followthemedia.com a knowledge base for media professionals

followthemedia.com - a knowledge base for media professionals

Search the site

In Iraq Killing Journalists Remains A Sport, And There Are Few Places In The World Where Journalists Don't Come Under Pressure – Violent or Legal -- All Condemned In The World Association Of Newspapers Press Freedom Review --- Philip Stone June 3, 2008
In the past six months alone 28 journalists have died around the world, nine of them in Iraq, making that country the most dangerous for working journalists. But that’s not the only place where journalists, and citizen journalists, face death or imprisonment, and the sad fact is that there is little let-up in global pressure on freedom of expression, according to the semi-annual report by the World Association of Newspapers (WAN).

China and Japan Power Total World Newspaper Circulation Higher, But For The US and The EU The Paid-For Circulation Is Down --- Philip M. Stone June 2, 2008
World newspaper circulation rose by 18 million last year, but when you consider there was a gain of 18.4 million copies in China and India alone it gives a clear picture that paid-for circulation is not doing so well, especially in the US and the EU, according to figures from the annual World Press Trends study released by the World Association of Newspapers (WAN).

The textures of African broadcasting --- Michael Hedges November 1, 2007
Looking at Africa is a study in contrasts, a mosaic of cultures and colors, riches and pain. Broadcasting in Africa reflects all of this, including the extremes. Audiences – estimated at 700 million - are active, broadcasters robust, challenges are many and opportunities gleaming.

Release From Gaza – Writing the Script --- Michael Hedges July 9, 2007
A good film script needs a title. Or, to be precise, selling a film script needs a good story and a great title helps. The film script of Alan Johnston’s release from the bad guys is certainly being written now. The title is unclear.

A US Blogger Spent 224 Days In Jail For Not Giving A Video To A Grand Jury; In Iraq The “Sport” of Killing Journalists Continues Unabated, And In Russia It’s The “Report Only The Good News” Syndrome Plus Murder -- The Plight of Journalists Around The World Is Not Getting Any Better --- Philip M. Stone June 2, 2007
The number of journalists that have lost their lives in the past six months is staggering -- 59-- half of those in the Middle East alone. That’s bad enough, but add the pressures to force journalists to divulge sources, administrative harassment, death threats, arbitrary arrests, detentions and the like, and it all makes for very sorry reading in the World Association of Newspapers (WAN) global press freedom review of the past six months.

As Demonstrated During The Lebanon War, Photo Software Can Be A Very Dangerous Journalistic Weapon In The Wrong Hands, And News Agencies Need To Re-Think Their Procedures --- Philip Stone August 17, 2006
Does it really matter if the photographer edits his picture to make the smoke look darker than it really was? Does it matter if the same woman shows up five days apart in what looks like the same pose to wail at the death and destruction before her? Yes, it does.

From Vladimir Putin On Down Russian Officials Have Been Assuring the World Newspaper Congress There Is Plenty of Freedom of the Press In Russia. It’s Just That It Is Press Freedom Russian Style --- Philip M. Stone in Moscow June 6, 2006
Within the confines of the Kremlin itself, in front of some 1700 editors and publishers from 110 countries Vladimir Putin sat motionless as he was told there was 'widespread skepticism, both inside and outside your country, about whether there exists any real willingness to see the media become a financially-strong, influential and independent participant in Russian society today.'

FTM in Amsterdam --- Philip M. Stone November 14, 2005
News Xchange is holding its annual television meeting in Amsterdam Nov.10-11 and FTM is covering all the sessions. There’s enough going on for those interested in business trends, new technology, and journalistic developments.

US Broadcasting Agencies Under Investigation --- Michael Hedges November 7, 2005
After meeting for three days at an undisclosed location the US Corporation for Public Broadcasting board accepted the resignation of former chairman and current board member Kenneth Y. Tomlinson Thursday night. This week Tomlinson will appear before a Congressional subcommittee investigating Arabic television channel Al-Hurra. Tomlinson currently chairs the Broadcasting Board of Governors, which oversees all US government overseas media programs, including Voice of America and Al-Hurra television.

BBC Returns to Arabic TV, Vacates Eastern Europe --- Michael Hedges November 3, 2005
When the BBC World Service announced plans for an Arabic language television channel there was no doubt it would succeed. The Beeb has been there before. And without that episode a dozen years ago, troubled though it was, neither Al-Jazeera nor Al-Arabiya would exist today.

