Our weekly round-up of public service media related stories and headlines from around the world.
Click on the drop-down menus below to reveal the latest regional stories.
CAMEROON: CPJ requests information on jailed Cameroonian journalists
Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ): Open letter expressing growing concerns about compounding reports of measures to restrict the media in Cameroon.
CHAD: Chad journalists in hiding after threats
CPJ: Chadian domestic intelligence officers should cease harassing and attempting to intimidate journalists, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.
GAMBIA: Unesco Believes Minister Jawo Would Be Model for Media Independence
Via All Africa: UNESCO communications specialist says new minister of Information and Communication could be a model for media independence due to his experience fighting for freedom of expression and the press.
Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA)
KENYA: Radio Stations Warned Over Hate
The East African: Kenya’s vernacular radio stations are being closely monitored by government security agencies to prevent them from broadcasting inflammatory statements that could lead to violence in the August 8 general election.
KENYA: Media told to promote responsible poll coverage
The Standard: Media regulators have issued guidelines for election coverage to ensure fair and peaceful process.
LIBYA: Libyan authorities in Tobruk knock radio station off the air
CPJ: Libyan authorities in Tobruk should immediately allow privately-owned Al-Wasat radio to resume broadcasting and should allow all news media to operate freely, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.
NIGERIA: NBC to shut down broadcast stations over N5bn debt
Vanguard: The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has issued a three-week ultimatum to all broadcasting stations in the country to pay all their outstanding licence fees or face sanctions.
SOUTH AFRICA: Want to Serve on South Africa’s Public Broadcaster’s Board?
All Africa: Seventeen names have been tabled for consideration to serve on the new interim board of the South African Broadcasting Corporation. This follows months of speculation on the management and financial position of the organisation, the dissolving of the previous board and the allegations of censorship and the firing of the journalists.
TANZANIA: Tanzania civil society urges govt to respect basic freedoms
New Vision: Tanzanian civil society organisations have launched a year-long campaign calling on the government to respect freedom of expression and assembly.
ZIMBABWE: Zim a media landmine: Misa
NewsDay: Zimbabwe’s media landscape continues to deteriorate as compared to previous years amid indications that more journalists were harassed in 2016 while threats have been issued by the government to clamp down on media freedom.
AFGHANISTAN: RSF opens first center for the protection of Afghan women journalists
RSF: On the eve of International Women’s Day, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is proud to announce the opening of Afghanistan’s first center for the protection of women journalists.
AZERBAIJAN: Fox TV-Turkey taken off the air in Azerbaijan
CPJ: Broadcasts of Turkish broadcaster Fox TV-Turkey ceased in Azerbaijan late the night of February 22, 2017, hours after a presenter mocked President Ilham Aliyev’s appointment of his wife as the country’s first vice-president, Azerbaijani and Turkish media reported.
AZERBAIJAN: Azerbaijan: Crackdown on Free Expression Accelerates With Conviction of Prominent Blogger
RSF
AZERBAIJAN: Azerbaijan to tighten control over online media
OC Media: Azerbaijan is working on a draft law to amend legislation regulating the internet to increase tighten rules on online media.
CAMBODIA: Cambodian official urges emulating Trump’s position on press
ABC News: A Cambodian government official says U.S. President Donald Trump’s attacks on the media are an inspiration to his own country to observe limits on freedom of expression.
CHINA: Beyond the Great Firewall: How China Became a Global Information Power
CIMA: For their unprecedented scale and effectiveness, China’s efforts at censorship have been dubbed the “Great Firewall.” China, however, now has grander ambitions. Without much fanfare, the Chinese government has turned its focus outward, seeking to take its influence over the information environment global.
GEORGIA: Georgian Public Broadcaster to continue usual programming
OC Media: Following a wave of protest over the Georgian Public Broadcaster’s (GPB) announcement on 6 February to cancel all programmes except for the news bulletin, the company reversed its decision on 6 March.
GEORGIA: Supreme Court ruling on Rustavi 2 raises fears over media freedom in Georgia
OC Media: Seventeen non-governmental organisations in Georgia have issued a joint statement criticising the Supreme Court’s decision to transfer ownership of TV channel Rustavi 2’s to former owner Kibar Khalvashi.
HONG KONG: Journalism watchdog makes urgent, direct appeal to CY Leung to allow digital media to cover election
Hong Kong Free Press: The Hong Kong Journalists Association has sent an open letter to Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying, urging the government to allow its members to cover the upcoming leadership election on March 26.
INDIA: Doordarshan-India Upgrades its Central Production Centre
ABU: The Indian national broadcaster will start upgrading the TV news studio at its New Delhi broadcast centre using the Lawo mixing technology.
INDIA: Sony, BBC JV launches Earth channel in India
Rapid TV News: The long awaited joint venture (JV) factual entertainment channel Sony BBC Earth will be available in India from the evening of 6 March, its founders have confirmed.
