Our weekly round-up of public service media related stories and headlines from around the world.
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DRC: Attacks on reporters by governor’s bodyguards in DRC’s Kasai province
RSF: According to the information gathered by JED, which wrote to the governor on 8 May expressing “deep concern” about the violence, his bodyguards manhandled three local radio reporters during a hearing in the law courts in the provincial capital on 3 May, took them to the police station and held them there for several hours.
EGYPT: After journalists, Egypt arrests bloggers
RSF: By reining in the traditional media and blocking access to independent online media, the Egyptian authorities have reduced the country to almost complete silence. Social networks have not as yet been blocked but the authorities are currently using other means in an attempt to control social network content.
GAMBIA: Gambia declares criminal defamation unconstitutional, keeps some laws on sedition, false news
CPJ: According to the news website Front Page International and the secretary general of the Gambia Press Union, Saikou Jammeh, the court upheld provisions that punish statements likely to promote hatred among “different classes” and sedition relating to the country’s president and judicial processes and decisions.
KENYA: Kenyan president should not sign cybercrime bill into law
CPJ: On April 26, 2018, the National Assembly approved the Computer and Cybercrimes Bill, 2017. The bill, among other provisions, criminalizes the publication of false news and stipulates hefty fines and lengthy prison terms for those found guilty of the offense, according to the Hansard, a verbatim published report of debates and proceedings in Kenya’s Parliament.
LIBERIA: Liberian president’s media freedom assurances at variance with actions
Ifex: With more than half of Liberians living in poverty, the hopes of many citizens are pinned on President George Weah’s promises to economically transform the country. Similarly high expectations extend to those in the media sector.
MALAWI: MACRA threaten to closedown media houses,broadcasters targeted ahead of Malawi watershed elections
Nyasa Times: Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA) has warned that they will start closing down all broadcasting houses in the country that fail to submit audited accounts and those who deliberately ignore their ethics to please their masters as the country drifts towards tripartite elections.
NAMIBIA: Traditional Media Survival Threatened
The Namibian: Falling advertising revenues, social media platforms and the exodus of senior journalists are some of the factors contributing to the decline of traditional media enterprises, according to research findings released at a World Press Freedom Day commemoration in Windhoek.
NIGERIA: Nigeria set to host world press congress, Iredia urges media return to agenda-setting role
The Guardian (Nigeria): Former Director General of Nigeria Television Authority (NTA), Dr. Tonnie Iredia, has called on the Nigerian media to return to its agenda-setting role of being the watchdog of the society, by shunning all political agenda.
SOUTH AFRICA: Broadcaster e.tv warns: Free-to-air TV in SA is in peril
Channel 24: The free-to-air commercial broadcaster e.tv warned South Africa’s broadcasting regulator that the free-to-air TV sector in the country is under threat and needs urgent protection from the increasing dominance of pay-TV.
TANZANIA & KENYA: Press Freedom In the Spotlight
All Africa: The CPJ and 64 civil society groups from around the world want the Tanzania and Kenya governments to address the deteriorating environment for media, human rights defenders and opposition party members in the respective countries.
UGANDA: Ten things Museveni, media gurus discussed at inaugural presidential media round table
Daily Monitor: Calls for better working relationship between government and the media adding that the media should have dialogue with the government, play complementary role to government plans, emphasize stringent gatekeeping role and have control, more especially on social media filtered content.
ZIMBABWE: Zimbabwe must reform its public media – analysts
African Independent: Zimbabwe must reform its public media and provide coverage of news according to the Constitution, media and election analysts said on Monday.
GENERAL: Roundtable discussion focuses on copyright challenges, solutions in Africa
EJN: Relentless breaches of journalists’ copyright are doing serious “economic damage” to news organizations in Ghana, editors and journalists said at a World Press Freedom Day event in Accra.
AFGHANISTAN: When journalists become targets (Listen)
Aljazeera: The Afghan journalists rushing to the site of an explosion two weeks ago in Kabul were trying to cover the news. They didn’t realise it was a setup. In the aftermath, a second suicide bomber, disguised as a news cameraman, detonated his device.
