The Egyptian government's recent two-year renewal of the decades-old emergency law - with only minor changes - has stoked the creation of a "national committee to build a future without emergency," reports the Egyptian Organization for Human Rights (EOHR).  [more]

Reporters Without Borders is very pleased to learn that the Zimbabwe Media Council (ZMC) announced yesterday that it has decided to grant licences to three privately-owned dailies, allowing them to resume publishing.“The decision to grant licences to these three newspapers is a major advance for a country that has been without independent daily newspapers for more than six years,” Reporters Without Borders said.[more]

Reporters Without Borders today strongly condemned a new six-month ban slapped on the newspaper Ezombolo by the National Communications Council (CNC) on 21 May for “persistently insulting the head of state”, Ali Bongo. The CNC was responding to an article carried in the newspaper, headlined, “Ali does nothing but travel while the country is sinking”. The journalist referred to the exorbitant cost to Gabon of the president’s trips, while at the same time mocking his physical appearance.[more]

On June 11th Polis is holding a major conference on The Value of networked journalism at which we will publish a new research report on the state of networked journalism in the UK.[more]

A total of 52 African states have been invited to the two-day Africa - France summit that is due to begin on 31 May in the French city of Nice. Representatives of the European Union, International Organisation of the Francophonie, Food and Agriculture Organisation, African Union Commission and World Bank are also due to attend the summit, the 25th of its kind.[more]

Reporters Without Borders today condemned as “disgraceful” the mistreatment in prison of four journalists from the banned daily Rai al-Shaab. The paper’s deputy editor, Abuzar al Amin, who was arrested on 18 May and is still in detention, has told his lawyer that he was tortured in prison. He added that three of his colleagues, Nagi Dahab, Ashraf Abdelaziz and Abu Baker Al-Sammani, all held on state security premises, also showed marks of torture.[more]

Ethiopian Government Must Relinquish ‘Desire to Control Flow of Information’, Says IPI. Ethiopia’s electoral board said on Tuesday that the ruling Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) and allied parties had won a Sunday election by a landslide. European Union chief election observer Thijs Berman praised the polling for being peaceful and orderly, but noted that there was an “uneven playing field,” according to news reports. The run-up to the vote, and the voting process itself, were characterised by the absence of a free, independent media.[more]

Two journalists of privately-owned Abidjan-based L’Expression newspaper were on May 25, 2010 grilled by the Ivoirian police for a long period over a February 8 article that the newspaper  carried  on alleged casualties of a para-military group’s clamp down on protesters in demonstrations in early February. Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA)’s correspondent reported that the two, Diarrassouba Youssouf and Dembele Al Seni, publisher and reporter respectively of the newspaper, were subjected to questioning for over ten hours.  [more]

A group of 18 national, regional and international organizations working on Burundi today expressed concern that space for independent human rights reporting may be diminishing following the Burundian government’s decision to expel the Human Rights Watch (HRW) Burundi researcher from the country.  The organizations call on the Burundian authorities to reverse their decision and ensure that the rights to freedom of expression are respected.[more]

Ed Butler, a BBC World Service producer, was on May 24, 2010 denied access to the High Court in Banjul, the capital of The Gambia, by police officers deployed at the court premises. Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA)’s sources reported that Butler, who is on a private visit in the Gambia had gone to the High Court to witness an ongoing high profile “treason” trial involving eight persons including, a former military chief.  [more]

Alexander Adu Gyamfi, a sympathizer of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) was on May 24, 2010 arrested by the police in Kumasi, Ghana’s second largest city, for describing the country’s President as a “chimpanzee” during a radio discussion programme.  Gyamfi, who is popularly known as “High Priest” was a panelist on the morning show on the Kumasi-based Fox FM, in which his co-panelist from the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) raised concerns about the negative propaganda that he claimed were being waged against Nana Akufo-Addo, a contender for the NPP presidential candidature in party’s primaries slated for August 2010, and that this negative campaign in the NPP would help the fortunes of the NDC in the 2012 general elections. [more]