INDONESIA: Saudi Arabia ‘surprised’ by press freedom in Indonesia: Minister
The Jakarta Post: Communications and Information Minister Rudiantara said that during a meeting with Adel Zaid Al Toraifi, Saudi Arabia’s Culture and Information Minister, the Saudi expressed surprise at the condition of the press in Indonesia.
Broadcasting & Cable: TVU One mobile uplink solution to be widely used by the public broadcaster for national and local newscast production.
MALAYSIA: Report lambasts controls on speech and press
Free Malaysia Today: The US Department of State says Putrajaya regularly enforces restrictions on freedom of expression.
MALDIVES: Opposition, Journalists Face Raids and Detention Ahead of Saudi King’s Visit to Maldives
The Wire: The opposition and journalists have drawn the government’s ire by raising suspicion over a plan to allow Saudi Arabia develop a township on an inhabited atoll.
NEPAL: We need more female journalists in Nepal
BBC Media Action: Bidhya Chapagain sits in the centre of the studio surrounded by a cluster of bright lights, cables and cameras. She is preparing for an episode of Sajha Sawal, our ‘Question Time’ style debate TV and radio programme, discussing senior citizen rights.
TAJIKISTAN: State Media Budgets Slashed
Eurasia Net: For the best part of a couple of years, it is independent reporters that have felt the pain amid an ever-intensifying wave of pressure from the authorities. Now, employees with state broadcasters and print media are feeling the pinch as the government cuts budgets.
WMN UNESCO: Learn how to leverage the media and give impactful media interviews. Improve your skills and learn to work effectively with the media to generate positive coverage of your area of expertise and organization.
THAILAND: Regime puts journalists in the crosshairs
The Bangkok Post: What does the media rights protection bill hold in store for Thai journalism?
REGIONAL: Asia Pacific pay TV subscribers to reach 666m
Digital TV Europe: The Asia Pacific pay TV market is tipped to climb from 574 million subscribers last year to 666 million in 2022, according to Digital TV Research.
AUSTRALIA: ABC boss Michelle Guthrie announces $50m Content Fund, with management positions cut
ABC News: The ABC has announced a significant restructure, cutting up to 200 jobs to create a $50 million Content Fund and new positions in regional areas.
AUSTRALIA: Content is king as ABC boss Michelle Guthrie axes support roles
The Australian: The ABC will axe middle managers and supervisors to create a $50 million content fund under managing director Michelle Guthrie’s grand restructuring of the public broadcaster.
AUSTRALIA: New Board Appointments at SBS
SBS
NEW ZEALAND: New study finds female journalists paid 26 per cent less
Phys.org: A survey of New Zealand journalists shows female journalists, despite outnumbering men in the profession, are significantly disadvantaged in terms of promotion and income.
FRANCE: Content piracy €1.35bn loss
Advanced Television: TV content piracy and illicit downloads caused French rights-holders a €1.35 billion loss in 2016, with 13 million Internet users involved in the practice, stabilising at 27 per cent of users.
FRANCE: For a Restructure of the Public Audiovisual: History, Diagnosis and Proposals (French)
ACRIMED
GERMANY: German publishers are skipping Facebook’s fake-news initiative
DIgiday: After Facebook announced the first phase of a fact-checking initiative last month with partner Correctiv, a startup with 20 editorial staff manually checking false claims, the social network has been seeking out more media partners abroad.
HUNGARY: Civil Defamation and Media Freedom in Hungary
International Press Institute (IPI): This study analyses current trends in civil defamation and privacy cases in Hungary involving the media and summarises key challenges for freedom of the press and expression.
MACEDONIA: Journalists attacked during protest
European Federation of Journalists (EFJ): Two more attacks against journalists took place in Macedonia after the TV crew was beaten during the protest.
NORWAY: This site is “taking the edge off rant mode” by making readers pass a quiz before commenting
Nieman Lab: “If everyone can agree that this is what the article says, then they have a much better basis for commenting on it.”
ROMANIA: Romania and access to information: a law that works
Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso – Transeuropa: In Romania, the law on access to information is a substantially effective tool in support of quality journalism.
SWEDEN: In the “safe” world of Swedish journalism, death threats are an everyday reality
Index on Censorship: Anti-democratic extremism threatens the relative safety experienced by journalists in Sweden.
UK: BBC Sport’s Barbara Slater: ‘There’s a transformation in women’s coverage’
The Guardian: Broadcaster’s first female head of sport is upbeat, saying women’s coverage is up, sexism down and the future bright.
UK: Channel 4 backs new VR firm Parable
Digital TV Europe: Channel 4, The Economist and Studio Lambert CEO, Stephen Lambert, have invested in a new UK-based VR company called Parable.
UK: TV licence fee to rise to £147 in April, government announces
BBC News: The increase, which will come into effect on 1 April, marks the first rise in the licence fee since 2010.
