Our weekly round-up of public service media related stories and headlines from around the world
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Week 27: What do NEWS DESERTS look like?
News deserts – geographic areas with few or no news outlets providing locally relevant news – have been on the rise due to challenges like declining advertising revenue and audience fragmentation (see our week 23 explainer). While communities may still have access to national news, the loss of local news can impact on their democratic lives by reducing access to information that could foster civic engagement and hold governments to account on the local level. There are fears for news deserts in Australia, where recent newsroom closures in Victoria and Queensland have raised concerns of news vacuums and increased the use of social media to access “news”. News deserts can also look like the closure of more than 2,000 newspapers in the US since 2004, leaving more than 65 million people with access to only one local newspaper or none at all. With a decline in local newsrooms, partisan outlets and disinformation have become more widespread, filling the spaces where accurate and trusted news once was. However, in response, there have been initiatives launched to combat news deserts, such as those from North American public broadcasters NPR and CBC/Radio-Canada.
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What we're watching...
Hong Kong: Broken promises
Al Jazeera: We look at the erosion of free speech, the squeeze on civil liberties and stringent laws controlling political expression in Hong Kong.
What we're listening to...
Media commentator Andrew Holden: Public Broadcasting
RNZ: Andrew looks at the broad question of public broadcasting and where it might go. The BBC is touting its success, with 90% of UK adults accessing its content each week. And Broadcasting Minister Kris Faafoi is talking about the TVNZ/RNZ “merger” allowing for an expanded role for state-owned media.
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BURUNDI: CPJ calls on Burundi government to let all news outlets operate without conditions
CPJ: In light of Burundi’s decision to lift bans on the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and pro-government news site Ikiriho, the Committee to Protect Journalists called on the country to reinstate all banned media outlets. CPJ also expressed alarm at the conditions the U.S. Congress-funded Voice of America (VOA) said were placed on it by authorities for its reinstatement in the country.
ESWATINI: King Mswati III under fire over media rights violations
NewsDay: MEDIA organisations across the globe have joined the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) in calling for order, urging Africa’s last absolute leader, to desist from attacking journalists and shutting down the internet amid protests in that country.
ETHIOPIA: Ethiopia: Relentless crackdown on journalists covering military conflict
IFJ: Journalists have been facing increasing threats of arrest and violence in Ethiopia since the start of the war in Tigray. Twelve journalists from two independent media were arrested in late June and reports of attacks against media are common. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) urges the authorities to stop targeting the media and take steps to ensure journalists’ safety.
GUINEA: Guinea: End the harassment of journalists and free expression activists
Article 19: Guinée, and Organisation Guinéenne de défense des Droits de l’Homme et du Citoyen (OGDH) call on the Guinean authorities to protect freedom of expression and the right to assembly and to put an end to the arrest, detention and prosecution of individuals for expressing their opinions.
NIGERIA: Nigerian Media Unite Against Buhari Govt’s Quest to Censor Press
Via All Africa: The government’s attempt to regulate the media is the only the latest in series of failed attempts to do so.
MFWA: The last six years have been extremely repressive for the media in Nigeria as impunity reached a new high under President Muhammadu Buhari.
SOUTH AFRICA: Journalists under attack in violent Johannesburg riots – Sanef
News 24: Journalists came under attack amid incidents of violence in Gauteng on Sunday.
SOUTH AFRICA: SABC crew still traumatised after robbery: News GE (Watch)
SABC: The SABC’s Group Executive for News and Current Affairs Phathiswa Magopeni says the broadcaster’s news crew that had been robbed at gunpoint while covering protests in Alexandra north of Johannesburg are still traumatised.
SUDAN: Sudanese authorities block news websites, briefly detain Al-Jazeera reporter covering protests
CPJ: New York, July 7, 2021 – Sudanese authorities should immediately allow access to all news websites in the country, and stop harassing and intimidating journalists, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.