Two angry men in Guinea Bissau, on May 15, 2010, stormed the premises of privately-owned daily newspaper Diario de Bissau amidst death threats and attacked Joao De Barros, the newspaper’s editor, and destroyed its equipment.[more]

Mesfin Negash is the Managing Editor of Addis Neger newspaper, a popular independent weekly founded in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in October 2007. Publication of the paper ceased in December 2009 after editors and managers there received a credible warning that they were to be targeted under anti-terrorism legislation. They subsequently fled the country. Addis Neger has since started publishing news and commentary online, and is now operated from outside Ethiopia. Addis Neger can be found at www.addisnegeronline.com .[more]

Thirty IFEX members joined the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) last week in calling for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to refuse US$3 million donated by Equatorial Guinea President Teodoro Obiang - one of Africa's worst violators of press freedom - to set up an international prize in life sciences [more]

It was surprising to see Angola’s media regulator on Thursday accusing the nation’s only state-run newspaper of running a story that distorted a speech by the leader of the main opposition party to make him look favourable towards the government.[more]

MMPZ welcomes news this week that the Zimbabwe Media Commission has finally moved to register six new independent newspapers, among them four dailies, which will bring to an end the seven-year state-controlled Zimpapers’ monopoly of the daily print media market.

[more]

There are no magic wands in the digital transition. Everything has to be built slowly and surely, as with legacy media. And failure is as likely, maybe even more likely, than in the analog world. But you have to keep trying because cell phones, the first true mass digital channel in Africa, are getting faster and smarter; if you don't exploit the power of the new channel, you're toast because others will and are. [more]

One of the functions of international reporting is supposed to be that journalists can warn the world of impending disasters. The idea is that intrepid hacks can spot looming conflicts or humanitarian catastrophes and help persuade governments or other agencies to intervene. In practice, this ain’t necessarily so. By it’s nature, news journalism tends to focus on what has happened, not what is coming up. And there is no doubt that pressures on resources make it harder for mainstream media to find time for that kind of analytical, predictive journalism.[more]

Citizen participation, access to information and action usher in much needed reforms. The process to engage citizens is easy to describe but hard to achieve. So how do you grab and keep the attention of community stakeholders and keep them informed? This week’s answer is “Participedia.”[more]

The President of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), Jim Boumelha, told delegates at the World Congress in Cadiz that the IFJ represents a powerful voice for journalists and has grown into a global organisation fit for journalism in the modern world. He made the remarks during his presidential address at the opening ceremony of the IFJ World Congress in Cadiz.[more]

ARTICLE 19 condemns the appalling sentence imposed by a Malawian court on a gay couple, Steven Monjenza and Towonge Chimbalanga. Both have been found guilty of "gross indecency" and "unnatural acts" and condemned to 14 years hard labor.[more]

The Spanish Deputy Prime Minister, Teresa Fernandez de la Vega, will tomorrow address the conference on future of journalism organised by the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) on 25 May in Cadiz before the opening of its world congress in the Spanish seaside city.[more]

You have to be totally dismayed at the apparent collapse – again - of SABC governance. The hopes that this new board represented a fresh broom to sweep the rot out of the Auckland Park headquarters and re-establish a notion of independent, public service broadcasting, are rapidly fading.[more]

Today, the 19th anniversary of Eritrea’s independence, Reporters Without Borders issues a reminder that around 30 journalists are imprisoned in this Horn of Africa country and launches a new appeal for their release.[more]

Reporters Without Borders today condemned death threats sent by text to Salomao Moyana, editor of the weekly Magazine Independente, published in the capital, Maputo[more]

"Diário de Bissau" owner and publisher João de Barros, a pioneer of independent journalism in Bissau, was attacked inside the newspaper's premises on 15 May by a businessman he believes to be linked to drug traffickers. Before leaving, the businessman and his driver smashed all the computers in the newsroom. [more]

Reporters Without Borders is concerned that prior censorship could be restored in Sudan after security forces raided several newspapers in Khartoum, demanded to see the articles in preparation and prevented two newspapers from publishing several reports and editorials.[more]

