"This article investigates how news professionals in a nondemocratic regime rationalize their institutional roles and daily reporting practices, negotiate boundaries of their work, and make sense of their professional activities. This study used qualitative interviewing to explore personal experienc
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es, perceived practices, and opinions of Belarusian journalists and media experts. When addressing the gap between their understanding of normative roles and describing their actual practices, journalists provided such rationalizations as personal beliefs and motivations, risks, internal conflict, and professional deformation, as well as attempts to find middle ground. News practitioners in autocratic regimes often expand boundaries of press freedom with civic courage by reporting critically of government policies and taking risks when public interests are at stake. In addition, the study highlights that certain restrictions lead to a more disciplined professional culture of journalists as thorough fact-checking is necessary to avoid penalties enforced by government offices." (Abstract)
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"This chapter focuses on the context of violence and political polarization in three Central American countries: Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador, and analyses how these conditions negatively affect press freedom and the practice of journalism. The author argues that the notion of “insecure dem
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ocracies” can be applied to the reality of these countries and discusses relevant limitations for the work of media organizations and journalists, and how these constrains might impact journalists’ motivations to engage in self-censorship. The author concludes that the engagement of political, social and academic actors and journalists’ associations is necessary for improving the conditions for press freedom, the safety and security of journalists, plural and diverse media systems, and for deepening the understanding of self-censorship in these Central American countries." (Abstract)
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"This chapter’s point of departure lies in its focus on how journalists and media organizations navigate through unsafe environments and avoid self-censorship. The study specifically explores the connection between safety and self-censorship and journalist’s deployment of social media in the Uga
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ndan context. Through interviews and focus group discussions, the study shows that journalists and media organizations (sometimes) use social media to avoid covering unsafe news scenes and to bypass suppression intended to drive them into self-censorship. Journalists and media organizations are able to overcome state-instigated censorship by using platforms such as Facebook and Twitter to obtain journalistic material, which may not be accessible through conventional means. Using the case of the Ugandan government closure of Daily Monitor newspaper in 2013, the chapter shows that the media organization heavily relied on social media to remain in operation during the period when it was under siege. The chapter concludes that employing social media in journalism practice is one of the mechanisms used by journalists and media organizations to surmount safety problems and repression. The author acknowledges the safety problems arising from digital tools and platforms but argues that exploiting the advantages they present, such as being alternative avenues for newsgathering, reporting and dissemination, contributes profoundly to the survival of independent journalism in non-democratic societies." (Abstract)
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"The definition of censorship denotes direct or overt restriction on free expression or freedom of the media. The popular understanding of self-censorship involves a person’s involuntary self-silencing. A journalist’s wilful, personal, intentional self-censorship, at times motivated by selfish m
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otives, is often overlooked especially when there is complicit acceptance of political perspective or financial interest, or normalization/naturalization of unethical practices. Systems and ideologies can condition individuals to self-censor using what Louis Althusser has termed Ideological State Apparatuses and Repressive State Apparatuses, including interpellation. The Zimbabwean Crisis that has resulted in the polarization of Zimbabwean media along political lines demands an evaluation of the notion of self-censorship. Instead of merely focusing on the involuntary nature of self-censorship, there is need to assess instances when journalists self-censor and selfishly comply with political and commercial interests at the expense of serving the lofty ideals of the public good and public interest. Numerous examples exist where Zimbabwean journalists were abused and their rights violated leading to the adoption of self-preservation by such journalists and others when faced with the choice of whether to write or not to write, to tell or not tell. However, journalists are systematically recruited into party and commercial systems, and they have comfortably adopted a cosy demeanour to the extent of collaborating with powerful interest groups and formations. When journalists self-censor not because of fear of violence or threats or other safety concerns, it undermines the transcendental ideal of providing information as a public good and in the public/national interest." (Abstract)
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"The bulk of this report is based on data collected by a survey of more than 80,000 people in 40 markets and reflects media usage in January/February just before the coronavirus hit many of these countries. But the key trends that we document here, including changes in how people access news, low tr
