Our weekly round-up of public service media related stories and headlines from around the world
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PSM Innovations
NBC radio station helping to raise breast cancer awareness
A Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) radio station has partnered with a cancer charity to raise awareness and funds for breast cancer.
During Breast Cancer awareness month in October, NBC’s Afrikaans radio station, Hartklop FM, joined the Cancer Association of Namibia (CAN) spreading awareness about the disease, and helping raise funds for CAN.
NBC engages with CAN “on a regular basis to discuss the different types of cancer, where people can get screened and tested, also where they can go for treatment, as well as conducting interviews with patients and survivors to get their stories out there”, explained Ingrid Kisting, Field Producer and Radio Presenter, Hartklop FM. She said such initiatives “possibly encourages others.”
The campaign involves a mixture of on-the-ground public engagement and relevant content shared across NBC’s radio and online platforms.
According to NBC, most breast cancer diagnoses are found in the ‘Oshiwambo’ and ‘Baster’ communities, two of Namibia’s nine ethnic groups. With Namibia being one of the most sparsely populated countries in the world, it is even more important that NBC continues to fulfil its mandate in catering for minority or harder to reach communities. Its network of community-based radio stations located around the country broadcasts to different language groups and communities, including indigenous languages, which reach nearly 80% of the population.
Read more about NBCs breast cancer awareness campaign
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What we're watching...
Against propaganda, there are facts.
RSF: As Russia’s propaganda and crackdown on journalism continue to wreak havoc, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is releasing its new campaign video. Devised and produced by the Paris-based advertising agency BETC, this powerful video takes just a few seconds to demonstrate the importance of journalism in combatting propaganda.
What we're listening to...
Decoding Disinformation | Episode 1: Setting the Scene
IPI: This is the first episode of Decoding Disinformation. This is not just another podcast series about exposing disinformation campaigns — which, yes, will do as well, especially those targeting journalists and news outlets.
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ALGERIA: Algeria’s judicial harassment of independent media director must stop, RSF says
RSF: Reporters Without Borders (RSF) calls on the Algerian authorities to stop hounding independent media director Ihsane El Kadi with the aim of reining in his outspoken comments. El Kadi, who was sentenced to six months in prison in June but remains free pending the outcome of a repeatedly postponed appeal hearing, was interrogated twice in the space of a week at the end of last month, first by gendarmes and then by intelligence officials.
BURKINA FASO: Burkina Faso Government Suspends France’s RFI Radio Broadcasts
VOA: Burkina Faso’s military government has suspended the broadcast of France’s RFI radio in the Sahel West African state over what it said were false reports and giving voice to Islamist militants, a statement from the government said Saturday.
ETHIOPIA: Internet shutdowns in Tigray persist as Ethiopia hosts UN internet meeting
IPI: As a U.N. meeting on internet freedom convenes this week in Ethiopia, the IPI global network urges Ethiopian authorities to immediately restore internet and telecommunications services to more than six million people in Ethiopia’s northern Tigray region, which has been deprived of these critical communications services since the outbreak of the conflict in this region more than two years ago.
THE GAMBIA: “We’re ready to help The Gambia do more to promote journalism,” RSF tells Barrow
RSF: A Reporters Without Borders (RSF) delegation led by secretary-general Christophe Deloire met with The Gambia’s president, Adama Barrow, at his home on 28 November, hailing the extraordinary progress his country has made with regard to press freedom but stressing that more must be done to promote both press freedom and quality journalism.
GUINEA BISSAU: Struggling Guinea Bissau media hit with crippling licence fees
MFWA: The Media Foundation for West Africa calls on the authorities in Guinea Bissau to review the recently announced regulatory fees for the operation of media in the country, as the increased tariffs risk decimating the already fragile media sector.
KENYA: Govt. mulls infrastructure investment in KBC revamp
KBC: The government plans to rollout proper infrastructure interventions in due course to make Kenya Broadcasting Corporation (KBC) a competitive state entity.