Zapiro, South Africa's premier cartoonist, known for his controversial style in picking on politicians and commenting on social inequalities, has come into the limelight in South Africa for jumping on the “Draw Muhammad Day” bandwagon. “Everybody Draw Muhammad Day” is a drawing event inspired by a comment by Seattle cartoonist, Molly Norris in a radio interview about Comedy Central's decision to censor a South Park episode that had depictions of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).[more]

ARTICLE 19 condemns the recent action by the government of Sudan to impose press censorship on newspapers. The decision has resulted in many newspapers being off the streets and constitutes a major blow to press freedom, freedom of expression and democracy.[more]

The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) is calling on Jermaine Jackson, an American singer, leader of the renowned Jackson Five and senior brother of the late revered Michael Jackson, to call off his intended trip to the Gambia to perform on the occasion of President Yahya Jammeh’s birthday.[more]

On 20 May 2010 prison officials barred journalists from accessing the prison cell in which a political activist, Sipho Jele, is said to have hanged himself recently. Jele, a member of the Peoples United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO), was arrested on 1 May 2010 for wearing a PUDEMO t-shirt during a Workers Day commemoration in Manzini, Swaziland’s second biggest city. He died in detention two days later from what police and prison authorities claim was suicide.[more]

Reporters Without Borders is concerned that prior censorship could be restored in Sudan after security forces raided several newspapers yesterday in Khartoum, demanded to see the articles in preparation and prevented two newspapers from publishing several reports and editorials.[more]

Dispute exposes ‘political’ structure of ZMC. News of disagreements within the new Zimbabwe Media Commission over the issue of resource persons for a “workshop” organized to facilitate the registration of new media operators exposes the politically compromised nature of an organization that is supposed to be free of political influence and bodes ill for the coalition government’s media reform agenda.[more]

Today I want to push back a little (just a little) against the conventional wisdom that mobiles are the only communications infrastructure future for Africa. There is an implicit understanding in ICT4D work in Africa that mobiles are the future and fixed lines are an archaic hangover from an inefficient, monopolistic, state-run, colonial past. Perhaps I exaggerate for the sake of effect but it is hard to argue with when development agencies are racing to jump on the “mobile for development” train.[more]

Press freedom is still in danger in Africa despite 20 years of democratisation. Independent journalism continues to be a perilous profession on the continent, both in the peaceful arena as well as in conflict zones. [more]

The Federation of African Journalists (FAJ), the regional organization of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) in Africa, launched today the report of its solidarity mission to the Cameroon on the attacks on journalists and the press freedom situation, which took place from 3rd to 6th May.[more]

The website of privately-owned Monrovia–based New Democrat newspaper was on May 17, 2010, hacked into for the second time by unknown hackers.[more]

The Federation of African Journalists (FAJ), the regional organization of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) in Africa, launched today the report of its solidarity mission to the Cameroon on the attacks on journalists and the press freedom situation, which took place from 3rd to 6th May. [more]

Reporters Without Borders said today (17.05.10) it was deeply shocked by a vicious attack against staff at radio Fréquence Plus and by the vandalising of the studio by soldiers who arrived to arrest an opposition leader while he was taking part in a live broadcast. [more]

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today expressed its concerns over the increase in press freedom violations in Sudan since the recent elections after the arrest of four journalists and the closure of Rai-Alshab daily newspaper. Taban Bonifacio, online journalist for the Sudanvote.com website was arrested in South Sudan on 23 April while three more journalists of Rai-Alshab newspaper were detained on Sunday 16 May 2010.[more]

The state Botswana Television crew was banned to cover part of the opposition Botswana National Front Youth League (BNFYL) congress on 16 May 2010. According to media reports, the BTV crew were met by angry BNFYL members who blocked the hall entrance, making it difficult for the Government media practitioners to do their work.[more]