CAMBODIA: Cambodia: Questions about press freedom over newspaper sale
IFJ: The Phnom Penh Post, seen as the last independent daily in Cambodia was sold to a Malaysian investor, with ties to Cambodia Prime Minister, Hun Sen, on Saturday May 5, 2018.
CAMBODIA: Vietnam-funded radio station inaugurated in Cambodia
Asia Radio Today: The station is a part of the projects implemented under the agreement on economic, cultural, education, scientific and technical cooperation between the two countries.
CHINA: Eurovision 2018: Chinese channel barred from airing contest
BBC News: The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has barred one of China’s most popular TV channels from airing the Eurovision song contest after it censored LGBT elements of the competition.
CHINA: Journalists attacked covering earthquake memorial in China
IFJ: The journalists were physically attacked and had their equipment damaged, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its affiliate the Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA) have condemned the attack.
INDIA: Community Radio is an important way to help marginalised people: Asia Media Summit
Asia Radio Today: Speaking in the Radio Stream of the Asia Media Summit, Kapoor urged the Indian Government to speed up the process of applying for licences and to simplify it, so that more communities can be empowered by hearing their own voices on the radio.
INDIA: Prasar Bharati board to discuss rightsizing policy at meeting today
Hindustan Times: The last board meeting in February was mired in controversy after the public broadcaster turned down a resolution moved by the MIB to appoint a serving IAS officer to its board, and deferred its proposal to bring in professionals to head the news service units of Doordarshan and All India Radio.
JAPAN: Female journalists in Japan join forces to fight sexual harassment
The Straits Times: A total of 86 women journalists have come together to form the Women in Media Network Japan (WiMN) to expose harassment and abuse, said Ms Yoshiko Hayashi, a freelancer who formerly worked at the mass-circulation Asahi Shimbun.
JAPAN: NHK World-Japan expands activities in Germany
NHK: NHK-World Japan, the 24-hour international English-language channel from Japan’s public broadcaster NHK, is expanding its activities in Germany following the launch on Unitymedia’s cable network in November 2017.
MALAYSIA: Malaysian elections bring hope for restoration of press freedom
IFJ: In a statement welcoming the election results, NUJM urged the government to keep its commitment to repeal the Printing, Presses and Publishing Act 1984 (PPPA) and other relevant laws and regulations that curb media freedom and poses threats to journalists in our country and to ensure that all efforts will be done in line with the democratic process.
MYANMAR: People need to know why our journalists were arrested in Myanmar, Reuters tells CPJ
CPJ: In a phone interview with CPJ, Reg Chua, the chief operating officer of Reuters Editorial in New York, spoke about his colleagues, Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, and why it was so important for Reuters to publish the story they had been working on.
PAKISTAN: Pakistani journalist appeals 22-year sentence on terrorism, defamation charges
CPJ
PHILIPPINES: Filipinos ‘chasing a false dream’ in NZ after broadcast
RNZ: A news story broadcast on Philippines television promoting student visas as a sure path to New Zealand residency is being branded as fake and dangerous.
THAILAND: Editor of Bangkok Post ‘forced to step down’ over coverage of government
The Guardian: Umesh Pandey said he refused an order from board of directors to ‘tone down’ the newspaper’s reporting and editorials
UZBEKISTAN: Uzbekistani TV channels gain popularity, displacing Russian programmes
Caravanserai: Uzbekistanis have become increasingly attracted to domestically produced television over the past year, according to recent studies.
GENERAL: Staying relevant to your audience: Vietnam Radio Festival
Asia Radio Today: Four international speakers discussed new trends in the challenging modern media landscape, during Vietnam’s 2018 Radio Festival last week.
AUSTRALIA: Budget 2018: ABC News boss Gaven Morris says there’s ‘no more fat to cut’ after funding reduced
ABC: ABC News director Gaven Morris says there is “no more fat to cut at the ABC”, and an $84-million reduction in funding revealed in the federal budget will “cut into the muscle” at the broadcaster.
