In this special episode of The Backstory, WAN-IFRA Golden Pen of Freedom laureate Carlos Chamorro speaks to Mexican journalist Javier Garza about his journey from political activist to the top of Latin American journalism. Nicaragua is facing a deep crisis as its populist leader, Daniel Ortega, seeks to consolidate nearly two decades in power at the expense of civil liberties, human rights, and press freedom. Chamorro talks about how, in the battleground between politics and journalism, there is...
May 27, 2024•20 min
Africa has made strides towards more press freedom, with countries like Zimbabwe and Malawi recently passing laws to protect free speech or access to information. But while this is a positive development for journalism, there have also been "clawbacks” – a reversal in access. In addition, journalists on the continent continue to self-censor their work in the face of government pressure and intervention, and have struggled to gain public trust. In this episode, we explore some of the trends commo...
Mar 05, 2024•31 min
The United States has long been held up as a model for press freedom worldwide. But increasing polarisation and the rise in populist politics are challenging this assumption. Instances of government officials undermining the media and the country’s democratic institutions make it increasingly difficult for journalists to do their jobs. Farther south, governments have been using laws to arrest and detain journalists who ask too many questions, while criminals who target journalists go unpunished....
Mar 05, 2024•38 min
Asia is a vast region with extensive news markets and huge audiences, providing a plethora of opportunities for media production and consumption. But the continent is also home to a range of governing styles, from democracies to authoritarian dictatorships, some of which regularly crack down on press freedom. In this episode we hear from media professionals in Indonesia, India and Thailand on the specific challenges facing the news industry, as well as the role of China’s influence in the region...
Mar 05, 2024•36 min
The October 2023 elections in Poland marked a turning point for its media freedom, when the far-right Law and Justice party were pushed out of power after nearly a decade of rule and media control. But in other Eastern European countries, governments still exert power over the news industry, and throughout Europe, the rise of populism and the far-right is posing significant challenges to press freedom. In this episode we look at how Poland, Norway and the UK are navigating current challenges, an...
Mar 05, 2024•35 min
Journalists working in the the Middle East and North Africa face some of the biggest challenges to the profession anywhere in the world. The area has seen great upheaval in recent years, with revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt, and conflicts that have engulfed the region, like the current war in Gaza. But journalists remain dedicated to promoting the truth, working both pragmatically and creatively to ensure that their stories reach the rest of the world. In this episode we dip into the immense ch...
Mar 05, 2024•38 min
News organisations around the world are facing a new digital reality. In order to survive, they must not only hold onto their audiences, but also build new ones. How are African news media using innovation to address these issues? While innovative ideas tend to be tech-focused, the fundamental issue for many African media organisations is not just about technology, it’s also about how the news itself is reported and presented – and especially, how the continent is portrayed, and the narratives a...
Jun 20, 2022•31 min
What are the threats and challenges facing reporters who cover Africa’s biggest stories? How have threats evolved over the years, and what support do journalists have? Three journalists talk about their experiences of covering three very different, uniquely challenging beats (environment, elections, LGBTQ+ issues), and how they get to the story while keeping themselves and their sources safe. In this episode: - Madeline Ngeunga (twitter.com/NgeungaM), Data journalist, InfoCongo, Cameroon(infocon...
May 24, 2022•26 min
Capturing the attention of young people means understanding what news and information they want and how they want to get it. Traditional media across Africa are reassessing their offer, while innovative platforms featuring images and video are growing in popularity. What can media companies do to attract – and keep – this booming demographic that cares deeply about the issues that affect our world? In this episode: - Tshepo Tshabalala (twitter.com/TshepototheT), Director, Journalism and Media La...
Mar 24, 2022•20 min
In a time of exceptional crisis for newsrooms and media companies everywhere, African media is facing huge financial challenges. But this time of uncertainty is also forcing media companies to find innovative ways of coping. Where is the money coming from, and how is the digital transition helping – or hindering – a future economic model? In this episode, we look at the struggles that African media companies are confronting, and the solutions they are finding. In this episode: -Charles Kanamugir...