THE GAMBIA: MFWA welcomes passing of Access to Information Bill in The Gambia, calls for continuous engagement
MFWA: The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) salutes The Gambia’s passing into law of the Access to Information Bill 2021 and looks forward to President Adama Barrow eventually assenting to it to give meaning to the constitutional right of Gambians to access information.
TUNISIA: Journalists and the China story: Tunisia
IFJ: Chinese and Tunisian ties have never been strong, but China’s recent outreach shows just how far its media footprint extends.
UGANDA: Uganda media freedom declining – press report
Daily Monitor: Violence meted against journalists in the recent past by mainly the State and its agencies in Uganda is worrying stakeholders and advocates of press freedom.
ZIMBABWE: CPJ joins letter to UN and AU rapporteurs expressing concern about free expression in Zimbabwe (Letter)
CPJ: The Committee to Protect Journalists yesterday joined the Southern African Human Rights Defenders Network, Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights, and Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights groups in an open letter to six special rapporteurs at the UN and African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights, expressing concern about the targeting of journalists and human rights defenders in Zimbabwe.
GENERAL: Covering the Pandemic – African Journalism in the Era of COVID-19 (Event)
IPI: The purpose of the webinar is to facilitate interaction between African journalists and their counterparts around the world.
REGIONAL: New research shows extent of sexual harassment in African Media (Research)
WAN-IFRA: One in two women has suffered sexual harassment in the workplace in Africa. One in two. Allow that to sink in – and then consider that only 30 per cent of these cases are reported.
AFGHANISTAN: Afghanistan: Taliban disrupts media outlets in northern provinces
IFJ: The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has received reports of the Taliban controlling and disrupting media outlets since tensions escalated on June 7 when the Taliban launched its first assault on Qala-e-Naw, targeting government forces.
CHINA: The foreigners in China’s disinformation drive
BBC News: Foreign video bloggers denouncing what they say is negative coverage of China on highly controversial subjects such as Xinjiang are attracting large numbers of subscribers on platforms like YouTube.
HONG KONG: Carrie Lam named ‘press freedom predator’
RTHK: International journalism watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has named Chief Executive Carrie Lam a “predator of press freedom”.
HONG KONG: European Parliament adopts resolution on Hong Kong press freedom in response to Apple Daily closure (Paywall)
SCMP: The European Parliament has adopted a broad new resolution on Hong Kong, advocating tough measures be taken over the government’s crackdown on the city’s press freedom.
HONG KONG: Hong Kong: Media Freedom Coalition statement
Gov.uk: Members of the Media Freedom Coalition issue a statement on media freedom in Hong Kong.
INDIA: Watch | Who Does India Trust for the News after COVID? (Watch)
The Wire: The 2021 Digital News Report, released by the Reuters Institute, looked at many of the key post COVID-19 outcomes for the journalistic society.
INDONESIA: Silencing the media: Indonesia shooting reveals reporting risks
Al Jazeera: Attacks on journalists in Indonesia raise concern as media across region face repressive laws in battle to report.
JAPAN: NHK board minutes show ‘clear violation’ of broadcast law
The Asahi Shimbun: Minutes of a meeting of the Board of Governors of public broadcaster NHK show that a heated exchange erupted over a program that had aired, thereby overstepping the Broadcasting Law aimed at ensuring complete editorial independence.
KYRGYZSTAN: Kyrgyzstan: Reform of the media laws (Briefing)
Article 19: This briefing paper is designed to assist national stakeholders in Kyrgyzstan in their current efforts to promote the reform of media laws in the country.
MALAYSIA: Unclear fake news definition could lead to oppression
The Malaysian Reserve: LAWS to combat fake news will not stop the dissemination of false news to the public because of the various platforms available now to spread information, as well as the unclear definition of fake news that could lead to the oppression of many.
