bulletins and shut down some broadcast signals altogether as they face the prospect of running out of cash this financial year due to the COVID-19 crisis.
NEW ZEALAND: A blame guide for the Bauer Media shutdown
RNZ: The news that Bauer Media is shutting down has been met with shock, sadness, and a wave of conflicting recriminations.
NEW ZEALAND: Life in the press gallery (Watch)
RNZ: This year marks the 150th anniversary of the Parliamentary press gallery. Irra Lee spoke to some of its members as they reflect on their roles in an ever-changing media landscape.
NEW ZEALAND: These are crisis times for NZ journalism, in more ways than one (Opinion)
The Spinoff: The shock closure of Bauer NZ – and with it all of the country’s current affairs magazines – is a stark reminder of the fragile state of local media, writes Mel Bunce, the author of a book on the subject.
VANUATU: Vanuatu using Covid-19 to impose censorship on media, citizens
Asia Pacific Report: The Vanuatu government is using the Covid-19 to impose draconian measures and authoritarian rule by end of last month.
REGIONAL: Creeping authoritarianism in Pacific not the answer to virus pandemic (Opinion)
Asia Pacific Report: A rather beautiful Guåhan legend is rather poignant in these stressed pandemic times. It is one about survival and cooperation.
BELGIUM: Behind the scenes of our reports in “coronavirus mode” (French)
RTBF: This scene, like others of the same genre that evening, made many viewers react. ” What about the safety distance? ” Asks Olivier A. to the Mediation Department of RTBF. ” Shouldn’t journalists set an example? ” Continues François D.
CZECH REPUBLIC, HUNGARY & POLAND: EU Court of Justice says Poland, Hungary & Czech Republic broke law by refusing to host refugees
RTÉ: The European Union’s top court has ruled that Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic broke the law by refusing to host refugees to help ease the burden on southern states such as Greece and Italy after a surge in migrant arrivals from 2015.
FINLAND: Finland enlists social influencers in fight against Covid-19
The Guardian: Government advice sent to bloggers, rappers and writers to get to those not reached by traditional media.
FRANCE: 7 billion neighbors, school on the radio – languages and language with Sarah Wauquiez (French)
RFI: The daily program of society is transformed to meet the expectations of listeners, faced with the consequences of the Coronavirus pandemic. We are more than 3 billion people forced to stay at home and millions of children are now out of school.
FRANCE: France Televisions demands compensation for Canal+ in the clear
Broadband TV News: The gesture by Canal+ to broadcast its normally encrypted programmes free-to-air had led public broadcaster France Televisions to demand financial compensation.
FRANCE: ‘French Netflix’ Salto launch likely to be delayed till autumn
Digital TV Europe: The full launch of ‘French Netflix’ Salto could be delayed until the autumn, but a soft-launch of the service – a JV between France Télévisions, TF1 and M6 Group – is still on the cards for June 3, as initially planned.
FRANCE: Use the expert knowledge of exile journalists (German)
Deutschlandfunk: Local and immigrant journalists work together in tandem at the Paris news portal “Guiti News” – so far still on a voluntary basis.
GERMANY: Coronavirus and the media (Report)
EJO: EJO German staff writers look at the coverage of the coronavirus crisis by public service broadcasters and local media, and consider the impact of the economic fallout on the journalistic profession.
GERMANY: Corona crisis inspires ARD, ZDF and news channels (German)
Horizont: The corona crisis is currently driving television use upwards. Due to the great demand for current information, it is above all the public service broadcasters and news channels that benefit. RTL and RTL Zwei, on the other hand, had to drop their feathers in March.
GERMANY: Restructuring as a change in mentality (German)
Deutschlandfunk: Series for the media library, podcasts or video shows on the net – once only focused on radio and television, public service broadcasters are increasingly investing in digital. So that the change works, the broadcasters try to reform themselves. Not an easy task, as the example of Hessischer Rundfunk shows.
HUNGARY: Hungarian journalists fear coronavirus law may be used to jail them
The Guardian: Reporters say measures are being used to deny them access to information on pandemic.
HUNGARY: The Threat—and Opportunity—COVID-19 Brings to Hungary’s Embattled Journalists (Opinion)
Nieman Reports: Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán is ratcheting up pressure on independent news outlets. But coronavirus coverage can demonstrate the value of a free press.
IRELAND: Media sector braces for further layoffs and cutbacks
The Irish Times: Local newspapers heavily hit by crisis as advertising revenues ‘fall off cliff’
KOSOVO: COVID-19: political interference in the media in Kosovo
EFJ: The quarantine of the city of North Mitrovica has resulted in inappropriate and unethical media coverage. The EFJ strongly denounces these discrepancies which show strong political interference in some media in Kosovo.
