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Category: press freedom

  • Regional Pacific student journalists condemn Samoa PM’s ban as ‘deeply troubling’

    Pacific Media Watch

    Regional student journalists at the University of the South Pacific have condemned the Samoan Prime Minister’s ban on the Samoa Observer newspaper, branding it as a “deliberate and systemic attempt to restrict public scrutiny”.

    The Journalism Students’ Association (JSA) at USP said in a statement today it was “deeply
    concerned” about Samoan Prime Minister La’aulialemalietoa Leuatea Schmidt’s ban on the Samoa Observer from his press conferences and his directive that cabinet ministers avoid responding to the newspaper’s questions.

    “The recently imposed suspension signals not merely a rebuke of one newspaper, but a more deliberate and systemic attempt to restrict robust public scrutiny,” the statement said.

    Journalism Students Association
    “The JSA is especially concerned that these attacks are eroding youth confidence in the [journalism] profession.” Image: JSA logo
    “It raises serious concerns about citizens’ right to information, as well as the erosion of transparency, accountability, and public trust.”

    The statement, signed by JSA president Riya Bhagwan and regional representative Jean–Marc ‘Ake, said that equally worrying was a public declaration by the Journalists Association of Samoa’s (JAWS) executive who wished the Samoa Observer editor’s face “had been disfigured” during an assault outside the Prime Minister’s residence last Sunday.

    “We also note reports of physical confrontations involving journalists outside the Prime Minister’s residence, which are deeply troubling. This is an alarming trend and signals a reverse, if not decline in media rights and freedom of speech, unless it is dealt with immediately,” the JSA said.

    “With its long-standing dedication to reporting on governance, human rights, and social
    accountability issues, the ban on the Samoa Observer strikes at the heart of public discourse and places journalists in a precarious position.

    Not an isolated case
    “It risks undermining their ability to report freely and without the fear of reprisal.”

    Sadly, said the JSA statement, this was not an isolated case.

    “Earlier this year, the JAWS president Lagi Keresoma faced defamation charges under Samoa’s libel laws over an article about a former police officer’s appeal to the Head of State.

    “Samoa’s steep decline in the 2025 World Press Freedom Index further highlights the ongoing challenges confronting Samoan media.”

    JAWS’ recent statement highlighting government attempts to control press conferences through a proposed guide, further added to the growing pattern of restrictions on press freedom in Samoa.

    “These recent incidents, coupled with the exclusion of the Samoa Observer, send a chilling
    warning to Samoan journalists and establish a dangerous precedent for media subservience at the highest levels,” said JSA.

    “Journalists must be able to perform their work safely, without intimidation or assault,
    as they carry out their responsibilities to the public. These incidents raise serious
    questions about the treatment of media professionals and respect for journalistic work.

    “As a journalism student association with many of our journalists and alumni working in
    the region, we are committed to empowering the next generation of journalists.

    “The JSA is especially concerned that these attacks are eroding youth confidence in the
    profession.

    “We believe strongly in defending a space where young people can enter a field that is critical to democratic accountability, public oversight, and civic engagement.”

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • Samoa editor says media freedom under attack in response to PM’s ban

    By Kaya Selby, RNZ Pacific journalist

    The editor of Samoa’s only daily newspaper barred on Monday from accessing the Prime Minister’s press conferences says media freedom in Samoa is under attack.

    Samoan Prime Minister La’aulialemalietoa Leuatea Polataivao Schmidt “temporarily” banned the Samoa Observer from engagements with him and his ministers.

    In a statement, La’aulialemalietoa said the Observer had been “unfair and inaccurate” in its reporting on him, particularly during his health stay in New Zealand.

    “While I strongly support the principles of the public’s right to information and freedom of the media, it is important that reporting adheres to ethical standards and responsible journalism practices, given the significant role and influence media plays in informing our community,” he said.

    “There have been cases where stories have been published without sufficient factual verification or a chance for those involved to respond, which I believe is fundamental to fair reporting.”

    La’aulialemalietoa pointed to several examples, such as an article regarding the chair he used during a meeting with New Zealand Foreign Minister Winston Peters, several articles based on leaks from inside the government, and an article “aimed at creating discord during my absence”.

    “In the light of these experiences, I have decided to temporarily suspend this newspaper from my press engagements starting today [Monday].”

    ‘We just want answers’
    However, Samoa Observer editor Shalveen Chand told RNZ Pacific the newspaper was just doing its job.

    “We don’t really have any sides. We just want answers for questions which we believe the people of the nation need to know,” Chand said.

    PM bans Samoa Observer
    The Prime Minister’s ban on the Samoa Observer takes up the entire front page of the newspaper’s edition yesterday. Image: Samoa Observer screenshot RNZ

    “If he has taken the step to ban us, he has just taken a step to stifle media freedom.”

    Chand said that the government had a history of refusing to answer or ignoring questions posed by their reporters.

    “It doesn’t change the fact that the job that we have to do we will continue doing. We will keep on holding the government accountable. We will keep on highlighting issues.”

    “We’re not against the government, we’re not fighting the government. We just want answers.”

    The Samoa Observer said it could still access MPs and other officials, and it could still enter Parliament and cover sittings.

    But La’aulialemalietoa has reportedly asked his ministers not to engage with the Observer or any of its reporters.

    Chand said, so far, there had not been any engagement from the government, and they did not know what they needed to do to have the ban lifted.

    Ban ‘disproportionate’ says PINA
    The Pacific Islands News Association (PINA) called the ban “disproportionate and unnecessary”, stating it represented a grave threat to media freedom in the country.

    “PINA urges the government of Samoa to immediately reverse the ban and uphold its commitment to open dialogue and transparent governance,” the association said in a statement.

    PINA noted that Samoa already had a legally mandated and independent mechanism (the Samoa Media Council) to address concerns about media accuracy, fairness, or ethical conduct.”

    The Pacific Freedom Forum (PFF) said La’aulialemalietoa’s decision “undermines constitutional rights on media freedom and people’s right to seek and share information”.

    “Banning an entire news organisation from press conferences hurts the public interest as people will lose access to independent reporting on matters of national importance,” PFF Polynesia co-chair Katalina Tohi said.

    The PFF is urging the Prime Minister “to rethink his actions”.

    Confrontation outside PM’s home
    On November 16, La’aulialemalietoa said three newspaper reporters and photographers trespassed his home, despite being stopped by police at the gate. Those reporters were from the Samoa Observer and the BBC.

    “Their approach was rude, arrogant, invasive and lacked respect for personal privacy.”

    But Chand denies that anybody had entered the compound at all, rather accessing the outside of the fence by the road.

