The International Federation of Journalists has warned of “sinister intent” over the death in the Ukraine in suspicious circumstances of Yuriy Chechyk, a media chief who was trying to assist American broadcaster Radio Liberty.
He was killed in a car crash yesterday evening while en route to meet with executives of Radio Svoboda, Radio Liberty’s Ukrainian Service, about rebroadcasting the station’s programmes on the more accessible FM band. Radio Liberty’s FM service was dropped by Radio Dovira last month under suspicions of political pressure, and yesterday Radio Kontynent, which had taken over the broadcasting was suddenly closed down.
The death of Chechyk has shocked the media…
With European enlargement imminent and concern over the consequent changes in society, the role of mass media in covering the affairs of ethnic minorities, immigrants and asylum seekers is ever-more important, say the organizers of the press-launch of the new European Day of Media Monitoring report on media performance.
The report will be presented during a press launch in Brussels at the International Press Centre Résidence Palace, Rue de la Loi 155, on 15 March from 14:00 to 16:00, to highlight the standard of reporting ethnic minorities and immigrants by newspapers and television news. This first European-wide benchmark report is based on a one-day monitoring of the media output of…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has written today to Thailand’s Prime Minister calling on his government to stop political interference in media and reiterating a call to introduce new rules to prevent conflicts of interest over media ownership, following a spate of incidents threatening independent media in the country.
The IFJ, the global organisation of journalists representing over 500,000 journalists worldwide, is
extremely concerned over recent events in Thailand including the sacking of the editor of the Bangkok Post, Veera Prateepchaikul, who is also chairman of the Thai Journalists’ Association
(TJA).
It is understood that Veera was removed from his post…
The European Federation of Journalists today welcomed a pay deal agreed by the two German unions of journalists Ver.di and Deutsche Journalisten Verband (DJV) and the German Association of Newspaper Publishers (BDZV) following talks which had taken place after four weeks of industrial action. Over 14,000 journalists are covered by the agreement.
“Then unions reached a deal based upon sensible compromise and negotiation and we welcome the settlement of the conflict,” said EFJ General Secretary Aidan White, “but at the same time we condemn the surprisingly aggressive and negative approach of the employers towards journalists”.
The initial proposals of the BDZV were provocative and…
DOWLOAD THE CODE OF CONDUCT (WORD)
VERSION FRANCAISE (WORD)
Journalists in Brussels today launched a code of conduct for media as part of an effort to strengthen independent journalism in a city where political and commercial interests jostle for influence in a rapidly-expanding media landscape.
The guidelines aim to help media avoid conflicts of interest, improve transparency and strengthen the quality of independent journalism in one of the world's leading news centres. It will lead to talks about how the European Union deals with media in the city.
"The code opens the door to a debate about the role of media and relations with political and commercial institutions that is long…
The International Federation of Journalists today called on coalition forces in Iraq to provide protection to a journalist who is campaigning for women's rights in Iraq.
The IFJ says that credible threats have been made to Yanar Mohammed, head of the Organisation of Women's Freedom in Iraq who publishes the Al Nisa magazine and runs the www.equalityiniraq.com website. She has been a leading campaigner through the magazine and website for equality for women.
"This colleague has come under attack because she is fighting for basic human rights," said Aidan White, IFJ General Secretary. "It is urgent that she is giving full protection and that those who are putting her life at risk are…
19th February 2004
Technical developments, particularly of the Internet, have diversified and multiplied the ways in which works protected by authors' rights can be used. Information is now available worldwide at a very little cost. Publishing houses and broadcasting companies have also started to use journalistic works in digital format on CD-ROM or on-line.
Journalists support the dissemination of information. It is essential that as many people as possible have access to quality information all around the world.
However, journalists also own authors’ rights and should receive an appropriate reward when their work is being reused, photocopied, reproduced on a different…
Having regard to the spread of digital technology and to the increasing globalisation in the information society, we, the undersigned organisations representing creators in all the media throughout Europe, urge the European Parliament, the European Commission and the European Council to implement in every sphere of your activity the spirit and the letter of Article 151.4 of the Amsterdam Treaty , requiring an awareness of and support for the intellectual and cultural wealth of the European Union.
Such, we believe, can only be achieved by a recognition of the
fundamental role that creators play in the media industries, which now provide 6% of European GDP and employment for…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), the global organisation of journalists representing over 500,000 journalists worldwide, stands by its statement expressing concern over the so-called “momentary delay” of the distribution of newspapers in Tonga in February.