Oct 07, 2021•30 min
It’s been thirty years since the Windhoek Declaration for the Development of a Free, Independent and Pluralistic Press was born on May 3, 1991 in Namibia. The declaration was not only a proud moment for African journalism, it also inspired others to do the same, and the United Nations launched World Press Freedom Day on May 3 two years later. Though some countries across the African continent have made press freedom gains since then, many continue to struggle with journalist safety, independence...
May 07, 2021•35 min
The Covid-19 pandemic has focused attention on issues that have been taboo in many newsrooms for a long time: mental wellbeing, stress management, technological burnout and limits between personal and professional life. For women journalists in particular, where there is an expectation to remain productive under demanding circumstances, these challenges have been compounded. What can journalists to improve their own wellbeing and resilience? And what should editors and managers be doing to bette...
Mar 17, 2021•28 min
Sexual harassment happens everywhere, and media organisations are not immune. Addressing it is good for journalists, and for the media business in general. How can organisations create a work culture where sexual harassment does not happen? How can they identify it, and address it when it does happen? In this episode: - Carin Andersson, Human Resources consultant and former HR Director at MittMediaAB, Sweden (http://mittmedia.se) - Collin Haba, CEO, The New Times, Rwanda (https://www.newtimes.co...
Dec 08, 2020•36 min
Journalists should be committed to reporting facts and presenting the news in an honest way. But when they use their reporting to give a voice to those who are under-represented - to victims instead of perpetrators - they have the power to create social change. In this episode, four journalists from Latin America, the Middle East and Africa talk about the unique opportunities they have as women to make a difference in their societies through their reporting on climate change, indigenous communit...
Nov 09, 2020•31 min
Technology has revolutionised how we get our news. Data visualisation and multimedia are increasingly used to tell stories, and coding is no longer just for computer scientists. But when it comes to working with digital technology, in most newsrooms men outnumber women. Why are men still dominating this field? And what does it take for women to get ahead? In this episode, four women from the Middle East, Africa, Latin America and North America talk about how they beat the odds to work with techn...
Sep 18, 2020•26 min
Women in leadership, diversity in the workplace - these are catchphrases that media organisations are talking about, but what do they mean? Why is it important to have women in top positions? And who are the women who are already there? In this episode, three women who have made it to the top echelons of their media organisations in Africa, the Middle East and Europe talk about what it took to get there and what they are doing to change things for other women who follow in their paths. In this e...
Jun 18, 2020•29 min
Often, without even realising it, much of the media we consume is dominated by men. Men’s voices and men’s perspectives account for roughly 75% of the news. Yet, women make up half the population. Research has shown that stories that feature women are more widely read by women. So, why does this imbalance persist and how can news organisations shift how they represent women? Listen to how some have done it, with tips on measuring the problem, and ways to fix it. In this episode: - Kesewa Henesse...
May 12, 2020•32 min
Protests have become more frequent, and more violent, around the world. Covering them has become increasingly dangerous for journalists, and has required new ways of thinking and acting. This episode puts safety issues into the context of covering protests. What are journalists and editors’ experiences? What should they be thinking about? In this episode: - Sergi Vicente, director, Betevé, public television station in Barcelona (https://beteve.cat/) - Zuraidah Ibrahim, deputy executive editor, S...
Feb 28, 2020•22 min
A contract may seem like an afterthought for a freelancer, and it’s not obvious how it is linked to safety. But contracts should be a part of every journalist’s conversation with an editor, especially when the assignment involves risk. What should journalists be asking for? And what should editors and news organisations be thinking about? In this episode: - Anna Day, freelance journalist, co-founder Frontline Freelance Register (https://www.frontlinefreelance.org/) - Safa Al Ahmad (https://twitt...
Feb 12, 2020•20 min
What is the cost of keeping yourself safe when you’re a journalist? Journalists, editors and security managers help us start to understand how money can be a safety concern in itself, especially for freelancers who are often left on their own to negotiate budgets and insurance coverage. In this episode: - Safa Al Ahmad (https://twitter.com/ghariba33), freelance journalist/filmmaker, working on Yemen & Saudi Arabia - Zaffar Abbas, editor of Dawn newspaper in Pakistan (https://www.dawn.com/) -...
