"[...] The MPM2021 covers, on this occasion, 32 countries, 27 EU and 5 non-EU (Candidate countries) [...] The results of the MPM2021 show an increase in the risk level for all the areas that the Media Pluralism Monitor analyses: Fundamental protection, Market Plurality, Political Independence and So
...
cial Inclusiveness. The increase is higher in the Social Inclusiveness and in the Market area; in the last case, causing the shift from the medium to the high risk level for the average of EU + 5." (Conclusions and recommendations, page 145)
more
"This handbook enables media educators throughout Africa to raise awareness and impact the media ecology on a national and regional basis. National, regional and international media environments are crucial for the attainment of the sustainable development and the protection of human rights. This is
...
because transparency and accountability are central to democracy and development. Educators in journalism, media studies, development studies, sociology, political science and similar disciplines will be able to create a new curriculum. Learners will gain a holistic understanding of the ecosystem in which democracy can thrive. The handbook will help participants understand and advocate for better media policy environments." (Short summary, page 9)
more
"'Listening in' analyses political voice and political listening against the backdrop of the media diversity debates. We focus on community media in Australia with its’ stated commitments to media diversity and to amplifying voices that are rarely heard in the mainstream. We ask to what extent the
...
political voice enabled by community and alternative media is heard by decision-makers and opinion leaders in key democratic institutions of government and media." (Introduction, page 7)
more
"Since its adoption on 1 July 2020, the Protection of Personal Information Act has bolstered freedom of expression and the right to privacy. This legislation aims to protect citizens’ personal information and balance the right to privacy with other rights, such as access to information. In Februar
...
y 2021, the Constitutional Court upheld the 2019 High Court decision that declared certain sections of the Regulation of Interception of Communication and Provision of Communication-Related Information Act unconstitutional as they violate the right to privacy. The Act had allowed for surveillance and the interception of communication. These positive developments were hampered by the COVID-19 pandemic, which affected freedom of expression and the operating environment of the media and journalists. As in other countries, journalism was considered an essential service in South Africa, which meant that with permission, journalists could continue reporting and were exempt from restrictions that kept most of the population in lockdown. Despite this, journalists found it difficult to access information, making first-hand news-gathering difficult. The Disaster Management Act of 2002 was also applied to manage the lockdowns. Under this Act, essential workers (including journalists) were required to have permits to travel to cover stories. In addition, the government’s attempts to prevent the spread of misinformation related to COVID-19 affected the free flow of information, as information became centralised within the Covid Command Centre. This had a chilling effect on freedom of expression and media freedom in South Africa. Journalists also faced further challenges regarding access to personal protective equipment and training on reporting safely during a pandemic. COVID-19 also affected the sustainability and viability of the media. Both the structure of newsrooms and business models were disrupted. The pandemic accelerated the pre-existing and long-term structural decline in print media, resulting in a devastating impact on the already fragile operations, with significant decreases in both circulation and advertising [...]" (Summary, page 5)
more
"[...] the exercise of freedom of expression remains relatively practised and differs from one region to the next. It is easier to exercise freedom of expression in big cities than in small towns or rural areas. Since 2012, Mali has been plagued by terrorist groups’ attacks from the north. The det
...
erioration of the security situation, which impacts all aspects of national life, causes a climate of self-censorship, especially among media professionals, most notably in the countryside. From Ségou (centre of Mali) to the far north, community radio stations are cautious with the terms they use. Journalists systematically refuse specific programmes for fear of being physically hurt or seeing their facilities attacked. Some journalists have been kidnapped, although most are released after secret negotiations involving state security. Threats and pressures on journalists and the media do not come only from state officials. People named in investigative articles sometimes use deceptive methods to intimidate journalists. People singled out by publications also put pressure on the family of journalists to get the investigation dropped or for journalists to self-censor. Furthermore, some laws restrict freedom of expression, such as Act of 5 December 2019 on the repression of cybercrime in its articles 74, 75 and 76 ..." (Summary, page 5)
more
"Trade unionists, human rights activists, journalists, dignitaries of endogenous religions, and even ordinary citizens feel threatened when exercising their right to freedom of expression. Generally, they fear prosecution cases against them being mounted by the authorities. Business people and entre
...
preneurs are also targeted through fiscal pressure or unexpected controls placed on their companies. The Digital Code, passed in 2017, is a source of fear for Benin journalists. Under this code, the Central Cybercrime Repression Authority arrested journalist Ignace Sossou on 19 December 2019 at his house. At his trial, Sossou was sentenced to 12-months imprisonment, six of which he served in prison, and a fine for harassment for relaying the prosecutor’s words during a seminar on Twitter. Fear of reprisals pushes the media to practice self-censorship. Psychological pressure seems to prevent journalists from freely exercising freedom of expression. There are also fears regarding the use of social media networks. There is an explicit restriction of civic space in general, and citizens are afraid of being tapped. Due to abuse by the press and certain citizens, several provisions of the Digital Code hamper freedom of expression. This is perceived as a political manoeuvre to dampen the citizens’ desire to express themselves freely [...]" (Summary, page 5)
more
"Uruguay es el primer país del Cono Sur de América Latina en realizar una evaluación integral de su paisaje mediático utilizando los Indicadores de Desarrollo Mediatico (IDMs) de la UNESCO. Y, lo que es único de este ejercicio, es que todas las facultades de comunicación del país colaboraron
...