In a statement reported by Pacific Media Watch on 11 February, the government argued that newspaper distribution was not shutdown: rather it experienced a “momentary delay.” The Government of Tonga has argued that it was the failure of newspaper vendors and publishers to apply for the licences in time that led to the situation where the public was denied access to the print media for a period in…
Crisi nei mezzi di comunicazione in Italia: Come le politiche inadeguate e le legislazioni imperfette hanno posto sotto pressione il giornalismo" (DOC)
The International Federation of Journalists today warned that a decision to axe Ukrainian language broadcasts by Radio Liberty, the United States funded international communications service, “smacks of old-style political interference” in the run-up to national elections this October.
The ban, which takes effect from February 17th, has been announced by the new management of Radio Dovira (“Trust”), which for the past five years has been re-transmitting morning and evening broadcasts of Radio Liberty on its FM frequency throughout the country.
“Although the announcement is made in the context of plans to change the concept of the Radio station, the reality is that the new management…
The European Federation of Journalists, which represents more than 250,000 across Europe, today called for solidarity with journalists of Radio France, on strike since 27 January to call for harmonisation between their salaries and salaries of journalists at public television.
The unions of Radio France (SNJ - SJA-FO - SNJ-CGT - CFDT - CFTC - CGC) launched the strike after management refused to open negotiations on this matter.
“It’s shocking to see that journalists and media staff at Radio France are suffering discrimination and their legitimate claims are willfully ignored by management, the Ministry for Culture, responsible for Public Broadcasting, and by the authorities in…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), the global organisation of journalists representing over 500,000 journalists worldwide, is deeply concerned over the shutdown of all print media in Tonga as a result of the Media Act, which banned the publication of all newspapers whose publishers, distributors and importers did not possess licences.
The IFJ has called for the Government of Tonga to cease all police raids against small shops and confiscation of both newspapers and revenue.
In addition, the IFJ condemns licensing of publishers and distributors of newspapers, as a clear breach of Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
“The licensing of…
The International Federation of Journalists has declared April 8th – the anniversary of the attack by United States military on a Baghdad hotel filled with foreign journalists – a day of mourning and protest over the killings of journalists during the Iraq war and the “abject failure” of the Pentagon to adequately explain why journalists died.
Two journalists, Taras Protsiuk working for Reuters and José Couso, a cameraman for the Spanish network Telecinco, were killed in the Palestine Hotel, which was hit the day before Baghdad fell. The attack provoked outrage among journalists and media groups when the US falsely claimed that troops had been fired on from the hotel and later when a…
- Statement from the Press Union of Liberia (PUL)-
The Press Union of Liberia is increasingly troubled by what appears to be the re-emergence of the growing wave of attacks against journalists in the country.
The Union’s concern is in the wake of two separate attacks against journalists by a United Nations security personnel and some traffic officers of the Liberian National Police.
Journalists Janet Johnson of Radio Veritas, Alponso Toweh of the Reuters News Agency and Gibson Jerue of the Analyst Newspaper were reportedly assaulted by a security personnel of the United Nations Mission in Liberia while attending the regular weekly press briefing of UNMIL on Wednesday, January 7,…
The Regional Elections Reporting Workshop took place on 3 - 6 February 2004 in Johannesburg, South Africa. This event was organised jointly by the Media Institute for Southern Africa, the Konrad Adenauer Foundation and the IFJ.
The workshop is part of a series of interventions aimed at providing assistance to journalists in the region (and specifically to journalists in those countries who will be holding elections in 2004, namely, Namibia, Mozambique, Botswana, South Africa, Malawi and Angola) to improve their coverage of the electoral process.
This workshop sensitized media practitioners to report in a non-biased and objective manner during the election. It particularly intended…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), the global organisation of journalists representing over 500,000 journalists worldwide, expressed its outrage today over the murder of Sajid Tanoli, journalist with the Urdu language daily Shumaal, apparently by a local politician.
According to our information, On 29 January, Khalid Javed, lawyer and Mayor of Mansehra, shot Tanoli five times in broad daylight in the middle of the street after Tanoli named Javed in a report on illegal alcohol trafficking on 26 January.
“This is an outrageous and brazen act committed by a local government representative who must not be held above the law,” said Christopher Warren, President of the…
The elections
Just before deadline for announcing new candidates I succeeded in persuading Litten Hansen, man-aging director of Copy-Dan, to let her be nominated to the post of vice president of IFRRO. The reason for this effort was that it otherwise looked as if the top leadership would all be people from countries with Anglo-American copyright traditions.
The former president André Beemsterboer stepped down and Peter Shepherd, Chief Exedutive at Copyright Licensing Agency Ltd. UK, and Michael Fraser, CAL Australia, both stood for election in his stead. Peter Shephard was elected.