    “He’s the Prime Minister of Samoa, he’s a key public figure, and we as the press wanted to know how he was.”

    As far as what played out afterward, Chand recalled things differently.

    “One of my journalists had gone to ask, basically, how his trip had been and if he was doing okay . . .  there was no regular communication with the Prime Minister during his eight-week stay in New Zealand.

    “He told the journalist at the gate to come back on Monday, and the journalist was leaving. I had just come to drop off a camera lens for the journalist. I was getting into my car when two men unexpectedly walked out and started to assault me.”

    Chand said he had received no explanation for why this had happened.

    PMN News reported last night that BBC journalist Dr Mandeep Rai, who witnessed the incident, said the Samoa Observer team acted “carefully and respectfully”, and that the hostile response was surprising.

    Ever since, Samoa Observer journalists have been bombarded with online abuse, Chand said.

    “Attacks against me have actually doubled and tripled on social media . . .  fake pages, or even people with real pages . . .  it has somewhat impacted my family members a bit,” Chand said.

    “But hey, we’re trying to do a job.”

    This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • Trump’s BBC Lawsuit Seeks to Bully International Newsrooms Into Servility

    This past week, Donald Trump went global with his wrecking ball to the concept of a free press. For years, he has used lawsuits to intimidate major newspapers and broadcasters, in the process getting major outlets such as CBS and ABC to repeatedly bend the knee. Under his watch, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has reportedly pushed broadcasters to fire personalities…

    Source

    This post was originally published on Latest – Truthout.

  • Samoa Observer: The PM’s wish and our promise

    EDITORIAL: By the Samoa Observer

    They say the march toward authoritarian rule begins with one simple act: taking control of the narrative and silencing the independent press. Yesterday, Samoa witnessed a step in that direction.

    Prime Minister Laaulialemalietoa Leuatea Schmidt, elected by the people to serve them, has already moved to weaken one of democracy’s most essential pillars.

    With barely seven full days in office, he directed his power at the Samoa Observer, the very institution tasked with holding leaders like him to account.

    Samoa Observer
    SAMOA OBSERVER

    The Prime Minister accused this newspaper of misleading and inaccurate reporting, of disrespect and of having “no boundaries.” He went further by invoking the name of Sano Malifa, founder and owner of the Samoa Observer, suggesting that the paper had strayed from its mission, a statement he’s made countless times.

    So let us clear the air.

    Does the Prime Minister remember Sano Malifa’s reporting when, as Deputy Speaker, he gave a second hand car from his dealership to then Speaker of the House, Tolofuaivalelei Falemoe Leiʻataua, without cabinet approval?

    It was Sano Malifa who wrote extensively about the matter and helped ensure the vehicle was returned when questions were raised about improper dealings.

    Does he remember the concrete wall fence he attempted to build stretching toward Parliament, a plan never sanctioned by cabinet?

    Does he remember calling the Samoa Observer before the 2021 general elections seeking permission to erect FAST party tents outside its offices and being refused, because this newspaper does not trade favours for political convenience?

    Does he forget that Sano Malifa stood alone to question the one party rule of the HRPP, a party he joined and one his father served in, while most of the country remained silent because they felt they could not speak?

    Does he forget that the Sano Malifa he now quotes would never permit any leader to run the country unchecked?

    Let this be understood. Sano Malifa’s vision remains fully intact. It demands scrutiny of whoever occupies the Prime Minister’s chair, even if that chair is fake. It demands accountability, regardless of who holds power.

    It is intact in the way this newspaper was the only media organisation to question the Prime Minister’s meetings with foreign leaders while he sat on his famous chair, despite the warnings of his own advisers.

    It is intact in ensuring the public knew their new leader had been quietly flown out on a private plane for medical treatment, while sick patients in an overcrowded and underfunded hospital struggled without food because of unpaid wages for kitchen staff, even as its minister announced plans for a new hospital.

    It is intact in the story of a father whose pleas for justice went unanswered after his son was badly beaten and fell into a coma, until the Samoa Observer published his account and police were finally forced to act.

    It is intact in the simple reporting of rubbish piling up near homes, which was cleared by the government the very next morning.

    It is intact even when Sano Malifa’s own village and family appeared on the front page during a dispute, because he believed in accountability for all, including himself.

    So why would the Prime Minister believe he is entitled to special treatment?

    As the elected Prime Minister, whose salary, car and expenses are paid for by the public through their hard earned taxes, he should know that the media’s fundamental role is to keep him honest.

    If the Prime Minister is truly concerned about the vision of journalists, he need only look at those closest to him. A JAWS executive, Angie Kronfield, publicly declared she wished the Observer editor’s face had been disfigured during the assault carried out by the Prime Minister’s own security guards.

    Better still, her husband, Apulu Lance Pulu, a long-time journalist and owner of Talamua Media, was charged alongside the Prime Minister and later convicted of fraud in a 2020 court case. Yet he now seems to enjoy the Prime Minister’s favour as a preferred media voice. Let that sink in.

    So if the Prime Minister wants proof of a failed vision, he need not search far.

    Lastly, the Prime Minister’s other claim that an outsider writes for this newspaper is a fiction of his own making.

    The Samoa Observer remains under the same ownership, grounded in nearly 50 years of service to the public. And since he has made his wish clear that this newspaper is no longer welcome at his press conferences or those of his ministers, let us state this without hesitation. The same people stand behind this newspaper, and our promise to our readers has never wavered.

    The Samoa Observer editorial published on 18 November 2025.

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • Samoan PM bans nation’s only newspaper from government access

    By Renate Rivers of PMN News

    Samoa’s Prime Minister La’aulialemalietoa Leuatea Polataivao Schmidt has banned the country’s only daily newspaper, the Samoa Observer, from all ministerial press conferences.

    The move has raised serious concerns among industry stakeholders about media freedom as he faces growing political and legal pressure.

    La’aulialemalietoa announced the ban on Monday at his first press conference in two months, held just days after returning from medical treatment in New Zealand.

    He told journalists that the ban also applies to his cabinet ministers. The decision follows a tense confrontation on Saturday, when journalists from the Samoa Observer and the BBC went to the Prime Minister’s home to confirm his return.

    The journalists said they remained on the public roadside but were approached by men from the PM’s property, who accused them of trespassing and of behaving disrespectfully.

    “They don’t respect me as the Prime Minister. In my time in New Zealand, I never saw any reporters writing so disrespectfully about leaders,” La’aulialemalietoa told reporters in his office on Monday.

    “I was in my home for 10 minutes when they arrived. They argued with the police. They were told to leave as I was only just reuniting with my family and trying to say a prayer. My home is a private home, not a public place.”