ROMANIA: Romania’s State of Emergency Raises Media Freedom Concerns
Balkan Insight: Campaigners are warning that media freedom could be curbed in Romania by state-of-emergency provisions that allow the shutdown of websites that publish fake news and exempt the authorities from answering urgent inquiries from journalists.
RUSSIA: Fake news or the truth? Russia cracks down on virus postings
Associated Press: Two weeks ago, an opposition-leaning radio station in Russia interviewed political analyst Valery Solovei, who alleged the government was lying when it said no one had died in the country from the coronavirus.
SLOVAKIA: Ex-soldier jailed for double murder of journalist Ján Kuciak and fiancee
The Guardian: Killings sparked protests that led to resignation of Slovakian prime minister.
SLOVENIA: Public broadcaster journalists targets of assaults (Paywall)
STA: Three teams of journalists of the public broadcaster RTV Slovenija have been assaulted in recent days; in two cases they were harassed verbally, and in another the company’s vehicle was damaged.
SPAIN: Coronavirus and the media (Report)
EJO: The focus of the Spanish media’s coverage of the coronavirus issue has shifted as the number of infected people increased and the measures taken in response to this became more drastic.
SPAIN: ‘World’s first’ coronavirus sitcom to launch in locked-down Spain
Aljazeera: Quarantine Diaries aims to uplift Spanish people, but producer insists show will not make fun of dark reality.
SWITZERLAND: The SRG applies for short-time work for some of the employees
Finanz Nachrichten: The cancellation of major sporting and cultural events as well as a significant loss in advertising revenue have a serious financial impact on the SRG.
UK: BBC, ITV to Support U.K. Indie Production Sector Amid Virus Crisis
Hollywood Reporter: Both U.K. TV giants have unveiled packages to help a struggling indie sector impacted by the pandemic.
UK: BBC to deliver biggest push on education in its history
BBC: On April 3, the BBC unveiled its biggest push on education in its history – ensuring that every child in the UK has the opportunity to continue to follow the appropriate core parts of their nation’s school curriculum in these challenging times.
UK: Channel 4 pays millions in bonuses amid coronavirus TV ad slump
The Guardian: Broadcaster pays out £5m among staff just as it seeks to tap credit facility to weather fall in revenue.
REGIONAL: Central and Eastern Europe Freedom of Information Rights ‘Postponed’
Balkan Insight: Freedom of Information requests, a vital tool for journalists trying to cover COVID-19, are the latest victim of official efforts to address the pandemic in Central and Eastern Europe.
GENERAL: Coronavirus Crisis – EBU calls on governments to uphold independence of public service media (Statement)
EBU: The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) is calling on governments across Europe not to take advantage of emergency measures, designed to address the coronavirus pandemic, to restrict freedom of expression, freedom of the media or the free flow of news and information.
GENERAL: Press freedom must not be undermined by measures to counter disinformation about COVID-19 (Statement)
Council of Europe: “The global health problems caused by COVID-19 require effective measures to protect people’s health and lives. This includes combating disinformation that may cause panic and social unrest. Regrettably some governments are using this imperative as a pretext to introduce disproportionate restrictions to press freedom; this is a counterproductive approach that must stop.”
ARGENTINA: Claudio Martínez: “The impact of public policies becomes more evident in these crises” (Spanish)
Pagina 12: Based on the plan “We continue to educate”, Public TV, Encuentro, Pakapaka, Radio Nacional and Agencia Telam were placed at the service of the educational system, as a school complement in times of coronavirus.
ARGENTINA: Ten requests from FOPEA to the National, Provincial and Municipal governments, to improve the quality of public information and contribute to fighting the pandemic (Spanish)
FOPEA: The Argentine Journalism Forum has submitted proposals to the government so that the relevant public information is generated and circulated in the best possible way, responding to the needs that the community has.
Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas: As the isolation caused by the coronavirus alters people’s social habits, newspapers in Brazil have invested in alternatives to the news to engage readers.
Knight Centre for Journalism in the Americas: Comprova, a Brazilian collaborative project that brings together 24 media outlets in the country, started what it calls a special phase to verify information about the new coronavirus.
COLOMBIA: Call to the National Government to organize aid to the press in the face of the crisis by COVID-19 (Spanish)
FLIP: Like health services, security and supplies, truthful and decentralized information is an essential public good in the state of emergency. The journalistic deployment that the emergency demands is inversely proportional to the resources that the media and journalists sector may have by itself in the near future.
EL SALVADOR: APES requires the media, government and security forces to respect the exercise of journalism (Spanish)
APES: The Association of Journalists in El Salvador has set out specific requests in the way they wish the media, government and security forces to respect the exercise of journalism in this time of the coronavirus pandemic.
MEXICO: Mexican journalist gunned down in first fatal attack on press of 2020
The Guardian: A Mexican journalist has been shot dead in broad daylight as violent crime in the country – and attacks on the press – continue amid the coronavirus pandemic.
