Press Freedom

Turkey and Press Freedom

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Photo form CPJ

Article in Committee to Project Journalists by Staff, 11/27/24

Headline:  “Turkish authorities should stop treating journalists like terrorists by raiding their homes and detaining them, the Committee to Protect Journalists said Wednesday.”

” ‘Turkish authorities once more raided the homes of multiple journalists in the middle of the night, in order to portray them as dangerous criminals, and detained them without offering any justification. CPJ has monitored similar secretive operations in the past decade, and not one journalist has been proven to be involved with actual terrorism,’ said Özgür Öğret, CPJ’s Turkey representative. ‘The authorities should immediately release the journalists in custody and stop this systematic harassment of the media.’ ”

https://cpj.org/2024/11/police-detained-multiple-journalists-in-house-raids-across-turkey/

 

Precedent for Arresting Reporters?

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Article in The Guardian by Paul Karp, 11/126/24

Headline:  “US lawmakers urge Biden to pardon Assange to send ‘clear message’ on media freedom”

Subhea:  “Exclusive: James McGovern and Thomas Massie warn US president they are ‘deeply concerned’ the WikiLeaks founder’s plea deal sets worrying precedent”

“President Joe Biden has been urged to pardon Julian Assange by two US congressmen who warn they are ‘deeply concerned’ the WikiLeaks founder’s guilty plea deal sets a precedent for prosecuting journalists and whistleblowers with espionage offences.”

“. . . ‘ “Put simply, there is a long-standing and well-grounded concern that section 793 [of the Espionage Act], which criminalizes the obtaining, retaining, or disclosing of sensitive information, could be used against journalists and news organizations engaged in their normal activities, particularly those who cover national security topics.’ ”

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/nov/27/joe-biden-urged-to-pardon-julian-assange-congressmen-letter

Will Media Approach “Truth Social”?

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Article in Columbia Journalism Review by Jem Baertholomew, 11/25/24

Headline:  “Truth Social and Consequences”

Subhead:  “The political press gears up for an unprecedented story: the social media executive in chief.”

“. . .Trump’s post—or “re-truth,” to use the platform’s lingo—flashed a signal to journalists now entering uncharted territory, as they cover a president-elect who owns a controlling stake in a social media company. Truth Social’s parent . . .  launched its platform in 2022, after Trump’s encouragement of the Capitol insurrection prompted mainstream social media—Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, etc.—to kick him off. ”

“. . . How seriously journalists should take his 4am posts is another question. “When he became a candidate, it became a more important tool,” Tara Palmeri, senior political correspondent for Puck, told me. “Truth Social is going to remain relevant as long as Trump is around, as much as we might want to turn a blind eye to it,” Sarah Jones, senior writer covering politics for New York’s Intelligencer, said. “I do think it’s worth paying attention to and following

https://www.cjr.org/business_of_news/truth-social-trump-media-how-important-stocks-shares-announcements.php

Journalists of Valor Rewarded

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CPJ photo

Article by Citizens to Protect Journalists by Staff, 11.22.24

Headline: “CPJ recognizes fearless journalists at 2024 International Press Freedom Awards”

Subhead:  “Press freedom gala, hosted by John Oliver, honors journalists from four continents”

“The 2024 awardees were all honored for their courage in reporting on their communities while experiencing war, prison, government crackdowns, and increasing efforts to criminalize their work.

This year’s awardees were: Shrouq Al Aila, a Palestinian journalist based in Gaza and director of Ain Media; Quimy de León, a Guatemalan journalist and co-founder of Prensa Comunitaria; Samira Sabou; one of Niger’s most prominent investigative journalists, and Alsu Kurmasheva, a U.S.-Russian Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) journalist and editor jailed by Russia in 2023.”

https://cpj.org/2024/11/cpj-recognizes-fearless-journalists-at-2024-international-press-freedom-awards/

 

 

Is Banning Internet Speech “Censorship”

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Article in AP by Staff 11/24/24

Headline:  “Australia withdraws a misinformation bill after critics compare it to censorship”

Subhead:  “In Australia legislation to regulate Internet content failed.”

“The bill would have granted the Australian Communications and Media Authority power over digital platforms by approving an enforceable code of conduct or standards for social media companies if self-regulation fell short.”