    Assault allegation
    In a report published on Saturday, Observer editor Shalveen Chand alleged he had been assaulted during the Saturday exchange, in full view of police officers nearby.

    He said when he asked police for help, he was told to lodge a complaint at the station. He has since filed a formal report.

    BBC journalist Dr Mandeep Rai, who witnessed the incident, said the Samoa Observer team acted “carefully and respectfully”, and that the hostile response was surprising. She said the difficulty in simply confirming a national leader’s safe arrival raised questions about transparency and access.

    The Prime Minister linked the ban to what he described as “wrong” and “disrespectful” reporting, including stories published during his medical leave.

    “When I was away, I saw numerous reports that were wrong . . .  especially the story about a meeting between the Deputy PM and my CEOs. A meeting that never happened.”

    La’aulialemalietoa said that as Faatuatua i le Atua Samoa ua Tasi (FAST) chairperson, he had previously banned the Observer from party events, but lifted that ban when he became Prime Minister at the request of senior government officials.

    The ban intensifies an already tense political climate in Samoa.

    In October, former Prime Minister Fiamē Naomi Mataʻafa filed a ST$1.1 million ($NZ698,000) defamation case against him, alleging he falsely linked her to interference in the murder investigation of American Samoan academic Dr Caroline Sinavaiana-Gabbard. The case is now before the Supreme Court.

    Regional pressure also rising
    There are also ongoing election-related disputes, public service tensions, and growing scrutiny about the government’s commitment to transparency.

    La’aulialemalietoa’s return to Samoa follows an unofficial meeting with New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon in Auckland earlier this month, his first public political engagement in weeks.

    The two leaders discussed major issues, including health infrastructure, drug-trafficking in the Pacific, and labour mobility.

    La’aulialemalietoa confirmed plans for new hospitals in Tuanaimato and Savai’i and reiterated his support for the Pacific Justice campaign, which seeks visa-on-arrival access to New Zealand for Pacific citizens.

    At the start of Monday’s press conference, La’aulialemalietoa asked the Samoa Observer’s reporter to leave his office. The exchange happened in front of the president of the Journalists Association of Samoa (JAWS) and other senior media members.

    This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ and with PMN News permission.

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • Samoan PM back home as journalist alleges assault outside his residence

    RNZ Pacific

    Samoan Prime Minister La’aulialemalietoa Leuatea Schmidt has returned home after an eight-week absence for medical treatment in New Zealand.

    La’aulialemalietoa departed Apia for Auckland on a private jet just days after being sworn in as Samoa’s eighth prime minister on September 16.

    The Samoan government had previously said he was expected to return to the country in a week after receiving treatment for a leg injury.

    The Samoa Observer confirmed his arrival on Saturday after visiting his residence in Siusega.

    However, attempts by reporters to seek comment from the prime minister were stopped by his supporters, who told them to leave.

    The situation escalated when the Samoa Observer editor was allegedly assaulted by two men in the presence of police officers.

    He has since lodged a formal complaint with the police.

    La’aulialemalietoa later told reporters to come back on Monday.

    This article is republished under a community partnership agreement with RNZ.


    This content originally appeared on Asia Pacific Report and was authored by APR editor.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • Tribute to Bob Howarth: He touched the Pacific in ways words can barely capture

    Bob Howarth
    6 November 1944-13 November 2025

    OBITUARY: By Robert Luke Iroga, editor and publisher of Solomon Business Magazine

    In June 2000, I travelled to Port Moresby for a journalism training course that changed my life in ways I did not expect. The workshop was about new technology—how to send large photo files by email, something that felt revolutionary at the time.

    But the real lesson I gained was not about technology. It was about people. It was about meeting Bob Howarth.

    Bob, our trainer from News Corp Australia, was a man whose presence filled the room. He was old school in his craft, yet he embraced the future with such excitement that it was impossible not to be inspired.

    He was full of energy, full of stories, full of life. And above all, he was kind. Deeply kind. The sort of kindness that stays with you long after the conversation ends.

    He had just returned from East Timor and knew what life was like in the developing world.

    In just one week with him, we learned more than we could have imagined. It felt like every day stretched into a month because Bob poured so much of himself into teaching us. It was clear that he cared—not just about journalism, but about us, the young Pacific reporters standing at the start of our careers.

    That week was the beginning of his love affair with the Pacific, and I feel proud to have been a small part of that story.

    Before we closed the training, Bob called me aside. He gave me his email and said quietly,

    “If anything dramatic happens in the Solomons, send me some photos.”

    The Timor Post mourns journalist and media mentor Bob Howarth
    The Timor Post mourns journalist and media mentor Bob Howarth who died on Thursday aged 81. Image: Timor Post

    I didn’t know then how soon that moment would come.

    I returned home on Sunday, 4 June 2000. The very next morning, June 5th, as I was heading to work at The Solomon Star, Honiara fell into chaos.

    The coup was unfolding. The city was under siege. I rushed to the office, helping colleagues capture the moment in words and images. And just as Bob had asked, I sent photos to him. Within hours, those images appeared on front pages across News Corp newspapers.

    Bob wrote to me soon after, saying, “You’re truly the star of our course.”

    That was Bob—always lifting others up, always encouraging, always giving more credit than he took.

    From that week in PNG, we became more than just colleagues. We became friends—real friends. Over the years, whenever I travelled through Port Moresby, I would always reach out to him.

    Sometimes we shared a drink, sometimes a long talk, sometimes just a warm hello from his home overlooking the harbour. But every time, it felt like reconnecting with someone who genuinely understood my journey.

    Asia Pacific Report publisher David Robie's tribute to Bob Howarth
    Asia Pacific Report publisher David Robie’s tribute to Bob Howarth on Bob’s FB page.

    Bob was the person I turned to for advice, for guidance, for perspective. He believed in me at a time when belief was the greatest gift anyone could offer. And he never stopped being that voice in my corner—whether I was working here in the Solomons or abroad.

    This morning, I learned of his passing. And my heart sank.

    It feels like losing a pillar. Like losing a chapter of my own story. Like losing someone whose kindness shaped the path I walked.

    To his wife, his children, and all who loved him, I send my deepest condolences. Your husband, your father, your friend—he touched the Pacific in ways words can barely capture.

    And he touched my life in a way I will never forget.

    RIEP Bob. Thank you for seeing me when I was still finding my footing.

    Thank you for believing in me. Thank you for being my friend.

    Robert Luke Iroga is editor and publisher of Solomon Business Magazine and chair of the Pacific Freedom Forum. He wrote this tribute on his FB page and it is republished with permission.

