The
International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its affiliate the Media,
Entertainment & Arts Alliance (MEAA) in mourning the death on December 10 of
the union’s assistant federal secretary Mark Ryan,
after a two-year battle with cancer.
A lawyer by training, Ryan was one of the most influential trade union
officials in shaping wages and working conditions for journalists in Australia over
the past 25 years. Ryan joined the staff of the Australian Journalists’
Association in 1987. After the union merged with other entertainment unions in
1992 to become the Media, Entertainment & Arts Alliance, Ryan became
assistant federal secretary, a role…
Journalists’ leaders from all regions of Africa who assembled in Durban, South Africa, from 1-3 December for a major conference on African Journalists and their Role in Tackling the perils of Climate Change committed to make climate change a priority for immediate action in building professional capacity of journalists, through training, exchange of skills and best practices in order to respond to the growing danger posed by climate change.
The conference which was organised on the side-lines of 17th Conference of Parties (COP17) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the 7th Meeting of Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (CMP7), by the…
The European Federation of Journalists
(EFJ), today welcomed a major legal victory for protection of journalists'
sources in France
in the ongoing "Woerth-Bettencourt" case, a high-profile scandal mixing
business and political financing. The Appeal
Court (Cour de Cassation) ruled that judge Philippe
Courroye, who initiated a procedure to identify information leaks in the "Woerth-Bettencourt"
case in September 2010, had infringed the law on protection of sources by
trying to access detailed phone records of three journalists working at the
daily newspaper Le Monde. "We welcome a decision that is in
line with case-law from the European Court of Human Rights," said…
The International Federation of
Journalists (IFJ) condemns the interference by senior management of Asia
Television Ltd (ATV) with the editorial independence of its newsroom, as
revealed in the recent findings of the Broadcasting Authority of Hong Kong.
On the night of July 6, ATV aired a false report
that the former President of China, Jiang Zemin, 84, was dead. Shortly
afterwards the colour of the TV station logo was changed from red and orange to
black.
On December 5, the Chairperson of the Broadcasting
Authority of HK, Ambrose Ho, announced the findings of the inquiry into the ATV’s
false news report.
The findings revealed that Kwong…
On November 23 each year, the IFJ
takes part in the International Day to End Impunity for crime targeting
journalists.
The date was chosen to mark the
second anniversary of the Ampatuan Town Massacre in the Philippines,
which claimed the lives of 58 people, including 32 journalists, on November 23,
2009.
The IFJ is committed to making this
anniversary a day to remember all journalists killed because they believed in
the purpose and mission of journalism, to raise awareness about the scandal of
impunity and the failure of governments to bring the killers to justice and to
pledge to do
more to find ways of making journalism…
The
International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its African group, the
Federation of African Journalists (FAJ) today joined the International Trade
Union Confederation (ITUC) to demand recognition of workers' rights at the
United Nations Climate Change Summit 2011, COP 17 / CMP 7 which is taking place
in Durban, South Africa. "We
welcome the participation of African journalists' leaders in this important
debate on shaping the future of our lives and livelihoods," said Beth Costa,
IFJ General Secretary. "Climate change has far reaching implications for
workers' rights, including journalists'. It is entirely appropriate that our
African members join forces with the ITUC to…
Promoting fair gender portrayal within media houses and the journalistic profession
The World Association for Christian Communication (WACC) and the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today launch a new resource to promote gender ethical journalism.
The Learning Resource Kit for Gender-Ethical Journalism and Media House Policy is the outcome of a project launched in July 2011 to promote fair gender portrayal within media houses and the journalistic profession.
The kit draws from the insights of media practitioners, educators and communication researchers from Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Europe, Latin America, North America and Pacific. It brings together practical…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its African group, the Federation of African Journalists (FAJ) today joined the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) to demand recognition of workers' rights at the United Nations Climate Change Summit 2011, COP 17 / CMP 7 which is taking place in Durban, South Africa."We welcome the participation of African journalists' leaders in this important debate on shaping the future of our lives and livelihoods," said Beth Costa, IFJ General Secretary. "Climate change has far reaching implications for workers' rights, including journalists'. It is entirely appropriate that our African members join forces with the ITUC…
EFJ Focus is a monthly bulletin of the European Federation of Journalists, produced by the Secretariat in Brussels.The newsletter is now available in English, German and French. Further Information: Tel: 32-2-235.22.15/02Fax: 32-2-235.22.19E-mail: [email protected] and [email protected]
The International Federation of
Journalists (IFJ) joins partner organisations in the South Asia Media
Solidarity Network (SAMSN) in expressing serious concern at the attacks on news
photographers reporting street protests in Srinagar,
capital of the Indian state of Jammu
and Kashmir, on November 25.