“This bill would have had the effect of suppressing the free speech of everyday Australians, as platforms would have censored online content to avoid the threat of big fines,” Coleman said said in a statement.

https://apnews.com/article/australia-misinformation-bill-tech-1625518609bcc407c63c9934b6a2a848

Internet and Right-Wing Media

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Article in Axios by Shannon Vavra, Sara Fischer, 11/23/24

Headline: “The recent explosion of right-wing news sites”

“Axios mapped the launch date of 89 news websites over the past quarter century. The data shows there has been an explosion of right-leaning news sites, coinciding with the rise of the Tea Party and alt-right movements beginning in 2010. Many of these sites, in turn, were instrumental in spreading pro-Trump news during the 2016 elections”

“Why it matters: According to experts, digital technology has made it easier to exploit the political divisions that have always existed. . . .’The technological, regulatory, and media space has shifted into one in which this is profitable, and profit is the driving force.’ ”

https://www.axios.com/2017/12/15/the-recent-explosion-of-right-wing-news-sites-1513300575

Prediction for US Journalists from Nation of Georgia?

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Article in Citizens to Protect Journalism by Staff 11/20/24

Headline:  “Georgian police obstruct, detain journalists covering election protests”

“Local rights groups recorded at least four incidents of police assaulting or obstructing journalists covering a November 19 election protest in the Georgian capital, Tbilisi.

“Georgian opposition parties have alleged fraud and are protesting the results of the October 26 parliamentary election, in which the ruling Georgian Dream party was declared winner.”

https://cpj.org/2024/11/georgian-police-obstruct-detain-journalists-covering-election-protests/

Journalism Difficult in Venezuela

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Article in Citizens to Protect Journalists, 11/19/24

Headline:  “CPJ, partners document Venezuela’s intensified repression of journalists in new report”

“Venezuela has seen a sharp rise in journalist repression following the disputed July 28 reelection of President Nicolás Maduro amid fraud allegations, according to a new report published by the Committee to Protect Journalists with seven other press freedom groups.

“The report details a heightened environment of fear, stigmatization, and criminalization of independent voices, creating ‘news deserts’ where millions of Venezuelans lack access to reliable local news. From July 1 to August 28, 2024, six journalists have been detained, with four facing charges of terrorism and incitement to hatred under the 2017 Law Against Hate.”

https://cpj.org/2024/11/cpj-partners-document-venezuelas-intensified-repression-of-journalists-in-new-report/

War on the Media?

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Article in Common Dreams by Julia Conley, 11/15/24

Headline:  ” ‘Potentially Ominous Trend’ for Press Freedom as Trump Wages Legal War on News Outlets”

Subhead:  ” ‘Governments and powerful figures threatening journalists and media outlets with costly legal battles and bankruptcy is a common tactic against press freedom in repressive countries,’ said one journalist.”

” ‘The press freedom fire is at our door step now,’ said one Washington Post journalist on Thursday night after news broke that two months before President-elect Donald Trump is set to take office, he has already begun to wage legal warfare against on the news media.

“The Columbia Journalism Review (CJR)reported that days before the election, a lawyer for Trump, Edward Andrew Paltzik, sent a letter to The New York Times and Penguin Random House demanding $10 billion in damages for publishing articles and a book that were critical of the president-elect, who was convicted of 34 felony counts earlier this year”

https://www.commondreams.org/news/new-york-times-trump-unfit

Bad Media? Ban ‘Em From the Press Room

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Article in Daily Kos by News Corpse, 11/13/24

Headline: “HUH? Fox News Asks Biden’s Press Sec if He Apologized to Trump for Saying He’s a Threat to Democracy”

Subhead:  “America needs to prepare itself for what’s to come in the White House Press Briefing room. Axios is reporting that Trump is expected to ‘shake it up.’ “

“Trump’s first administration tried to ban outlets it saw as unfavorable from off-camera press briefings. That included the New York Times, Politico, CNN and BBC.” […]

“Any efforts to expand access to daily press briefings to pro-Trump outlets, such as Steve Bannon’s War Room, would need to come at the expense of existing outlets.”

“So get ready for briefings that feature folks like Bannon, Alex Jones, and Laura Loomer. The ‘mainstream’ media reporters from the New York Times and CBS and NPR will all be banished as ‘fake news.’ And Trump’s press secretary is likely to be someone like his former attorney Alina Habba or his daughter Tiffany. Which means the rest of the media had better grow a spine and be prepared to protect the very notion of a free press.”

https://www.dailykos.com/blogs/Media%20Watch