Our weekly round-up of public service media related stories and headlines from around the world.
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CAMEROON: Cameroon ends internet shutdown on orders of President Paul Biya
BBC News: Internet services in Cameroon’s English-speaking regions have been turned back on three months after they were cut off following protests.
EGYPT: Journalists concerned with formation of Egypt’s National Media Council
Al-Monitor: President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi announced April 11 the formation of the National Media Council and its National Press Organization and National Media Organization. Concerns over freedom of the media have been raised among media staff, however, given that figures opposing the ruling regime were excluded from the formation.
GHANA: Only the power of the media can save the rest of Ghana’s natural heritage
GhanaWeb
KENYA: There is urgent need to deal with corruption in the media
The Standard: A lot has been written about ‘brown envelope’ (some call it ‘envelopmental’) journalism and its effect on media performance and relationship with society. As we approach the elections, and given the intense competition for media space, there is wont to be increased accusations of corruption in the media.
KENYA: With an Eye on Electoral Violence, Kenya Keeps Tight Rein on Media
IPS: As the clock ticks down to Kenya’s general elections slated for Aug. 8, a move by the Kenya Communication Authority (CAK) to make journalists adhere to guidelines on election coverage has elicited fear that the government could be trying to control how they report on the polls.
MOROCCO: Moroccan Journalists Launch Association for Advocacy and Training
Morocco World News: A new association, the Forum for Young Journalists, is about to launch, aiming to support Moroccan journalists in Morocco by advocating for “the freedom of press, the right to access information, and the right for vocational trainings for young journalists”.
MOZAMBIQUE: ICASA, Mozambique regulator sign technical agreement
IT Web: The Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) has signed a technical agreement with Mozambique’s communications regulatory authority, the Autoridade Reguladora Das Comunicações.
RWANDA: Startimes Targets 400,000 Rural Households
Via All Africa: About 400,000 households could soon acquire digital TV sets in a $92 million project by Chinese global pay television network, StarTimes.
SOUTH AFRICA: Interim SABC board will reverse ‘stupid decisions’ – Tsedu
News24: There would be no shortcuts in earning back the public’s confidence in the South African Broadcasting Corporation, interim board deputy chairperson Mathatha Tsedu said on Monday.
SOUTH AFRICA: Only spokesperson can speak on SABC matters publicly: Chairperson
SABC: The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) Interim Board chairperson Khanyisile Kweyama reacted to former COO Hlaudi Motsoeneng’s decision to hold a media briefing, saying only the spokesperson of the organisation, can comment on the corporation’s matters in the public domain.
TUNISIA: Independent Press Council established in Tunisia
IFJ: The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has welcomed the setting up of an independent Press Council in Tunisia to help reverse the decline in media freedom in the country.
ZIMBABWE: Mushohwe launches ZBC nine-language bulletins
The Herald: Information, Media and Broadcasting Services Minister Dr Chris Mushohwe yesterday officially launched Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) television news bulletins for nine languages.
GENERAL: African governments have a new way of controlling the media—starve them of ad revenue
Quartz
GENERAL: International media capitalising on Africa’s oral traditions, says researcher
City University of London: The BBC World Service and other international broadcasters are growing their audiences in Africa by producing more audio and video content on digital platforms, a researcher from City, University of London has found.
GENERAL: Peacebuilding in Africa: why the media matters
Institute for Security Studies: Media protection, resourcing and independence are vital wherever peace is in jeopardy.
CHINA: China’s digital media is booming, but breaking in can be tricky
CNBC: China has a notorious reputation as a hub for counterfeits, but that’s far from the case in its digital media scene, where a unique ecosystem has nurtured innovation.
CHINA: Chinese government threatens foreign media over live-streamed interview
IFJ: The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) strongly criticise the recent actions by Chinese authorities against foreign journalists, threatening to revoke visas following an interview.
INDIA : AIR set for second phase of DRM rollout
Asia Radio Today: India’s public broadcaster, All India Radio (AIR) has completed phase I of the national DRM digital radio roll-out in India.
