mediadev library

The State of Press Freedom in Southern Africa 2024

Reyhana Masters, Nqaba Matshazi, Kholwani Nyathi

UNESCO (2024), 106 pp.

Media Freedom in Romania Ahead of Super Election Year: Mission Report on Media Capture, Legal Obstacles and Journalists’ Safety

Media Freedom Rapid Response (MFRR);International Press Institute (IPI);Osservatorio Balcani e Caucaso Transeuropa (OBCT);Free Press Unlimited (2024), 24 pp.

External Link (11)

Google Scholar (8)

WorldCat (9)

Safety and security of journalists in Ghana: Policies and journalists’ perception of stakeholders, issues and practices

Michael Yao Wodui Serwornoo

Journal of African Media Studies, volume 16, issue 3 (2024), pp. 285-301

"This study examines the safety and security of journalists in Ghana, assessing their satisfaction with key media stakeholders and the state of press freedom through the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s (UNESCO) journalists’ safety indicators. Using a predominan ... more

Deprived and Silenced: The Taliban and Suppression of Access to Information

Harron Mutasem, Salim Amin

Potsdam: Friedrich Naumann Stiftung (2024), 16 pp.

"Before the Taliban‘s return in 2021, Afghanistan had made notable strides in promoting transparency and civic engagement through progressive laws governing information access. These landmark measures, praised internationally, represented small but significant steps toward strengthening the countr ... more

Liberdade de expressão no (pós-)governo de Bolsonaro: Ataques, capturas e controvérsias

Nara Lya Cabral Scabin (ed.)

São Paulo: Intercom – Sociedade Brasileira de Estudos Interdisciplinares da Comunicação;Gênio Editorial (2024), 327 pp.

"[...] o presente livro, enquanto resultado de um esforço coletivo do GP Comunicação, Mídias e Liberdade de Expressão da Intercom, busca oferecer um balanço crítico dos debates sobre liberdade de expressão construídos no campo comunicacional brasileiro que abordam o contexto do governo de J ... more

Press Freedom in the Time of COVID-19: The Philippine Experience Under the Duterte Administration

Candace Noreen Bagalawis, Rose Marie Villanueva, Jovito Jose Katigbak

Advances in Southeast Asian Studies (ASEAS), volume 17, issue 1 (2024), pp. 63-84

"The media plays an important role in disseminating vital information and being ‘watchdogs’ of government misconduct. Press freedom is constitutionally guaranteed in the Philippines, but the space for journalists and media companies continues to shrink. This is because constant attempts have bee ... more

Southern European press challenges in a time of crisis: A cross-national study of Bulgaria, Cyprus, Greece and Malta

Lada Trifonova Price, Marilyn Clark, Lambrini Papadopoulou, Theodora A. Maniou

Journalism, volume 25, issue 11 (2024), pp. 2420-2439

"The implications of the COVID-19 pandemic for newsrooms across the world range from severe economic hardship to increased threats to press freedom. The “perfect storm” that engulfed the media and journalists globally has threatened and continues to challenge their existence, and the core of the ... more

“Voices from the Island”: Informational annexation of Crimea and transformations of journalistic practices

Ksenia Ermoshina

Journalism, volume 25, issue 3 (2024), pp. 528–546

"After the annexation of Crimea by Russia in March 2014, the peninsula experienced a progressive transition of telecommunication and broadcasting infrastructure under Russian influence, followed by a wave of repression of Ukrainian media. Between 2014 and 2015, dozens of Ukrainian media organization ... more

Intimidation, Repression and Censorship: The Status of Access to Information and Freedom of Expression in Afghanistan

Rawadari (2024), 26 pp.

"The Taliban have revoked and suspended laws that included the right to access information and freedom of expression, and currently there is no effective legal mechanism to protect media outlets and journalists against interference and intimidation. This has led to widespread violation of the right ... more

Freedom of Afghan Media: Challenges facing Afghan journalists in Afghanistan and abroad

Mujtaba Haris

Journalists for Human Rights (JHR) (2024), 38 pp.

"Erosion of Media Freedom in Afghanistan: Since the Taliban regained power in August 2021, media freedom in Afghanistan has drastically declined. Over half of the country's media outlets have closed, leading to widespread unemployment among journalists. The Taliban's media policies enforce strict ce ... nsorship, resulting in self-censorship and threats to journalists still working. As one journalist in Kabul said, "The media in Afghanistan is dead; we were forced out of our jobs, and those who remain face daily threats." Severe Content Censorship: The Taliban has imposed strict regulations on media content, banning any reports that contradict their interpretation of Islamic values or Afghan national interests. As a result, 95% of journalists surveyed in Afghanistan reported facing restrictions when attempting to document and broadcast their work. "We are no longer allowed to report on incidents involving the Taliban, especially when it comes to conflicts within their ranks," shared a journalist from Badakhshan. Gender-Based Discrimination and Exclusion: Female journalists have been systematically targeted, leading many to leave the profession. Women working in the media are subjected to strict limitations, such as being required to cover their faces while on air and being denied opportunities to work. This has effectively silenced female voices in Afghan media. Arbitrary Detention and Physical Abuse: The Taliban have used arbitrary detention and physical abuse as tools to suppress independent journalism. Journalists are often detained without charge, held in poor conditions, and subjected to physical abuse. "Many of us live in fear of being arrested without cause," said one journalist who had been detained. The report found that 73% of detained journalists reported experiencing physical abuse during their detention. Self-Censorship as a Survival Tactic: The pervasive atmosphere of fear and intimidation has led to widespread self-censorship among journalists, both within Afghanistan and in exile. This has resulted in a homogenized media landscape, with many journalists avoiding sensitive topics to protect themselves from potential repercussions. A journalist in Afghanistan said, "Many of us live in fear of being arrested without cause." (Key findings, page 6) more

Media Freedom in Afghanistan

United Nations Human Rights (2024), 26 pp.