Journalists' leaders and civil society organisations from across Africa called attention to the dire situation of free expression in many countries last week at the Forum for Non-governmental Organisations (NGO Forum) held on the occasion of 47th Session of African Commission of Human and People's Rights in Banjul, Gambia. [more]

To the Hon. Minister of Communications: Press freedom is one of the important pillars of democratic societies. Directly connected to the right to information and freedom of expression, it emerges in the present context as one of the great challenges of our times. Therefore OMUNGA recognizes the commitment and responsibility of the journalists of our country. However, we followed with great concern the extracts from the declaration of Hon. Minister, broadcast by the Public Television of Angola (TPA) during their news service on May 3, 2010.[more]

An executive member of the newly registered Botswana Movement for Democracy (BHD) party, Botsalo Ntuane has pledged his party’s full support to MISA-Botswana in the fight to repeal the Media Practitioners Act (MPA) and the enactment of the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). [more]

ARTICLE 19 is gravely concerned by the continued arrests, detentions and intimidations of media practitioners, human rights defenders and legal practitioners in Tunisia. Since 2005, prior to the World Summit for the Information Society (WSIS) held in Tunisia, ARTICLE 19 joined other members of the International Freedom of Expression eXchange (IFEX) to form the 20-member Tunisia Monitoring Group (TMG).

[more]

The South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), as the FIFA World Cup's official broadcaster, announced its broadcasting plans for the tournament on 12 May 2010. Peter Kwele, 2010 Projects General Manager, said the SABC is confident that it will deliver the World Cup as it has never been done before.[more]

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today accused Ethiopian politicians of resorting to threats and intimidation against many Ethiopian journalists in lead up to forthcoming next general elections envisaged for 23 May 2010.[more]

Golden Maunganidze the editor of The Masvingo Mirror was on 10 May 2010 summoned to Harare Central Police Station where he was interrogated for six hours following publication of a story that allegedly criminally defames Walter Mzembi, the Minister of Tourism.

[more]

The Zimbabwe Media Commission (ZMC) last week allegedly postponed to end of May 2010 a crucial workshop to expedite the licensing of new newspapers owing to financial problems and reports on allegations of disagreements among commissioners on resource persons to the workshop. [more]

The Zimbabwe NGO Human Rights Forum on 14 May 2010, raised concern over the continued human rights violations a year into the formation of the country’s inclusive government.

[more]

Mohamed Fofana, an intern at the Conakry-based general information weekly, L’Indépendant newspaper, was on May 12, 2010, picked up and detained at the PM3, a military prison facility notorious for acts of barbarism, on the orders of Madam Sanagaré, director general of Soguitrans (Guinea National Transport Company).[more]

Diarra Youssouf, also known as Gnaore David, a reporter of the Gagnoa-based pro-opposition L’Expression daily newspaper in Cote d’Ivoire, was on May 7, 2010, summoned to the Police station for questioning by the Regional Police Commander for allegedly relaying information to France 24 television station and other Ivorian media.[more]

The Speaker of the Gambian National Assembly, Elizabeth Reiner, on May 10, 2010, prevented the independent media from covering procedures of the Gambian Parliament. [more]

As World Press Freedom Day was being celebrated on 3 May, Eritrea continued to be the world’s worst country for journalists with around 30 currently held incommunicado in the most inhumane conditions and more arrests still being made, such as that of Said Abdulhai, one of the country’s most famous journalists, in the last week of March.[more]

Media reform remains tangled in bureaucracy[more]

Latest Media developments in Namibia, South Africa and Botswana[more]

A dispute has arisen over whether MultiChoice met an Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (Icasa) deadline for the hotly contested digital mobile TV service license, with two applicants saying it handed in its application late.[more]

(JED/IFEX) - Kinshasa, 7 May 2010 - JED denounces the arrest and detention since 3 May 2010 of a community radio manager from a station broadcasting in Moanda. Etienne Maluka was arrested by intelligence officers in Matadi, capital of Lower Congo province. JED calls for the immediate release of Maluka, who is being held for broadcasting a Portuguese-language song of a Cabindan independence group, on the grounds that it criticises the Angolan president and praises the merits of their leader, Nzita Henriques Tiago.[more]