Reports from Srinagar
indicate four journalists were assaulted and one of them briefly detained by
personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), while covering protests
that broke out in Srinagar’s Old City
after Friday prayers. Umar Mehraj, a video journalist for Associated Press,
Showkat Shafi, a contributor to Al Jazeera English online, and Yawar Kabli…
The
International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its affiliate the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) in calling for an immediate investigation into
the November 24 shooting of journalist Michael James Licuanan in Cagayan de
Oro, in Mindanao in the southern Philippines.
Licuanan, anchor of Zona Libre, on Bombo Radyo Cagayan de Oro, was critically
wounded by a single gunshot wound at about 9:30 pm as he was nearing Cogon
Market, about a kilometer away from the radio station. Two men on a red
motorcycle, who were reportedly sighted outside the station several hours
before the shooting, followed Licuanan from the station as he returned home
from…
A mission of international journalists and media organisations -
including the European Federation of Journalists and its affiliate, the Türkiye Gazeteciler Sendikas? (TGS -
Journalists' Union of Turkey), and a delegation of the German Deutscher Journalisten Verband (DJV), the
International Press Institute (IPI), Reporters Without Borders (RSF), and the
European Association of Journalists (AEJ) - on a visit to Turkey from 22-24
November to witness the deteriorating state of press freedom in the country
today denounced the fact that 64 journalists are still in jail.
"We are impressed by the fact that the journalistic community in
Turkey is now joining forces to fight…
In a letter addressed to UN General Secretary Ban Ki-Moon to mark International Day on the Elimination of violence against women and girls, the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) points at the extreme levels of violence women journalists face while carrying out their professional duties.
The IFJ denounces aggression, threats, political pressure, violence, rape and abuse that women journalists have to face due either to their gender or simply for doing their job. The situation is made much worse by the prevailing culture of impunity which protects and emboldens the perpetrators of these crimes.
"It is even more sobering when we consider that the majority of these crimes…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today said it opposes the Protection of Information Bill which was passed yesterday in Parliament and called the Upper Chamber to review the legislation which claims to “protect” state information. The draft law provides for a maximum jail term of 25 years against journalists who are convicted of publishing or possessing state documents that the Government deems classified.
“This bill is a regrettable setback for South Africa and the continent,” said Gabriel Baglo, Director of the IFJ Africa Office. “The adoption of the bill would negatively impact on the fate of access to information and good…
Singapore Press Holdings (SPH), which trades on the Singapore stock exchange, publishes 18 newspapers in four languages and more than 100 magazines has sued Yahoo Inc. for copyright infringement for allegedly reproducing content from its newspapers without authorization.
Read: http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/singapore-press-holdings-sues-yahoo-southeast-asia-for-copyright-infringement/2011/11/23/gIQARqrCnN_story.html
Antonio Vitorino, Portugese politician and a former
European Commissioner responsible for Justice and Home Affairs was appointed mediator in the dialogue on private copying levies. His task will be to moderate stakeholder discussions and explore approaches to harmonisation of both
the methodology used to impose levies and the systems of administration of
levies. Discussions in Brussels will start in the beginning of 2012 and should be completed
before the summer of 2012. "The fact that authors and other rightholders must
receive fair compensation for the use of their work is not at issue" said Barnier." The issue
is that all schemes used for the collection of this…
Antonio Vitorino, Portugese politician and a former European Commissioner responsible for Justice and Home Affairs was appointed mediator in the dialogue on private copying levies. His task will be to moderate stakeholder discussions and explore approaches to harmonisation of both the methodology used to impose levies and the systems of administration of levies. Discussions in Brussels will start in the beginning of 2012 and should be completed before the summer of 2012."The fact that authors and other rightholders must receive fair compensation for the use of their work is not at issue" said Barnier." The issue is that all schemes used for the collection of…
Singapore Press Holdings (SPH), which trades on the Singapore stock exchange, publishes 18 newspapers in four languages and more than 100 magazines has sued Yahoo Inc. for copyright infringement for allegedly reproducing content from its newspapers without authorization.