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • Beijing court to rule in appeal of jailed Chinese journalist Dong Yuyu

    Detention of Dong on espionage charges has been criticised by human rights and press freedom organisations

    A court in Beijing is expected to rule on Thursday in the appeal of Dong Yuyu, a Chinese journalist who is serving a seven-year jail sentence on espionage charges.

    The detention of Dong, a senior columnist with a long career in Chinese state media, has been criticised by the US government and by international human rights and press freedom organisations.

    Continue reading…

    This post was originally published on Human rights | The Guardian.

  • British Muslim Journalist To Be Freed From ICE Detention

    Sami Hamdi, a British Muslim journalist and commentator who Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents detained two weeks ago at an airport under no clear legal basis, is set to be freed from detention, according to his family and legal team.

    ICE agents detained Hamdi at the San Francisco International Airport on Oct. 26. Hamdi, of Tunisian and Algerian descent, had just addressed a crowd at an event in Sacramento, as part of a speaking tour in the US. At the event, he had pressed US leaders to take an “America First” approach rather than “Israel First.” Hours later, apparently at the behest of pro-Israel interests, ICE detained him.

    At the time, the legal rationale for the arrest was unclear. Two unelected, far-right, Islamophobic figures had taken credit: Laura Loomer and Amy Mekelburg.

    The post British Muslim Journalist To Be Freed From ICE Detention appeared first on PopularResistance.Org.

    This post was originally published on PopularResistance.Org.

  • After More Than 2 Weeks in ICE Detention, UK Commentator Sami Hamdi Released

    A leading Muslim civil rights group in the US applauded Monday as the Trump administration’s agreement to release British pro-Palestinian commentator Sami Hamdi acknowledged that he is not “a danger to the community or to national security,” after he was held in Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention for more than two weeks. Hamdi’s family and the California chapter of the Council on…

    Source

    This post was originally published on Latest – Truthout.

  • Israeli forces kill 44 journalists inside Gaza displacement tents, says report

    Pacific Media Watch

    The Freedoms Committee of the Palestinian Journalists’ Syndicate says the Israeli occupation forces have killed 44 Palestinian journalists inside displacement tents in the Gaza Strip.

    The committee said that these journalists were among 254 media workers who had been killed since the beginning of the Israeli assault on Gaza in October 2023 until the end of October 2025, reports Middle East Monitor.

    According to the report, the attacks were systematic, targeting displacement tents located around hospitals and UNRWA shelters, in addition to direct sniper shootings inside displacement areas.

    It added that the victims were working for local and international media outlets, and most of them were killed while covering the humanitarian situation in the displacement camps.

    The syndicate affirmed that such targeting reflects a deliberate attempt to silence the Palestinian press and prevent the truth from reaching the world.

    It also stressed the need to hold the Israeli occupation accountable for its crimes against journalists and to ensure international protection for media crews working in Gaza.

    Israel’s audiovisual media bill ‘a nail in coffin of editorial independence’
    Meanwhile, the Paris-based media freedom watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has sounded the alarm following the first reading of a bill sponsored by Israel’s Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi that would strengthen the executive branch’s control over the audiovisual media, despite opposition from the Attorney General and the Union of Journalists in Israel.

    The bill includes measures that RSF condemned a year ago.

    Although the rest of the legislative process is likely to be difficult, Israel’s Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi, a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party, has managed to get a foot in the door. On the evening of November 3, around midnight, his media broadcasting bill was adopted after its first reading, as part of a voting pact with ultra-Orthodox MPs.

    The bill calls for the creation of a Broadcast Media Authority largely composed of members appointed by the Communications Minister himself. His ministry would also be entrusted with calculating television audiences, a measure approved by the Ministerial Committee for Legislation a year ago that was condemned by RSF.

    Legal and legislative barriers are already being put in place in response to this attempt to strengthen the Israeli government’s control over the media landscape.

    Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara, who is responsible for advising the government on legislative matters, is opposed to the bill, which has been deemed unconstitutional by the Knesset, Israel’s Parliament.

    Two petitions against the bill have also been filed with the Supreme Court. One was submitted by the Union of Journalists in Israel, which represents around 3000 media professionals. The other was instigated by the NGO Hatzlacha (meaning “success” in Hebrew), which promotes social justice.

    “This first reading vote is the first nail in the coffin of broadcast media’s editorial independence in Israel,” said RSF editorial director Anne Bocandé.

    “Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi is openly attacking a pillar of democracy. Against a backdrop of war and an upcoming election campaign, Benjamin Netanyahu’s government is seeking to silence voices that are critical of the far-right coalition in power.

    “RSF reiterates the warning it issued a year ago: these legislative attacks will have lasting, negative consequences on Israel’s media landscape.”

    Incorporating the ‘Al Jazeera’ ban on foreign broadcasters into common law
    In parallel with his legislative attack on the editorial independence of the country’s broadcast media, Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi is also continuing his battle against international broadcasters operating in Israel.

    Although his so-called “Al Jazeera law” — which allowed Israeli authorities to shut down any foreign broadcasters perceived as undermining national security and was condemned by RSF in April 2024 — expired on October 27 with the end of the state of emergency, the minister informed the National Security Council — which is attached to the Ministry of National Security — that he now intended to turn the measure into common law.

    After the missile exchanges between Israel and Iran in June 2024, the Prime Minister’s party had already attempted to amend the “Al Jazeera law” in an attempt to give additional powers to the Minister of Communications to stop the broadcasting of foreign channels in the country.


    This content originally appeared on Asia Pacific Report and was authored by Pacific Media Watch.

    This post was originally published on Radio Free.

  • British Journalist Sami Hamdi Fights Deportation While In ICE Detention

    Several journalist unions and press freedom and free speech groups condemned President Donald Trump’s administration for detaining British journalist and political commentator Sami Hamdi.

    “The arrest of Sami Hamdi constitutes a serious violation of his fundamental rights and poses a grave threat to freedom of expression and democratic principles,” declared International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) General Secretary Anthony Bellanger. 

    Bellanger added, “We are deeply concerned by the apparent misuse of anti-terror legislation, which risks setting a dangerous precedent for journalists and citizens engaging in public debate and exercising their right to free speech.”

    The post British Journalist Sami Hamdi Fights Deportation While In ICE Detention appeared first on PopularResistance.Org.

    This post was originally published on PopularResistance.Org.

  • Making a stand against the global assault on press freedom

    COMMENTARY: By Kasun Ubayasiri

    We are gathered here to mark the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists.

    The Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA) National Media Section usually campaigns for journalists’ rights and industrial agency in Australia — but today, we join hands with the IFJ — International Federation of Journalists, the Committee to Protect Journalists, and Reporters sans frontières — Reporters Without Borders, to make a stand against the global assault on press freedom.