NAMIBIA: NBC Board Chairperson dismayed over release of a financial audit report (Watch – 26 November)
NBC: The NBC Board Chairperson Lazarus Jacobs has expressed dismay over the release of a financial audit report involving the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation. A local newspaper made it available to the public this week, while the document had not previously been shared with the national broadcaster.
SOUTH AFRICA: Conflict of interest concerns arise as ministry advisor makes SABC board shortlist
News 24: Veteran broadcaster Mpho Tsedu’s inclusion on the list of candidates for the SABC board has raised concerns for the board’s independence as he serves as an advisor in the Communications Ministry.
SOUTH AFRICA: MultiChoice And SABC Deadlocked In Content Must-Carry Dispute
Broadcast Media Africa: According to media reports, South Africa’s country public broadcaster – South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) and the pay-TV operator MultiChoice have approached the country’s broadcasting regulator for an arbitration process in their must-carry conflict to establish what price to pay for the SABC’s TV channels, which are compulsory on DStv.
SOUTH AFRICA: National Assembly to discuss appointment of SABC board members on Tuesday
SABC News: The National Assembly will on Tuesday discuss the appointment of SABC board members. The public broadcaster has been without a board for almost two months.
SOUTH AFRICA: SABC seeks bidders to devise scheme to encourage TV licence payments
Telecompaper: The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) has closed bids for potential service providers to create and manage a television licence rewards programme, MyBroadband reported.
SOUTH AFRICA: SABC to launch a TV Licence loyalty programme with tiered rewards
News 24: South Africa’s public broadcaster will soon launch a SABC TV Licence loyalty programme, with tiered rewards, to get more TV households to pay their annual TV Licence fee.
SOUTH AFRICA: Study: South Africa Resilient to Chinese Attempts to Influence Media
VOA: South Africa’s free press has been largely successful at resisting efforts by the Chinese government to influence its content, say analysts, affirming a recent study by the U.S.-based think tank Freedom House.
ZIMBABWE: ‘Zanu-PF gobbles 90% of ZBC airtime’
Zimbabwe Daily: A survey by the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe (Baz) reveals that the ruling Zanu-PF party enjoyed State broadcaster, Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC) radio and television monopoly during the March 26 by-elections.
AFGHANISTAN: Taliban hit Voice of America with broadcast ban
DW: US-funded Voice of America said Taliban authorities pointed to “complaints” about their programing. Radio Free Europe was also banned by the Islamist regime.
CHINA: RSF offers online safety resource for journalists covering protests
RSF: As the Chinese people protest nationwide against the regime’s stringent zero-Covid policy, which has been used as a pretext for increased censorship and surveillance over the past three years, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) invites journalists on the ground to refer to the safety resources available on its website (training.rsf.org).
INDIA: India’s Richest Man Is Buying a Major TV Channel. It’s a Blow to Independent Media in the Country
TIME: New Delhi Television, or NDTV, began as a weekly bulletin in 1989, bringing news from around the world to Doordarshan, the Indian public broadcaster that aired on the television inside every household.
JAPAN: NHK to appoint outsider again as president to lead broadcaster
The Asahi Shimbun: Japan Broadcasting Corp. (NHK) will continue its recent practice of selecting a president from outside the broadcaster with the appointment of Nobuo Inaba, a former executive director of the Bank of Japan, according to multiple sources.
JAPAN & MYANMAR: Japanese journalist freed by Myanmar talks to press
NHK: A Japanese journalist freed from prison in Myanmar earlier this month spoke to reporters in Tokyo on Monday. Kubota Toru called for more awareness about the human rights situation in the country and urged the ruling military to improve it.
MYANMAR: Interview: Myanmar’s assault on free media continues
IPI: The Irrawaddy online newspaper has reported independently on Myanmar since its founding in 1993. … This October, the junta officially banned the outlet, which IPI called the latest attack on press freedom by the military regime.
