Global Media News

Rampant Killing of Journalists Threatens Press Freedom in Mexico

Journalists are being murdered in Mexico. This is not new. Mexico is known as the worst country in the entire world when it comes to journalists being murdered.  The major reason for the recent increase in the killing of journalists is that these murders mostly go unpunished according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. CPJ representative Jan-Albert Hoosen states that the inaction of the federal government is causing the number of killings to increase rapidly. Killings going unsolved leads those committing these murders to believe that they can commit these acts with impunity.  This leaves the journalists at the mercy of these criminal groups with nobody to defend their right to practice journalism.

Regina Martinez was a 48 year old reporter for the left-wing Mexican magazine Proceso. Martinez was brutally murdered in her home on April 28th 2012.  Prior to her murder, Martinez had been reporting on a major case of corruption in her home state of Veracruz..  Martinez sought to prove that Governors of Veracruz had looted the treasury and allowed cartels to act in Veracruz without the threat of police intervention resulting in more murders and sex trafficking.

Martinez ignored the numerous bribes and threats made against her by cartels attempting to silence her reporting. She risked her life to expose this corruption.

Her life was taken, but her actions were not in vain.  International press groups such as Forbidden Stories have continued her investigation into this corruption, fighting against attempts to bury her work. However, serious criminal charges have yet to be filed against the  politicians exposed in Martinez's work, further displaying the impunity of those who violently silence journalists.

A journalist was murdered by cartel members as recently as November 10th, 2020.  Israel Vázquez Rangel was killed while reporting on the discovery of human remains in the city of Salamanca.  Vázquez was shot by cartel members despite it being very apparent that he was a journalist driving in a vehicle marked with the logo of his news website El Salmantino.

Security forces, who had arrived after Vazquez, found him injured but were unable to save him, Vazquez passed only hours later.

In the aftermath, the Governor of the state of Guanajuato stated they would be investigate the murder along with supporting and protecting Vazquez's family.

As of December 15th 2020, Vazquez's killers are still at large. With more than 100 journalists murdered in Mexico since 2000 while reporting on cartels or corruption, it is very unlikely that Israel Vazquez Rangel will be the last, especially when the vast majority of killers go free according to the CPJ.

Ducks, Dinosaurs, and Protests in Thailand

Thailand  has seen some intense and crazy protests since July of 2020  The protests in Thailand have taken a new approach because of the fear of  violence and rumors of a military shutdown: Get the media to pay attention. 

But how do they do it?

These protests look more like a party with music and dancing. The protesters have dressed up as dinosaurs and begun to dance.  They plan make the dinosaurs in their government extinct. Most members of their Parliament have served for many years and the population is much younger. The protestors are playing with orange balloons representing meteorites to wipe out the dinosaurs. Protesters have said: “We will act as a meteorite and hit the outdated ways of the older generations in this country,” 

You may think that Dinosaurs have become the mascot of the protests but a far more formidable opponent to the state has come to light.

Thai p0lice used high pressure water cannons against the protesters on November 17.  There was even a shooting.  The next day the protestors returned with giant inflatable pool ducks to shield themselves from the water cannons.

The Duck may be the mascot but the Mockingjay salute (also called the three finger salute) has put the odds forever in their favor.

In the bestselling novels and the blockbuster hit  The Hunger Games, there is an uprising against a dictatorship that pits the poor against each other while the rich thrive off of the weak. The Thai protesters took the three finger salute from the series to stand against their own oppressive government. The salute has gathered a lot of attention.

Thai Rap group Rap Against Dictatorship or RAD has shot music videos with protestors in the background for their new song Reform. This song references the salute throughout and pushes for democracy through politically charged Rap. Parts of the song refer to the King as a drunk sadist.

The mockingjay salute, the ducks, and the dinosaurs are striking images for photojournalists. Creating images that show irony and display an intense struggle against an unjust government. By using these tactics protestors have created  images that have caught the world's attention.

An opinion piece in The South China Post has issues with this style of journalism claiming, "these deceptively beautiful pictures blur the line between art and reality, begging the question: did these events really occur?" This speculation shows that the word has gotten out and that these tactics are successful in attracting the media attention.