    The past few years have been particularly hostile for journalists around the world.

    From the press briefing rooms in the White House to the streets of Gaza, journalists have been in the crosshairs.

    Shortly after assuming office in January 2017, US President Donald Trump accused the press of being an “enemy of the American people”. He has doubled down in his second term.

    We have seen newsroom after newsroom fall foul of White House press secretaries; we saw bans on CNN, The New York Times, the LA Times and Politico back in 2017, and now, the Associated Press for simply refusing to fall in line with the so-called renaming of the Gulf of Mexico.

    Three weeks ago, the world watched Pentagon journalists exit en masse, after rejecting Secretary of War Pete Hegseth’s latest edict.

    Another White House rule
    Just last week, we saw the declaration of another White House rule — this time, restricting credentialed journalists from freely accessing the Press Secretary’s offices in the West Wing.

    These attacks on US soil are complemented by an equally invidious assault on media outlets on a global scale.

    Funding freezes and mass sackings have all but silenced Voice of America, Radio Free Europe, Middle East Broadcasting Networks and Radio Free Asia — the latter of which employed several of our colleagues here in Queensland and the Pacific.

    We have seen Trump’s verbal attack on the ABC’s John Lyons, and how that presidential tantrum led to the ABC being excluded from the Trump–Starmer press conference in the UK.

    Apparently, they simply didn’t have space for the national broadcaster of the third AUKUS partner — and all this with barely a whimper from the Australian government.

    But then, why would our Prime Minister leap to journalism’s defence when he sees fit to exclude Pacific journalists from his Pacific Island Forum press conference — in, you guessed it, the Pacific.

    This enmity towards journalism, has been a hallmark of the Trump presidency.

    Blatant ignorance, hubris
    His blatant ignorance, hubris, and perfidy — indulged by US allies — has emboldened other predators and enemies of the press around the world.

    As at December 2024, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) listed 376 journalists as being imprisoned in various countries around the world — it was the highest number three years running, since the record started in 1992.

    China topped the list with 52 imprisoned journalists, with Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory a close second with 48.

    Myanmar had 35, Belarus 33, Russia 30 and the list continues.

    Among this group are 15 journalists arrested in Eritrea more than two decades ago, between 2000 and 2002, who continue to be held without charge.

    And it gets worse.

    The same CPJ database records 2023, 24 and 25 as the worst years for the deaths of journalists and media workers — worse than the years at the height of the US and allied invasion of Iraq and Afghanistan, and the war against the Islamic State.

    Killed journalists
    The war in Gaza accounts for a significant number of these deaths.

    A staggering 185 journalists and media workers have been killed directly because of their work in the past 25 months — on a small strip of land just 2.3 per cent the size of Greater Brisbane.

    I urge you to read the ICRC case study on the legal protection of journalists in combat zones. It clearly explains how Protocol 1 of the Geneva Convention protects journalists, even when they engage in producing “propaganda” for the conflicting parties.

    Since our vigil 12 months ago, the CPJ has recorded the deaths of 122 journalists and media workers around the world. These are deaths the CPJ has confirmed as being directly linked to their work — such as those killed while reporting in combat zones or on dangerous assignments.

    Of those, 33 were confirmed murders — meaning those journalists were deliberately targeted.

    A staggering 61 of those 122 were killed in the Occupied Palestinian Territory — in Israel’s war on Gaza. Another 31 were killed in a single day during targeted Israeli airstrikes on two newspapers in Sana’a in Yemen. And three more were killed in an Israeli airstrike on a compound housing journalists in Lebanon — meaning Israeli defence forces were responsible for 78 percent of last year’s killings.

    We talk of Israel’s attack on journalists because it is unprecedented, but Israel is by no means the only perpetrator of such crimes — there was the Mozambique journalist murdered during a live broadcast; a video journalist tortured and killed in Saudi Arabia; and a print journalist tortured and killed in Bangladesh.

    Today we read the names of 122 fallen comrades and remember them one by one.

    Dr Kasun Ubayasiri is co-vice president of the MEAA National Media Section. He gave this address at the annual vigil in Brisbane Meanjin last Sunday, on International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists. Republished with the author’s permission.

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • RSF expresses ‘regret’ over new Israeli Supreme Court delay on Gaza media access

    Pacific Media Watch

    The Paris-based global media freedom watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) says it “regrets” the Israeli Supreme Court’s decision to grant the Tel Aviv government 30 days to respond to a petition to allow journalists access to the Gaza Strip following the ceasefire.

    RSF said in a statement it believes the blockade on access — in place for more than two years — remains illegal, unjustifiable and contrary to the public’s fundamental right to news and information, and should be lifted at once.

    During a hearing before the Supreme Court on October 23 — in which RSF participated as an interested party having contributed an amicus brief in the petition by the Jerusalem-based Foreign Press Association (FPA) — the Israeli government acknowledged that the ceasefire constituted a significant change in circumstances justifying a review of its policy on journalists’ access.

    The court ordered the Israeli government to present a clear position on its blockade in light of the new circumstances but granted it another 30 days to do this, despite the urgency of the situation and although the Israeli government had already benefited from six postponements since the start of these proceedings.

    “If the blockade preventing journalists from entering Gaza was already illegal and seriously violated the fundamental right to information of the Palestinian, Israeli, and international public, it is now totally unjustifiable,” said RSF director-general Thibaut Bruttin.

    “RSF deplores the Supreme Court’s decision to give the Israeli government 30 days to reach this obvious conclusion, and calls on the Israeli government to open Gaza’s borders to journalists immediately and without conditions.”

    Israel has closed off Gaza and denied external journalists’ independent access to the besieged territory since 7 October 2023.

    To counter this ban, RSF has joined the FPA’s petition for the Gaza Strip’s borders to be opened to independent entry by journalists, and filed an amicus brief with the Israeli Supreme Court on October 15 that was designed to help the judges understand the FPA’s position.

    Who killed Shireen?
    Meanwhile, an investigation into Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh’s assassination reveals new evidence and cover-ups by Israeli and US governments.

    This major investigative documentary examines the facts surrounding the killing of Al Jazeera journalist Akleh, as she was reporting in Jenin, in the occupied West Bank, in May 2022.


    Palestine: Who killed Shireen?         Video: Al Jazeera

    It sets out to discover who killed her — and after months of painstaking research, succeeds in identifying the Israeli sniper who pulled the trigger.

    Eleven Al Jazeera journalists have been killed by the Israeli military among at least 248 Gaza media workers slain by the IDF, reports Anadolu Ajansı,

    A UN spokesman on Friday marked the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists yesterday with a reminder of the dangers faced by journalists worldwide — particularly in the Gaza Strip.

