31st August 2016
By Tom Law

Ethical Journalism Network Newsletter – 31 August 2016

NEWS

‘Activism’ and its consequences: Syrian refugees are not subjects for a social media gallery

The Italian ‘activist’ was keen on that photo, as if her social media activism career was dependent on it. As if the misery of the poor Syrian child was not palpable enough in his dejected face and his rash-infested skin, she wanted to define a point of absolute misery for a perfect Instagram photo. So she handed him a bucket filled with rocks collected from the arid Jordanian desert, not far away from the Syria border. He carried the heavy rocks and posed for the photo.

Read the full article here. (Middle East Monitor)

Journalists resort to self-censorship after Maldives passes draconian defamation law

The law effectively made criticism of the government a criminal offence.

Read the full article here. (Scroll.in)

Dr. Maria Armoudian Releases New Book on Danger Zone Journalism

Journalism has long been a dangerous business for those whose beats were warzones, authoritarian governments or organized crime. But today’s danger zone journalism is more perilous than ever before, so much so that major media organizations refuse to allow their journalists to cover some regions or to accept freelance material from there.

Reporting from the Danger Zone: Frontline Journalists, Their Jobs and an Increasingly Perilous Future(Routledge 2016) explores this changing world and what it means for frontline reporters—both foreign and local correspondents—how they navigate in these environments to do their jobs, what they risk and face, and ultimately why we receive some stories but not others. Kidnappings, torture, detention and post-traumatic stress are some of their experiences—which can impair a journalist’s ability to continue in the profession. This book tells these stories behind the stories we receive.

Read the full article here. (Asbarez)

Pig-head propaganda: Hungary’s war on refugees

For the last two years the Hungarian government has stirred up xenophobic sentiments against refugees and migrants and has gone to great lengths, and cost, to spew hateful messages nationwide.

Read the full article here. (EU Observer)

South African govt threatens to create news media regulatory body

The South African government has again threatened to create a body to regulate the news media. The Minister of Communications, Faith Muthambi, especially wants the print media to be transformed. She has suggested a statutory body such as the Independent Communications Authority of SA (Icasa) to monitor the industry. However, the Press Council’s executive director, Joe Thloloe, says the role the council has played as print media ombudsman is more than enough regulation.

Read the full article here. (SABC)

Social media’s echo chamber fuels migrant backlash in Sweden, Finland

Refugees and migrants came to these Nordic countries in record numbers in 2015. Some Swedes and Finns are using Facebook and Twitter to voice opinions that would have seemed unthinkable a few years ago.

Read the full article here. (CNET)

Press Council of Nepal seeks clarification from 8 news portals for publishing gruesome photographs

The Press Council Nepal (PCN) has sought clarification from eight online news portals for publishing gruesome photographs related to the victims of the Trishuli bus accident on August 26.

Read the full article here. (My Republica)

Journalists advised to uphold professionalism

Mrs Charlotte Osei, the Chairperson of the Electoral Commission, has asked journalists to maintain high ethical standards and professionalism in reporting the electoral process to promote peaceful presidential and parliamentary polls in December.

Read the full article here. (News Ghana)

Tunisian president signs declaration on media freedom

Tunisia has become the second state to sign up to the Declaration on Media Freedom in the Arab World, hailed as a “turning point” for press freedom by the International Federation of Journalists.

Read the full article here. (Press Gazette)

The crisis of regulation on social media

As more and more government officials take to social media to increase their outreach, a section is still puzzled by the latest trend.

Read the full article here. (Governance Now)


Main photo: “Illegals-2” by Michael Swan licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0