Via Pakistan Press Foundation: Farah Khan, a close aide of PTI chief Imran Khan’s wife, sent a Rs5 billion legal notice on Tuesday to Dubai-based businessman Umar Farooq Zahoor, Geo News and anchorperson Shahzeb Khanzada for airing remarks about her alleged involvement in the sale of Toshakhana gifts.
PAKISTAN: For law protecting journalists, “ball is now in Pakistan government’s court,” says RSF
RSF: Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has just completed a visit to Pakistan that focused on the issues involved in the protection and safety of journalists in what is one of the world’s deadliest countries for media personnel.
CIVICUS Monitor: South Korea’s civic space is rated as ‘narrowed’ by the CIVICUS Monitor. Among the civic space concerns documented previously are the disruption of union protests and restrictions and investigations of civil society groups working on North Korea and concerns around the right to privacy.
SOUTH KOREA: Controversial Public Media Law Passed at Opposition-Dominated Committee
KBS World: The main opposition Democratic Party(DP) has pushed ahead with its attempt to reform the governance structure of the nation’s public broadcast media, including KBS and MBC.
SOUTH KOREA: KBS President and CEO Kim Eui-chul to Lead ABU as Vice President (Press release)
KBS: KBS President and CEO Kim Eui-chul was elected Vice President of the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union(ABU) during the 59th ABU General Assembly and Associated Meetings, held between 25 and 30 November, 2022 in New Delhi, India.
SOUTH KOREA: RSF concerned by president’s hostile moves against public media
RSF: Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is concerned by South Korean President Yoon’s recent verbal attacks and discriminatory measures against public broadcaster MBC, which threaten the public’s right to information and encourage harassment of journalists.
THAILAND: Thai PBS in collaboration with Thammasat Open youth spaces across the country to produce TikTok to know about fake political news (Press release – Thai)
Thai PBS: Thai PBS recognizes the importance of youth power and media creation. to lead to changes in society in conjunction with Thammasat University Dhurakij Pundit University and a network of 12 educational institutions nationwide.
GENERAL: Ahmed Nadeem is new ABU Secretary-General
RadioInfo Asia: The Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union has appointed Ahmed Nadeem as its next Secretary-General.
AUSTRALIA: ABC features stories for, by and about Australians living with disability (Press release)
ABC Australia
AUSTRALIA: ABC Radio Australia’s 83 years of broadcasting to the world (Feature)
ABC Australia: This is the story of one of the ABC’s best kept secrets. ABC Radio Australia was never intended to be a great secret. It was just the nature of the service that few Australians knew about it. When I hosted its breakfast program for nine years, I could count on one hand the number of people who knew what I was talking about when I told them I worked for RA.
AUSTRALIA: Senator pursues details of ABC’s top exec salaries despite failure
Sydney Morning Herald: Liberal Senator Sarah Henderson is planning another attempt to force the ABC to disclose the salaries of its top-paid executives after two motions were voted down by the Senate late last week.
AUSTRALIA: Twitter and TikTok could be called to negotiate under Australia’s news media code
The Guardian: Review of Google and Meta agreements suggests ACCC look at what other social media platforms should be brought to table with publishers.
NEW ZEALAND: New Zealand plans law to require Facebook, Google to pay for news
Reuters: The New Zealand government said it will introduce a law that will require big online digital companies such as Alphabet Inc’s (GOOGL.O) Google and Meta Platforms Inc (META.O) to pay New Zealand media companies for the local news content that appears on their feeds.
NEW ZEALAND: Programme-makers anxious about public media project (Listen)
RNZ: For more than 30 years, producers have been able to bid for money from the public purse to make programmes via NZ on Air. From next year, the new public media entity replacing RNZ and TVNZ will hold the purse strings for most of the taxpayers’ money. The programme-makers are anxious about that, but it will have a bigger budget for the stuff they make so what’s the problem?