MALDIVES: Maldives: Parliamentary committee intervenes in media council case
IFJ: A Maldives Parliament standing committee on independent institutions has presented its own complaint to the Maldives Media Council (MMC), a body it is tasked to hold accountable…
MYANMAR: Journalists and the China story: Myanmar
IFJ: As Myanmar burns and the structures of Myanmar’s media collapse, China’s years of media outreach are under jeopardy.
NEPAL: Press Council’s autonomy, respectable journalism stressed
The Himalayan Times: Media experts have stressed the need to strengthen the autonomy of Press Council Nepal and respectable journalism.
PAKISTAN: Government to merge PTV, Pakistan Radio for better results: Information Minister
Via Pakistan Press Foundation: The federal government has decided to merge two state broadcasters Pakistan Television and Radio Pakistan for the purpose of better governance.
PAKISTAN: Pakistan: Why RSF deems PM Khan a ‘press freedom predator’
DW: Daniel Bastard, Asia-Pacific director at Reporters Without Borders (RSF), told DW that Pakistani authorities are trying to censor and intimidate journalists who dare to not toe the government’s line.
PAKISTAN: RSF and partner hail Pakistani law protecting journalists but call for improvements
RSF: Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and its partner, Freedom Network (FN), hail the adoption of a law protecting journalists by the legislative assembly in Sindh province, in southern Pakistan, but they propose essential improvements that should be incorporated into the law during its initial implementation phase.
PHILIPPINES: ‘Chilling effect’ hit Philippine newsrooms in wake of ABS-CBN shutdown— veteran journalist
ABS-CBN: Fear to publish stories critical of the government has swept newsrooms in the Philippines a year after ABS-CBN’s broadcast shutdown, a real and clear manifestation of the “chilling effect” that media experts had warned of, the head of the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility said on Saturday.
SOUTH KOREA: [Editorial] Protect press freedom (Opinion)
The Korean Herald: Ruling party to pass media bills unilaterally, choking critics and denying right to know.
THAILAND: Thai PBS receives an honorary award “Media organization supporting mental health work” (Press release – Thai)
Thai PBS: On July 8, 2021, the Public Broadcasting Authority of Thailand (SAT) or Thai PBS… Received an honorary award for media organizations supporting mental health work from the Department of Mental Health Ministry of Public Health…
AUSTRALIA: ABC brings Indigenous names into the national conversation (Press release)
ABC Australia: The ABC has increased its daily use of Indigenous languages, names and nationwide Acknowledgements of Country across television, radio and online, as part of its ongoing commitment to enable Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to tell and share their own stories.
AUSTRALIA: ABC celebrates 75 years of parliamentary broadcasting
ABC Australia: It was a Wednesday afternoon in the nation’s capital, and 73 men and one woman wandered into the room. The heaters were working overtime to take the edge off the crisp Canberra air.
AUSTRALIA: ABC NSW rolls out community language COVID warnings (Press release)
ABC Australia: The ABC’s NSW newsroom is rolling out social media videos featuring Sydney community leaders delivering COVID health warnings in a variety of languages.
AUSTRALIA: Australia’s News Media Bargaining Code’s impact on big tech power (1 July)
EJO: The outsized role played by tech giants on the global media scene was thrown into sharp relief in February when Facebook shut down news access to its platform in Australia, plunging the digital scene into chaos.
ABC News: The battle over whether the ABC’s defence in the defamation case brought by former attorney-general Christian Porter should be made public or struck from the record will be heard in the Federal Court today.
AUSTRALIA: NAIDOC Week 2021: Australian media must change ‘deficit approach’ to reporting
AdNews: As part of AdNews’ coverage of NAIDOC Week, First Nations Media Australia CEO Dennis Stokes reveals how the media industry can improve coverage on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
NAURU: Nauru urged to respect media freedom
RNZ: Nauru’s human rights record is under United Nations scrutiny again, with media freedom a prominent concern.
NEW ZEALAND: Māori journalists form professional group
Stuff: Māori journalists have set up Kawea Te Rongo, an independent group that aims to support, develop and advocate for them.