    “Nearly nine out of 10 journalists killings remain unresolved. Gaza has been the deadliest place for journalists in any conflict,” Stephane Dujarric, spokesman to the UN secretary-general, told reporters.

    Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for “independent, impartial” investigations into the killings of journalists, emphasising that “impunity is an assault on press freedom and a threat to democracy itself,” Dujarric said.

    “When journalists are silenced, we all lose our voice,” he said.

    Pacific Media Watch collaborates with Reporters Without Borders.

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • RSF expresses ‘regret’ over new Israeli Supreme Court delay on Gaza media access

    Pacific Media Watch

    The Paris-based global media freedom watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) says it “regrets” the Israeli Supreme Court’s decision to grant the Tel Aviv government 30 days to respond to a petition to allow journalists access to the Gaza Strip following the ceasefire.

    RSF said in a statement it believes the blockade on access — in place for more than two years — remains illegal, unjustifiable and contrary to the public’s fundamental right to news and information, and should be lifted at once.

    During a hearing before the Supreme Court on October 23 — in which RSF participated as an interested party having contributed an amicus brief in the petition by the Jerusalem-based Foreign Press Association (FPA) — the Israeli government acknowledged that the ceasefire constituted a significant change in circumstances justifying a review of its policy on journalists’ access.

    The court ordered the Israeli government to present a clear position on its blockade in light of the new circumstances but granted it another 30 days to do this, despite the urgency of the situation and although the Israeli government had already benefited from six postponements since the start of these proceedings.

    “If the blockade preventing journalists from entering Gaza was already illegal and seriously violated the fundamental right to information of the Palestinian, Israeli, and international public, it is now totally unjustifiable,” said RSF director-general Thibaut Bruttin.

    “RSF deplores the Supreme Court’s decision to give the Israeli government 30 days to reach this obvious conclusion, and calls on the Israeli government to open Gaza’s borders to journalists immediately and without conditions.”

    Israel has closed off Gaza and denied external journalists’ independent access to the besieged territory since 7 October 2023.

    To counter this ban, RSF has joined the FPA’s petition for the Gaza Strip’s borders to be opened to independent entry by journalists, and filed an amicus brief with the Israeli Supreme Court on October 15 that was designed to help the judges understand the FPA’s position.

    Who killed Shireen?
    Meanwhile, an investigation into Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh’s assassination reveals new evidence and cover-ups by Israeli and US governments.

    This major investigative documentary examines the facts surrounding the killing of Al Jazeera journalist Akleh, as she was reporting in Jenin, in the occupied West Bank, in May 2022.


    Palestine: Who killed Shireen?         Video: Al Jazeera

    It sets out to discover who killed her — and after months of painstaking research, succeeds in identifying the Israeli sniper who pulled the trigger.

    Eleven Al Jazeera journalists have been killed by the Israeli military among at least 248 Gaza media workers slain by the IDF, reports Anadolu Ajansı,

    A UN spokesman on Friday marked the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists yesterday with a reminder of the dangers faced by journalists worldwide — particularly in the Gaza Strip.

    “Nearly nine out of 10 journalists killings remain unresolved. Gaza has been the deadliest place for journalists in any conflict,” Stephane Dujarric, spokesman to the UN secretary-general, told reporters.

    Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for “independent, impartial” investigations into the killings of journalists, emphasising that “impunity is an assault on press freedom and a threat to democracy itself,” Dujarric said.

    “When journalists are silenced, we all lose our voice,” he said.

    Pacific Media Watch collaborates with Reporters Without Borders.

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • Critics Denounce Pentagon Loyalty Pledge Signatories as “Propaganda Corps”

    Less than a week after most journalists covering the US Department of Defense turned in their press credentials and carried out their belongings in boxes over Secretary Pete Hegseth’s new restrictions on reporters, his chief spokesperson announced “the next generation of the Pentagon press corps,” which critics quickly condemned as a collection of right-wing propagandists.

    Source

    This post was originally published on Latest – Truthout.

  • The Speech A Press Club Banned

    This talk is not sponsored by Raytheon, BAE Systems and Thales, which sell weapons to Israel to sustain the genocide. It is not sponsored by Amazon Web Services – which provides cloud infrastructure to Israeli defense and intelligence agencies – Deloitte or Mastercard, which also do business with the apartheid state of Israel.

    This is how you know we are not at The National Press Club of Australia.

    There are two types of war correspondents. The first type does not attend press conferences. They do not beg generals and politicians for interviews.

    The post The Speech A Press Club Banned appeared first on PopularResistance.Org.

    This post was originally published on PopularResistance.Org.

  • Brazen Censorship Against Student Journalists At Indiana University

    Indiana University Media School administrators shut down printing of the school’s student newspaper after firing the newspaper’s chief adviser. The brazen act of censorship sparked widespread media coverage and a show of solidarity from student journalists at Purdue University, which is the school’s rival.

    A little more than a year ago, the Media School cut print production of the school’s weekly student newspaper to seven “special editions” per semester. The decision was undertaken without consulting the publication and went into effect for the spring 2025 semester.

    The post Brazen Censorship Against Student Journalists At Indiana University appeared first on PopularResistance.Org.

    This post was originally published on PopularResistance.Org.

  • Reporters Walk Out of Pentagon, Refusing to Heed New Press Policy

    The Department of Defense has introduced a new press policy requiring the Pentagon to authorize any reporting on itself. Top TV news outlets have rejected the pledge; only the far-right outlet One America News has agreed to sign on. Dozens of reporters with the Pentagon Press Association turned in their government-issued press badges and left the building Wednesday rather than agree to the rules.

    Source

    This post was originally published on Latest – Truthout.

  • Major News Outlets Will Refuse to Sign “Unconstitutional” Pentagon Press Policy

    News outlets that cover the US Department of Defense have until 5:00 pm Tuesday to sign an agreement put forward by the Pentagon last month that bars journalists from reporting any information that hasn’t been explicitly authorized by the Trump administration — but several major organizations were resolute in stating they would not be agreeing to the terms. Outlets including the New York…

    Source

    This post was originally published on Latest – Truthout.

  • Pacific Media Watch backs RSF call for urgent end to Gaza media blockade

    Pacific Media Watch

    Pacific Media Watch supports the call by the Paris-based global media freedom watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) for justice for the victims of crimes against journalists in Gaza, and its demand for immediate access to the Palestinian enclave for exiled journalists and foreign press.

    The ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, confirmed on Friday, 10 October 2025, came after two years of unprecedented massacres against the press in Gaza.