Read:http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/singapore-press-holdings-sues-yahoo-southeast-asia-for-copyright-infringement/2011/11/23/gIQARqrCnN_story.html
The International
Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its affiliate, the Hong Kong Journalists Association
(HKJA), and other local media organisations in calling on the Hong Kong Government
to uphold the spirit of the Hong Kong Code on Access to Information.
On November 21, the HKJA,
Hong Kong Foreign Correspondents’ Club, Hong Kong Chinese Press Association and
Hong Kong Press Photographers Association signed a petition to demand the
release of information in real time by law enforcement officials. The campaign
collected 1,602 signatures from journalists, media management, journalism
professors and students.
The IFJ recognises the recent
adoption…
The EU Consultation on the online distribution of audiovisual works is aimed to assess the challenges and difficulties towards the development of cross border distribution of audiovisual works, including radio broadcasts, TV news reports and documentaries.In its response, the EFJ recalled that journalists were authors of audiovisual works and enjoyed both moral and economic rights over their audiovisual creation. It highlighted situations where journalists are forced to transfer their authors rights with no possiblity of negotiation of the contract nor of receiving fair remuneration. It called in particular on the role of collective agreement and…
The EU Consultation on the online distribution of
audiovisual works is aimed to assess the challenges and difficulties towards
the development of cross border distribution of audiovisual works,
including radio broadcasts, TV news reports and documentaries. In its response, the EFJ recalled
that journalists were authors of audiovisual works and enjoyed both
moral and economic rights over their audiovisual creation. It highlighted
situations where journalists are forced to transfer their authors rights with
no possiblity of negotiation of the contract nor of receiving fair
remuneration. It called in particular on the role of collective agreement…
The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) today expressed its concern over the deterioration
noted in Greece's
print media, especially at a time when the need for credibility in the press is
more urgent than ever. "We call on Greek national and local
authorities as well as media owners to make their utmost to guarantee the
existence of viable journalism in Greece" said the EFJ President Arne
König. Aside from the complete deregulation of labor
relations, it is alarming to see newspapers with a long-standing presence in
the field on the brink of closure. The most characteristic examples are the Athens daily Eleftherotypia and the Thessaloniki daily Macedonia. Eleftherotypia…
The international partnership mission to Hungary from
November 14th to 16th 2011, having met with lawyers, journalists,
editors, professional associations, representatives of civil society, the new
media authorities, and the government representative and discussed the
situation regarding the enactment and implementation of the new media law
finds: · The
confluence of a regulatory environment, deteriorating economic conditions, technological change and convergence
in media, and a lack of unity and solidarity within the professional community
has created a perfect storm that threatens the future of independent…
The International
Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is deeply frustrated by reports that another
prominent investigative journalist has been forced to resign after reporting on
a failure of process in the judicial system in Shanghai.
Yang Haipeng, an
investigative journalist for Shanghai’s
Caijing magazine, was forced to
resign on October 13, a week before his wife was sentenced to four years
imprisonment for corruption.
Yang’s
resignation follows the dismissal in August of
Chen
Zhong, the president of Nan Feng Chuang (NFC) magazine, for being
"unable to correctly censor the magazine's
articles and for taking things in the wrong political…
The
International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its affiliate the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) in condemning the murder of Brigada News Circulation Manager Alfredo “Dodong” Velarde Jr on
November 11.
Velarde,
42, was shot dead at about 3:50 a.m. by unidentified assailants while entering
the Brigada News compound in General
Santos City, Mindanao, in the southern Philippines. Police are reviewing
closed-circuit television footage of the incident, though the shooting itself
was not on camera, the Philippine
Daily Inquirer reports.
Police are
yet to establish the motive for Velarde’s murder. Ernie Gabonada,…
The International Federation of Journalists
(IFJ) is concerned by reports of the threatened closure of another investigative
magazine in China.
Journalists from Jinghua (titled This Week in English), a magazine affiliated with Jinghua Newspaper, report that all
investigative reporting has been ordered to stop after the publication was
transferred to the authority of People’s
Daily, one of the official media outlets of the Chinese Communist Party.
In September,
the General Administration of Press and Publications (GAPP) transferred Jinghua Newspaper to the authority of
the Propaganda Department of Beijing and restricted it from reporting on…
The
International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its affiliate the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) in welcoming a Court of Appeals decision rejecting
the exclusion from trial of one of the main suspects in the Ampatuan Town
Massacre.
