Georgia dropped almost sixty spots in the latest media freedom report by Reporters Without Borders - going down from the 66th to the 120th place in the rankings. This could be one the larger drops in one year that the index has seen.
The conflict with Russia is mentioned as a key reason for Georgia’s poor performance in the report. It certainly contributed to the fall with the dangers to journalists in conflicts, but restrictions placed on media in Georgia have not helped either and, perhaps, have been the driving force. For example, when anti-government demonstrations were sweeping the country last year, the president simply shut down the independent media.
Earlier this month, this NY Times article painted a bleak picture of media freedom on Georgia. An ombudsman...
Significant growth in violence in Afghanistan has been capturing the headlines over the past few weeks. But somewhat beneath the surface, another type of attacks has become everpresent in the country — attacks on media. These attacks are carried out by government agencies unhappy with reporting. Interesting is the government’s position in regards to media, especially when reports clash with national security interests:
Some officials argue that these bounds are crossed when critical reporting weakens the central government and strengthens the Taliban. They point out that given present security conditions reporters also have an obligation to protect the national interest.
“The media does not reflect the achievements of the government,” Sadeq Mudaber, the...
A few weeks ago I had a pleasure of attending a workshop for journalists from East Africa organized by IREN - a Kenyan free market think tank. Such events are usually held in Kenya, but due to the violence in the country journalists from Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, and Kenya gathered in Tanzania this time around.
The workshop focused primarily on the role of journalists in spurring development in Africa - whether its democratic reforms, addressing poverty, or dealing with policy issues. Although nearly 30 participants did not always agree with each other (I did enjoy the debates) - they all had one thing on common: their commitment to highlighting Africa’s problems, figuring out domestic solutions, making democracy work, and staying true to their...
Two headlines reflecting on 2007 highlight the security realities confronting both humanitarian personnel and journalists who work in conflict situations.
The ICRC recently held a meeting on "media safety and international humanitarian law in war reporting." This summary of the discussions includes links to relevant web sites. Other related ICRC resources are available here.Relevant guides...
Yet another opportunity for university students to write about refugee and asylum issues is on offer, this time from the Jesuit Refugee Service Europe. Aspiring journalists are invited to compose an article on the theme of "Access to Asylum." Participants must be enrolled in an institute of higher education based in a Council of Europe member state. The deadline for submissions is 22 February...
EXCOM Conclusion on Children at Risk, no. 107 (Oct. 2007) [text]
Human Trafficking: Update (House of Lords & House of Commons, Oct. 2007) [text]
Humanitarian advocacy in Darfur: the challenge of neutrality (Humanitarian Policy Group, Oct. 2007) [text]
The myth of invasion: Irregular migration from West Africa to the Maghreb and the European Union (International Migration Institute, Oct. 2007)...
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I posted recently on the role of the media in humanitarian crises. Another aspect of these topic will be explored in an ALNAP/HPN/ODI/AlertNet-hosted panel entitled, "The blame game: Can journalists and aid workers trust each other?," scheduled for 24 September at ODI in London. Sign up to attend at ODI's events page.
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The Brookings Institution recently launched a series of meetings on "the relationship of the media, relief agencies and the US government in determining humanitarian response. The purpose of the series is to analyze trends in media coverage of world-wide humanitarian crises and the impact this coverage has on government policies, relief operations, and ultimately on the victims of the crises."...