Digital Journalists should keep an eye on the Online News Association (ONA), an international non-profit organization for journalists that promotes technology and innovation through training schemes, prizes and conferences.

ONA offers a set of awards, the  Online Journalism Awards, to reward journalistic excellence in the digital sector. This year the deadline for submissions, subject to extension, has been set at 21 June 2013 and journalists from all countries are encouraged to apply. There are entry fees that range from $15 for students to $175 for professionals. Anyone can apply, but members of the ONA get discounted entry fees.

The jury will select three finalists for each category during the summer and the winners will be announced during the annual gala evening to be held in Atlanta on 19 October. Winners can win up to $5,000. Details here.

ONA was founded in 1999 to offer the fledgling sector of online journalism a space to discuss issues relevant to digital journalism. It addressed questions that related to best practices, tools, framework and other matters. It organises an annual conference: this year it will be held in Atlanta from 17 to 19 October. Local events are also organized to foster study, debate and networking through branches that include ONAWashington, ONALA, ONAToronto, ONAItalia and ONASpain. The association also organizes ONA Journalist Training Camps at different locations throughout the United States. 

The awards were first introduced in 2000 to identify and reward journalistic excellence in the digital field. Until last year English language websites were assessed separately in two special categories but from this year any site and any project in any language can compete in all the categories.

 Mario Tedeschini Lalli Chairman of ONA’s International Committee and Deputy Director, Innovation and Development of the Gruppo Editoriale l’Espresso, said he hoped this change will “will increasingly turn the Online Journalism Awards into a mirror of the excellence produced in digital journalism throughout the world. “

Sites or projects can compete in one or more categories, with no geographic barriers. Each category is also divided into size, so the work of a single site or a small organization of journalists will not be pitted against sites like that of the New York Times or Le Monde

 The categories are:

1. Breaking News
2. Planned News/Events
3. Explanatory Reporting
4. Topical Reporting
5. Online Commentary
6. Feature
7. Student Projects
8. Gannett Foundation Award for Technical Innovation in the Service of Digital Journalism
9. Gannett Foundation Award for Innovative Investigative Journalism
10. Gannett Foundation Award for Watchdog Journalism
11. Knight Award for Public Service
12. General Excellence in Online Journalism.

 

Enkele jaren na het begin van de invasie van Irak kon het niet langer ontkend worden: de Iraakse massavernietigingswapens hadden nooit bestaan. Meer zelfs, het was een bewuste leugen. 10 jaar later herhaalt de geschiedenis zich, dit maal in Syrië. We zijn erin geluisd

Jeremy Paxman is één van de topjournalisten van de BBC, een man met de reputatie om kritische vragen te stellen, maar die in werkelijkheid netjes binnen de lijnen kleurt.

Nieuwslijn Syrië of hoe de media wéér het spel meespelen De Iraakse massavernietigingswapens hebben nooit bestaan, het was zelfs een bewuste leugen. Herhaling 10 jaar later, in Syrië.

lees verder

Recent nog was er het schandaal rond de geheime olifantenjachten die de Spaanse koning Juan Carlos organiseerde, samen met zijn Duitse minnares. Daarna volgde de mogelijke fraude met overheidsgeld door zijn schoonzoon Inaki Urdangarin, en nu duikt de Spaanse monarchie alweer op in een schandaal. Het gerecht verdenkt drie familieleden van Juan Carlos van medeplichtigheid bij een gigantische witwasoperatie door de Chinese maffia.

By KamrenB Photography on Flickr. Some rights reserved.

As the internet continues to affect how audiences find and read articles, media outlets are having to react and develop new models in order to stay relevant. This week’s podcast looks at the changing relationship between publishers, audiences and content – and how three organisations are taking different approaches.

From newsrooms splitting advertising payments with bloggers to the hosting and reposting of full articles, there is a theme creeping in of publishers sharing content, audiences and revenue in order to succeed.