ALBANIA: Albania: Concern after government ally elected to head key media regulator
IPI: The Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR) today expresses deep concern about the future impartiality and independence of Albania’s Audiovisual Media Authority (AMA) following the election of a close associate of the ruling Socialist Party to head the media regulator.
AUSTRIA: ORF editorial committee calls for an amendment to the law for more independence (German)
Der Standard: Editors’ representatives appeal to parties, the board of trustees and management.
BELARUS: Belarus: Solidarity with Belarusian journalists
IFJ: The International and European Federations of Journalists (IFJ/EFJ) have again expressed their solidarity with Belarusian journalists as the crackdown against critical voices continues. The Federations have urged European authorities to take immediate action against the Belarusian government for violating media freedom with impunity and undermining the public’s right to know
BELARUS: Belarusian authorities raid news outlets, detain journalists amid nationwide crackdown
CPJ: New York, July 8, 2021 – Belarusian authorities must release all journalists held in custody for their work and drop all investigations into independent news outlets, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.
BELARUS: Belarus government blocks top media outlet, detain reporters
The Independent: The Belarusian authorities have blocked the website of a leading online media outlet and detained several of its journalists, the latest move in a sweeping crackdown on dissent and independent media in the ex-Soviet nation
BELGIUM: Jouw VRT’: Flemish public broadcaster VRT launches the biggest public survey in its history (Press Release)
VRT: What do the Flemish media users expect from their public broadcaster? What is good? And what could be better? This is precisely what the Flemish public broadcaster VRT hopes to find out in the coming weeks with ’Jouw VRT’ (‘Your VRT’)…
CROATIA: HND, SNH for Urgent Change of HRT Act, Sacking HRT Leadership
Total Croatia: The Croatian Journalists Association (HND) and the Croatian Journalists Trade Union (SNH) on Monday demanded urgent amendments to the law on the HRT public broadcaster and a change of its current leadership.
CZECH REPUBLIC: Czech Television is the most watched TV group of the first half of the year. It is also growing in website traffic (Press release – Czech)
Česká televize: In the first half of this year, Czech Television is by far the most sought-after television group on the domestic market, during which it achieved the best half-year result since 1998. Viewers prefer it throughout the day and in prime time.
FRANCE: Diversity a little better represented in fiction, notes the CSA (French)
La Croix: The Conseil supérieur audiovisuel (CSA) deplores the lack of diversity in the media. According to his latest Barometer of the representation of society on television and radio, fiction does a little better than other programs.
GEORGIA: Journalists attacked by anti-LGBT demonstrators in Tbilisi, Georgia
CPJ: Georgian authorities should swiftly and thoroughly investigate anti-LGBT demonstrators’ recent attacks on dozens of journalists, and hold those responsible to account, the Committee to Protect Journalists said today.
GERMANY: Exiled Turkish journalist attacked in the yard of his home in Berlin
EFJ: On 7 July, exiled Turkish journalist Erk Acarer was attacked with “fists and knives” in the courtyard of his apartment building in Berlin.
GERMANY: Media crisis: Democracy forum calls for state intervention
Deutsche Welle: It is a critical moment for journalism. Circulation is sinking and fake news is undermining the credibility of the media. Many outlets have seen their budgets slashed. Some say it is time for the state to intervene.
GERMANY & HUNGARY: A whole page of propaganda (German – Opinion)
Deutschlandfunk: Hungary has placed a full-page ad in the “Bild” newspaper to propagate Orban’s ideas about the future of the EU. It is not the first time that, with a lot of money but no objectivity, the reach of large media has been used, criticizes columnist Marina Weisband.
IRELAND: You’ve had your say about RTÉ – this is what you said… (Watch)
RTÉ: “Your views will guide what we do in the years ahead”.
NETHERLANDS: Attempt to murder Dutch reporter – “even in a country ranked 6th in the press freedom index!”