AUSTRALIA: Majority of voters oppose budget cut to ABC funding – poll
The Guardian: Exclusive: Poll finds 58% oppose cut to ABC and SBS funding to avoid undermining commercial media
AUSTRALIA: The ABC of News in the Age of Fake – Lunch with Gaven Morris
ABC: Speech by Gaven Morris, Director of News, Analysis & Investigations
NEW ZEALAND: New Chair for Radio New Zealand
PMA: Congratulations to Dr. Jim Mather on his appointment as Chair of Radio New Zealand’s Board of Governors.
NEW ZEALAND: NZ Radio Awards: RNZ takes home six awards
RNZ: RNZ has won five categories at the NZ Radio Awards, including best news journalist and best podcast at the 2018 NZ Radio Awards.
PAPUA NEW GUINEA: PNG’s Kora Nou elected as new PINA president
RNZ: The head of Papua New Guinea’s public broadcaster has been elected as president of the Pacific Islands News Association.
SAMOA & TONGA: Tuilaepa accuses Pohiva of being ‘jello’ over Samoan press freedom
Pacific Media Centre: Tuilaepa made the comment in response to Pohiva questioning Samoa’s ranking on the Reporters Without Borders’ World Press Freedom Index. Samoa is ranked 22nd while Tonga is ranked 51st.
TONGA: New Tonga media body seen as a necessity
RNZ: The president of the newly formed Media Association of Tonga (MAT) says the body is necessary to help journalists operate in the current political and social environment.
GENERAL: Pacific media risks ‘tightening of the noose’
RNZ: More training and development for the region’s journalists would better protect the media and improve transparency in the region, a Pacific journalism educator says.
AUSTRIA: Austrian regulator blocks ORF YouTube channel
Broadband TV News: Austrian media authority KommAustria has rejected plans by public broadcaster ORF to set up its own YouTube channel.
BALKANS: Right-Wing Hungarian Media Moves Into the Balkans
OCCRP: Hungarians with links to the country’s pro-government media have embarked on a mass buy-up of news outlets in Macedonia, part of what appears to be a concerted push into the Balkans by media companies loyal to right-wing Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.
BULGARIA: OBCT’s Bulgaria Dossier on the EU’s worst country when it comes to press freedom
ECPMF: Bulgaria’s first Presidency of the Council of the European Union is coming to an end soon. Its ranking in the press freedom index is the lowest in the EU. This OBCT dossier discusses the reasons for the continuous decline.
CYPRUS: Cypriot journalists targeted over leaked emails
Index: Journalists’ organisations and international bodies have expressed concern over freedom of the press in Cyprus following revelations that police have questioned journalists about leaked emails
FRANCE: Gender equality progresses at Radio France (Interview – French)
LMFP: In 2017, Radio France made a commitment to increase the places held by women on its antennas by 5% per year. The target has been reached for 2017 and even exceeded in places.
GERMANY: Peter Limbourg: ‘We are the voice of all of Germany’
DW: Deutsche Welle has 65 years of eventful history to look back on but continues to face challenges. Peter Limbourg explains why Germany has to keep expanding its media presence across the globe.
MONTENEGRO: Montenegrin investigative journalist Olivera Lakić shot and injured
IFJ: Olivera Lakić is an investigative journalist for Vijesti newspaper. She is known for covering crime and corruption in Montenegro.
NORWAY: Scout Gaming secures deal with Norwegian public broadcaster NRK
Gaming Intelligence: Stockholm-listed B2B fantasy sports provider Scout Gaming Group has entered into an agreement to launch a new daily fantasy sports (DFS) platform for Norwegian government-owned radio and television public broadcasting company NRK.
POLAND: Polish channels expand in Lithuania
Broadband TV News: Three channels operated by the Polish public broadcaster TVP – TVP Info, TVP Polonia and TVP Historia – can now be received terrestrially in Lithuania.
Index: While the Portuguese media goes through a crisis, the government has taken to hiring unmotivated and underpaid journalists, accelerating the hollowing out of newsrooms.