We hear from:

• Jeff Jarvis, media commentator and founder, BuzzMachine
• James Randerson, science and environment news editor, the Guardian
• Fiona Evans, head of publishing, Glam Media
• John Pettitt, founder and CEO, Repost.us

You can hear future podcasts by signing up to the Journalism.co.uk iTunes podcast feed.Similar Posts:

• #followjourn: @james_randerson – environment editor
• #Podcast: How magazine publishers are innovating in online video
• #jpod: How news organisations are using Pinterest
• Comment Is Free: Jarvis vs Tomasky: what rules for citizen journalists?
• The Guardian launches science blogs network

    

BRUSSEL - Vrijdag 14 juni werd door Belgische journalisten actie gevoerd aan de Griekse ambassade in Brussel om te protesteren tegen de sluiting van de openbare omroep ERT in Griekenland. Nieuwslijn Protest in Brussel tegen sluiting Griekse openbare omroep ERT Vrijdag werd door Belgische journalisten actie gevoerd aan de Griekse ambassade om te protesteren tegen de sluiting van ERT.

mozaik Banner bredere visie Bart Van Rompaey wil met zijn steun aan DeWereldMorgen.be "een noodzakelijke bredere visie op de wereld" ondersteunen

Bart Van Rompaey, Bediende

Dewereldmorgen brengt een noodzakelijke bredere visie op de wereld.
Er is plaats voor verschillende meningen maar de insteek is vooral solidair en sociaal geëngageerd. Dit element ontbreekt in de commerciële media.

Nieuwslijn Een noodzakelijke bredere visie op de wereld Bart Van Rompaey wil met zijn steun aan DeWereldMorgen.be "een noodzakelijke bredere visie op de wereld" ondersteunen...

lees verder

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and the European Federation of Journalists (EFJ) have called for affiliates across the world to support their colleagues sacked from Greek broadcasting station TV and fight to reverse the "deplorable" decision. The IFJ/EFJ are calling on affiliates to show their support by holding demonstrations outside the Greek embassies in their countries.   IFJ/EFJ, along with the AVBB (General Association of Professional Journalists of Belgium), are calling on journalists and media workers to come along to a protest of solidarity outside the Greek embassy in Brussels, at Karmelietenstraat 10, near Porte de Namur, tomorrow morning at 10am.   Messages of support for the staff at ERT can also be emailed to: info@poesy.gr ; info@esiemth.gr ; info@esiea.gr ; dralli@esiea.gr ; andrew.kennedy@ifj.

De Morgen opende vanochtend met oud nieuws: 'Antwerpen schrapt 1.200 jobs'. Het stond twee weken terug al in een gratis krantje van Het Laatste Nieuws dat in alle Antwerpse brievenbussen stak. Het echte nieuws -Antwerpen bespaart om te investeren, oftewel: schrapt banen om, we zeggen maar wat, een jachthaven op de Zuiderdokken aan te leggen- nam De Morgen niet over. Opvallender is echter wat er niet in Het Laatste Nieuws stond.

After several years of controversy and delays, Ecuador's Organic Law on Communication begins the final stage of approval by the National Assembly today.

An international NGO that defends freedom of information, Reporters Without Borders contributed to the debate when the law's first draft was being discussed in 2010 and it would like to update its comments now.

Reporters Without Borders has never questioned the principle of a new media law, one that matches the changes in the national media landscape and catches up with the new laws being adopted by other countries in the region.

One of this law's main flaws is the creation of a new mechanism for regulating the traditional media and their websites. Another is its attempt to influence how the profession of journalism is defined and practiced.

We also deplore the complete lack of any provision for decriminalizing defamation, contrary to the general trend in the rest of the continent. We hope that this omission can be addressed in the near future by means of an amendment to the criminal code.

On the other hand, we think that other provisions conform to international legal standards. They include restrictions on broadcasting hours for the protection of minors, the prohibition of racist and discriminatory content and the prohibition of deliberate calls for violence.

Finally, the provisions governing nationally-produced broadcasting content are broadly similar to those in force in most other countries.

Main principles

The Organic Law on Communication affirms three overarching principles with which, as such, we concur:

• The first (article 18) prohibits any form of censorship by government officials or civil servants.

• The second (formulated in articles 37, 38 and 39) guarantees the right of journalists not to go against their beliefs, the protection of their sources, and their right to professional confidentiality.