Zaldy
Ampatuan, a key suspect in the massacre of 58 people, including 32 media
workers, on November 23, 2009 in Maguindanao province in the southern Philippines, filed
a petition for a writ of certiorari with the Court of Appeals in relation to
the charges against him.
His
petition concerned a decision by Acting Justice Secretary Alberto Agra in April
2010 which found no probable cause for Ampatuan…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today condemned the closure of two radio stations on Monday night, 7 November, 2011 in the Liberian capital, Monrovia. Love FM and Kings FM were forced to cancel their broadcast programmes after police walked into their stations and ordered the employees out.
“These are naked acts of intimidation and suppression of divergent views,” said Gabriel Baglo, Director of the IFJ Africa Office. “The forceful closure of the radio stations by the police force depicts an act of aggression on the independent media in Liberia”.
According to the Press Union of Liberia (PUL) an IFJ affiliate,…
The International Federation of
Journalists (IFJ) is disturbed to learn from its affiliate, the Federation of
Nepali Journalists (FNJ) of successive waves of theft at the Prime FM radio
station in Kavre district in central Nepal.
The radio station was robbed of
essential cables and other equipment on the night of October 23, following
which broadcasts were discontinued. On November 2, masked assailants attacked
the security guard on duty at the radio station and stole essential
transmission equipment as well as a battery.
These
successive waves of theft have completely disabled the radio station.
”The IFJ
asks local authorities to consider…
The
International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) condemns the new registration
rules introduced by the Government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) for websites hosting any manner of content on the country, which has led
to the blocking of several websites for internet users in Sri Lanka.
These include Lanka News Web, Sri Lanka Mirror, Sri Lanka Guardian and Lanka Way News.
This
latest move follows the persistent
curbs imposed on Lanka-e-News,
another website that had a wide audience within the country and has been
repeatedly targeted in recent times, including in an arson attack in January
this year.
An
official of Sri Lanka’s Media
Ministry has been quoted…
The
International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its affiliate the Pakistan Federal Union of
Journalists (PFUJ) in welcoming the establishment of the Press Council of
Pakistan as a step toward improving quality and accountability in journalism.
The council, which was officially established with the Press Council
Ordinance in 2002 is now active, having held its first meeting on November 1. The
long delay in activating the press council has been attributed to a lack of
political will on the part of the Pakistan Federal Government.
The press council is chaired by
former Lahore High Court Judge Raja Mohammad Shafqat Khan Abbasi. The PFUJ, the
All Pakistan…
On 27 October 2011, European social partners of the audiovisual sector adopted a Framework of Actions on Gender Equality.This comprehensive Framework of Actions covers the topics of: gender portrayal; addressing gender roles at work; equal pay; equality in decision making; and the reconciliation of work and personal life.The Framework of Action builds amongst others on the 2005 cross-industry social partners' Framework of Actions on Gender Equality, while acknowledging the audiovisual sector's specific responsibility with regard to the protection and promotion of fundamental freedoms and democracy across the Member States of the European Union. The social partners also carefully considered…
On 27 October 2011, European social
partners of the audiovisual sector adopted a Framework of Actions on Gender
Equality. This comprehensive Framework of
Actions covers the topics of: gender portrayal; addressing gender roles at
work; equal pay; equality in decision making; and the reconciliation of work
and personal life. The Framework of Action builds amongst
others on the 2005 cross-industry social partners' Framework of Actions on
Gender Equality, while acknowledging the audiovisual sector's specific
responsibility with regard to the protection and promotion of fundamental
freedoms and democracy across the Member States of the European Union. The
social partners also…
The International Federation of
Journalists (IFJ) joins partner organisations in the South Asia Media
Solidarity Network (SAMSN) in expressing serious concern at reports of the
alleged torture in custody of journalist Lingaram Kodopi in the central Indian
state of Chhattisgarh.
Kodopi, a freelance journalist from
one of the indigenous communities of Chhattisgarh, was arrested
on September 10 on charges of raising funds for a banned Maoist insurgent
group.
Reports from Chhattisgarh indicate
that when Kodopi appeared in court in Dantewada, a southern district of the
state, on November 1, he met with members of his family and informed them that
he had been beaten…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is deeply frustrated by
reports that two Chinese journalists were harassed and assaulted and another
detained in a separate incident while investigating official misconduct and
negligence.