 

From South China Post

These images aren't allowed to be broadcast in Thailand in any form. Thai protesters are spreading these pictures on Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and any other form of social media instead. According to the Bangkok Post "The Ministry of Digital Economy and Society (DES) has sent evidence to police to take legal action against social media platforms that fail to remove URLs deemed inappropriate."

The Thai government has denied and censored its citizens. So naturally and ironically, Thai youth have turned to the internet to push for democracy. These protests have put pressure on their government and have put their struggle for democracy on display globally.

Silence the internet! Communist Cuba at it again

Cuba's authoritarianism has developed a new level of censorship.  The Decree-Law 370, which prohibits freedom of speech on social media is creating new tensions.  Cuba is now the lowest-ranked in the Americas for freedom of the press because of this  extensive censorship. 

The Cuban constitution recognizes the "freedom of thought, belief, and expression" while also later contradicting itself in Article 55: "Freedom of press is a right that is exercised in accordance with the law and to the good of society." 

As the media censorship grows so does the penalty for dissent. A violation can earn you a fine of 3000 Cuban pesos plus jail time. 

Decree Law 370 is a reaction to the  computerization of society. "Cuba adopted Decree Law 370 with the intention to ‘consolidate the use and development of ICT as an instrument for the defence of the Revolution’ (Article 5)." said by European Parliament. It's weaponized against journalists, activists, any citizen who dissents or shows distaste for the government.  More than 20 Cubans have been fined CUP 3000 which is 3 times the average pay of a citizen.  Decree Law 370 is so vague that there is a lot of room for interpretation by the authorities. 

So what happens if you've been detained?

One Cuban journalist, Camila Acosta has had trouble with the police. She  has had to move 10 times, buy 3 phones, and been detained 4 times. Acosta claims this harassment is a constant for her and all journalists and activists. 

 

Camila Acosta wearing a mask in protest of decree 370. The mask reads "No Al 370".

On November 27,  there was a protest for rapper Denis Solis, who has been sentenced to 8 months in jail for dissidence. The protest was for greater freedom of expression and took place in front of Havana's Ministry of Culture. Since then the government has blocked access to social media including Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp, etc.

“Blocking social media sites and messaging apps in order to obstruct coverage of protests has drawn even more attention to those demonstrations, and highlighted the Cuban government’s absolute disdain for freedom of speech,” said CPJ's Central and South America Program Coordinator, Natalie Southwick.

 An activist  Tania Bruguera was harassed by police officials after the protest. Bruguera's sister, Deborah Bruguera, made this statement...

“Enough! We must use the right definitions: KIDNAPPING,- Tania Bruguera was taken against her will for the third time this week by agents dressed as civilians who did not identify themselves. She and Lynn Cruz were literally walking to the corner; these people arrived running toward her and took her away in a car with the plate P076624.”

Membersthe San Isidro Movement, Bruguera's activist group, had their headquarters raided after pledging a hunger strike for Denis Solis. They too have been detained. 

Protest in front of the doors of the Ministry of Culture, in Havana, Cuba, Friday, November 27, 2020.

Finnish reporter faces backlash for speaking the truth

In 2014, Finnish reporter Jessikka Aro began to investigate the existence of pro-Russian troll factories. According to Aro in an interview with BBC:

"I realized there was a new phenomenon of Russian information warfare. This was anonymous or fake profiles spreading propaganda on social networks - Facebook, Vkontakte, Twitter. I wanted to find out what kind of influence and impact they actually have in Finland, on freedom of speech and public debate."

Soon after Aro began this investigation, she became a target. Aro's private information began to get leaked by propagandists.The harassment has led to police investigations and court cases. In 2019, three of the Russian internet trolls who harassed Jessikka Aro were convicted of "aggravated defamation".

The journalist Jessikka Aro fled Finland after receiving death threats over her reporting to expose Russian disinformation campaigns.Credit...Karl Mondon/MediaNews Group/The Mercury News via Getty Images

In 2019, Jessikka Aro was recognized for her prestigious work by the US Department of State. Aro was to be awarded with International Women of Courage Award. However, in mid February, officials decided to rescind Ms. Aro’s award.

