Type: Blog Post
There is a common perception in the international diplomatic community in Addis Ababa that putting public pressure on the Ethiopian government to improve human rights and other basic democratic freedoms is likely to backfire. Ethiopia’s current government—which has been strongly influenced by Et...

Type: Blog Post
Never has the question of media development funding seemed more urgent. Not only is the media going through baffling changes in business models and technologies, but authoritarian governments around the world are cracking down on media freedoms, imprisoning journalists and trying to control the Inte...

Type: Publication
As expansive as the amount of information available via the internet is, however, sometimes the most valuable information is what cannot be found. This is increasingly the case as some governments and private citizens are trying to limit what can easily be discovered online, which is also reflecte...

Type: Publication
Malaysiakini, an online news platform operating in a country of continuous and pervasive media controls, has taken advantage of a precarious space allowing comparatively free journalism on the Internet. In Malaysia, it has successfully increased demand for reliable and independent news, along with s...

Type: Blog Post
By Anya Schiffrin Independent journalism faces numerous threats, not least because of the precarious financial situation of many media outlets. The internet has drastically reshaped not only the media landscape, but also the ways business and politics interact with and shape journalism. Politicians ...

Type: Blog Post
By Noah Arjomand Journalists are some of the world’s most prolific social media users. Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and WhatsApp have become essential tools for independent journalists both to collect information for their reporting as well as important channels for news dissemination. Yet truth-se...

Type: Blog Post
By Alex T. Magaisa On July 30th, Zimbabweans will go to the polls to elect a president, parliamentarians, and local authorities. The forthcoming election is remarkable for at least two reasons. First, it will be the first time since independence that ousted leader Robert Mugabe will not be a candid...

Type: Blog Post
Media act as conduits for politically consequential ideas; as such, their political significance is highly relevant. Advances in mass media—first in print, then over broadcast, and most recently on the Internet—have only magnified their reach, influence, and importance. It is therefore no wonder...

Type: Event
Watch a video recording of the event below. Freedom House and Reporters Without Borders have consistently ranked Burma, Cuba, and North Korea among the most repressive environments for press freedom in the world. Governments in these states have held a monopoly on information, restricting or tightly...

Type: Blog Post
By: Jan Lublinski Editor’s Note: This post was first published on Deutsche Welle Akademie’s website and is republished here with permission. The media in Southeast Asia face a host of issues, foremost of which are government censorship, the concentration of ownership, the lack of political suppo...