NICARAGUA: In Nicaragua, Journalists Cover the Coronavirus Despite Government Control over Public Information (Opinion)
Nieman Reports: In the face of government inaction, citizens are trying to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, and independent media are working remotely to report the truth
PARAGUAY: Public media asked to educate about pandemic (Spanish)
La Nación: Organizations linked to education, issued a statement in which they express their concern about the educational situation.
PUERTO RICO: Reporter Bárbara Figueroa Rosa on covering Puerto Rico’s coronavirus outbreak
CPJ: In the three years since Hurricane Maria hit the island, Puerto Rico has experienced a financial, political, and public health crisis, but reporter Bárbara Figueroa Rosa told CPJ that these events “have no comparison” to the impact the coronavirus pandemic could have on the U.S. territory.
Knight Centre for Journalism in the Americas: After 12 days in a unit of the Special Action Forces (FAES, for its acronym in Spanish) of the Venezuelan police, journalist Darvinson Rojas was released.
IRAN: Iran bans printing of all newspapers, citing spread of coronavirus
CPJ: Iran’s Coronavirus Combat Taskforce issued a decree suspending all newspaper printing, delivery, and distribution, citing the need to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to news reports and the decree, which was reprinted by local outlets.
IRAN: Iranian media believe in good news (German)
Deutschlandfunk: Even before the Corona crisis, there was hardly any free press in Iran. The Iranian media are now reporting on the pandemic, but as positively as possible, as Dlf correspondent Christian Buttkereit observes.
IRAN & CHINA: Coronavirus Consequence: Crackdown on Press Freedom World-Wide (Paywall)
The Wall Street Journal: The spread of coronavirus has led to widespread clampdowns on press freedom around the world, with numerous governments seeking to rein in independent reporting on the virus in their countries, watchdog groups said. Two of the countries among the hardest hit by the virus, China and Iran, have been among the most repressive…
IRAQ: The numbers don’t add up
IMS: Demand for independent media grows in Iraq as Covid-19 wakes people up to the need for impartial information. Activists see the crisis as a chance to boost transparency legislation.
JORDAN: Coronavirus crisis adds to Jordan’s media sector woes
The Jordan Times: Media professionals said on Monday that Jordan’s already-ailing media sector now faces deeper challenges, especially financial, in light of the coronavirus crisis.
LEBANON: A growing demand for solution-oriented journalism
IMS: In the middle of the coronavirus crisis, Lebanese media Daraj are seeing a growing demand for solution-oriented journalism. Could this be a chance for journalism to win back the trust of the people?
SYRIA: Local radio station helps to flatten the curve
IMS: In North Eastern Syria, local authorities were not prepared for the Coronavirus crisis. As a result, local media ARTA FM made it their mission to inform their listeners on how to stay safe and help to flatten the curve.
TURKEY: Call for urgent release of imprisoned journalists, human rights defenders and others, now at risk of Covid-19 (Statement)
ECPMF
CANADA: A peek behind the curtain: How CBC staff are covering the pandemic
CBC News: Journalists and technicians have had to find new ways of covering and broadcasting the news during COVID-19.
CANADA: Advocate wants feds to fund news media through CBC
iPolitics: A public broadcasting advocate wants the Trudeau government to provide COVID-19-related emergency funding for the media sector through the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
CANADA: APS collective agreement extended for two years
CBC/Radio-Canada: CBC/Radio-Canada and the Association of Professionals and Supervisors (APS) are pleased to announce the extension of their collective agreement for a two (2) year period, through March 31, 2022. The previous agreement was set to expire on March 31, 2020, but provided an option to extend for two (2) years.
CANADA: Ottawa should address the journalism emergency: Nanos Survey
FOCB: In these uncertain times, when accurate information is so essential to our individual and collective survival, a strong majority of Canadians place their trust in professional journalism over unregulated social media platforms like Facebook. And with the media industry experiencing layoffs and closures due to COVID-19, a clear majority believes that the federal government should treat the media crisis as an emergency.
US: A Note Of Farewell (Opinion)
NPR Public Editor: Years ago, when I worked at the New York Daily News, I had a busy day: two stories about CBS on the front page. They ran under a single headline that was, in my opinion, a very witty play on the title of the 1950s thriller, “Bad Day at Black Rock.”
US: Asian Americans Use Social Media to Mobilize Against Attacks
Voice of America: Asian Americans are using social media to organize and fight back against racially motivated attacks during the pandemic, which the FBI predicts will increase as infections grow.
US: Community Radio Fights to Stay Live (and Weird) Despite Coronavirus (Paywall)
The New York Times: Local stations have cut down on D.J.s coming to the studio, but playlists and personalities are holding strong as small stations get a chance to build bigger audiences.