ARTICLE 19 welcomes the Proposed Constitution of Kenya which guarantees and safeguards human rights in general and freedom of expression, freedom of the media and the Right to Information in particular.[more]

Harare magistrate Olivia Mariga on 6 May 2010 postponed to 26 May 2010 the case in which five journalists are state witnesses in the trial of Harare mayor Muchadeyi Masunda and eight councillors on allegations of criminally defaming businessman Philip Chiyangwa.[more]

Among the various roles news media play in governance, that of gatekeeper is one of the more problematic. According to Pippa Norris and Sina Odugbemi in Public Sentinel, “as gatekeepers, the news media have a responsibility to reflect and incorporate the plurality of viewpoints and political persuasions in reporting, to maximize the diversity of perspectives and arguments heard in rational public deliberations, and to enrich the public sphere.”[more]

Patrice Yao, managing editor of Le Nouveau Réveil, a pro-opposition daily newspaper based in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire, and other officials of the media group, on May 5, 2010, received threatening SMS messages and telephone calls warning them to be careful.[more]

ARTICLE 19, the West African Journalists Association and other partners welcome the ECOWAS Commission’s initiative to develop a regional Protocol on the Right to Information, and to involve civil society and media associations in its drafting.[more]

The Zambian Government says self regulation of the media in Zambia did not work well and has since recommended statutory regulation for the industry like was the practice for other professions that include medicine and law.[more]

On 7 May 2010, three Zambia Union of Journalists (ZUJ) chapel chairpersons from the government owned Times of Zambia were suspended by the newspapers’ management for allegedly holding an illegal meeting at the workplace and inciting a sit-in by unionized workers[more]

Yesterday in Santiago, Chile, Google and the group Global Voices recognized three groups from around the world who are fighting for free expression online from Africa to Asia with the first "Breaking Borders" awards. These awards, supported by Thomson Reuters, are meant to honor those who are using the Internet to give voice to those who are silenced, make the activities of governments more transparent, and standing up for the rights of dissidents.[more]

Highway Africa has set up its own social networking platform, The Network, on the Highway Africa website. The platform, created for journalists and media professionals, aims to connect delegates with other like-minded individuals. Registered members of The Network can share stories, ideas and discuss the state of the media in general, and more specifically media in African countries.[more]

Reporters Without Borders said today it was deeply shocked by the death in unexplained circumstances of cameraman Jerry Usanga of Channels Television, whose body was found on the roadside by passers-by, on 4 May 2010.[more]

In many homes, children are not allowed to watch news because their parents believe that newscasts on TV might be too traumatic or violent. So how can children find out about national and world affairs? In Burma, Zambia, Surinam, South Africa, Peru, Indonesia, the Dutch Caribbean and Mozambique, children now have the opportunity to watch TV news magazines that are specifically geared towards them, also giving them a space to voice their opinions and find out about current events.[more]

Until Twitter came along and blew the lid off news coverage of the Iranian elections last year, many of us were scratching our heads wondering just how social media could help journalism to be more interesting. Sure, Facebook helped you market a story to your buddies and you could pick up a story or two on Twitter but what else was there? Then the Iranians, armed with cellphones, beat the pants off the international news organisations covering the June protests in Tehran and we all sat up and took notice. In South Africa, social media also steals the spotlight from traditional media from time to time. Here are my favourite examples:[more]

L’état de la liberté de la presse sur le continent[more]

The ECOWAS Commission has assured the West African Journalists Association (WAJA) of its commitment to continue their collaboration in furthering the interest of the profession as a mechanism for improving media practice in the region and using the media to realize its 2020 vision for a citizen-based organisation.[more]

The unwarranted prominence of recent publicity in the government-controlled media reporting on alleged tension between Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and his party’s Secretary-General, Finance Minister Tendai Biti, exposes the skewed news values these media hold.[more]