SLOVAKIA: Consequences of a politically compromised RTVS are worse than you think
The Slovak Spectator: Amid falling poll numbers and regular street demonstrations there is little doubt parties like Smer and SNS hope to use this channel to implement the most classic of political campaign tactics.
SPAIN: The FAPE and the APM urge to unblock the renewal of RTVE (Spanish)
La Vanguardia: The Federation of Associations of Journalists of Spain (FAPE) and the Association of the Press of Madrid (APM) have urged the parliamentary groups today to unblock the appointment through a public tender of the new board of directors and the president of RTVE.
UK: BBC predicts all-IP future, says it will evolve into an internet broadcaster
Digital TV Europe: The BBC’s technology chief has predicted that all media will be delivered over the web in the not too distant future and called on the UK industry to come together as we move into this IP era.
UK: Lords could defy government over Leveson inquiry
The Guardian: Peers consider reintroducing demand for second stage of press standards review
UK: Ofcom predicts ‘Kangaroo 2’ collaboration between UK broadcasters
Digital TV Europe: UK broadcast regulator Ofcom has called on the UK’s public service broadcasters to collaborate in order to compete with global giants like Netflix, describing a previous regulatory block on such efforts as a “tragedy”.
UKRAINE: Legislative amendment threatens independence of Ukrainian public service broadcaster
EBU: The EBU is highly concerned by a proposed amendment to the Ukrainian Law on Public Television and Radio which threatens the editorial independence of public service media.
REGIONAL: Campaign to improve journalists working conditions in the Western Balkans and Turkey
SEENPM: The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) launched a video campaign to raise awareness about the poor working conditions of journalists and media workers in the Western Balkans and Turkey.
The Independent: The EBU (European Broadcasting Union) has tonight (10 May) announced it has terminated its contract with the Chinese broadcaster Mango TV after it failed to broadcast Ireland’s Eurovision entry.
CIMA: Personal data privacy, or the general lack thereof online, has garnered a considerable amount of attention in the past month, especially in the wake of the Facebook-Cambridge Analytica controversy.
GENERAL: Which European democracies are best combating Russian disinformation?
El Pais: New think tank report places Spain, France, Germany and Poland among the most protected from interference by Russia-funded media
REGIONAL: Digital radio progress in Norway, Switzerland, Denmark and UK
EBU: In a series of articles on the progress of Digital Radio across Europe, the EBU’s Radio expert Ben Poor examines how the growth in digital listening is driving Digital Switchover (DSO).
Pew Research Center: France, Spain and Italy are more fragmented in their news sources and more negative toward the news media than other countries
ARGENTINA: Dispute continues at TV Pública: staff denounce the “emptying” and today the news bulletin did not go on air (Spanish)
iProfesional: The morning news of the TV Pública did not air on Thursday due to a protest from the state channel workers , who are calling on the authorities to review the decision not to grant salary increases this year and the opening of the peer reviews.
BOLIVIA: Journalists are torn between the economic asphyxia of media and self-censorship (Spanish)
Los Tiempos: The vast majority of press workers consider that this period is one of the most difficult for the sector that has seen how the central administration, through different mechanisms, has taken on the task of influencing the professional task and trying to align with what the ruling party thinks.
Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas: The information compiled by the NGO annually since 2012 highlights continuing trends in the country: politicians are the main suspects of ordering or carrying out violations; small cities, with up to 100,000 inhabitants, are the main sites of these violations; and radio broadcasters and bloggers are the main victims of the attacks.
CHILE: Crisis of journalism in Chile: The struggle of alternative media to not die trying (Spanish)
El Desconcierto: Iconic magazines of the Chilean press that close their print edition, projects that end due to lack of resources and newspapers that get rid of their staff to try not to drown in the Internet. If the large journalistic consortiums are sinking in serious economic problems, what option is left for the independent media?
ECUADOR: President of Ecuador announces project to amend the Communication Law (Spanish)
La Vanguardia: Moreno, in his weekly Monday address to the nation, said the new law will offer “full guarantees to interact” and that there will be “clear regulations” to guarantee press freedom according to international standards.