UKRAINE: About 100 jobs at risk following revocation of Radio Vesti’s licenses
EFJ: The National Council for Television and Radio Broadcasting of Ukraine revoked license of the Ukrainian broadcasting company “Radio Vesti” in Kharkiv city. The council also refused to extend the radio’s license in the capital, Kyiv.
UKRAINE: StopFake, Ukraine’s Fact-Checking Site, Expands Across Europe
European Journalism Observatory (EJO): StopFake was set up in March 2014 by teachers and graduates of the Kyiv-Mohyla School of Journalism. It aimed to counter a rise of ‘information aggression’ from Russian sources that followed Kiev’s EuroMaidan protests and Russia’s annexation of Crimea.
GENERAL: Digital-Born News Media in Europe
ECPMF: Strategies, challenges and specificities of digital-born news media in Europe are in focus in this report by the Reuters Institute for Journalism.
GENERAL: Report on threats to press in Europe launches media freedom month
IFEX: Media Freedom Month highlights journalists in jeopardy. Report shows media workers silenced through violence and arrest in 2016.
ARGENTINA: In 2016 there were 65 attacks on journalists in Argentina (Spanish)
La Nacion: The number of cases decreased compared to previous years; In 2014, there were 178 reported attacks.
BRAZIL: Temer sanctions law restructuring EBC (Portuguese)
EBC Agencia Brasil: President Michel Temer has sanctioned with eight vetoes the law that deals with the restructuring of Empresa Brasil de Comunicação (EBC) and establishes the principles and objectives of public broadcasting services.
CUBA: Will Cuba embrace the internet revolution?
BBC News: No matter how much you warn visitors to Cuba that they’ll be offline during their stay, they often won’t believe it until they actually arrive in Havana.
NICARAGUA: Journalists in Nicaragua Can’t Access Public Information
Havana Times: Independent media continues to have credibility, while the TV stations make use of sensational stories of violence and trivial propaganda.
Knight Center: Journalism in the Americas: Innovative journalistic projects in Latin America that use virtual reality and 360 video technologies still do not generate new revenue for media outlets, but they have collaborated to broaden audience, especially among the younger public, according to journalists involved in their production.
ISRAEL: Israel detaining journalists without charge or trial
The Electronic Intifada
TURKEY: ‘Assault on freedom of expression’: Die Welt journalist’s arrest in Turkey condemned
The Guardian: Opposition officials and human rights groups have condemned the arrest in Turkey of a German newspaper correspondent as an “assault on freedom of expression” and attempt at intimidating foreign press in the country.
CANADA: Time for a ‘use it or lose it’ rule for Canadian streaming rights, advocates say
CBC News: In-demand shows kept off Canadian streaming services by traditional broadcasters who hold the rights.
CANADA: OPINION: The CBC’s role in ‘the Internet Age’
Policy Options: Handwringing over CBC funding obscures the fact it’s becoming a smaller and smaller player in a highly concentrated media world.
US: Loss of funding for public broadcasting would hit home hard
Dallas News: As President Donald Trump prepares to slash domestic spending, funding for public broadcasting is reportedly on his list — a horrible blow to rural, poverty-stricken communities.
US: Press freedom organizations are teaming up to start a news site
Poynter: In the early days of his presidency, Donald Trump has called journalists the “enemy of the American people” (twice), assailed unflattering reporting as “fake news” and brought aboard a press secretary who’s shut news organizations out of a briefing.
US: RTVE launching Clan TV in US
Advanced Television: Clan TV, a kids’ TV channel operated by Spanish pubcaster RTVE, will become available in HD in the second quarter of the year throughout the US.
US: Will Cuts to Public Broadcasting Silence Native Radio Stations?
Truth Out
US: Why does public broadcasting need federal funding?
WFYI: Changes in Washington, D.C., have triggered talk of changes to funding for a number of federal programs, including the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities and public broadcasting.
Beyond-broadcast strategies key to survival of local public TV stations
Current
Former BBC Radio head Helen Boaden on public broadcasting, Donald Trump and “slow media”
CBC Radio: There has been much recent hand-wringing about the state of the news business, which has yet to come up with a business model for survival in the digital age.
Google accused of spreading fake news
The Guardian: Featured snippets in search function repeatedly shares false information, which can result in Google Home speakers reading out conspiracy theories as fact.
International Women’s Day 2017: Women and Art
UNESCO: International Women’s Day is a global celebration of all women, everywhere. It is a rallying call; both for reflection on lessons learned and for accelerating momentum towards gender equality and the empowerment of every girl and woman.
Interview: Is it time for a new definition of local news?
Poynter
The Path to Transparency: International Initiatives to make Donor Support for Media more Transparent
CIMA: At a time when media outlets face intense financial pressures, international donors are stepping in to support media outlets.
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Header image: KTVU Tower. Credits: Tony Webster/Creative Commons
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