Archive

Trump’s ‘free speech’ vision comes at expense of press freedom

Pacific Media Watch
Among his first official acts on returning to the White House, President Donald Trump issued an executive order “restoring freedom of speech and ending federal censorship”.
Implicit in this vaguely written document: the United States is done fighting mis- and disinformation online, reports the Paris-based global media watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF).

Meanwhile, far from living up to the letter or spirit of his own order, Trump is…

PNG media policy ‘new era journalism’ draft law ready, says Masiu

NBC News in Port Moresby
Papua New Guinea’s cabinet has officially given the green light to the PNG media policy, which will soon be presented to Parliament for formal enactment.

Minister for Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Timothy Masiu believes this policy will address ongoing concerns about sensationalism, ethical standards, and the portrayal of violence in the media.

In an interview with NBC News in Port Moresby, Masiu outlined the urgent need…

Filipino Pultizer winner 'Bok' Mogato reflects in new book: ‘In my early days, I was reckless’


By Ria de Borja in Manila
For 30 years, Filipino journalist Manny “Bok” Mogato covered the police and defence rounds, and everything from politics to foreign relations, sports, and entertainment, eventually bagging one of journalism’s top prizes — the Pulitzer in 2018, for his reporting on Duterte’s drug war along with two other Reuters correspondents, Andrew Marshall and Clare Baldwin.

For Mogato it was time for him to “write it all…

An open letter to Mark Zuckerberg from the world’s fact-checkers – nine years later

Pacific Media Watch
An open letter to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg in response to the social media giant’s decision to abandon its fact-checking regime protection in the US against hoaxes and conspiracy theories. No New Zealand fact-checkers are on the list of signatories.

Dear Mr Zuckerberg,
Nine years ago, we wrote to you about the real-world harms caused by false information on Facebook. In response, Meta created a fact-checking…

APMN's Christmas message for peace

Kia ora tatou, Kia orana, Ni sa bula / Namaste / Noaˈia ˈe mạuri, Ko na mauri, Ekamowir Omo,  Gude / Hai, Talofa lava, Fakafeiloaki, Malo e lelei, Talofa, Halo, and warm Pacific greetings from us here at the Asia Pacific Media Network.

We are sharing below the Christmas card designed and contributed by committee member Del Abcede with some quotes from the much loved sermon from Bethlehem's Lutheran Christmas Church…

APMN's submission on the Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill

ASIA PACIFIC MEDIA NETWORK TE KOAKOA (APMN) INCORPORATED SOCIETY
 
SUBMISSION TO SELECT COMMITTEE ON PRINCIPLES OF THE TREATY OF WAITANGI BILL
 
DECEMBER 2024
 
The Asia Pacific Media Network Te Koakoa Incorporated is a nonprofit collective of journalists, academics, researchers, and community activists based in Aotearoa New Zealand and the Pacific.  APMN is dedicated to the analysis and communication of issues relevant to New Zealand and its neighbours in the…

Kai and Kōrero with the APMN

Asia Pacific Media Network
Members and supporters of the Asia Pacific Media Network (APMN) held a pre-Christmas “Kai and Kōrero” networking lunch at the Whanau Community Centre and Hub today.
 
Plenty of laughter and fresh ideas for 2025 were shared by about 25 community advocates, academics, activists, journalists and broadcasters from a host of action groups that share the hub along with some diverse media organisations, including the Fiji Centre and…

APMN invitation - end-of-year Kai and Kōrero sharing

Kia Ora APMN members,
I do hope you are all doing well and shining in your respective areas of expertise and interests.

Please see the attached invitation to our end-of-year Kai and Kōrero sharing.
The date is Wednesday, 18 December 2024, 11.30am-2.00pm.

I must apologise as I will be away then but will be with you in spirit as we celebrate our efforts in advancing the APMN mission, which is "dedicated…

RSF says global attacks on journalists ‘alarming’, Gaza ‘most dangerous’ and seeks ‘urgent action’

Pacific Media Watch
The global media freedom watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has revealed an “alarming intensification of attacks on journalists” in its 2024 annual roundup — especially in conflict zones such as Gaza.

Gaza stands out as the “most dangerous” region in the world, with the highest number of journalists murdered in connection with their work in the past five years.

Since October 2023, the Israeli military have killed more than…

How media could help social cohesion and unite people – a Fiji journalism educator’s view

By Alifereti Sakiasi in Suva
Social cohesion is a national responsibility, and everyone, including the media, should support government’s efforts, according to Dr Shailendra Singh, associate professor in Pacific Journalism at the University of the South Pacific.