On 3 May 2010, an opposition political party, the Patriotic Front threatened to sue Zambia National Broadcasting Corporation (ZNBC) if it failed to meet its demand for the national broadcaster to provide fair and equal coverage to it and other political parties that are registered in the country.[more]

The Mozambican government, through its Information Office (GABINFO) launched in Maputo on 5 May 2010, a public debate on the new Broadcasting Law to be introduced in the country.[more]

On 5 May 2010, the Lesotho Times and Sunday Express Group Political Editor, Bongiwe Zihlangu was verbally attacked by members of the Lesotho National Assembly, accusing her of “spreading false information about gratuities” of Members of Parliament (MP) in the Sunday Express of 2 May 2010.[more]

Reporters Without Borders wrote yesterday to Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi voicing concern about a deterioration in the climate for journalists in recent weeks and calling on him to consult with his country’s journalists in order to find ways to amend the code of conduct governing election reporting that was adopted in March.[more]

New York, May 5, 2010—Three gunmen shot dead veteran broadcast journalist Sheik Nur Mohamed Abkey on Tuesday evening as he was returning home from work at the state-run Radio Mogadishu, local journalists told CPJ. Gunmen abducted Abkey, left, near his residence in Wardhigley, southern Mogadishu, and shot him repeatedly in the head. Local journalists said they suspect Abkey was tortured after finding his body dumped in an alleyway in Wardhigley.[more]

May 3, 2010: Today is World Press Freedom Day, the day that was set aside by the United Nations to offer an opportunity for nations and states to reflect on the role the media plays in social and economic development and building of societies. It also offers an opportunity for soul-searching and brainstorming on progress and challenges faced by journalists in the course of their work.[more]

On 3 May 2010 Zimbabweans join the rest of the world in commemorating World Press Freedom Day set by the United Nations to raise awareness on the importance of media freedom and remind governments of their duty to respect and uphold the right to freedom of expression enshrined under Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.[more]

Washington — Africa’s independent media is becoming a driving force for greater political and economic openness, with mobile phones potentially playing an important role in the process, says Reed Kramer, founder and chief executive officer (CEO) of the Africa News Service.[more]

The organisation calls to end intimidation of Rural Media and to amend Repressive Laws Before 2011 Elections.[more]

There are 40 names on this year’s list of Predators of Press Freedom – 40 politicians, government officials, religious leaders, militias and criminal organisations that cannot stand the press, treat it as an enemy and directly attack journalists. They are powerful, dangerous, violent and above the law.[more]

Kagiso Media has applied to the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa (ICASA) for an extension of the deadline for aspirant providers of digital TV signal to mobile handsets to apply for a license. Meanwhile, the Mobile TV Consortium is preparing to take ICASA to court next week to halt the awarding of the licenses.[more]

“One of the objects of a newspaper is to understand the popular feeling and give

expression to it; another is to arouse among the people certain desirable sentiments; the third is fearlessly to expose popular defects.” - Mohandas Karamchand (Mahatma) Gandhi[more]

It has been an eventful for the citizen media scene in Madagascar. The blogosphere in Madagascar has been growing slowly but steadily the past decade, slightly struggling to find its voice until the 2009 political crisis. The sudden precipitation of events that provoked high demand for frequent updates provided a unique set up for the budding blogosphere to assert their potential, despite the evident challenges. The past events have been thoroughly documented so let us focus on the consequence of the crisis on citizen journalists and conversely the impact of citizen media on the evolution of the crisis.[more]

New York, April 30, 2010—Four journalists who covered the recent dismissal of the electoral commission chairman received anonymous death threats via text message on Wednesday, according to CPJ interviews and news reports. The messages, sent from the same number, said the reporters would meet the fate of three slain Nigerian journalists.[more]

New York, April 30, 2010—In light of the Ethiopian government’s longstanding practice of jailing journalists on trumped-up criminal charges, the Committee to Protect Journalists is concerned about the detentions last week of two government TV journalists on allegations of misusing state property. CPJ is monitoring the legal proceedings closely.[more]