NEW ZEALAND: RNZ audience numbers up at end of 2022 (Press release)
RNZ: RNZ has had a dual focus throughout 2022 – continuing to deliver trusted, independent journalism, current affairs and entertainment content for all the people of Aotearoa and preparing for the future as part of the new Aotearoa New Zealand Public Media entity.
NEW ZEALAND: Willie Jackson gives partial apology over public media merger interview
RNZ: Minister of Broadcasting Willie Jackson says his recent interview about the RNZ-TVNZ merger was a mistake, but is downplaying concerns as coming largely from the media.
REGIONAL: Pacific media leaders express doubts over TVNZ-RNZ merger (Watch)
Pacific Media Network: Call for greater clarity about the merger of TVNZ and RNZ and whether it will deliver better outcomes for Pasifika broadcasting.
AUSTRIA: ORF financing crisis: special session and call for a cross-off list if public funds are not enough (German)
Der Standard: The Lederer board of trustees calls for a catalog of measures for “reorganization under personal responsibility”. Committee chairman Zach hopes for a speedy solution to the financing.
BELARUS: “We don’t want Belarus to become an information black hole.” Discussions at Free Journalism Forum
BAJ: According to the Belarusian Association of Journalists, some 400 media representatives have fled the country for safety reasons in recent years. Relocating whole editorial boards has become commonplace.
BELGIUM: War is declared between RTBF and the private written press (French)
Moustique: The new public television management contract is about to be adopted. Which is far from being to the taste of the paid written press.
BULGARIA: Interview With Milen Mitev, Director General Of Bulgarian National Radio
EBU: Milen Mitev, Director General of Bulgarian National Radio (BNR), discusses developments of public service radio with Radka Betcheva, EBU Head of Member Relations Central & Eastern Europe.
CROATIA: Croatian TV eyes new subscription model
Broadband TV News: The programme council of Croatia’s public broadcaster HRT has given its approval to a new subscription model.
CZECH REPUBLIC: Presidential debates and specials. Czech Television is preparing extensive pre-election and election broadcasts (Press release – Czech)
Česká televize: Czech Television has prepared for viewers a comprehensive information service for the upcoming presidential elections, in which they will present candidates for the post of head of state in different formats and from different perspectives.
DENMARK: DR drops Disney content and plans to invest locally instead
Kidscreen: The Danish pubcaster is rebranding its 30-year-old Disney block to feature domestic productions, including new series Monster Loving Maniacs and Karla’s Fantastical Class.
FINLAND: The Well said – Bra sagt project piloted by Yle and Erätauko Foundation is the Behavior of the Year (Press release – Finnish)
Yle: Tapaseura has awarded the Well said – Bra sagt project with the Tapateko of the Year award.
FRANCE: EU inquiry into controversial French media merger moves ahead
Euractiv: The European Commission will conduct an in-depth antitrust investigation into the proposed acquisition of the French media group Lagardère by another national colossus, Vivendi.
GERMANY: Indre Windgassen new head of the ZDF editorial department “maybrit illner”
ZDF: Change of staff in the ZDF editorial team “maybrit illner”: Volker Wilms, long-time editor-in-chief of the ZDF political talks, has retired. Indre Windgassen has been in charge of the editorial team since December 1, 2022, before that she was the head of the successful Thursday evening talk show for many years.
ITALY: Rai study reflects on the future of radio and audio
Red Tech: As someone more used to reflecting on the radio market through PowerPoint presentations and concise executive summaries of highly focused reports, I was a little thrown at finding 1.2 kg of radio report in my postbox.
LATVIA: LTV: Wide choice of Russian and Belarusian media on Latvian eastern border
LSM: The supply of Russian and Belarusian media in the border area is increasing. This week, near the Latvian-Russian border, representatives of the Latvian State Radio and Television Center (LVRTC) concluded that the neighboring media offer is broader than the local, Latvian Television reported on December 2.