According to three State Department officials, " “had Ms. Aro’s social media content not come to light, she would have received the award.”

Aro went public to express her feelings about United States president Donald Trump. In one tweet Aro writes, “Trump constantly labels journalists as ‘enemy’ and ‘fake news.' Aro's posts were considered controversial due to her criticism of  President Donald Trump. 

State Department deputy spokesperson Robert Palladino asserted it was a miscommunication and that she had been "incorrectly notified" of her award. He called it a "regrettable error," saying Aro actually "had not" been a finalist. After hearing her award had been revoked, Aro stated "In my heart I feel like an international woman of courage. That the Trump administration can't take away from me."

Jessikka Aro published her first book "Putin's Troll Army" in February of 2019.  Aro tells the stories of how Kremlin propaganda fighters have been the victimized. They have been attacked not only by the Kremlin related troll factories but also in many cases by citizens who believe in Russia and their associated fake accounts. In her book, Aro illustrates her own story and compares the experiences of victims of similar conflicts from around the world. 

Bangladesh Digital Security Act takes freedoms away

The press in Bangladesh is under attack for reporting unpopular news. The Digital Security Act (DSA) is being used to silence the journalists and anybody else who talks badly about the government. 

 Media gets bullied in Bangladesh

 The most popular form of news is TV according to BBC News.  BTV is a state owned network and so is Betar-Radio Bangladesh. They provide coverage to viewers and listeners nationwide. "State owned BTV is the sole network with national terrestrial coverage. State radio covers almost the entire country. BBC World Service in English is heard on 100FM in Dhaka". Unlike  TV and radio,  the newspapers are not run by the state and are privately owned. They report in a way that isn't dictated by the state. "Newspapers are outspoken and privately-owned." Bloggers are literally taking their lives into their own hands by posting negative news about the government.  According to BBC News "Some prominent bloggers who have written about Islamic fundamentalism have been murdered for their writing". These individuals lost their lives for just doing their jobs. Others were a little luckier, but were still punished for speaking out against the government. "Bloggers and social media users have been arrested on blasphemy-related charges."

Journalists pay the price for speaking their minds

According to Dhaka Tribune journalists are being arrested for reporting that makes the government look bad. The Digital Security Act lets the government put people in jail. One journalist, Mohammad Mahtab Uddin Talukder, was put in jail because the government said he was "spreading rumors" against Sunamganj MP Mouazzam Hossain Ratan.  The government is punishing the journalists for talking badly about a politician on Facebook. "The plaintiff claimed that he had filed the case after seeing Mahtab's post on Facebook with the "intention of spreading rumours" against MP Ratan.

Digital Security Act gets the green light to harass media

An attack on the freedom of press is underway in Bangladesh and the Digital Security Act is to blame. Journalists have to live in fear of retaliation for reporting freely. According to Amnesty.org the government in Bangladesh had promised that there would be freedom of expression, but this law took any hope of that away. "The Act provides absolute power to the government's Digital Security Agency to initiate investigations into anyone whose activities are deemed harmful or a threat. The agency can also order the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission to remove or block any information or data on the internet." They have been given the green light to stop any person or group from reporting any news that would make the government look bad. According to Aljazeera, Didarul Bhuiyan was arrested for doing just that. His wife said "“He is innocent, who merely posted some write-ups on social media criticising the corruption in the relief distribution process". This man is spending time in jail for reporting the news.

Brexit Expected to Shape Film and TV in Britain From This Year

Great Britain is officially breaking away from the EU this year. Some people remain concerned about Brexit's effects on the film and television sector.  This includes Abi Morgan, who wrote "The Iron Lady", a biopic about the life of Margaret Thatcher. In an interview with Variety, she said, "I consider myself European but unfortunately this divorce is happening and we've got to get on with it." Morgan was also concerned about how this would affect the UK's connections with media platforms, stating, "I hope (the government) recognizes how important our industry is when you get Netflix and Amazon wanting to invest in the U.K. and build and develop studios."