RSF: Following the arrests of three suspects in last night’s shooting attack on crime reporter Peter R. de Vries in the heart of Amsterdam, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) calls on the Dutch authorities to conduct a swift and thorough investigation and to protect journalists who could be targeted by organised crime, so that this murder attempt does not have a chilling effect on journalism.
POLAND: EU rights official decries Polish curbs on media in tussle over U.S.-owned broadcaster
Euronews: The top EU rights official expressed concern on Monday over curbs on media freedom in Poland where the ruling nationalists threaten not to renew the broadcasting licence of a critical TV news channel owned by the U.S. giant Discovery Inc.
SLOVENIA: Slovenian PM deflects media freedom criticism; says ‘come to Slovenia, see for yourself’
The Parliament Magazine: As the Slovenian Council presidency gets underway, Janez Janša sidestepped questions by journalists on media freedom, the rule of law and the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, declaring, “there are many other problems which are immeasurably more relevant.”
SPAIN: Unions ask to include the existence of RTVE in the Constitution (Spanish)
El Confidencial: They seek to shield the continuity and existence of the public entity against the Government and parties.
SWEDEN: Thanks to everyone who had coffee with SVT! (Press Release)
SVT: During the spring, thousands of people across the country have shared their thoughts, views and needs regarding television and just SVT.
SWITZERLAND: SRG opens Play Suisse to access in EU countries
Broadband TV News: Swiss public broadcaster SRG is now allowing Swiss residents to access its streaming service Play Suisse from all EU countries.
UK: BBC director sought to block senior editorial appointment (Paywall)
Financial Times: Sir Robbie Gibb concerned that preferred candidate would damage relations with government.
UK: BBC, ITV and Channel 4 announce the completion of Digital UK and Freesat’s integration (Press Release)
BBC: Today the BBC, ITV and Channel 4 can announce that they have brought together Digital UK Ltd, which facilitates the provision of Freeview, and Freesat (UK) Ltd, which offers access to the UK’s subscription-free satellite television service.
UK: Broadcasting watchdog Ofcom sees complaints in ‘unprecedented’ numbers
BBC News: Media regulator Ofcom received a huge number in complaints over the last year – the highest since it started in 2002.
UK: Consultation launched on potential change of ownership of Channel 4
UK Government: The public and interested parties are being asked to contribute their views on the potential change of ownership of the Channel Four Television Corporation (Channel 4).
UK: Covid in Wales: Audiences turn to BBC during ‘difficult time’
BBC News: Audiences in Wales turned to BBC programmes in increased numbers during the pandemic, a report has found.
UK: Fran Unsworth: Covid highlights BBC’s ‘trusted’ role as source of news
The National: The BBC’s news chief has defended the corporation’s editorial independence and said the pandemic had highlighted it as a source of news that people relied upon.
ARGENTINA: Crossroads between the Government and the opposition for the appointment of directors on Public TV (Spanish)
Clarín: The Government blocks the appointment of the two directors by the opposition in Radio and Television Argentina (RTA), the company that manages Radio Nacional and Public TV and is in charge of Rosario Lufrano.
ARGENTINA: Meritello and Uñac signed an agreement to disseminate sports and cultural activities in public media (Spanish)
Argentina.gob.ar: The Secretary of Media and Public Communication, Pancho Meritello , and the Governor of San Juan, Sergio Uñac , signed on Wednesday a collaboration agreement between the province and the state company Contenidos Públicos SE, in order to advance in a federal country, with equal and inclusive access to sports, cultural and educational content.
BRAZIL: Bolsonaro attacks free speech to undermine democracy, online debate participants say (Portuguese – Paywall)
Folha de S. Paulo: OAB and Arns Commission event discussed threats to journalists and president’s authoritarianism.