NICARAGUA: Independent Nicaraguan press calls for end to repression of journalists in context of mass protests
Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas: A statement from independent Nicaraguan journalists condemning lethal violence on protesters and attacks on the press, and urging respect for press freedom from the government, has garnered signatures from 35 media outlets, four civil society organizations, 87 journalists and counting.
IRAN: Block on Telegram is a blow to freedom of expression
Article 19: Telegram is crucial to accessing the information in Iran and must be unblocked
PALESTINE: Seven Palestinian journalists injured by gunfire in Gaza protests
CPJ: At least seven Palestinian journalists have been injured by Israeli gunfire while covering today’s demonstrations, according to the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate (PJS), reports shared on social media by media outlets and journalists, and CPJ interviews with local journalists Saud Abu Ramadan and Moneeb Saada.
SAUDI ARABIA: With films, talk shows and cooking programmes, Saudi Arabia’s new TV station feeds into modernisation drive
DNA: Saudi Arabia’s ambitious reform drive takes another step forwards this week, with the launch of a new public TV channel that seeks to lure young viewers and project a modern image beyond the kingdom’s borders.
TURKEY: Cumhuriyet trial report: No crime, no evidence, no justice
IPI: Numerous irregularities marred defendants’ right to a fair trial.
CANADA: Amid declining press freedom worldwide, Canada and Ecuador offer signs of hope
IJNET: As press freedom declines and the World Press Freedom Index map, created by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), grows darker, there are concerns that the overall environment for journalists will become more dangerous.
CANADA: “Rad”: one year after its launch, the winning formulas of the CBC’s journalism laboratory (French)
LMFP: Launched in May 2017, Rad, the CBC’s journalism laboratory, has carved out a place in the ever-changing world of digital information through its creative approach. With an organic reach of more than 20 million people and an average engagement rate of 8%, Rad succeeds in reaching out to curious digital citizens who are looking for an engaging and stimulating source of information.
CANADA: The debate over digitizing Canadian broadcasting history
WBFO: The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) is planning to convert 1.1 million hours of audio, film and video currently in its archives to digital files by 2022.
US: NPR empolyees ask board for transparency in response to harassment scandals (Subscribe)
Current: NPR’s response to its recent incidents of inappropriate workplace behaviour is drawing the scrutiny of employees, several of whom weighed in at a board meeting this month on matters of pay equity and trainings around harassment.
CPB: Molly of Denali is designed to help kids ages 4-8 develop knowledge and skills for interacting with informational texts through video content, interactive games, and real-world activities. A foundational aspect of literacy education, informational texts are designed to convey information, and include written words, images, and oral language.
US: The rise of the American news desert
VOX: Predominantly white rural areas supported Trump. They also often lack robust local media.
US: US public radio consortium buys Australian podcasting app Pocket Casts
Radio Info: A group of US public radio giants comprising NPR, WNYC, WBEZ Chicago and This American Life has acquired Pocket Casts, a podcast app created by Australian developer Shifty Jelly.
Adapting to digital isn’t just about learning new things. It’s about deciding what to let go. (Journalism Tools)
Poynter: Give yourself a high five. If you’ve been in the journalism industry for more than a minute, you’ve evolved at a pace that would startle Charles Darwin.
How ICIJ’s Datashare project will help journalists breach borders
ICIJ: Behind the scenes, the Panama Papers and Paradise Papers investigations were powered by a central platform that made it possible for the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists’ worldwide network of journalists to collaborate while exploring tens of millions of files.
GIJN Launches Migration Resource Package
GIJN: Covering migration and “forced migration” is a challenge for journalists worldwide. To help, GIJN has created a four-part package of resources.
Strong from the start: leads and nut grafs
IJNET: Readers give you just a few seconds to capture their interest before their eye moves on to the next story or photo. You need a crisp lead and a strong focus to keep the reader going.
The global threat to free media: Four ways journalism gets BLOC’d
Poynter: Governments, like corporations, have found ways to game the vacuum, ensuring their agendas and narratives are secured, unfiltered and unexamined, in the vaults of public fact. As a result, the ability of global citizens to make informed decisions is severely impaired. There are four basic ways this is being done.
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