Guardian Reporter Kidnapped in Iraq --- Michael Hedges - October 20, 2005
Several sources tie the kidnapping to yesterday’s other main event in Iraq, the start of Saddam Hussein’s trial. Armed men seized the 33 year old Irishman, along with his two drivers and a translator Carroll had been watching the trial’s start on television at the home of an interview subject.

I Want My Al-Jazeera --- Michael Hedges October 17, 2005
The Al-Jazerra television network moves further into the mainstream, asking Sir David Frost to present a program on its soon-to-be launched English-language service. Al-Jazeera International will be previewed, along with other offerings, at the Media and Marketing Show in Dubai.

Hard Times in Conflict Zones --- Michael Hedges October 1, 2005
The typical is never the case in conflict zones where visiting a local warlord or facing a militia can be the first order of the days’ business.

The AP Has to Explain Itself --- Philip M. Stone September 1, 2005
The headline on a recent news release from the International News Safety Institute (INSI) should send a shudder through working journalists everywhere: “US forces second biggest cause of journalist deaths in Iraq”.

Reporting Sports in Africa --- Michael Hedges June 27, 2005
Journalism training is a serious part of the régime for regions marked for development. Dozens of organizations sponsor and conduct workshops and seminars on everything from newspaper design to documentary production. Considerable attention is given to journalism in conflict zones, post-conflict zones, and transitional and developing regions. And there are specialists in every area.

Kudos Belong to The Washington Post For Protecting Their Source These Long 30 Years --- Philip Stone June 2, 2005

Whatever Happened to the Rule That Before Something Got Printed It Had Two Reliable Named Sources? --- Philip Stone May 19, 2005

The Shot by GM Across the Bow of the LA Times Is a Shot Heard Around the World --- Philip Stone April 11, 2005

Not What He Said, But Rather How You Found Out --- Philip Stone February 15, 2005
Eason Jordan, CNN’s longtime senior global news executive, has resigned because of comments he made at the World Economic Forum (WEF) that US troops targeted journalists in Iraq, something he retracted almost immediately. But it wasn’t the US media that demanded his scalp for maligning the US military – in fact the US media didn’t even report the story until it was almost over. So how did the pressure become so great that CNN decided to cut its losses and let him walk the plank? Because the bloggers had Jordan by the short hairs and they were not letting go.

Light in the Dusky Afternoon --- Michael Hedges February 14, 2005

Iraq the Most Deadly Journalistic Global Assignment --- Philip Stone updated January 9, 2005

Teaching Radio Best Practices --- Michael Hedges March 1, 2004
Radio trainers roam the developing world, facing major challenges in difficult environments and, not infrequently, dangerous situations.

Subscriber Lists Under Scrutiny From Regulators --- Michael Hedges October 18, 2021 - Follow on Twitter
News media business models are quite fragile. This is repeated over and over by journalism advocates. Subscriptions and grants have promise as a means of support, particularly for independent outlets. More and more, these too are threatened.

Media Workers Get Jail, Creeps Like It --- Michael Hedges December 13, 2021 - Follow on Twitter
Major press freedom and journalism advocates released annotated status reports this past week timed to coincide with International Human Rights Day. Most startling was that not much has changed in the last year. Dictators and authoritarian governments continue to run rings around those pleading for sanity.

Killings, Arrests, Intimidation – They Continue In Our Global Media Village --- Philip M. Stone October 6, 2010 Follow on Twitter
Those of us living in societies where freedom of the press is a given can easily forget in just how many places in the world such freedoms are still being fought for daily with lives, imprisonment and intimidation.

Unions Take Stands For Journalists And Everybody Else --- Michael Hedges May 1, 2018 - Follow on Twitter
All the forces challenging the media world have put pressure on media trade unions, associations and related support groups. They have stood up reasonably well. If anything, these organizations remain strong voices for media workers set upon by various tormentors.

Without Context It's Only An Ugly Noise --- Michael Hedges September 27, 2012 - Follow on Twitter
That words and images have the power to provoke, whether a video uploaded to the internet, a radio or television talk show or a cartoon published in a newspaper, has been amply demonstrated, once again. Demonstrations against words and images offensive to some and delivered both by new and old media moved beyond legitimate protest to violence, destruction and death. Defense of media freedom has been swift and compelling.