LATVIA: RSF urges Latvian regulator not to withdraw TV Dozhd’s licence
RSF: Reporters Without Borders (RSF) calls on Latvia’s media regulator not to withdraw the licence of the Latvia-based Russian TV channel TV Dozhd (TV Rain) – one of the few sources of independent Russian-language reporting by Russian journalists – after it committed several violations of Latvian legislation.
MALTA: Media minister ‘in favour’ of EU plan to stop public broadcaster propaganda
Times of Malta: Owen Bonnici says EU plan is ‘positive’ but stops short of pledging reform at PBS.
POLAND: Polish opposition calls government increase of TV station budget ‘election money’
Euractiv: Poland’s ruling Law and Justice (PiS) party voted to raise Poland’s public broadcaster TVP to over PLN 2 billion (€428 million) in the parliamentary public finance committee, which opposition representatives see as hidden financing of the election campaign.
PORTUGAL: Press freedom remains robust even as media face resource strains
IPI: Strong legal framework and lack of political interference in media create open climate for independent journalism.
ROMANIA: Romanian cultural channel reappears
Broadband TV News: The Romanian public broadcaster TVR will relaunch its cultural channel on December 1, Romania’s Great Union Day, after an absence of ten years.
SERBIA: Multiple journalists threatened and harassed in Serbia, authorities must take urgent action
ECPMF: The latest shocking threat reported on 1 December 2022 targeted Nova S TV’s journalist Jelena Obucina. Obucina received messages via Twitter, threatening her with “impalement” and stating she “would be burned”.
SLOVAKIA: Slovakia’s RTVS closes TV channel
Broadband TV News: The Slovak public broadcaster RTVS has officially stopped broadcasting its third channel ‘Trojka’.
SLOVENIA: Referendum Shows Slovenian Support for RTV’s Independence, Journalists Say
VOA News: Journalists at Slovenia’s public broadcaster RTV have expressed relief at the results of a referendum aimed at protecting them from political interference.
SPAIN: They call for the participation of people with disabilities in the public media (Spanish)
Notimérica: The President of the Spanish Committee of Representatives of People with Disabilities (CERMI), Luis Cayo Pérez Bruno, calls for audiovisual content to be accessible so that people with disabilities can participate in public media.
UK: BBC chiefs agree they must fight internal ‘liberal bias’ and ‘groupthink’
The Telegraph: BBC chairman Richard Sharp says staff will undergo anti-bias training.
UK: BBC gains approval to increase iPlayer’s archive content
Broadband TV News: Ofcom has told the BBC it can go ahead with plans to increase the number of library shows on BBC iPlayer, but criticised a lack of inclusiveness in low socio-economic groups.
UK: BBC launches commitments to improving access for disabled people on and off screen
BBC: The commitments formalise and build on much of the work already happening within the BBC and follows the launch of The TV Access Project (TAP), created by the BBC, Channel 4, Britbox International, Disney+ UK, ITV, Paramount, Prime Video, Sky and UKTV.
UK: ITV could drop news pledge unless ministers offer help against streamers
The Guardian: Leaked government advice says ITV feels prominent channel positioning irrelevant as many bypass live TV.
UK: Prominent black and Asian Britons warn against BBC local radio cuts plan
The Guardian: David Harewood, Doreen Lawrence and others express concern at potential impact on shows aimed at BAME audiences.
REGIONAL: EBU elects new Executive Board
Broadband TV News: The EBU has elected a new executive board made up of 11 senior executives drawn from Europe’s public service broadcasters.
REGIONAL: EU Council completes first review of Media Freedom Act
Euractiv: The EU Council completed on Monday (5 December) the first revision of the European Media Freedom Act at the technical level, with significant work still to be done on fundamental aspects of the proposal.
REGIONAL: Between the media and the judiciary: safety of journalists in the Western Balkans
Free Press Unlimited: For more than two decades, Free Press Unlimited has been implementing projects in the Western Balkans. Now, when the world is witnessing a steep decline in press freedom and access to information, the spread of misinformation and growing anti-press sentiments, the efforts of Free Press Unlimited to safeguard press freedom and promote access to reliable and independent information in the region are especially important.