Litten Hansen was nominated for the post of 1. vice president, but so was Michael Fraser and he…
Source : Office of Communications (Ofcom). www.ofcom.org.uk
Background:
- The first of the major reviews is in relation to public service broadcasting
- Ofcom is required by the Communications Act 2003 to conduct a review of public service broadcasting television every five years. The time is right for this review to be conducted in 2004/5 given changing consumer needs in relation to broadcast TV, the increasingly important role of digital TV and the competitive pressures affecting commercial public service broadcasters
Objectives :
- review extent to which public service broadcasters provide services which when taken together, fulfil the purposes of public service television…
The International Federation of Journalists vigorously condemned today allegations linking journalists with LRA rebels made by the Uganda military, raising fears of prosecution under anti-terror law.
“The wild allegations against some of the most prominent journalists in the country are outrageous, especially because the anti-terrorism act still carries the death penalty for any act of terrorism” said Aidan White, IFJ General Secretary. “They are blatant efforts to systematically stifle voices of dissent and undermine journalists’ rights to report in Uganda”.
The spokesman of the Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF), Maj Shaban Bantariza, told a press Conference that Andrew Mwenda…
General Pervez Musharraf
President and Chief Executive of Pakistan
Via Email: [email protected]
Dear General Musharraf,
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), the global organisation of journalists representing over 500,000 journalists worldwide, is deeply concerned over the safety of missing local freelance journalist Khawer Mehdi Rizvi, of BBC World and an English daily in Islamabad. We are calling for your Government to immediately disclose Rizvi's whereabouts and release him forthwith.
According to our information, Rizvi has been missing since he was arrested in Karachi on 16 December 2003. Rizvi was arrested with two French colleagues Marc Epstein photographer,…
The President of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) is in Jakarta to press the IFJ’s call for urgent action by the Indonesian Government to free RCTI cameraman Fery Santoro.
Journalist Ersa Siregar and cameraman Fery were abducted while on assignment in Langsa in Aceh, Indonesia, almost seven months ago on 29 June 2003 and held hostage in Aceh by the Gerakan Aceh Merdeka or Free Aceh Movement (GAM). Ersa was found dead on December 29.
The IFJ President, Christopher Warren, in Jakarta today demanded the Government of Indonesia remove obstacles to allow the release of Fery.
“The death of Ersa was an unnecessary tragedy. Everyone needs to take all action to ensure…
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), today called for an investigation by the Government of Bangladesh into the horrific death of journalist Manik Shaha, of the daily New Age and stringer for the Bengali service of BBC World Service.
Shaha was deliberately targeted and killed in a home-made bomb attack in Khulna in south western Bangladesh yesterday.
Shaha was killed on 15 January 2003 while returning home from covering a meeting of the opposition Awami League. Shaha was decapitated and killed instantly when unidentified assailants threw a hand-made bomb at him after stopping his rickshaw.
According to reports, Shaha had previously mentioned to his BBC World…
The International Federation of Journalists has protested to the Government of Pakistan calling for the release of local freelance journalist Khawer Mehdi Rizvi, who continues to remain in custody in an undisclosed location, despite the ruling on 12 January of the Sindh High Court acquitting him of a crime and reducing the sentences of his French colleagues, Marc Epstein and Jean-Paul Guilloteau to a fine.
In a letter of protest to the Government of Pakistan, the IFJ has called for the release of Rizvi and welcomed the reduced punishment of the two French journalists.
The IFJ has protested to the President of Pakistan, General Pervez Musharraf, in the following letter:
13…
BACK TO MAIN PAGE OF THE CONFERENCE
Opening Conference : J. Barsby, M. Benabdallah, A. Bakkali and Y. M'Jahed
Nearly a hundred of people attened the first day of the Conference
Session 1 : J-N. Dibie, A. Bakkali et J. Kosaifi
Session 2 : M. Abu-Fadil, M. Mili, M. Gruber et M. Messari
Session 3 : Round Table on Union Development and Discussion of the Final Declaration
The IFJ called today on the Tunisian authorities for an immediate and thorough investigation into a “brutal and cowardly attack” on Tunisian journalist and human rights activist Sihem Ben Sedrine.
On 05 January, Sihem Ben Sedrine was assaulted outside the Conseil National pour les Libertés en Tunisie (CNLT) in Tunis. She was knocked over by a young man and violently beat up while he hurled abuse at her. Ben Sedrine is internationally known for her commitment to and defence of a free press and human rights. She is a founding member and former spokeswoman of the CNLT.
“This is an unspeakable and cowardly act of brutality that should be fully investigated,” said Aidan White, IFJ General…