• The third (article 112) is the fair distribution of broadcast frequencies. It reserves 34 per cent of frequencies for state broadcasters, 33 per cent for privately-owned broadcasters, and 33 per cent for community broadcasters. Such an allocation constitutes a powerful lever for media pluralism.

Questionable or dangerous provisions

Will these praiseworthy goals be adhered to? Other clauses in the law unfortunately open the way to possible violations of the fundamental rights it is supposed to guarantee.

We think that freedom of information is threatened by article 23, which says: “It is everyone's right that information of public interest received through the media should be verified, balanced, contextualized and opportune.”

What criteria will be used to determine whether a news report satisfies this provision? Who will have this job? It is not part of the duties that article 46 assigns to the new Council for Media Regulation and Development, of which critics say its five members will be too subservient to the government.

This council will have the power to exact a public apology (and impose fines on repeat offenders) when media fail to accord someone the right to a correction (article 24) or the right of reply (article 25).

Public apologies must not be confused with corrections. And will a person's insistence that he or she has been defamed be a criteria for determining the truth of the offending report? And will the council function as a court, in parallel to the regular courts? The law does not answer these crucial questions.

Media lynching

By retaining the system of “cadenas” – official messages that all over-the-air TV and radio stations have to broadcast – the law gives the government a powerful media weapon, offensive and defensive, with no provision for an opposing view.

It limits use of this provision to a maximum of five minutes of air-time a week for all public office holders except the president and the National Assembly speaker, who are allowed to use it “when they consider it necessary” (article 77-1).

This clause will not help to resolve the polarization between President Correa and his supporters on the one hand, and certain privately-owned media, whose excesses Reporters Without Borders does not try to minimize. Similarly, Reporters Without Borders regards as highly dangerous an addition to the law proposed by the parliamentarian Maria Augusta Calle that would prohibit media lynching, defined as “a concerted effort, coordinated by several media or carried out by just one, to destroy a person honour or prestige.”

Such an addition would pose a serious obstacle to any revelation of sensitive information and would just encourage the government in its frequent use of the label of “destabilization” against its detractors.

Delicate regulation

Democratization of the broadcast frequencies continues to be a crucial challenge for the law. The frequencies already available or about to be created should be enough for implementation of the rule of a third each of the frequencies for state, private and community media.

Article 121's ban on any one person or entity from being allocated more than one AM radio frequency, one FM radio frequency and one over-the-air TV frequency could help to guarantee pluralism.

The obligation to relinquish frequencies that will affect some media owners should also affect the state sector, which consists of no fewer than 20 media. The outcome will depend in part on the extent of the prerogatives of the future Media Supervisory Authority, which will hopefully be a regulatory body and not a tool for controlling content.

By mkreyness on Flickr. Some rights reserved.

This post from Brooklyn-based editor, writer and content strategist Erin Kissane is initially aimed at coders and programmers trying to start out in a new sector, but is applicable to anybody who may be switching careers or coming into a new profession from the outside.

Sometimes this outsider perspective can make life difficult, but there are ways to turn it to your advantage and offer insights which may not have occurred to those more deeply entrenched in institutional norms.

If you have a tip you would like to submit to us at Journalism.co.uk email us using this link. Similar Posts:

• #Tip of the day from Journalism.co.uk – apps and tools for journalists
• #news2011: Hong Kong chief executive calls on media to ‘take advantage of what we have to offer’
• #Tip of the day for journalists: Pointers for covering events live on Twitter
• #Tip of the day for journalists: Different ways to use Pinterest
• #Tip of the day from Journalism.co.uk – how to turn an internship into a journalism job

    

Photo: Kozumel in Flickr

Seeking a chance to improve your skills and expand your world? Tired of the everyday routine in your newsroom? We’ve updated our guide to grants and fellowships of special interest to investigative journalists around the world. There are plenty of short-term and long-term opportunities, both for staff and freelance reporters. Follow the links for information on deadlines and background on the various programs.

Do you know of a great opportunity we haven’t listed? Send it to us at: hello (at) gijn (dot) org.