There is still some optimism that film and television in the United Kingdom won't be affected by this transition. For example, British Film Commissioner Adrian Wootton "noted that the U.K. film and TV industry has managed to grow at an unprecedented rate despite political change." Wootton also feels that, in spite of the breakdown of relations between the EU and UK, the UK will "remain very much open for business" from partners in countries like Europe "and beyond."

One thing that won't be impacted by the breakup of the UK and the European Union is the studio space which is "expanding to meet growing demand." Furthermore, "skills training initiatives will ensure a steady stream of top-class above- and below-the-line talent." Wootton believes that the country's connections with Netflix, Comcast, and Disney will help the UK's cause, and won't be affected by the split. "Last year saw industry heavyweights including Netflix, Disney and Comcast strengthening their commitments to the UK, providing further endorsement of the UK's world-class infrastructures, talent and generous, reliable tax reliefs", the commissioner said.

Film Commissioner Wootton isn't the only one who has hope for the future of UK's  of film and television sector. John McVay, who is the "chief executive of powerful producers alliance Pact", stressed the importance of not criticizing "one of the U.K.'s most successful industries for political reasons".  McVay said, "It's not an 'end of the world' crisis for us, and it never has been."  Jane Root, "chief executive of "One Strange Rock" producer Nutopia", expressed her own concerns about the decision but she also has hope: "The end of easy travel for Europe is a factor and some rebates and potential co-productions are in doubt. But we'll survive."

Even after splitting from the European Union, the UK will have backing. For instance, some partners have been helping with the United Kingdom's Film Centre. These include the BFI, British Council, British Film Commission, Film London, and Screen Scotland. Additionally, some other companies who have roots in the Film Centre are "sales companies" like Amadeus Entertainment, Carnaby International, and Jinga Films. This Film Centre will "be offering advice sessions on co-production, creative sector tax relief and how the UK can work with Europe and internationally post-Brexit."

There is optimism for UK media after all, despite the concerns that Brexit may affect the UK's connections with platforms like Netflix, Amazon, and Disney.  People in the industry  express optimism that film and TV will remain unaffected by the split, and that the country will still have the connections to keep its movies and TV shows going for the foreseeable future.    

Thailand Banning Porn

Thailand banned Pornhub and several other porn and gambling sites in November of 2020. These sites are against the law in Thailand and are considered cybercrimes.  However, these sites  have been around for years. Why is the government taking action now? Is there is more going on here?

Thailand is no stranger to the sex industry. Both human trafficking and mass prostitution are a concern.  The government has set up minimal reforms to reinforce the laws. But do these laws also censor critical views of the government?

The Cybersecurity Act B.E. 2562 is a series of laws that regulates the internet in Thailand.  There are different categories of website and each website must be categorized to meet secure requirements. There is no place for porn in this law. 

Thai people watch a lot of porn. CNN reported that "According to Pornhub, Thai users spent more time on the site last year, at 11 minutes and 21 seconds, than elsewhere in the world." 

Pornhub has been silent on the ban so as to not criticize any government.

The Thai Digital minister Puttipong Punnakanta explained that  "the block was part of efforts to restrict access to porn and gambling websites, adding that such content is illegal under the country's cybercrime law." according to The Tribune, an Indian newspaper.

Why did the government ban Pornhub now? There are several reasons. Firstly, Pornhub has insulting video and photos of their Royal Family, and secondly, there have been viral videos of Thai protestors being hosed down. Neither of these stories would be allowed on the news in Thailand.

The timing of the ban is crucial to understanding the possible motives the Thai government may have for enforcing this ban. The ban is occurring during a time of civil unrest and massive protesting.

Many fear that there will be a coup. The Bangkok Post has screamed in their headlines "No chance of a coup, army says".  The Thai army says they will not intervene with the protests and let the police handle it. Police previously have used hoses spraying down protestors with chemical laced water, and sand. The Thai government has denied these claims. Yet on Pornhub there are videos of the hosing of protestors and the chemical burns they received.

When the conventional news media have failed to cover vital issues then porn sites may be  the only way for the oppressed to get out the truth.