"This report examines the state of media freedom in Afghanistan for the period from 15 August 2021 to 30 September 2024. Under the government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, the media sector grew exponentially in the country, leading to the broadening of media platforms and greater access to ... more diverse domestic sources of news and information. However, after 15 August 2021, a large number of media outlets ceased their operations. This has been attributed to different factors, including loss of revenue stemming from the overall economic difficulties of the country, the withdrawal of donor support after the Taliban takeover, an exodus of journalists, as well as various restrictions imposed by the de facto authorities. The de facto authorities continue to create an extremely challenging operating environment for media, including but not limited to censorship and difficulties in accessing information. Additionally, journalists and media workers are subjected to intimidation, arbitrary arrest and detention, ill-treatment, court proceedings and imprisonment for performing their functions. The de facto authorities’ measures interfering with editorial content and internal operation of media outlets have substantially diminished media freedom. Between 15 August 2021 to 30 September 2024, UNAMA HRS documented instances of human rights violations affecting 336 journalists and media workers – 256 instances of arbitrary arrest and detention (249 men, 7 women), 130 torture and ill-treatment (122 men, 8 women) and 75 threats or intimidation (66 men, 9 women). The lack of transparent procedures in determining violations and the use of intimidation, arbitrary arrests and detentions on those who criticize the de facto authorities create a culture of self-censorship and negatively impact freedom of expression. On 19 September 2021, the de facto authorities’ “Government Media and Information Centre” issued an 11-Point Guidance to media, forbidding the publication of content deemed contrary to Islam and Afghan culture, or more broadly deemed to be against national interests. Media are often required to co-ordinate and seek approval from the de facto authorities prior to publishing a report, while news agendas are subjected to pre-vetting, which is tantamount to censorship. What constitutes content in violation of the guidance on editorial content is subject to broad and uncertain interpretation. Nonetheless, the fact that violations, or perceived violations, can lead to severe punishment creates a pervasive culture of self-censorship among journalists. As these instructions aim at limiting the range of permissible topics for public discourse and in penalizing media outlets being critical of the de facto authorities, they are incompatible with the conditions needed to limit freedom of expression under the ICCPR." (Executive summary, page 3) more

Press freedom and safety of journalists in Ghana 2024: An assessment based on the African Media Barometer

Gabriel Baglo

Bonn: Deutsche Welle DW Akademie (2024), 26 pp.

African Media Barometer: Botswana 2023

Windhoek; Gabarone: Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) (2024), 63 pp.

External Link (13)

WorldCat (14)

Journalism in Transitional Context: Societal Hostility, Self-Censorship and the Expansion of “One Voice Journalism"

Dalia Elsheikh, Daniel Jackson, Nael Jebril

Journalism Practice (2024), [no pag.]

"The transformations in the media and political landscapes in Egypt over the last decade and their implications on media pluralism and freedom of expression are well documented. However, less is known about how Egyptian journalists themselves experience these changes; how their relationships with au ... more

External Link (10)

Google Scholar (9)

WorldCat (9)

Switzerland: Mounting Pressure on Journalism in a Small Media System

Col Porlezza

In: Media Compass: A Companion to International Media Landscapes

Aljosha Karim Schapals; Christian Pentzold (eds.)

Hoboken, NJ: Wiley (2024), pp. 150-160

"The press in Switzerland is mainly characterized by external pluralism, with more or less clearly aligned political positions in the case of some news outlets. In line with Hallin and Mancini's model, the public service media plays a significant role in Switzerland. Besides the public service media ... more

External Link (11)

WorldCat (11)

Fostering Bottom-Up Censorship From the Top-Down: Nationalism and Media Restrictions

Nicole Anderson, Aerin Commins, Jenifer Whitten-Woodring

International Journal of Press/Politics, volume 29, issue 4 (2024), pp. 869-890

"From US President Donald Trump’s Tweet labeling news media “the enemy of the people” to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s establishment of a politically appointed Media Authority, media freedom is under threat in democracies and nondemocracies alike. According to Freedom House, in 20 ... more

External Link (12)

WorldCat (12)

Global Perspectives on Press Regulation. Volume 2: Asia, Africa, the Americas and Oceania

András Koltay, Paul Wragg

London: Hart Publishing (2024), 368 pp.

"In this ground-breaking two-volume set, world-leading experts produce a rich, authoritative depiction of the world's press, its freedom, and its limits. We want press freedom but we also want freedom from the press. A powerful press may expose corrupt government or aid it. It may champion citizens ... more

Freedom of the Press, and Journalism Practices in Times of Uncertainty in the Case of Ethiopia

Mulatu Alemayehu Moges

Journalism Practice (2024), 19 pp.

"Ethiopia has been in a new transition since 2018 which resulted in changes in political arenas. In this period, the country has also been experiencing internal conflict and political instabilities. This article assesses how the political environment is convenient for the journalists to freely repor ... more

Ataques legales contra el periodismo de investigación y la participación en asuntos de interés público en América Latina: Estado del arte y recomendaciones

Edison Lanza

Montevideo: UNESCO (2024), 25 pp.

External Link (13)