LatAm Journalism Review: Colombian media outlet Mutante has been starting conversations about difficult topics since it was launched more than two years ago. Sexual violence. Workplace abuse. Mental health. Topics others shy away from, but that Mutante’s team seems willing to face.
CUBA: Cuban Authorities Block Access to Internet in Response to Protests
VOA News: Cubans facing the country’s worst economic crisis in decades took to the streets over the weekend. In turn, authorities blocked social media sites in an apparent effort to stop the flow of information into, out of and within the beleaguered nation.
ECUADOR: Government will insist on self-regulation of the media in the new Freedom of Expression Law (Spanish)
El Universo: The Commission on International Relations and Mobility is responsible for the analysis and preparation of the report of the Executive’s project.
HAITI: Caribbean media workers concerned about tragic developments claiming Haitian journalists’ lives
Dominica News: The Association of Caribbean Media Workers (ACM) has expressed deep concern with recent tragic and deadly developments which are claiming the lives of journalists in Haiti.
MEXICO: Channel 22, the cultural television that lives between stagnation and propaganda (Spanish – Paywall)
El Universal: Government interference and budget cuts have reduced the autonomy of the television station, which recently turned 28; Media analysts question its use for propaganda but acknowledge the diversity of some of its programs.
MEXICO: López Obrador’s offensive against the press lights the alarms of international organizations (Spanish)
El País: The president’s new confrontational strategy arouses criticism for an even more sensitive derivative: the safety of journalists in one of the most dangerous countries to practice the profession.
MEXICO: They fight in Los Pinos for more community and indigenous radio stations (Spanish)
El Economista: […] with topics to be discussed such as indigenous radio broadcasting in Latin America, plurality as a right of audiences, indigenous women who do radio and the media against the Decade of Indigenous Languages, […] the thirteenth International Radio Biennial began with a series of positions in defense of diversity and linguistic preservation in the country.
REGIONAL: Deserts (and oases) of information, the right to repair and justice in sight (Spanish)
IFEX: June 2021 in the Americas: A news digest on freedom of expression prepared by IFEX regional editor Paula Martins, based on reports from IFEX members and news from the region.
LatAm Journalism Review: Collaboration and reporting in a network, those are the words that could summarize the four days of the First Latin American Journalism Meeting to investigate Corruption from different points of view (ELPIC, for its acronym in Spanish). A virtual event that brought together journalists from Latin America and the world, it placed the global tentacles of corruption under the magnifying glass.
IRAN: New head of Iran’s judicial system has journalists’ blood on his hands
RSF: Reporters Without Borders (RSF) calls for an international commission of enquiry into the persecution of journalists in Iran now that the running of its judicial system has been entrusted to Gholam Hossein Mohseni-Ejei, a former minister of intelligence who has always dealt severely with media personnel and who is implicated in the murder of at least one journalist in 1998.
PALESTINE: Palestine: Strike call after security forces attack journalists covering demonstrations
IFJ: Palestinian security forces have repeatedly attacked and harassed journalists covering recent anti-government demonstrations across the West Bank. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) affiliate, the Palestinian Journalists’ Syndicate (PJS), has responded by calling on all Palestinian journalists to strike to protest against the violent attacks on media workers.
SYRIA: Syrian media struggles to report on the pandemic
Via IFEX: A new study by The Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of Expression revealed significant gaps in the Syrian media’s coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic, especially in disseminating accurate, depoliticized information, and countering misinformation.
TURKEY: Free journalism will end unless there is a brave struggle
Bianet: In the period of April – May – June 2021, 18 journalists faced a total of 84 years in prison as defendants of “insulting the President” in Turkey.
YEMEN: Yemen: Union reports systematic media violations in the first half of 2021
IFJ: The Yemeni Journalists Syndicate (YJS) has documented systematic violations of media freedom in the country between 1 January and 31 June 2021, including arbitrary detentions, kidnappings and threats.
PressProgress: Confidential report shows at least 58% of calls to CBC’s anti-racism hotline reported discrimination by CBC management.