GENERAL

Nieman Fellowship at Harvard University offers fellows a chance to study at Harvard for an academic year; shorter-term fellowships are also available.

Who: Journalists with at least five years’ experience.

Amount: $65,000 stipend, books, tuition, housing, health care, travel expenses and childcare.

———————————————————————————————————–

John S. Knight Journalism Fellowship at Stanford allows journalists to spend an academic year working on innovative projects.

Who: Journalists with at least five years’ experience.

Amount: $65,000 stipend, books, tuition, housing, health care, travel expense and childcare.

———————————————————————————————————–

American Council on Germany Journalism Fellowship provides opportunities for a cross-cultural journalism exchange.

Who: German or American reporters.

Amount: Varies.

———————————————————————————————————–

Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship is a year-long program hosted by the University of Maryland and the U.S. Department of State.

Who: Non-U.S. journalists.

Amount: tuition, fees, travel, book and computer allowance and room and board.

———————————————————————————————————–

The Fullbright Program offers research and teaching opportunities both for visiting U.S. and non-U.S. faculty and professionals.

Who: faculty and experienced professionals in a wide variety of academic and professional fields. Journalists from some countries may be eligible for research Fulbrights in the U.S. Teaching Fulbrights are also available to those who serve on faculty at non-U.S. universities.

Amount: varies according to length of grant and location.

———————————————————————————————————–

INVESTIGATIVE

Investigative Reporting Fellowship is offered through American University and the Center for Public Integrity, one of the oldest nonprofit investigative centers in the U.S.

Who: U.S. citizens or permanent residents.

Amount: Master’s degree awarded and $24,000 stipend.

———————————————————————————————————–

Daniel Pearl Investigative Journalism Initiative is a project-based grant funded by Moment, a Jewish magazine based in D.C.

Who: reporters between the ages of 22 and 38.

Amount: $5,000.

———————————————————————————————————–

INTERNATIONAL

Knight International Journalism Fellowships are for journalism trainers to use digital tools “to instill a culture of news innovation and experimentation worldwide.” They are administered through the International Center for Journalists.

Who: Reporters with at least 10 years experience.

Amount: living costs, travel fees, health insurance, paid vacation and honorarium.

———————————————————————————————————–

World Press Institute Fellowship provides reporters from around the world the opportunity to travel for three months and learn about journalism in the United States.

Who: Non-U.S. reporters working outside the United Sates with at least five years experience.

Amount: Travel costs, food and lodging.

———————————————————————————————————–

Persephone Miel Fellowship is offered by the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting and provides an opportunity for reporters to work cross-borders.

Who: Non-United States reporters.

Amount: up to $5,000 for reporting costs.

———————————————————————————————————–

Pullitzer Center on Crisis Reporting Travel Grants fund international travel costs associated with reporting projects on topics and regions of global importance, with an emphasis on issues that have gone unreported or under-reported in the mainstream American.

Who: open to all journalists, writers, photographers, radio producers or filmmakers of any nationality.

Amount: will depend on the specific project, “most awards fall in the range of $2,000 to $10,000 but depending on project specifics may be as much as $20,000″.

———————————————————————————————————–

Abe Fellowship for Journalists supports reporters working on projects about security, trade and social issues involving Japan and the United States.

Who: Japanese or U.S. reporters with at least five years experience.

Amount: Up to $25,600.

———————————————————————————————————–

Open Society Fellowship seeks “idea entrepreneurs” from across the world. Project themes should cut across at least two areas of interest to the Open Society Foundations: human rights, government transparency, access to information and to justice, and the promotion of civil society and social inclusion.

Who: Journalists, activists, academics, and practitioners in a variety of fields.

Amount: stipend of $80,000 or $100,000, depending on work experience, seniority, and current income, plus a travel budget.

———————————————————————————————————–

SPECIALIZATIONS

Knight Science Journalism Program at MIT offers an academic-year fellowship for reporters interested in deepening their knowledge of science and technology.

Who: reporters with at least five-years experience. English-language ability.

Amount: $65,000, health insurance and research travel expenses.

———————————————————————————————————–

Templeton-Cambridge Journalism Fellowship is a two-month fellowship emphasizing science and religion.