en el proceso de investigación, en alianza con la Oficina Regional de Ciencias de la UNESCO para América Latina y el Caribe. El resultado es un informe que evalúa el nivel de desarrollo de los medios de comunicación públicos, privados y comunitarios, y proporciona un exhaustivo análisis del panorama mediático del país, ya sea de su marco legislativo como de su pluralidad y diversidad de medios. Si la UNESCO reedita en 2021 este estudio llevado a cabo entre 2014 y 2017 es por su utilidad en el examen del cumplimiento de las leyes, actuales o futuras, con estándares internacionales en materia de libertad de expresión, ofrenciendo una hoja de ruta para futuras reformas de legislación de medios." (Reverso)
more
"The interviews and the analyses by the experts show that: –– Quality content increases safety. The editors interviewed for this publication confirm that fair and balanced journalism, which clearly distinguishes between facts and opinion and treats the people at the center of the story with resp
...
ect tends to lead to increased respect from the audience and makes the journalists less of a target for potential attackers. It also increases trust on the part of audiences as well as with advertisers willing to pay for content. –– Audience engagement plays a crucial role in terms of safety. No matter whether through a membership model, regular informal exchanges or listener clubs — an audience that values a certain media outlet will be less likely to accept any attacks against it. –– Flexible and resilient business models are a must-have. They help organizations to react to new threats, to adapt strategies, and to maintain high quality and independent reporting in times of crisis. –– No viability without digital security. A media outlet that loses all its data or whose data gets hacked and its sensitive sources revealed, loses everything: content and credibility. Online attacks are more likely and easier to carry out than physical attacks. Digital security is an essential part of any safety concept. –– Diversity pays off. During the COVID-19 crisis, women and minority groups came under particular attack all around the world, online and offline. To include their stories and perspectives is not only a moral obligation but also makes business sense as they make up an essential part of audiences anywhere on the globe." (Synopsis, page 39)
more
"[...] Faith communities in Malaysia seem to constantly find ways to reach out to each other and to Malaysians who may not necessarily share their backgrounds. This already contradicts the assumption that local religions are often intolerant towards each other. Rather, what is required is a platform
...
for dialogue, representation, and to use a term that a ‘Diverse Voices’ panellist used, mediation. On the other hand, media practitioners and journalists have helped the fieldwork reflect on the material and political conditions in which local stories about religion are shaped. More importantly, going beyond the ‘helicopter view’, the project gradually learned what is actually going on from the ground. In fact, one of the journalists has described this constant anxiety over potential punishment, public backlash, and being dismissed as an “unspoken structure.” The lesson is, journalists themselves called for empowering, training, and organising. Most journalists mentioned the lack of sustainable resources. While there are existing journalist groups and unions, including the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) and Institute of Journalists (IOJ) in Malaysia, these are not focused on supporting the religious reporting process. Rather, they provide more general support for journalists." (Page 23)
more
"The findings show a general stagnation or deterioration of media pluralism and media freedom in the four major areas encompassed by the Media Pluralism Monitor (MPM): Basic protection, Market plurality, Political independence and Social inclusiveness. The study comprises the European Union Member S
...
tates (UK included, considering the timeframe of the project-the UK left the EU in 2020) as well as in candidate countries, Turkey, and for the first time, an assessment of Albania. The MPM 2020 has confirmed the findings of the previous four rounds of monitoring – showing that none of the countries analysed are free from risks to media pluralism." (https://cmpf.eui.eu/mpm2020-results)
more
"[...] in this whitepaper we hear from a range of experts, journalists and charities about their efforts to increase diversity in the media, the research they’ve produced, and why it should matter to all of us: readers, listeners, viewers and journalists alike." (Introduction)
"[...] this study provides an extensive overview of conceptualizations and operationalizations of media diversity in different fields using a systematic literature review (1999–2018). This showed a lack of theorizing and linking of conceptual with empirical work in media diversity research. Based
...
on this, we develop a framework on how to move forward: Regarding conceptualization, we call for focusing on different places in the journalistic information chain instead of the classical exposure-supply distinction. Methodologically, automated approaches (e.g., analyzing digital traces) and qualitative approaches (e.g., capturing perceptions of diversity) should receive more attention. For analysis, matters of balance and disparity need to be stressed more, especially discussing possible limits to diversity. Overall, research into media diversity thus needs to be addressed in interdisciplinary collaboration." (Abstract)
more
"This edited book aims at bringing together a range of contemporary expertise that can shed light on the relationship between media pluralism in Latin America and processes of democratization and social justice. In doing so, the authors of the book provide empirically grounded theoretical insight in
...
to the extent to which questions about media pluralism-broadly understood as the striving for diverse and inclusive media spheres-are an essential part of scholarly debates on democratic governance. The rise in recent years of authoritarianism, populism and nationalism, both in fragile and stable democratic systems, makes media pluralism an intellectual and empirical cornerstone of any debate about the future of democratic governance around the world." (Publisher description)
more