INDIA: Present government does not allow free media to grow: Veteran journalists
Greater Kashmir: Speaking at the Jamia Milia Islamia”s event ”Ainaa 2017”, themed “The Other Side”, veteran journalists spoke about the differences between working for “corporate” media houses and the free media spaces.
INDIA: What the Indian Media Can Learn From the Global War on Fake News (Opinion)
The Wire: With fake news proliferating on social media, journalists and news organisations in the US and Europe are collaborating to come up with a counter-strategy.
INDONESIA: Indonesia’s fight against fake news (Listen)
ABC Radio National: Fake news is thriving in Indonesia, with real political consequences.
INDONESIA: New Media Association Will Fight Fake News, Promote Ethical Journalism
Jakarta Globe: The new Indonesian Cyber Media Association, or AMSI, will have the primary mission to verify online news outlets, fight hoax, promote accurate journalism and ensure journalists adhere to the code of professional ethics.
JAPAN: NAB 2017: NHK, Village-Island innovate 8K video transport
Rapid TV News: Japan’s public broadcaster NHK has combined forces with Japanese broadcast technology developer Village-Island to transport 8K 4:2:2 60p 10bits on a single 12G-SDI cable.
KAZAKHSTAN: Another Independent News Outlet Shuts Down in Kazakhstan
The Diplomat: Radiotochka, a respected radio and web news outfit, will phase out due to financial difficulties.
MALDIVES: If previous cases are a sign, the killers of Maldives blogger Yameen Rasheed may never be caught
Scroll.in: In the last five years, the murder of a politician, the disappearance of an outspoken journalist, and a vicious attack on a blogger have remained unsolved.
MALDIVES: Prominent blogger and internet activist stabbed to death
Index on Censorship: Rasheed was 29 years old and frequently satirised the Maldives’ political and religious authorities in his blog the Daily Panic. Zaheena Rasheed, friend and editor of the Maldives Independent news website said Yameen Rasheed had reported receiving multiple death threats to the police.
NORTH KOREA: North Korean Censorship
Huffington Post
PAKISTAN: Moot asks govt to legislate for protecting Sindh’s media persons
The News International: While the federal government is about to adopt a bill for the safety and security of journalists, a number of Sindh lawmakers, journalists, academics and legal experts agree on drafting and adopting a similar bill for media persons of the province.
SOUTH KOREA: Fake news in Korea
Deutsche Welle: South Korea will elect a new president on May 9, and ‘fake news’ has become a huge problem. Fabian Kretschmer reports from Seoul.
TAIWAN: New bill won’t bring media censorship: NCC
The China Post: The National Communications Commission has rebutted concerns that its latest bill could pave the way for media censorship in Taiwan.
TAIWAN: Taiwan’s “hacker minister” reshaping digital democracy
ABC News (US): Audrey Tang is using her expertise to more directly involve the public in policymaking, and to counter “fake news.”
AUSTRALIA: Organisation founded to take action against lack of diversity in Australian media (Podcast)
ABC Online
AUSTRALIA: World Press Freedom Index: Australia’s press freedom ranked 25th
ABC: A leading journalism advocacy group said world press freedom deteriorated in 2015, especially in the Americas, warning of “a new era of propaganda”.
FIJI: Pacific student journalists passionate about reporting climate change
Asia Pacific Report: Pacific journalism students in Fiji say reporting climate change is crucial for the survival of the region.
NEW ZEALAND: Law to regulate video-on-demand likely later this year
Radio New Zealand: The government says it hopes to introduce legislation to regulate video-on-demand broadcasting later this year.
TONGA: Tongan PM’s dispute with TBC starting to impact all media says publisher (Listen)
ABC News: Tonga’s Prime Minister is so upset about the reappointment of the CEO of the state broadcaster that he is threatening the members of the board that made the decision.
WEST PAPUA: Activists, media freedom advocates plan ‘global action’ for West Papua
Asia Pacific Report: Media freedom advocates and human rights activists are planning a “global action” for West Papua with demonstrations marking UNESCO world press freedom day events in Jakarta next week.
BALTIC REGION: Nordic support for Baltic Russian language media continues
Broadband TV News: The Committee for Nordic Cooperation has decided to continue funding a programme that supports media production and a media-critical approach in the Baltic countries.
BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA: EBU joins international community in plea to same PSM in Bosnia and Herzogovina
EBU: Urgent measures need to be taken to secure adequate and sustainable funding for PSM in BiH. It has been almost a year since the previous model for collecting the licence fee – through telephone bills – expired.
FRANCE: A French journalist is bringing fact checks to millions using Facebook Live and his own two feet
Poynter
FRANCE: Radio France managed again to reduce its deficit in 2016 (French)
LesEchos
FINLAND: PM under renewed criticism over press freedom row
Helsinki Times: Prime Minister Juha Sipilä (Centre) has come under renewed criticism for his conduct in a recent row between himself and YLE.
FINLAND: NAB 2017: Valossa collaborates with Yle on AI-based broadcast metadata
Rapid Tv News: Aiming to create deep content metadata for broadcasters, artificial intelligence (AI)-based video identification technology provider Valossa is working with Finnish broadcasting company Yle to develop content intelligence tools for future media experiences.
GERMANY: Proposed German legislation threatens broad internet censorship
CPJ: The German cabinet on April 5 approved a “Draft Law to Improve Law Enforcement in Social Networks” (Netzwerkdurchsetzungsgesetz), ostensibly aimed at combating disinformation and hate speech, that raises concerns about restrictions on free expression and the privatization of censorship.
HUNGARY: Hungarian premier moves on Slovenian media
RSF: Apparently no longer satisfied with dominating the media in Hungary, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán seems to be trying to extend his control to media outlets in neighbouring countries.
MACEDONIA: In Macedonia, anti-press rhetoric leaves journalists feeling vulnerable
CPJ: As the political crisis in Macedonia, triggered by allegations of mass surveillance by intelligence agencies, deepens the environment is increasingly unsafe for journalists who report critically on the ruling Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization-Democratic Party for Macedonian National Unity (VMRO-DPMNE) and its leader, Nikola Gruevski.
RUSSIA: BBC expands presence in Russia
Broadband TV News: Russia’s second largest social network Odnoklassniki (OK.ru) has started carrying content from BBC Russian.
SERBIA: Serbia’s CINS Journalists Win European Press Prize
Balkan Insight: The Serbian Centre for Investigative Journalism on Thursday became the first media outlet from the country to win the European Press Prize – but at home it faces much official hostility.
SPAIN: RTVE heads to the APTC market in Peru to strengthen its international channels and present Clan International (Spanish)
RTVE: RTVE will attend the 9th APTC summit in Peru, the great convention of the television sector for the Andean market, which will take place on April 26 and 27 in Lima.
UK: Channel 4 allows advertisers to call out viewer names
Broadband TV News: Channel 4 is launching a brand new interactive video format that allows advertisers to include the individual names of All 4 viewers in their advertisements.
UK: YouGov: 5m UK viewers use pirate streaming services
Digital TV Europe: Nearly 5 million UK adults, some 10% of the population, use pirate TV streaming services or apps, according to YouGov.
CARIBBEAN: Caribbean Broadcasting Union announces new partnership with CCTV+
PMA: Partnership with China Central Television News Agency (CCTV+) aims to distribute Caribbean news content to an international audience.
COSTA RICA: How Univision Revealed Flaws in Costa Rica’s Judicial System
GIJN: Here’s the inside story of how a team from Univision Data joined with attorneys to investigate problems within Costa Rica’s widely admired judicial system.
CUBA: Cuba’s slick TV channel that supports ‘more revolution’
BBC: Slick new graphics, drum and bass theme music and young presenters: at least in its presentation, Cuba’s latest state television channel is a break with the past.
ECUADOR: Ecuador fines media for not publishing a story
BBC: Ecuador has fined seven media companies for not publishing a story that it deemed of public interest.
MEXICO: Urgent review needed for the scheme to protect journalists: CNDH (Spanish)
El Universal: Luis Raúl González Pérez warned that if aggressions to journalists continue to persist, the transition from Mexico to a real democracy will not be consolidated.