    Since October 2023, the Israeli army has killed nearly 220 journalists, including at least 56 slain due to their work.

    Reporters Without Borders (RSF), which has filed five complaints with the International Criminal Court, has called in a statement for justice for the victims, and the urgent evacuation of media professionals who wish to leave.

    The ceasefire agreement in Gaza under US President Donald Trump’s peace plan has so far failed to produce an end to the media blockade imposed on the besieged Palestinian territory.

    According to RSF information, several bombings struck the north of Gaza on the day the agreement was announced, 9 October. One of them wounded Abu Dhabi TV photojournalist Arafat al-Khour while he was documenting the damage in the Sabra neighbourhood in the centre of Gaza City.

    While the agreement approved by the Israeli government and Hamas leaders allows humanitarian aid to enter Gaza, it does not explicitly mention authorising access for the foreign press or the possibility of evacuating local journalists.

    ‘Absolute urgency’
    Jonathan Dagher, head of the RSF Middle East Desk, said in a statement: “The relief of a ceasefire in Gaza must not distract from the absolute urgency of the catastrophic situation facing journalists in the territory.

    “Nearly 220 of them have been killed by the Israeli army in two years, and the reporters still alive in Gaza need immediate care, equipment and support. They also need justice — more than ever.

    “If the impunity for the crimes committed against them continues, they will be repeated in Gaza, Palestine and elsewhere in the world. To bring justice to Gaza’s reporters and to protect the right to information around the world, we demand arrest warrants for the perpetrators of crimes against our fellow journalists in Gaza.

    “RSF is counting on the International Criminal Court (ICC) to act on the complaints we filed for war crimes committed against these journalists. It’s high time that the international community’s response matched the courage shown by Palestinian reporters over the past two years.”

    Since the start of the Israeli offensive in Gaza in October 2023, the Israeli army has killed nearly 220 journalists in the besieged territory. At least 56 of these victims were directly targeted or killed due to their work, according to RSF, which has filed five complaints with the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the past two years, seeking justice for these journalists and end impunity for the crimes against them.

    In addition to killing news professionals on the ground and in their homes, the Israeli army has also targeted newsrooms, telecommunications infrastructure and journalistic equipment.

    Famine hits journalists
    Famine continues to afflict civilians in the Strip, including journalists, yet aid is barely trickling in and all communication services have been destroyed by two years of bombing.

    On October 9, Israeli authorities and Hamas leaders reached a 20-point ceasefire agreement in Cairo, Egypt’s capital, as part of Donald Trump’s plan to establish “lasting peace” in the region.

    This is the second ceasefire in Gaza since 7 October 2023, the first put in place at the beginning of the year and broken in March 2025, shortly after a strike killed the renowned Al Jazeera journalist Hossam Shabat.

    Israel is ranked 112th among the 180 nations surveyed by the annual RSF World Press Freedom Index and Palestine is 163rd.

    Pacific Media Watch collaborates with Reporters Without Borders.

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • IFJ condemns Australian lobby censorship bids to ‘silence’ reporting on Gaza

    Pacific Media Watch

    The global peak journalism body has condemned the targeting, harassment, and censorship by lobby groups of Australian journalists for reporting critically on Israel’s war on Gaza.

    The Brussels-based International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its Australian affiliate, the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA), said in a statement they were attempts to silence journalists and called on media outlets and regulatory bodies to ensure the fundamental rights to freedom of expression and access to information were upheld.

    In a high-profile case, Australia’s Federal Court found on June 25 that Lebanese-Australian journalist Antoinette Lattouf was unlawfully dismissed by the national public broadcaster, Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), for sharing a social media post by Human Rights Watch relating to violations by Israel in Gaza, reports IFJ.

    Lattouf was removed from a five-day radio presenting contract in Sydney in December 2023, with the judgment confirming her dismissal was made to appease pro-Israel lobbyists.

    On Seotember 24, the ABC was ordered to pay an additional $A150,000 in compensation on top of A$70,000 already awarded.

    In a separate incident, Australian cricket reporter Peter Lalor was dropped from radio coverage of Australia’s Sri Lanka tour by broadcaster SEN in February after he reposted several posts on X regarding Israeli attacks in Gaza and the release of Palestinian prisoners in Israel.

    “I was told in one call there were serious organisations making complaints; in another I was told that this was not the case,” said Lalor in a statement.

    Kostakidis faces harassment
    Prominent journalist and former SBS World News Australia presenter Mary Kostakidis has also faced ongoing harassment by the Zionist Federation of Australia, with a legal action filed in the Federal Court under Australia’s Racial Discrimination Act for sharing two allegedly “antisemitic” posts on X.

     

    Kostakidis said the case failed to identify which race, ethnicity or nationality was offended by her posts, with a verdict currently awaited on a strikeout order filed by Kostakidis in July.

    The MEAA said: “MEAA journalists are subject to the code of ethics, who in their professional capacity, often provide critical commentary on political warfare.

    “These are the tenets of democracy. We stand with our colleagues in their workplaces, in the courtrooms, and in their deaths to raise our voices against the silence.”

    The IFJ said: “Critical and independent journalism in the public interest is more crucial than ever in the face of incessant pressure from partisan lobby groups.

    “IFJ stands in firm solidarity with journalists globally facing harassment and censorship for their reporting.”

    Journalist killed in Gaza City

    Killed Palestinian journalist Saleh Aljafarawi
    Killed Palestinian journalist Saleh Aljafarawi . . . gained prominence for his videos covering Israel’s two-year war on Gaza Image: Abdelhakim Abu Riash/AJ file

    Meanwhile, gunmen believed to be part of Israeli-linked militia, have killed Palestinian journalist Saleh Aljafarawi, south of Gaza City, after the ceasefire, reports Al Jazeera.

    Social media posts showed people bidding farewell to the 28-year-old who had been bringing news about the war over the last two years through his widely watched videos, the channel said.

    Several people accused of attacking returnees to Gaza City by colluding with Israeli forces were killed during clashes in the area where Aljafarawi was shot dead, sources told Al Jazeera.

    Al Jazeera said that more than 270 Palestinian journalists had been killed in Gaza since the war began in October 2023.

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • The fledgling UN tried to rein in mass-scale misinformation. The world turned its back and is now paying the price | Roland Burke

    The ruinous result of the US approach to freedom of information and media has made anti-democratic contagion impossible to ignore

    • Past/Present is a new column which places current events in historical context

    For a generation of liberal democratic leaders shaped by the verities of the 1990s, the prospect that new media and communications technologies would deliver their citizens to fascism and war has seemed, until recently, unthinkable.