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ust, and rising concern about misinformation have been a backdrop against which journalists, editors, politicians, and public health officials have been battling to reach ordinary people with key messages over the last few months. We know that this crisis has substantially increased the amount and frequency of news consumption as well as influenced attitudes to the news media, at least temporarily. We’ve captured this in a second set of polling data collected in April when the crisis was at its peak in some countries. This has helped us to see the impact of the crisis in terms of sources of news and also reminded us of the critical role that the news media play at times of national crisis, including documenting that people who rely on news media are better informed about the virus than those who do not. While many media companies have been enjoying record audience figures, news fatigue is also setting in, and the short-term and long-term economic impact of the crisis is likely to be profound – advertising budgets are slashed and a recession looms, threatening news media, some of whom are struggling with adapting to a changing world. Against this background, this year’s report also focuses on the shift towards paying for online news in many countries across the world, with detailed analysis of progress in three countries (the UK, USA, and Norway). This year, our report carries important data about the extent to which people value and trust local news, perhaps the sector most vulnerable to the economic shocks that will inevitably follow the health crisis itself. And we also explore the way people access news about climate change as well as attitudes to media coverage for the first time." (Foreword)
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"In this small book, we have identified 10 heroes from different media channels of the country and documented their stories. Our colleagues took their time and went for in-depth discussion with those media soldiers and transcribed those into pieces of stories. These stories embodied their first-hand
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experiences, fear, concerns, hope and aspiration. We believe, these stories will be inspirational and a reference for any pandemic journalist in future." (Preface)
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"This collections of case-studies, best practices and learnings provided by cross-border practitioners of Europe wants to help everyone who is interested in the cross-border method, who wants to start cross-border projects or wants to gain more cross-border skills." (Publisher description)
"This guide will offer a range of tools and methods that can be used to promote a more inclusive form of journalism and storytelling, with marginalised groups and individuals. It’s based on over half a decade of experience and making award-winning, high-impact content in collaboration with reporte
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rs from marginalised communities all over the world - from garment workers in Bangladesh and people living with dementia in the UK, to quarantined villages covering the Ebola crisis in Sierra Leone. This isn’t intended as a definitive guide. Every context will have its own unique challenges and every organisation will have its own workflows, outputs and audiences. This is an introduction to a framework to make journalism inclusive and empowering and borrows heavily from lessons learned from community organising, service design and the humanitarian sector." (Page 3)
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"This rapid literature review concentrates on the role of communications activity (including communications campaigns and media relations in contributing to the reduction of corruption in Sub-Saharan Africa. The review also determines if there are any evidence-based examples on the impact of communi
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cations (campaigns or related activities) on reducing corruption. Subsidiary questions in the review are to determine if the there are any lessons learned from using specific types of communication activity; the types of corrupt practices that communications activity can help to reduce and, if there are any effective communication tools for reducing corruption. Findings of the review show that there is evidence that communication campaigns have an impact on corruption through reducing bribery and promoting reporting of corruption. However, further research is needed to confirm the sustainability of the impact of such campaigns and interventions. The review also suggests that many of the communication interventions that address corruption are initiated by civil society and some of these are undertaken in collaboration with governments." (Summary)
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"Das Spektrum der Maßnahmen, die Sozialpartner und Interessenvertreter des audiovisuellen Sektors ergreifen können, um die Gleichstellung der Geschlechter und die Vielfalt zu verbessern, ist breit. Von ehrgeizigen Strategien und Plänen bis hin zu kleineren Initiativen, die sich direkt auf die Arb
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eitsorganisation auswirken. Die in diesem Bericht vorgestellten bewährten Praktiken haben ihre Wirksamkeit bewiesen. Die aus ihrer Umsetzung gewonnenen Erkenntnisse können als Inspiration und auch als Referenz in anderen nationalen Kontexten dienen. Der große Wert der regelmäßigen Erstellung von Statistiken und qualitativen Analysen über den Vertretungsgrad von Frauen und anderen unterrepräsentierten Gruppen auf Bildschirmen und in der audiovisuellen Belegschaft hat sich gezeigt. Es ist besonders wichtig, die Entwicklungen zu überwachen und die Auswirkungen der Maßnahmen zu bewerten. Die Sozialpartner und Interessenvertreter des Sektors haben mit Unterstützung öffentlicher Einrichtungen ein gemeinsames Interesse daran, zusammen auf einen systematischeren Ansatz für die Erhebung geschlechtsspezifischer Daten auf europäischer Ebene hinzuarbeiten." (Schlussfolgerungen, Seite 78)
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"Although Nepal has entered a new era of democracy and press freedom since 2006, self-censorship still exists in the reporting/editing of many Nepali journalists. Nepal has more than 100 years of press history, most of it has faced pressure from the government if not censorship. Drawing upon intervi
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ews with journalists, the chapter demonstrates how self-censorship is being practised in Nepali media houses as a result of state power, the culture of impunity, commercial interests, and political inclination of journalists. While highlighting these agents, the chapter also aims to explain the difference in practices of self-censorship by gender and type of news media." (Abstract)