Russia's "Gay Propaganda" Law is a violation of human rights

The LGBTQ community in Russia is facing extreme hardships under Russian president Vladimir Putin. In 2013, President Putin established the "gay propaganda law" which would focus on "protecting children from information promoting the denial of traditional family values,” and bans the “promotion of nontraditional sexual relations to minors”.  The press, television, radio, and internet would be restrained from promoting news about the LGBTQ community to the youth of Russia.  

Human Rights Watch researcher, Kyle Knight says the “blatantly discriminatory” law has had the “complete opposite effect of what the proponents of the law suggested it would have." Knight also states that,“The evidence we have in our new report shows the law actually ruined some children’s lives.” 

Russian blogger, Zhenya Svetski, stands with a sign reading “I am not ‘gay propaganda’” in Moscow, December 2018.  © 2018 Dmitry Belyakov for Human Rights Watch

Russia is promoting homophobia by prohibiting media from showing any homosexuality.  The 2019 movie "Rocketman" illustrates the life of musician Elton John.  Elton John is a member of the LGBTQ community. Russia censored any scenes that showed the act of homosexuality. Natalia Zviagina, Director of Amnesty International's Representative Office in Russia, states:

“By censoring any expression of affection between two human beings of the same sex, this mutilated version of the film insults and dehumanizes same-sex relationships. The distributors should take immediate steps to restore all deleted scenes of the movie.”

In another case of film censorship, director Larisa Zhuravleva of the film "Outlaw"  was fined 50,000 rubles for “promoting non-traditional sexual relationships among minors” because of Russia's "gay propaganda" law. The film was centered on two storylines, one about a general falling in love with a transgender woman and another about a gay teen in high school. Film critic Anton Dolin described his impression of the film:

"It’s a normal youth film, moderately provocative, with several erotic scenes and representation of, let’s say, various sexual practices, including those that are commonly referred to as ’non-traditional’ in Russia. At the same time, there’s nothing that goes beyond festival cinema, as a rule, there’s no trace of any problems getting [it] into Russian distribution.” 

The country’s notorious “gay propaganda” law violates the right to freedom of expression. An activist for the LGBTQ community in Russia, Yulia Tsvetkova, is facing charges for violating the "gay propaganda" law. Tsvetkova posted a picture on social media of a drawing she had made which illustrated a same sex couple with children and the caption reading “Family is where love is. Support LGBT+ families!” In an interview with Snob News, Yulia Tsvetkova discusses her drawing:

"It would look like propaganda if I wrote that the real family is only the LGBT family. But I do not think so, because I am against discrimination in any direction. For the same reason, I do not believe that a family must necessarily be traditional. My family, for example, consists of me and my mother and two cats."

Illustration reading, "Family is where love is. Support LGBT+ families.” © 2019 Yulia Tsvetkova

 

The "gay propaganda" law is a complete disregard of our human rights. The law is shielding the youth from visualizing the idea of homosexuality which does more harm than good to a child. A 2017 study published in the Pepperdine Journal of Communication Research, "Changing Media and Changing Minds: Media Exposure and Viewer Attitudes Toward Homosexuality" concluded that "younger participants with higher levels of media would have more positive attitudes on homosexuality." This is basic principle that discrimination is something that is taught. Russia promoting homophobia could impact the youth into being homophobic which could eventually lead to more hardships and discrimination against the LGBTQ community. 

Nicaraguan Government Tries to Silence Independent News

Nicaraguan news has come under attack in a political showdown with the government. Nicaragua has only two independent news outlets, Canal 12 News and La Prensa.  They report the good and bad news about the country. All other Nicaraguan outlets are connected to President Daniel Ortega who has turned his back on democratic ways for his country.  That means he gets to call the shots about the news they broadcast to the public. This limits what the public gets to know or see about what's going on in their own country.

Media in Nicaragua

According to Media Landscapes the majority of news outlets are connected to the President and his government. Government connected media reports news with an angle that makes them look good. Social media like Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp are becoming more popular with younger generations of Nicaraguans. More fake news is being distributed by using these new ways of reporting news. 