US: Governments are using the coronavirus to hide information from reporters and citizens
Nieman Lab: The public is being kept out of government meetings, denied responses to record requests, and prevented from learning important facts about COVID-19 response.
US: How Radio Can Survive the Looming Coronavirus Recession: ‘People Turn to Radio in Times Like This’ (Paywall)
Billboard: The industry faces heavy layoff, furloughs and salary reductions as advertising dries up, but many execs and analysts are optimistic. Why? Because radio excels during a crisis.
US: How the COVID-19 crisis points to a new path forward for public media (Paywall – Opinion)
Current: A few years ago, the award-winning producer Jay Allison wrote a provocation referring to public media as “a precious local and national system, founded on a beautiful idea, and we should protect it. … If it fails, it will never be built again.”
PBS: Since early January, the PBS AMERICAN PORTRAIT website has captured thousands of stories by Americans that, together, hope to answer the question: What does it really mean to be an American today? With the unprecedented global and national impact of COVID-19, the answer to that central question and related prompts has shifted in recent weeks, which is reflected in the submissions still pouring into the site.
8 charts on internet use around the world as countries grapple with COVID-19
Pew Research Center: People in the United States and around the world are turning to the internet to do their work and stay connected with others as the COVID-19 outbreak forces people to stay home and away from the office and crowds.
A red flag for democracy as press freedom worldwide hits record lows
CIMA: As cases of COVID-19 continue to spike across the world, news consumption has accelerated at unprecedented rates. Audiences are all too aware of the need for rapid, quality information in this race against time.
Censorship, arrests: Covid-19 also hits press freedom (French)
France24: The coronavirus also strikes information: under the pretext of fighting the epidemic of Covid-19, many governments around the world prevent journalists from working, denounce the defenders of press freedom.
Covid-19: A turning point for independent media? (Interactive)
IMS: If there is one ray of hope in the tragedy of this pandemic, it could be that Covid-19 is re-awakening people to the vital role that independent media plays in their societies. From Afghanistan to Zimbabwe, many independent media outlets are seeing their audiences grow as people realise they need quality information to navigate the crisis.
TechCrunch
#FactCheckingDay 2020: a special site to list poisons on the Covid-19 (French)
FRANCE 24/Les Observateurs: As every year on April 2, the editorial staff of Observateurs de France 24 takes part in the international day of fact-checking (#FactCheckingDay). In 2020, a hundred media around the world decided to join forces to fight against the poisons that proliferate around the Covid-19 pandemic, through a database of 1,500 articles answering your questions.
ICFJ: A Global Crisis Like COVID-19 Calls for a Global Response. Here’s Ours.
ICFJ: As the novel coronavirus spreads globally, journalists are working in overdrive to provide lifesaving information. Some are doing it under quarantine. Others are up against governments that refuse to disclose data, or in countries with limited access to health experts. All of them face the same health risks they are covering. ICFJ is rolling out a wide range of resources to help journalists cover this pandemic.
In a pandemic, what is essential journalism?
CJR: Journalism fancies itself well-suited to crisis. When times are bad, reporters purport to return to our roots, to act as disseminators not just of crucial information but also instructions: what to do, what not to do, who to call, what to look for, where to go.
Media Freedom Coalition Executive Group statement on COVID-19
Government of Canada: In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the undersigned members of the Media Freedom Coalition’s Executive Group are calling on all states to continue to protect access to free media and to support the free exchange of information.
Reporting live: Contingency broadcasting (Paywall)
IBC365: From capturing to distributing news, global broadcasters are faced with significant challenges during the coronavirus pandemic. IBC365 investigates the agility of live news productions from the EBU, Euronews, BBC, ITV News and RTÉ.
Tackling misinformation during Covid-19: a journalistic and ethical imperative
Ethical Journalism Network: Back on March 16, when the world felt like an altogether different place, the Edelman Trust Barometer published a report on the veracity of information into Covid-19. One survey question stood out: “Please indicate how much you trust each of the following sources to tell you the truth about the virus and its progression?”
Tips for reporting on female genital mutilation
IJNET: In honor of the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation in early February, many news publications ran features to call attention to the persistence of this harmful health practice — one that has lifelong psychological and physical consequences for women.
WhatsApp to impose new limit on forwarding to fight fake news
The Guardian: Restrictions on frequently forwarded messages intended to disrupt false Covid-19 claims.
PSM Weekly is available via email. You can subscribe by signing up to our mailing list at the bottom of the page or email editor@publicmediaalliance.org.
All PSM Weekly stories are provided for interest and their relevance to public service media issues, they do not necessarily reflect the views of the Public Media Alliance.
All headlines are sourced from their original story.
If you have any suggestions for our weekly round-ups, please email PMA at editor@publicmediaalliance.org.
Header Image: Set of NBC Good Morning Namibia. Credit: PMA
Related Posts