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"Sierra Leone continues to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic through the dissemination of information across various platforms. The media have generally been supportive in providing the public with information and education about COVID-19. However, media owners and managers continue to raise concerns
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about difficulties in running their institutions amidst COVID-19. Some media institutions have started rotational work schedules to cope with the lack of resources to pay staff. The situation has left media institutions worried about their sustainability during the outbreak of COVID-19 and beyond. The Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) was able to secure some support for training of journalists and some financial support for radio and television stations and newspapers for broadcasting and publishing contents on COVID-19. This is, however, not enough given the enormity of the economic impact on the media industry. It is, therefore, recommended that the government of Sierra Leone put in place financial relief packages to support the media in the country in these trying times." (Conclusion)
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"L’éventail des actions que les partenaires sociaux et les autres acteurs du secteur peuvent mettre en oeuvre pour promouvoir l’égalité des sexes et la diversité est vaste. Il couvre aussi bien des stratégies coordonnées et à long terme que des actions à plus petite échelle qui ont un i
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mpact direct sur l’organisation du travail. Les bonnes pratiques présentées dans cette publication ont prouvé leur efficacité. Les enseignements tirés de leur mise en oeuvre peuvent servir d’inspiration, voire de référence, dans d’autres contextes nationaux. La production régulière de statistiques et d’analyses qualitatives sur les niveaux de représentation des femmes et d’autres groupes sous-représentés à l’écran et dans les effectifs de l’audiovisuel est des plus importantes. Elle est particulièrement nécessaire afin de suivre les évolutions et d’évaluer l’impact des actions entreprises. Les partenaires sociaux et les autres acteurs du secteur, avec le soutien des institutions publiques, ont un intérêt commun à travailler ensemble à une approche plus systématique de la collecte de données sur le genre dans le secteur audiovisuel au niveau européen. Des outils et des fonds spécifiques doivent également être mis à la disposition des acteurs de l’audiovisuel pour les aider à mettre en oeuvre des initiatives concrètes qui favorisent l’égalité et la diversité sur les lieux de travail, sur les plateaux et dans les studios, et en relations avec le public. Promouvoir l’égalité des chances entre les femmes et les hommes et soutenir une plus large inclusion de profils divers dans les effectifs de l’audiovisuel et sur les écrans sont des actions primordiales aux valeurs européennes. Il y a un intérêt créatif, sociétal et économique à ce que le secteur audiovisuel reflète mieux les réalités de sociétés diverses et changeantes." (Conclusions et perspectives)
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"This book sheds new light on the study of journalism and communication, considering why and how journalism is studied in the 21st century. It notably offers both an international and interdisciplinary comparison of journalism and communication, examining the history of Chinese and Western journalis
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m and addressing the similarities and differences between them. Focusing on the education and training of future journalists, it also provides a comprehensive study of news coverage systems in China and in Western countries, including the processing of news sources, attitudes towards news communication and comparative communication scholarship. Researchers of media and journalism will find this a key read, as well as practicing journalists and students of journalism." (Publisher description)
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"Las buenas prácticas presentadas en este informe han demostrado su eficacia. Las enseñanzas extraídas de su aplicación pueden servir de inspiración, si no de referencia, en otros contextos nacionales. Se ha demostrado el alto valor de la producción periódica de estadísticas y análisis cual
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itativos de los niveles de representación de las mujeres y otros grupos infrarrepresentados en las pantallas y en el personal del sector audiovisual. Es particularmente importante hacer un seguimiento de los acontecimientos y evaluar el impacto de las medidas adoptadas. Los interlocutores sociales y las partes interesadas del sector, con el apoyo de las instituciones públicas, tienen un interés común en trabajar juntos para lograr un enfoque más sistemático de la recopilación de datos sobre el género a nivel europeo. También es necesario poner a disposición de los interesados del sector audiovisual instrumentos y fondos específicos para ayudarles a poner en práctica iniciativas concretas que promuevan la igualdad y la diversidad en sus lugares de trabajo, en los platós y en los estudios, y en relación con sus audiencias." (Conclusiones)
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"This book questions whether the news we get is as useful for citizens as it could, or should, be. This international study of news is based on re-thinking and re-conceptualising the news values that underpin understandings of journalism. It goes beyond empirical descriptions of what journalism is t
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o explore normative ideas of what it might become if practised alongside commitments to ethical listening, active citizenship and social justice. It draws lessons from both alternative and mainstream media output; from both journalists and scholars; from both practice and theory. It challenges dominant news values by drawing on insights from feminism, peace journalism and other forms of critical thinking that are usually found on the margins of journalism studies. This original and engaging contribution to knowledge proposes an alternative set of contemporary news values that have significant implications for the news industry, for journalism education and for democracy itself." (Publisher description)
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