Independent News Down to Two in Nicaragua

Harassment continues for the media in Nicaragua and President Ortega is the main attacker. He and his government have made it nearly impossible to report freely.  The news media and newspapers who report anything that opposes President Ortega's views are harrassed. According to RSF Reporters Without Borders the journalists in Nicaragua are doing their jobs while living in fear. They have been the targets of death threats when their reporting opposes the views of President Ortega.

Canal 12 News under attack in Nicaragua

The government in Nicaragua will use whatever it takes to keep independent news outlets from reporting the actual news. According to VOA News (Voice of America) , Canal 12 News was hit with a court order to seize its assets. The court order said that they owed taxes, but many claim it's just political payback. With their assets frozen, they won't be able to broadcast and that's the way the government wants it. 

Government in Nicaragua tries to bully La Prensa into submission

Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega and his political allies found a new way to silence the freedom of press. According to the LA Times the government has punished the independent newspaper, La Prensa, by literally cutting them off from supplies. They have very little to no access to paper and ink to print newspapers. This has caused them to print less pages in each newspaper and limit the amount of circulation. "The blockade on newsprint and ink had forced the country's only other daily newspaper, El Nuevo Diario, to close its doors. Now La Prensa faced the same fate".  This same harassment has hurt La Prensa financially which forced them to lay off  75 people already and they only had a 100 people to start with.  The Nicaraguan government continues to harass the newspaper to try to get them to comply to the demands of the government. By defying these demands there is a huge possibility that more jobs will be lost at the newspaper and that they may be put out of business.  Many employees of the newspaper may lose their jobs just by trying to do their jobs.

Cyberfeminists in Africa Stand Against Harassment

Ladies, has the internet judged you? If so, was it what you were wearing or what you were saying? Or was it both?

Trolling on social media is a much bigger problem for women than it is for men.  The ITU is reporting an increase in this online harassment during the pandemic.

The fight against patriarchal ideologies has been going on for centuries. Yes, we have made strides toward the right direction, however, there is still work to be done. Progress doesn't mean equal, nor can it happen fast.

Social media is a key setting where women are targeted for their appearance, identity, views, voices, and are severely criticized.  In Africa, particularly, women face the issue of cultural conditioning. The patriarchy is alive and thriving which is what lead to the research of Neema Iyer, Bonnita Nyamwire, and Sandra Nabulega's African Feminist Research for a Feminist Internet: "Toward a cyberfeminist future: A new study centers African women as protagonists online".

Nanjira Sambuli,  digital equality advocate for the World Wide Web Foundation, believes that "adverse social norms around what women can and cannot do lead to self-censorship." 

The bottom line is there is no safe space for women when gender inequality enters the era of technology, A woman can't go for an evening walk the same as she can't post a picture of herself that brings her confidence. Women are targeted and trolled for their appearances and their beliefs. Then in order to be "the bigger person" or just plain ole safe women oppress themselves so that they don't provoke.

“[Trolls] see a woman who has power, and they’re convinced they have the right to attack and shrink her down to the size they believe she should be,” said activist Mona Eltahawy. “This is ultimately patriarchy, a social construct that privileges male dominance,” said Eltahawy to Quartz Africa.

The cruel behavior that women in Ethiopia, Nigeria, and Ghana face inspired "A Survival Guide to Being a Woman on the Internet".  For women it's about inclusivity, we know we are stronger in numbers than in strength. This "survival guide brings light to topics that many women just deal with. The research shows staggering numbers of reported and guesstimations of unreported cyber harassment. Though there are cyber laws against harassment and sexual aggression most bots are triggered only by what one might call top priority instances.

One example from Ethiopia: Faris Cuchi Gezaheg, a trans-non-binary, was interviewed by the BBC about the living conditions in Ethiopia for a person such as they.  

African women activists have become a frequent target. Hodan Nalayeh, a Somalian Youtube blogger, admits to a lack of confidence. "I don't think that women in our country and our culture have been given that confidence to have dreams, goals, and aspirations," Nalayeh said. A cyberfeminist future forces one to recognize the plague of systemic oppression against women. It is up to us to educate women of their resources and power, that way offline inequalities are no longer replicated online.