On October 28, Cai Sheng and Wang Shaoyang of the Shanghai Media Group’s Radio
and Television of Shanghai stations, were involved in an altercation with a
group of people in the city of Hengshui, in China’s northern Hebei province. During the incident, Cai was
struck on the back of the head by an unidentified individual.
According to a Radio Free Asia report, Cai and Wang were assaulted during
a visit to an electronics…
The
International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today supported Israeli
journalists who are leading the opposition to the press bill introduced
in the Knesset to reform the media law in the country. The private member bill,
proposed by Yariv Levin from the Likud party and supported by Meir Sheetrit of
Kadima provides for hefty increase in the amount of damages which can be
awarded in libel cases without proof of actual damage. Media reports
say that, if the bill is passed, defendants in libel cases could face up to
60.000 Euro in damages from just under 10.000 Euro under the existing law.
Fines could rise to over 70.000 Euro if "the complaint's response is not
published in…
The European Federation
of Journalists (EFJ), the European group of the International Federation of
Journalists (IFJ) today condemned the violent and criminal
attack against
the satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo after its offices
were burned down last night in a suspected arsonist attack. "Any violent and criminal attack against
media and journalists is a direct attack on freedom of the press. We strongly condemn this act, "said
EFJ
Chair Arne König. "There are laws and courts for those who need them. Any other method is dangerous and unacceptable because it creates a climate of fear and self-censorship within the profession." The offices of
the French satirical weekly Charlie…
The International
Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is currently implementing a new project in the
Pacific designed to strengthen the role of media workers and press freedom
advocates in defending and promoting human rights and fundamental freedoms in
the region.
Media for Democracy and Human Rights
in the Pacific, which is supported by the European Union and UNESCO, aims to bring
together an enduring coalition of organisations and individuals who will
jointly promote and defend rights related to freedom of the media, freedom of
expression, access to information and the right to free association.
“This project sees the IFJ work
with associates…
The International Federation of
Journalists (IFJ) welcomes the Bangladesh High Court ruling granting bail to
Mohammad Ekramul Haq, editor of the Sheersha News web portal and the associated
weekly newspaper Sheersha Kagoj, after close to three months in
detention on charges of extortion.
In granting bail on October 25, the
court observed that the principal complainant in the case of extortion, a fruit
trader from the capital Dhaka, had furnished
an identity and address which proved false.
Haq was arrested at his home in Dhaka on the morning of July
31 on charges of extortion and reportedly dealt with very roughly and led
away blindfolded, two days after the…
The International Federation of Journalists
(IFJ) welcomes the strong support for press freedom recently expressed at Pacific Media Rising: Shaping New Futures
for Media, Voice and Accountability, a regional media roundtable meeting held
in Honiara, Solomon Islands from October 19 to 21.
The roundtable meeting is the second to be held by the IFJ in the
region, following a meeting of journalists and press freedom activists in Apia,
Samoa last year.
This year’s roundtable, attended by regional journalists,
civil society representatives and donors, had the dual objectives of
strengthening monitoring of media freedoms in the Pacific, and strengthening
the…
The
International Federation of Journalists joins its affiliate, the Association of
Taiwan Journalists (ATJ), in expressing concern over the continued use of
criminal defamation laws to curb press freedom in Taiwan.
ATJ
chairperson, Lin Chau-yi, a reporter for independent news website Newtalk, and
Su Jeng-ping, the website’s administrator, were sued for criminal defamation by
Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) legislator Hsieh Guo-liang. The legal action
was taken in response to an article published by Newtalk on September 2.
The
article reported meetings between Hsieh and members of Taiwan’s National Communications Commission
prior to their public…
The
European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) today published a report saying that innovation and trade unionism are crucial to
defend ethical standards in journalism and decent working conditions for
journalists. The
report on "Managing
Change in the News Industry" outlines major transformations
within the media and how journalists and their unions are responding to the challenge.