REGIONAL: No media freedom without financial independence, experts warn
Euractiv: The debate over the extent to which the proposed European Media Freedom Act will contribute to addressing the sector’s financial struggles remains, with experts calling for greater attention to its long-term implications.
REGIONAL: Public service media goes green (Watch)
EBU: The EBU has compiled a series of short film clips from public service media throughout Europe to highlight the work that is being done to inform and educate audiences of all ages on the climate crisis. This helps keep sustainability in the public debate; it further empowers citizens to hold governments and corporations to account on their environmental commitments.
ARGENTINA: Agreement between Radio Nacional and Télam to expand news coverage (Spanish)
RTA: The presidents of Radio y Televisión Argentina, Rosario Lufrano, and Télam, Bernarda Llorente, today signed an agreement that will allow the 49 stations of Radio Nacional to have the information service of the official news agency, thus expanding their presence in the entire national territory.
COLOMBIA: In Colombia, Journalists ‘Work With Fear’ (Watch)
VOA News: An increase in threats and violence directed at Colombia’s journalists is creating fear in the country’s media community, analysts say.
COLOMBIA: The director of the public youth radio station in Colombia, accused of sexual harassment, temporarily leaves office (Spanish)
El País: Álvaro González, known as ‘El Profe’, announces that he will take an unpaid leave and will withdraw from all activities of the Radionica station.
CUBA: New criminal code is a chilling prospect for 2023 and beyond
Amnesty International: Cuba’s new Penal Code, which was approved in May but came into force on 1 December, risks further entrenching long-standing limitations on freedom of expression and assembly and is a chilling prospect for independent journalists, activists, and anyone critical of the authorities, said Amnesty International today.
ECUADOR: ‘In Ecuador, disinformation has spread like a fungus,’ says Ecuadorian investigative journalist
Global Voices: Arturo Torres is one of the only Ecuadorian journalists who focuses on a global phenomenon ever more present in our societies: disinformation. His investigations began in 2020 when COVID-19 began to have a global effect.
EL SALVADOR: El Salvador Journalists Sue NSO Group in US Over Alleged Pegasus Surveillance
VOA: Salvadoran digital newspaper El Faro’s employees filed a lawsuit in a U.S. federal court on Wednesday against NSO Group, alleging the Israeli firm’s controversial Pegasus software was used to spy on them.
EL SALVADOR: Special Report: Trolls, Propaganda and Fear Stoke Bukele’s Media Machine in El Salvador
VOA News: President Nayib Bukele has built a communications juggernaut in El Salvador.
GUATEMALA: APG condemns attacks against journalists and censorship of the media by government sectors (Spanish)
Prensa Libre: The Association of Journalists of Guatemala (APG) has documented in 2022 at least one hundred censorship actions against the media by sectors linked to the Government.
JAMAICA: PAJ, MAJ condemn attack on journalists
Jamaica Observer: THE Press Association of Jamaica (PAJ) has condemned the attack of a cameraman and newspaper reporter in Homestead, Spanish Town, St Catherine, on Tuesday.
MEXICO: ARTICLE 19 condemns continued assault on its work and the press
ARTICLE 19: In Mexico, freedom of expression is under siege and faces a hostile environment in which the stigmatising discourse from those in power and against human rights defenders and the press perpetuates violence.
REGIONAL: Abraji publishes report in Portuguese on press freedom violations in LA (Portuguese)
Abraji: The 2021 Shadow Report , produced by the Voces del Sur (VdS) network, a partner of the Brazilian Association of Investigative Journalism (Abraji), is now available in Portuguese.
LatAm Journalism Review: Yvette Sierra, from environmental news outlet Mongabay (Peru); Joseph Poliszuk, from investigative journalism site Armando.Info (Venezuela); and freelance journalist Hyury Potter (Brazil) spoke about their investigations into illegal mining in their countries and shared lessons learned and best practices to improve coverage of this environmental crime.