While the news media are often accused of exacerbating conflict by amplifying ethnic tensions through biased narratives, media could also assist social cohesion and unite people by promoting dialogue and mutual understanding, said Dr Singh.

RSF condemns assassination of Cambodian environmental journalist

Pacific Media Watch
The Paris-based global media freedom watchdog Reporters Without Borders has condemned the assassination of Cambodian investigative environmental journalist Chhoeung Chheng who has died from his wounds.

He was shot by an illegal logger last week while investigating unlawful deforestation in the country’s northwest.

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has urged the Cambodian government make sure this crime does not go unpunished, and to take concrete measures to protect journalists.

How Jeton Anjain planned the Rongelap evacuation – new RNZ Rainbow Warrior podcast series

REVIEW: By Giff Johnson in Majuro
As a prelude to the 40th anniversary of the evacuation of Rongelap Islanders to Mejatto Island in Kwajalein in 1985, Radio New Zealand and ABC Radio Australia have produced a six-part podcast series that details the Rongelap story — in the context of The Last Voyage of the Rainbow Warrior, the name of the series.

It is narrated by journalist James Nokise, and includes story…

New course planned to help Pacific media professionals counter disinformation

Pacific Media Watch
An Aotearoa New Zealand-based community education provider is preparing a new course aimed to help media professionals in the Pacific region understand and respond to the complex issue of disinformation.

The eight-week course “A Bit Sus (Pacific)”, developed by the Dark Times Academy, will be offered free to journalists, editors, programme directors and others involved in running media organisations across the Pacific, beginning in February 2025.

“Our course will…

Climate protests to continue despite 170 charged in Newcastle ‘protestival’


Australia’s draconian anti-protest laws, the world’s biggest coal port was closed for four hours at the weekend with 170 protesters being charged — but climate demonstrations will continue. Twenty further arrests were made at a protest at the Federal Parliament yesterday.

SPECIAL REPORT: By Wendy Bacon
Newcastle port, the world’s biggest coal port, was closed for four hours on Sunday when hundreds of Rising Tide protesters in kayaks refused to leave its…

Cynical politics reported on world stage damage NZ’s reputation

COMMENTARY: By Gavin Ellis in Knightly Views
“Flashpoint” in a foreign news story usually brings to mind the Middle East or the border between North and South Korea. It is not a term usually associated with New Zealand but last week it was there in headline type.

News outlets around the world carried reports of the Hīkoi and protests against Act’s Treaty Principles Bill, with the overwhelming majority characterising the events as…

APMN contingent at the 2024 ACMC conference in Vietnam

APMN
The 2024 Asian Congress for Media and Communication (ACMC) Conference with the theme “Media Construct and Constructive media” was held from 31 October to 2 November at the Vietnam National University in Ho Chi Minh City.

Vice-president, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, Vietnam National University, Dr Lê Hoàng Dũng, welcomed participants to the event which was jointly hosted by ACMC and the University of Social Sciences and Humanities at Vietnam…

Protest photographer John Miller records Hīkoi mō te Tiriti with his historic lens

For almost six decades photographer John Miller (Ngāpuhi) has been a protest photographer in Aotearoa New Zealand.

From his first photographs of an anti-Vietnam War protest on Auckland’s Albert Street as a high school student in 1967, to Hīkoi mō te Tiriti last week, Miller has focused much of his work on the faces of dissent.

He spoke of his experiences over the years in an interview broadcast at the…

ICC issues arrest warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu over alleged war crimes

ANALYSIS: By Catherine Gegout, University of Nottingham
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, his former Defence Minister, Yoav Gallant, and Hamas leader, Mohammed Deif.

The court says both sides have committed crimes against humanity and war crimes from the day Hamas attacked Israel on October 7 onwards.

Although a warrant was issued for Deif, Israel has said he was killed in an air…

Fiji’s mainstream media fight for survival in social media era

By Georgia Brown: Queensland University of Technology
Fijian newsrooms are under pressure to adapt as audiences shift away from traditional media such as newspapers, radio, and television, in favour of Facebook and other social media platforms.

Asia Foundation research showed that Fijians ranked Facebook as their third most significant source of information about covid-19 during the pandemic, surpassing newspapers and “word of mouth”, despite recognising social media as their least trusted…

NZ Media Council upholds complaint about Islamic 'terrorist' description by NZ Herald

NEW ZEALAND HERALD
"In the Media Council’s view, the NZ Herald has erred in describing aspects of Muslim dress as that of a terrorist."

The NZ Media Council has ruled that it was inaccurate to describe wearing traditional Islamic dress as being dressed as an Islamic terrorist.

The Herald published a story on 10 September 2024 headed “Avondale College student dresses up as Islamic terrorist, does fake bomb attack stunt on culture…