PERU: The Aymara nation now has its national news programme on TV Perú (Spanish)
Los Andes: From now on, the State Television (TV Perú) will broadcast the program “Jiwasanaka” (Us), a newscast produced in The Aymara language.
Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas
IRAN: Censorship Undressed: Iranian State TV Cuts Broadcast Mid-Sentence
Global Voices: In an unusual broadcasting flub this week, Iran’s official state media network cut off the live video feed of a reporter in mid-sentence when she mentioned the name of presidential hopeful Hamid Baghaei.
ISRAEL: Knesset expected to pass public broadcast law this week
The Jerusalem Post: A law changing the structure of the new Israel Broadcast Corporation’s news division is expected to pass on Wednesday, in an accelerated legislative process beginning Tuesday.
Gulf Center for Human Rights
TURKEY: Journalists detained in wake of Turkey referendum
CPJ: The Committee to Protect Journalists today called on Turkish authorities to stop jailing journalists and suppressing dissent in the wake of a referendum to change Turkey’s system of governance from parliamentary to presidential.
YEMEN: Collapse of state institutions leaves Yemeni journalists vulnerable
CPJ: A journalist dies mysteriously in Yemen after receiving threats because of his work, and the resulting autopsy raises more questions than answers. A columnist in the same country is sentenced to death on espionage charges in an opaque trial.
CANADA: A historic step to protect press freedom in Canada: Senate passes press shield bill
CJFE: Canadian Journalists for Free Expression (CJFE) applauds the Senate of Canada for passing Bill S-231, the Journalistic Source Protection Act. By adopting the bill the Canadian Senate has taken a strong stand for press freedom, and sent a clear message to the House of Commons that they must take action.
CBC/Radio Canada: A major collaborative initiative between key players in the distribution industry was announced, including Spanish, Finnish, Australian French, Swiss and Portuguese broadcasters.
CANADA: CBC Toronto takes top awards at Canadian RTDNA’s
CBC News: CBC Toronto’s digital and radio coverage won three of the competition’s top awards
US: How Public Radio International uses GIFs to report the news (Video)
IJNet: Although GIFs are often used in a lighthearted way, Public Radio International’s global affairs program “The World” uses looping GIF animations as conversation starters to help tell serious news stories.
US: Local public radio: America’s last public square (Opinion)
Columbia Journalism Review
US: Pubcasters praise two FCC votes affecting noncommercial stations
Current: The FCC voted Thursday to adopt a regulation allowing religious stations and other noncommercial broadcasters to routinely raise funds for other nonprofits, while overturning another rule that would have required public broadcasters to report sensitive personal information about board members to the agency.
Nieman Lab: At a time when more critical media consumption is sorely needed, news literacy can be a difficult skill to impart.
Journalism for Social Change (Series)
Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso – Transeuropa: A thematic series that OBC Transeuropa dedicates – in the context of the ECPMF project – to journalistic initiatives that foster high-quality reporting, promoting and strengthening democratic values and fundamental rights in European societies.
#IndexAwards2017: Journalists from the Maldives and Serbia describe attacks on press freedom
Index on Censorship: Thousands of miles separate the Maldives from Serbia, but Zaheena Rasheed, the Index award-winning journalist and former editor of Maldives Independent, and Stevan Dojcinovic, editor-in-chief of the Serbian investigative website KRIK, but both described similar attacks on press freedom at a panel discussion at the Corinthia Hotel in London.
Reuters launched Backstory to provide more transparency around its reporting process
Journalism.co.uk: The initiative will provide readers with behind-the-scenes details of how Reuters found, researched, and investigated some of its stories.
The Best of PSM | RadioDays 2017
PMA: From data analysis to chatbots and podcasts, this year’s Radiodays Europe conference brought together the latest radio tools, tech and content from commercial and public media organisations.
Wikipedia’s Jimmy Wales creates news service Wikitribune
BBC: Wikipedia’s co-founder Jimmy Wales is planning a news service that combines the work of professional journalists and volunteers.
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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.
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Header image: CBC newsroom in Montreal, the largest French newsroom outside of France. Credits: JasonParis/Creative Commons
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