IRAN: Media Freedom Coalition Statement on Iran
Media Freedom Coalition: We, the undersigned members of the Media Freedom Coalition (MFC) are highly concerned about the recent violent repression of freedoms of expression and peaceful assembly by Iran.
IRAN: Regime Insiders Voice Alarm As Iranians Embrace Independent Media
Iran International: Top Iranian officials appear to perceive or pretend to perceive the ongoing protests in Iran as an outcome of what they call a “media war” against the regime.
IRAN: State-Backed Hacking of Activists, Journalists, Politicians
Human Rights Watch: Hackers backed by the Iranian government have targeted two Human Rights Watch staff members and at least 18 other high-profile activists, journalists, researchers, academics, diplomats, and politicians working on Middle East issues in an ongoing social engineering and credential phishing campaign, Human Rights Watch said today.
ISRAEL: Israel Press Council chief warns of attacks on freedom of press under new coalition
Times of Israel: Hanan Melcer vows council will ‘do everything in its power’ to prevent any curbs on media freedoms, after report says Likud looking to shutter public broadcaster’s news division.
TURKEY: Concern Rises as New Turkish Media Law Squeezes Dissent
VOA News: A new law gives Turkey fresh ammunition to censor the media and silence dissent ahead of elections in which President Recep Tayyip Erdogan plans to prolong his two decades in office, journalists and activists say.
REGIONAL: Arab-Chinese Media Cooperation Forum launches joint broadcasting initiative
Arab News: Ahead of the Chinese President’s visit to Saudi Arabia, the Saudi Ministry of Media and the China Media Group announced the launch of a joint partnership initiative to promote relations between Arab countries and China through media in a ceremony in Riyadh on Monday.
CANADA: Canada’s CBC Rebrands Under One Entertainment Banner, Embraces New Diverse Direction
Variety: Canadian public broadcaster CBC has pulled back the curtain on its new strategic direction, detailing its diverse new content, an entertainment consolidation and rebrand, and a new FAST channel in conjunction with its news division.
CANADA: CBC/Radio-Canada board appointment advisory committee reformed
Broadcast Dialogue: Canadian Heritage Min. Pablo Rodriguez has announced a newly-reconstituted independent advisory committee that will recommend candidates to serve on the CBC/Radio-Canada Board of Directors.
CANADA: CBC/Radio-Canada releases 2021–2022 Environmental Sustainability Report (Report)
CBC/Radio-Canada: Reductions in carbon emissions and energy and water consumption among the highlights of our latest report.
CANADA: Introducing CBC News Explore, our free channel for streaming audiences (Blog)
CBC/Radio-Canada: Each week, about 4.2 million people will watch our flagship newscast The National by doing what viewers have been doing for many years: they will tune in on CBC-TV at 10 p.m. (Or on CBC News Network beginning at 9 p.m. ET.)
CANADA: Radio-Canada Sports rewarded by the IOC (French)
Radio-Canada: The International Olympic Committee (IOC) awarded Radio-Canada Sports, on Wednesday, a Golden Ring for its report Maxence Parrot – Le combat, about the Quebec snowboarder who had to fight cancer between two Olympic Games.
US: American Public Television to launch podcast studio (Paywall)
Current: American Public Television, the syndication and program exchange service, is negotiating its first deals for programs about food, travel, health and lifestyle to be produced as part of a new podcast unit.
US: How changes to the Emergency Alert System could affect community media (Paywall)
Current: New requirements approved by the FCC could create an undue burden for small community radio stations.
US: NPR to impose near-freeze on hiring but avoids layoffs as budget cuts loom
NPR: NPR will need to cut at least $10 million from the current fiscal year ending next Sept. 30, the network’s chief executive, John Lansing, announced Wednesday, due to a sharp drop in revenue from sponsors.