In this report, the EFJ not only pays tribute to its members who continue
to defend quality journalism and decent working conditions for journalists
through innovative means, it also provides new ideas for more debates at
national and European level on the social dimension of change in the…
The
Federation of African Journalists, the African group of the International
Federation of Journalists (IFJ), and the Eastern Africa Journalists Association
(EAJA) in a statement supported by the International Trade Union Confederation
of the African Region (ITUC-Africa) today told the 50th Ordinary
Session of the African Commission on Human and People's Rights (ACHPR), sitting
in Banjul, The Gambia, that African continent is experiencing renewed and
aggressive premeditated attacks on journalists, and media organisations in an
attempt to control, manipulate and censor the free press and free speech. "Journalists
continue to face deadly attacks, criminal charges, intimidation…
Today the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ),
the European group of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ)
supported the massive protest which took place on Sunday in Budapest as part of
ongoing campaign waged by journalists and civil society groups for media
pluralism in Hungary."When media and journalists are put in a difficult
situation, it is essential that journalists are supported by civil society
groups. We are happy that demonstrations in Hungary also saw the need for free
and democratic information" said EFJ President Arne König.This year's commemoration of the anti- soviet uprising
in Hungary held on 23 October was marked by a rally at which nearly…
The International Federation of Journalists
(IFJ) joins its Sri Lankan affiliates in condemning the continued blocking of
the news portal Lanka-e-News by internet service providers in Sri Lanka since
October 18.
According to information received from IFJ
affiliate the Free Media Movement (FMM), two major internet service providers
in Sri Lanka, the government-owned Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT) and the privately
owned Dialog Axiata PLC, have blocked access to the website. A smaller
service provider Mobitel, which is partly owned by SLT, has also reportedly started
blocking the website.
The website continues to be available through
relatively smaller internet service…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today calls on journalists around the world to take part in a global wage survey "WageIndicator" to campaign for decent pay to journalists and to narrow the gender pay gap in journalism.
In a letter addressed to its affiliates, the IFJ called on all its members to participate in a global wage survey conducted by WageIndicator, to measure wages of over 1,500 different occupations and 400 industries in over 56 countries around the world.
"Too many journalists face wage discrimination in the workplace," said Beth Costa, IFJ General Secretary. "And gender pay gap in the profession is still persisting."
Female…
The Federation of African Journalists (FAJ), the African group of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), today strongly condemned
the brutal murder of Nigerian journalist, Zakariyya Isa, a reporter with the
state-run Nigerian Television Authority (NTA). According to the information received by FAJ, Zakariyya Isa, was shot dead on
Saturday, 22 October, around 7:30 pm in front of his house in Bulunkutu area of
the northern Nigerian city of Maiduguri. Gunmen associated with the
radical Boko Haram sect are suspected to be behind the murder of the television
journalist. "We express our solidarity with the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) at this
sad moment…
Today the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), the European group of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) expressed its unwavering support for trade union rights and press freedom in South East Europe after a regional round table in Skopje."Journalists in South East Europe are still working in an environment of fear," said EFJ President Arne König. "They fear for their job as labour laws or collective agreements are ruthlessly violated and they fear for their integrity as owners interfere in editorial content to defend specific interests. As long as labour rights are violated, press freedom will be threatened and it is the whole identity of the…
The International
Federation of Journalists (IFJ) joins its affiliate the Pakistan Federal Union of
Journalists (PFUJ) in welcoming a decision of the Supreme Court of Pakistan,
upholding the validity of the country’s Seventh Wage Board Award.
In a joint
statement, PFUJ President Pervaiz Shaukat and Secretary General Amin Yousuf
said: “After a painful decade-long struggle, journalists and newspaper workers
welcome the passing of this milestone, and hope for no further delays to the
long-overdue payment of their salaries and benefits. The PFUJ wishes no ill
will against any individual or media organisation and rightly hopes that the
judgment of the Supreme Court…
The leadership of the
Federation of African Journalists (FAJ), the African group of the International
Federation of Journalists (IFJ), today met Gambian Justice Minister Edward
Gomez to demand that his government break its silence over the whereabouts of
journalist Chief Ebrima Manneh who disappeared in 2006. The FAJ President Omar
Faruk Osman and his Vice President Foster Dongozi challenged the minister, who
is also the government's Attorney General, to reveal where the missing
journalist is following the minister's recent declaration that Chief Manneh is
alive. Minister Gomez claimed that
his government is a victim of a smear campaign designed to ‘tarnish its…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its European
group, the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) today expressed their
outrage after two journalists were accused of disclosing state secrets and face
secret trial in Serbia. Jelena Spasic and Milorad Bojovic of Nacionalni gradjanski newspaper have been charged with publishing
information deemed classified but journalists dismiss the claim as the controversial
material had been obtained though fair
means."These journalists are being made scapegoats as there is no evidence of
law breaking and charges against them are unconscionable," said Jim Boumelha,
IFJ President. "The authorities are resorting to secret…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ)
joins its affiliate the National Union of Journalists
of the Philippines (NUJP)
in condemning the murder of radio commentator Datu Roy Bagtikan Gallego in Lianga town, Surigao
del Sur province in the southern Philippines on October 14.