    Today, waves of racist violence facilitated by mass-scale misinformation have finally invited the beginnings of some response. The fate of the US, and the poisonous entente of corporate media monopoly and far-right leadership, has made the prospect of anti-democratic contagion now impossible to ignore. Measures to protect the young have taken shape with relative speed, with Australia extolling its pioneering (and unproven) initiatives on age-verification and social network restriction due to take effect on 10 December.

    Continue reading…

    This post was originally published on Human rights | The Guardian.

  • Bari Weiss to Head CBS News Within Pro-Trump, Pro-Israel Expanding Media Empire

    We speak to journalist David Klion about the Trump-affiliated right wing’s increasing grip on mainstream news media, as “anti-woke” pundit Bari Weiss takes the helm as the new editor-in-chief of CBS News. The former New York Times opinion writer, who left the paper over what she alleged was a climate of censorship, brands herself as a champion of free speech, but in reality “has a 20-year history…

    Source

    This post was originally published on Latest – Truthout.

  • Australia’s National Press Club blocks Hedges’ Gaza media talk, lines up former Israeli officer

    One Path Network

    The National Press Club of Australia has abruptly cancelled a scheduled address by renowned journalist and Pulitzer Prize–winning author Chris Hedges, who was set to deliver a talk titled “The Betrayal of Palestinian Journalists”.

    The event, planned for October 20, was to expose how Western media amplify Israeli propaganda while silencing voices documenting Israel’s atrocities in Gaza.

    Instead, the Press Club is reportedly considering Israel’s ambassador, retired IDF lieutenant-colonel Amir Maimon, as a replacement speaker, a move critics say perfectly illustrates the very censorship and bias Hedges intended to discuss.

    Amid an ongoing genocide in Gaza, where more than 278 Palestinian journalists have been killed, many deliberately targeted, the Press Club’s decision to silence a veteran war correspondent while platforming a representative of the Israeli occupation underscores a disturbing alignment with state propaganda.

    It signals a betrayal of journalistic ethics and Australia’s public right to hear unfiltered truths about Israel’s war crimes.

    Rather than promoting balance, the National Press Club has chosen complicity, showing that press freedom ends where Israeli interests begin.

    This post was originally published on Asia Pacific Report.

  • Hedges Report: NPC Australia Caves To Israel Lobby, Cancels Talk

    I was scheduled to give a talk at the National Press Club of Australia on Oct. 20 called “The Betrayal of Palestinian Journalists.” It was to focus on the amplification of Israeli lies in the press, which most reporters know are lies, betraying Palestinian colleagues who are slandered, targeted and killed by Israel. But, perhaps inadvertently proving my point, the chief executive of the press club, Maurice Reilly, cancelled the event.

    The announcement of my talk disappeared from the web site. Reilly said “that in the interest of balancing out our program we will withdraw our offer.” The Israeli Ambassador, retired Lt. Colonel Amir Maimon, who spent 14 years in the Israeli military, is reportedly being considered to speak.

    The post Hedges Report: NPC Australia Caves To Israel Lobby, Cancels Talk appeared first on PopularResistance.Org.

    This post was originally published on PopularResistance.Org.

  • RSF World Press Freedom Index 2025: economic fragility now major threat

    Although physical attacks against journalists are the most visible violations of press freedom, economic pressure is also a major, more insidious problem. The economic indicator on the RSF World Press Freedom Index now stands at an unprecedented, critical low as its decline continued in 2025. As a result, the global state of press freedom is now classified as a “difficult situation” for the first time in the history of the Index. See the Index

    At a time when press freedom is experiencing a worrying decline in many parts of the world, a major — yet often underestimated — factor is seriously weakening the media: economic pressure. Much of this is due to ownership concentration, pressure from advertisers and financial backers, and public aid that is restricted, absent or allocated in an opaque manner. The data measured by the RSF Index’s economic indicator clearly shows that today’s news media are caught between preserving their editorial independence and ensuring their economic survival.

    “Guaranteeing freedom, independence and plurality in today’s media landscape requires stable and transparent financial conditions. Without economic independence, there can be no free press. When news media are financially strained, they are drawn into a race to attract audiences at the expense of quality reporting, and can fall prey to the oligarchs and public authorities who seek to exploit them. When journalists are impoverished, they no longer have the means to resist the enemies of the press — those who champion disinformation and propaganda. The media economy must urgently be restored to a state that is conducive to journalism and ensures the production of reliable information, which is inherently costly. Solutions exist and must be deployed on a large scale. The media’s financial independence is a necessary condition for ensuring free, trustworthy information that serves the public interest.” Anne Bocandé, RSF Editorial Director

    Of the five main indicators that determine the World Press Freedom Index, the indicator measuring the financial conditions of journalism and economic pressure on the industry dragged down the world’s overall score in 2025. 

    The economic indicator in the 2025 RSF World Press Freedom Index is at its lowest point in history, and the global situation is now considered “difficult.”

    https://rsf.org/en/rsf-world-press-freedom-index-2025-economic-fragility-leading-threat-press-freedom?year=2025&data_type=general

    This post was originally published on Hans Thoolen on Human Rights Defenders and their awards.

  • Press Freedom Defenders Sound Alarm on Pentagon’s New Restrictions for Reporters

    Journalists and defenders of press freedom are expressing alarm and condemnation after the Pentagon, under the command of President Donald Trump and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, announced new restrictions on reporters that include pre-approval of stories that include even unclassified material and a new pledge to not publish any material without permissions from government officials.

    Source

    This post was originally published on Latest – Truthout.

  • Jimmy Kimmel’s Suspension Is Shocking, But the Worst Could Be Yet to Come

    In the week since Charlie Kirk was killed, members of the Trump administration have been honoring him by using one of his favorite platforms — the right-wing podcast — to continue his tradition of threatening people who say things he did not like. “We can do this the easy way or the hard way,” Brendan Carr, head of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) said while speaking on right-wing…

    Source

    This post was originally published on Latest – Truthout.

  • Media Outlets Ask Trump Not To ‘Edit’ Press Visas

    A hundred media outlets and journalists’ associations have signed a statement asking the US government to withdraw its previously announced plans to shorten the duration of visas for foreign journalists to less than one year.

    “The proposal to limit visas to 240 days would disrupt a proven system, create instability for correspondents and their families, and reduce the quantity and quality of coverage from the United States,” the statement said.

    According to the signatories, the current visas, which allow stays of up to five years, “have for decades ensured that international journalists can accurately report on live and breaking news in the United States.”

    The post Media Outlets Ask Trump Not To ‘Edit’ Press Visas appeared first on PopularResistance.Org.

    This post was originally published on PopularResistance.Org.