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Threats to press freedom and journalists' safety: A comparative study of Greece, Slovakia, and Spain

Mária Žuffová, Lambrini Papadopoulou, Jaume Suau Martinez

In: Media Pluralism in the Digital Era

Elda Brogi, Iva Nenadic, Pier Luigi Parcu (eds.)

London; New York: Routledge (2024), pp. 49-63

"Free journalism is indispensable for monitoring the actions of political representation, holding it accountable, exposing the misuse of power, and defending public interests. Fulfilling these roles assumes that journalists can do their job and pursue public-interest stories to the best of their abi ... more

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Batswana insist on media freedom, favour citizens’ right to government information

Asafika Mpako, Stephen Ndoma

Afrobarometer (2024), 12 pp.

"About three-quarters (76%) of Batswana say the media should "constantly investigate and report on government mistakes and corruption." A similar share (77%) insist on media freedom, while 20% say the government should have the right to prevent the publication of things it disapproves of. In particu ... more

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Global Journalism in Comparative Perspective: Case Studies

Dhiman Chattopadhyay (ed.)

London; New York: Routledge (2024), xvii, 251 pp.

"This book explores how journalism is practiced around the world and how there are multiple factors at the structural and contextual level shaping journalism practice. Drawing on case studies of how conflicts, pandemics, political developments, or human rights violations are covered in an online-fir ... more

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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

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Media and Politics in Post-Authoritarian Mexico: The Continuing Struggle for Democracy

Martin Echeverria, Ruben Arnoldo Gonzalez (eds.)

Cham: Palgrave Macmillan (2024), xiii, 286 pp.

"This volume presents an analytical and empirical overview of the array of issues that the Mexican media faces in the post-authoritarian age, which jointly explains how a partially accomplished democracy, its authoritarian inertias, and its unintended consequences hinder the democratic performance o ... more

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Länderkurzinformation Afghanistan: Informationslage

Nürnberg: Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge (2024), 6 pp.

"Die beschriebene Quellenlage stellt auch für die Länderanalyse eine Herausforderung dar. Afghanische Medien geben einen guten Überblick darüber, wie die Taliban sich präsentieren möchten. Auch neue Verordnungen und Erlasse der Zentralregierung sind so nachvollziehbar. Dies gilt jedoch nicht f ... more

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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

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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

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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.

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Locking down the windows: A new phase in the fight for press freedom in Russia

Berlin: JX Fund (2024), 43 pp.

"For Russian civil society as well as for Western reporting independent exiled media are playing a central role: These media are a unique and precious voice that can still make its way to Russian audiences. They are also the foundation of Western reporting on Russia – without them, many internatio ... more

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Annual Report: Journalists Safety and Media Freedom in Somalia, June 2022 -2023

Mogadishu: Somali Mechanism for Safety of Journalists (SMSJ) (2023), 31 pp.

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The Evolution of Self-Censorship in Hong Kong Online Journalism: Influences from Digitalization and the State

Alex Zhi-Xiong Koo

International Journal of Press/Politics, volume 29, issue 1 (2023), pp. 143-163

"Studies about media self-censorship typically focus on its mechanism in traditional newsroom settings. But how media self-censorship may evolve in online journalism has remained largely unexplored. Using Hong Kong as a case, I examine the digital evolution of media self-censorship in a unique non-d ... more

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Findings Report: The Media Freedom Cohort. The Summit for Democracy 2023

Media Freedom Cohort; Internews; Global Forum for Media Development (GFMD) (2023), 106 pp.

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Chilling Legislation: Tracking the Impact of “Fake News” Laws on Press Freedom Internationally

Gabrielle Lim, Samantha Bradshaw

Washington, DC: Center for International Media Assistance (CIMA) (2023), 20 pp.

"The proliferation of misinformation, disinformation, and mal-information (MDM) poses serious challenges to democracy, public safety, and national security. Conversely, these very worries could be used as a front for unjustified ends. There is a global trend toward legislation that may risk infringi ... more

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Global Media Defence Fund

Paris: UNESCO (2023), 11 pp.

"The Global Media Defence Fund (“the Fund”) is a UNESCO Multi-Partner Trust Fund/Programme developed with the goal of enhancing media protection and improving the access of journalists to specialized and gender-sensitive legal assistance. Administered by UNESCO, the Fund was established thanks t ... more

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Intervention and Interaction Model Protocol for Security Forces Regarding Journalists, Communicators and the Media

Montevideo: UNESCO Office Montevideo and Regional Bureau for Science in Latin America and the Caribbean: Inter-American Institute of Human Rights (IIHR) (2023), 30 pp.

"The general objective of this Model Protocol is to serve as a reference in the development or updating of intervention and interaction protocols for security forces regarding the media, in accordance with international standards on freedom of expression, access to information and safety of journali ... more

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Between Shadows and Stories: Navigating the Journey of Afghan Journalists, from Aug. 15, 2021 to Aug. 15, 2023

Afghanistan's National Journalists Union (2023), 17 pp.

"The Afghan media landscape stands at a crossroads, navigating a landscape rife with challenges and uncertainties in the wake of the Taliban's resurgence. The post-Taliban era, marked by a thriving media sector with 160 television channels, 311 radio stations, 90 print newspapers, and 26 news agenci ... es, has witnessed a drastic transformation. The current media landscape, with 70 television channels, 211 radio stations, 11 print newspapers, and 9 news agencies, reflects a significant decline in numbers and diversity. Under the de facto rule of the Taliban, the media sector has encountered substantial constraints. Censorship and self-censorship have become rampant, with journalists and media outlets navigating the perilous territory of permissible content. Threats, intimidation, and violence against media professionals have created an atmosphere of fear, leading to an exodus of skilled journalists. Investigative journalism, once a cornerstone of accountability, has been stifled, and access to unbiased information has dwindled, leaving citizens ill-informed. The closure of media outlets has far-reaching implications, including restricted information flow, suppressed free speech, and diminished content diversity. The narrative has further fragmented between Kabul and the provinces, where media freedom varies significantly. Female journalists remain conspicuously absent in many regions, underscoring the entrenched gender disparity in the field. International media outlets, under surveillance and restraints, grapple with maintaining their operations and integrity in an increasingly controlled environment. Social media, once a platform for open dialogue, faces censorship and restrictions, hampering the exchange of ideas. As Afghanistan's media landscape evolves, the absence of comprehensive legal frameworks has exacerbated challenges. The suspension of the Mass Media Law and the Access to Information Law during the transitional phase has left media professionals in a legal gray area. The need for inclusive consultations with media stakeholders to shape these laws cannot be overstated. In this complex milieu, it is evident that safeguarding the media's role as a communication bridge between the government and the people is paramount. Collaborative efforts between the Islamic Emirate, the international community, and media support organizations are essential to prevent the collapse of Afghanistan's media landscape." (Conclusion, pages 16-17) more

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The foundations of press freedom in Africa: A resource toolkit of laws, commitments, and mechanisms protecting press freedom in Africa

International Press Institute (IPI) (2023), 24 pp.

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Press freedom in Zimbabwe: National, regional and global frameworks. Resource toolkit

International Press Institute (IPI) (2023), 42 pp.

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The Trouble with Press Freedom in Kenya

George Nyabuga

Potsdam: Friedrich Naumann Foundation (2023), 15 pp.

"This policy paper highlights significant threats to press freedom in Kenya despite legal protections and media development progress. These challenges encompass various aspects, including legal, political, economic, and internal issues within the media industry. Both civil society and the internatio ... more