Gallego, also a Datu, or chieftain, of the Manobo
tribe and president of the Bayanihan Council of Datus (BACODA) Caraga Region,
was shot dead in an ambush on the national highway in Sitio Mamprasanon,
Barangay Banahaw in Lianga town.
Gallego often criticised mining operations and spoke in defence of tribal rights in
broadcasts with radio stations based in San Francisco,…
“This is a trial of shame, this is a trial in breach of
international law”, said Arne König, President of the European Federation of
Journalists (EFJ), commenting on the trial of two Swedish journalists on
terrorism charges that started today in Addis Abeba, Ethiopia.
The two journalists, Martin Schibbye and Johan Persson were
captured by Ethiopian forces when entering the Ogaden province of Ethiopia
in early July. They have since been held in jail and today they will stand
in an Ethiopian court accused of terrorism.
The two colleagues are working journalists who went to Ethiopia to
investigate reports of human rights abuses and the…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is
deeply concerned by reports that Great
Wall Monthly, an investigative news magazine in China, has apparently been shut
down without an official explanation.
According to an open letter published by the
magazine’s editorial team on September 28, the magazine’s editorial and
marketing teams were forced to leave the publication due to “reasons known to
all.” The monthly magazine failed to publish an October edition on the 15th as scheduled after the dismissal of these staff. It is alleged that the
magazine’s changes are a direct result of pressure from Chinese authorities.
Great Wall…
Today the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ),
the European group of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) voiced
its opposition to the government’s plans to integrate journalists working in
public broadcasting and National News Agencies in the payroll of civil
servants.
“Working in public media does not mean that you are a
civil servant, quite the contrary: journalists are accountable to the public
and they need to be independent politically and economically from the
government,” said the EFJ President Arne König. “It would be a very bad signal
for journalists’ credibility and independence if a member country of the…
The Association of Prefessional Journalists (AJP) published the first study that examines the diversity and equality in the French-speaking press in Belgium. The study examined 2225 articles of six newspapers over a period of 3 days.
The results of the study show that the media coverage in the french-speaking press in Belgium is largely male-dominated with less than 18% of women present in the press. The coverage of minority groups is scant with an overwhelming majority (83%) of the news focusing on "white people". The study also shows that disabled people are often ignored by the press; among the 2225 news articles, only 32 diabled people (representing 0.33% of news coverage)…
The Association of Prefessional Journalists (AJP) published the
first study that examines the diversity and equality in the
French-speaking press in Belgium. The study examined 2225 articles of
six newspapers over a period of 3 days.The results of the
study show that the media coverage in the french-speaking press in
Belgium is largely male-dominated with less than 18% of women present in
the press. The coverage of minority groups is scant with an
overwhelming majority (83%) of the news focusing on "white people".
The study also shows that disabled people are often ignored by the
press; among the 2225 news articles, only 32 diabled people
(representing 0.33% of news…
The European Federation of Journalists (EFJ), the European
group of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) today expressed its
support to journalists and unions at France
2 following threats made against the public
channel's presenters over a television
programme on the potential creation of a Palestinian state. "We condemn all forms of threats against journalists
who have done their work, especially on a
politically sensitive issue such as the
Israeli-Palestinian relations," said Beth Costa, General Secretary of the
IFJ / EFJ. The two hour long TV
broadcast entitled "Eye on the planet" (Un oeil sur la
planète) of Monday, 3 October on…
The
International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is deeply concerned by reports an officer of the Chinese Government threatened
to illegally detain a journalist on October 9.
The unnamed journalist was investigating
irregularities in tendering for government services managed by the Municipal
Government Procurement Centre of Haikou City, the capital of Hainan
Province in Southern
China.
According to the Xinhua News Agency, the Haikou
Procurement Centre had selected an underqualified software corporation for a
government project in Hainan
Province, despite quoting
a price three
times higher than any of the rival bidders and lacking experience in providing…
Click HERE to download the joint statement made by the European Federation of Journalists, European Writers' Congress and European Visual Artists on the proposed Orphan Work Directive.