CANADA: CBC North can be ‘incubator’ for Northern talent, says new managing editor
CBC News: Meet Garrett Hinchey, a proud Northerner now overseeing CBC North’s journalism and programming.
CANADA: Implicit bias within Canadian media often means providing excuses for white accused (Opinion)
The Conversation: Canada celebrates itself as a multicultural and inclusive nation, yet when it comes to media representation, the different portrayals of Muslims and white people disguise a culture of implicit bias and racism.
CANADA: New database aims to amplify Muslim voices in Canadian media
J-Source: A new online expert database was launched in May with the goal of increasing Muslim voices featured in Canadian media.
CANADA: On big tech and news publishers, Canada must follow Australia’s lead (Opinion)
Nieman Lab: The federal government should follow Australia’s lead in forcing arbitration between platforms and publishers when needed.
US: Community Foundations & Media: Funding Data from 2009-2021 (Research)
Media Impact Funders: This report provides a detailed look at community foundation support for media in the U.S., including top funders and recipients, comparisons of funding across regions, and examples of grants across a range of media subjects.
US: Not just a wave, but a movement: Journalists unionize at record numbers
Poynter: Union leaders at newspapers, digital outlets and broadcast stations are seeing historic levels of organizing that show little sign of stopping.
US: Report for America opens newsroom applications, expands opportunity to hire more journalists
Report for America: Report for America announced today that applications are now open for news organizations interested in partnering to host emerging and experienced journalists in their newsrooms for up to three years, beginning next summer.
US: Study points to ways public media could build teen and tween audience — and risks of not trying (Paywall)
Current: A report from the Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop released in May made plain what had already been clear to some for years: Public media isn’t on the radar of many tweens and teens.
US: The FTC may abolish noncompete clauses for journalists and everyone else
Poynter: Noncompete contracts are fairly common among TV journalists, especially anchors, who are often forbidden from moving to stations in the same market.
Global Media Monitoring Project: Launch of the 6th Global Report (Event)
WACC: Presentation and discussion of the results of the sixth and largest study on the portrayal and representation of women in the world’s news media.
Guest Article: COVID-19 contact tracing apps: A threat to press freedom and journalists’ privacy?
IPI: Contact tracing is seen as a crucial tool to combat the coronavirus pandemic. To facilitate this process, more and more countries are relying on digital mechanisms such as contract tracing apps.
Reuters Institute
Journalism is Stressful Work. Here Are Resources for Reporters Coping with Trauma (Resources)
GIJN: Dr. Elana Newman, research director for the Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma, and Naseem S. Miller, senior health editor for The Journalist’s Resource, assembled a list of resources for coping with trauma as part of the Investigative Reporters and Editors Conference in June 2021. Here are their recommendations.
Media Capture Under Cover Of COVID (Comment)
Via The ASEAN Post: Since the pandemic began 18 months ago, autocratic governments around the world have tightened their grip on the flow of information. These power grabs are all advanced attempts at “media capture,” a term that covers the multiple ways governments, corporations, and other powerful entities seek to influence media output to protect vested interests.
Media Freedom Coalition statement on anniversary of inaugural Global Conference for Media Freedom (Statement)
Gov.uk: The Media Freedom Coalition has issued a statement on the two year anniversary of the inaugural Global Conference for Media Freedom.
New EFJ study: Sustainable innovative journalism and new business models (Report)
EFJ: Today, the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) published a report examining initiatives that aim to promote sustainable innovative journalism, including those that explore new business models. This report, written by international media expert Marc Gruber follows and updates a previous report on digital journalism and new business models and a workshop held in 2018.
Up in the Air? The Future of Public Service Media in the Western Balkans (Book)
CEU: The agenda for transition after the demise of communism in the Western Balkans made the conversion of state radio and television into public service broadcasters a priority, converting mouthpieces of the regime into public forums in which various interests and standpoints could be shared and deliberated.
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