US: Racial bias affects media coverage of missing people. A new tool illustrates how
Wyoming Public Media: Thousands of people are reported missing in the United States each year. And while not every missing person case will get widespread media coverage, the fight to locate them — whether alive or dead — is always the main priority.
US: Survey finds noncommercial radio stations outpace commercial counterparts in newsroom diversity (Paywall)
Current: This year’s RTDNA/Newhouse School at Syracuse University Survey survey found that 63.9% of noncommercial radio newsrooms surveyed had staffers of color.
US: WFAE becomes the first public radio station in the Carolinas to unionize
WUNC: Charlotte-based WFAE is now officially the first public radio station in the Carolinas to form a union. The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists will represent Content staff at the NPR member outlet.
A Los Angeles Times project uses puppets to tackle mental health concepts
Poynter: ‘We really wanted this to be content that first and foremost would serve kids, but then maybe as adults, you would find yourself watching it, too.’
A renewed commitment for Public Service Media – the way forward discussed in Vilnius
COE: Last week, the Council of Europe and the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) organised a conference on Public Service Media for Democracy in partnership with Lithuanian National Radio and Television (LRT).
“Against propaganda, there are facts”: RSF releases its new global campaign video (Watch)
RSF: As Russia’s propaganda and crackdown on journalism continue to wreak havoc, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is releasing its new campaign video. Devised and produced by the Paris-based advertising agency BETC, this powerful video takes just a few seconds to demonstrate the importance of journalism in combatting propaganda.
Climate Change in the Media: Public Perception and the Responsibility of News Outlets
Earthday.org: What makes a good news story? The news has to be compelling and relevant to your life if it is to retain your attention. With an issue so broad and long-term as global climate change and its effects, it can be difficult for news stories on the subject to be as attention-grabbing as stories on politics or crime.
‘Culture of exclusion’ keeps women of colour from top media jobs, report reveals
The Guardian: Analysis of media organisations and news stories shows underrepresentation across editorial leadership and coverage.
Elon Musk’s Twitter lifts rule against Covid misinformation
Thai PBS World: Twitter said it has stopped enforcing a policy intended to prevent the spread of Covid misinformation, as new owner Elon Musk — who has clashed previously with US officials over pandemic safety rules — continues to remake its content moderation policies.
Five key ways in which podcasting may benefit your news operation
Reuters Institute: Digital news innovation has, for years, centred around the mobile phone screen. Now, the act of endless scrolling on glass screens in search of company or entertainment may have found either a rival or a counterpart thanks to headphones, earpods, and speakers.
How we follow climate change: climate news use and attitudes in eight countries
Reuters Institute: This report, part of the work of the Oxford Climate Journalism Network, uses new survey data to document and understand how people access news and information about climate change in eight countries: Brazil, France, Germany, India, Japan, Pakistan, the UK, and the USA.
Improving media literacy could boost trust towards the news, IMPRESS report suggests
Journalism.co.uk: The public cannot trust what they do not understand. Newsrooms must start being more transparent with how the news is made and how complains are handled.
New product thinking resource for newsrooms has launched
Journalism.co.uk: Many journalists have great ideas about improving their publications but struggle to make them happen. For smaller newsrooms where everyone does a little bit of everything, having the right tools to create new products can mean the difference between being profitable and folding in.
New research identifies how public service media organisations can lead way
Mirage News: A new report, published by the Ada Lovelace Institute and co-authored by Dr Silvia Milano from the University of Exeter, explores the development and use of recommendation systems in public service media organisations in the UK and Europe.
CJR: Six people who have been sources in abortion coverage spoke to CJR about how they weigh the potential benefits and risks of talking with the press, what those interactions have been like, and consequences they’ve faced. Their comments have been edited for clarity.
The Washington Post wants to help readers live sustainably
Journalism.co.uk: A new climate department will see 30 journalists write stories that empower people to make more eco-friendly lifestyle choices, targeting younger audiences.
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