Jan 30, 2020•22 min
Journalists are increasingly the target of insults or threats from individuals or groups online, which can have physical impacts and should no longer be seen as separate from the offline world. The goal of the harassment? Censorship. And women bear the brunt of the abuse, which is usually gendered and sexualised. Journalists have developed ways to deal with online harassment, from shutting down social media accounts, to confronting abusers, to advocating for change on a systemic level. In this e...
Sep 13, 2019•36 min
Many journalists see and even experience some kind of trauma, whether they're covering a conflict zone, protests or violent crime, and they can experience anxiety, depression or even PTSD. One of the best ways of coping is to talk about the experiences and the feelings they evoke, but few people do - journalists or their editors. Trauma is considered part of the job; but ignoring it only makes it worse. In this episode we look at moral injury, the kind of trauma journalists can experience, and t...
Jul 09, 2019•37 min
If journalism protects democracy, then who is protecting journalists? The important role editors and managers play in keeping their reporters safe. In this episode, we hear from editors and safety trainers about starting the safety conversation in newsrooms, to make safety a priority rather than an afterthought. Learn about actual situations that journalists and editors have found themselves facing, and get tips on how to start putting in place safety protocols in your own newsroom. In this epis...
Jun 19, 2019•25 min
It is increasingly rare to find instances of direct censorship of media in the world today. But indirect censorship, called soft censorship, is thriving. It manifests itself through government pressure on media groups through advertising decisions and restrictive legislation. Less violent than kidnapping and murdering journalists, it is as existential a threat to journalism. In this episode: - Adrián López Ortiz, CEO of Noroeste (https://www.noroeste.com.mx/), media group in northwestern Mexico ...
Jun 28, 2018•23 min
Journalists and news organisations today are seeing a shift in the use of social media, from engagement to propaganda and the spreading of misinformation, or so-called fake news. Facebook and other tech platforms are increasingly under pressure to change how they present information and sort truth from lies. But journalists themselves are also coming up with solutions. This episode looks at their fight to control the narrative of a given story. It’s a fight against propagandists, whether governm...
May 30, 2018•24 min
Journalism can be a dangerous job and for female journalists, there is the added layer of sexual violence. Even when they are not working on stories that put them in physical danger, they face harassment and threats online. This episode looks at the specific threats that female journalists face -- in the field, online and in the workplace -- and what they, and the profession, can do about it. WAN-IFRA Press Freedom Director, Andrew Heslop, and the production team, speak with: - Stella Paul, a fr...
May 02, 2018•24 min
Social media has opened new channels for journalists to connect with their audiences, but with mixed results. With the rise of trolling, online harassment and the manipulation of social media, how do journalists and editors see the role of social media today? How are journalists adapting? How can they move forward in these seemingly chaotic times? WAN-IFRA Press Freedom Director, Andrew Heslop, speaks with: - Karabo Rajuili, advocacy coordinator for the AmaBhungane center for Investigative Journ...
Mar 29, 2018•24 min
How do you run an independent media organisation in a country where the government imposes censorship rules? How do you support a successful media company without folding to pressure from your funders or your sponsors? The internet has exploded traditional media funding models. And yet, in some parts of the world, legacy media - even print! - remain a strong source of independent information. How are these companies surviving? In this episode of The Backstory, WAN-IFRA Press Freedom Director, An...
Mar 01, 2018•25 min
We start with the basics: the threats facing journalists worldwide. Too often, journalists put safety aside to “get” the story; editors don’t anticipate the problems that their reporters or their newsrooms can face. How can journalists be prepared? What should editors think about? To explore the issue, WAN-IFRA Media Freedom Director Andrew Heslop speaks with: - Javier Garza, a journalist in Mexico and a global journalist security trainer - Elisabet Cantenys, Executive Director of the ACOS Allia...
Jan 31, 2018•26 min
Investigative journalism is the lifeblood of media, but it is also the most expensive element of any media operation. Yet even as resources to produce investigations dwindle, journalists in Africa continue to dedicate themselves to in-depth reporting into the most serious issues on the continent. Donor-funded investigative centres or platforms have been created to fill in the gaps of legacy media, which often struggle to support this kind of journalism. But are these centres stripping the media ...
Aug 07, 2011•29 min