Who: English-speaking reporters.

Amount: $15,000 plus travel and accommodations.

———————————————————————————————————–

Science Immersion Workshop for Journalists is a one-week training on environmental and science reporting offered through the Metcalf Institute in Rhode Island.

Who: early- to mid-career journalists.

Amount: room, board, tuition, and up to US, $500 in travel support.

———————————————————————————————————–

Innovation in Development Reporting Grant Program is offered by the European Journalism Centre with support by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Who: Media outlets and their affiliates based in France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.

Amount: Average grant is €20,000.

———————————————————————————————————–

Soros Justice Media Fellowship funds projects about the criminal justice system.

Who: full-time reporters.

Amount: $50,000 stipend plus reporting expenses and health benefits.

———————————————————————————————————–

Knight-Bagehot Fellowship at Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism offers an academic year of courses in business and economics journalism.

Who: Open to any “accomplished” reporting working full-time or freelance.

Amount: $55,000 and housing.

———————————————————————————————————–

Dart Fellowship Programs are offered through Columbia University in New York City include the Ochberg Fellowship on trauma and conflict and the Dart Asia Fellowship to train reporters in Asia on how to report on tragic events.

———————————————————————————————————–

Kiplinger Program in Public Affairs Journalism Fellowships are offered through Ohio State offers a one-week intensive training on using public records, data and social media.

Who: reporters with at least five-years experience. English-language ability.

Amount: travel stipend, room and board.

———————————————————————————————————–

Fund for Environmental Journalism grants are offered through the Society of Environmental Journalism underwrites reporting projects and entrepreneurial ventures on issues around the environment.

Who: journalist working independently or on the staff of either a for-profit or non-profit news organization worldwide.

Amount: grants of up to $3,500.

This guide is part of a series of Resources pages on gijn.org. Have an addition or correction? Post a note below or contact us at hello(at)gijn(dot)org.

Photo: Kozumel in Flickr

Seeking a chance to improve your skills and expand your world? Tired of the everyday routine in your newsroom? We’ve updated our guide to grants and fellowships of special interest to investigative journalists around the world. There are plenty of short-term and long-term opportunities, both for staff and freelance reporters. Follow the links for information on deadlines and background on the various programs.

Do you know of a great opportunity we haven’t listed? Send it to us at: hello (at) gijn (dot) org.

GENERAL

Nieman Fellowship at Harvard University offers fellows a chance to study at Harvard for an academic year; shorter-term fellowships are also available.

Who: Journalists with at least five years’ experience.

Amount: $65,000 stipend, books, tuition, housing, health care, travel expenses and childcare.

———————————————————————————————————–

John S. Knight Journalism Fellowship at Stanford allows journalists to spend an academic year working on innovative projects.

Who: Journalists with at least five years’ experience.

Amount: $65,000 stipend, books, tuition, housing, health care, travel expense and childcare.

———————————————————————————————————–

American Council on Germany Journalism Fellowship provides opportunities for a cross-cultural journalism exchange.

Who: German or American reporters.

Amount: Varies.

———————————————————————————————————–

Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship is a year-long program hosted by the University of Maryland and the U.S. Department of State.

Who: Non-U.S. journalists.

Amount: tuition, fees, travel, book and computer allowance and room and board.

———————————————————————————————————–

The Fullbright Program offers research and teaching opportunities both for visiting U.S. and non-U.S. faculty and professionals.

Who: faculty and experienced professionals in a wide variety of academic and professional fields. Journalists from some countries may be eligible for research Fulbrights in the U.S. Teaching Fulbrights are also available to those who serve on faculty at non-U.S. universities.

Amount: varies according to length of grant and location.

———————————————————————————————————–

INVESTIGATIVE

Investigative Reporting Fellowship is offered through American University and the Center for Public Integrity, one of the oldest nonprofit investigative centers in the U.S.

Who: U.S. citizens or permanent residents.

Amount: Master’s degree awarded and $24,000 stipend.

———————————————————————————————————–

Daniel Pearl Investigative Journalism Initiative is a project-based grant funded by Moment, a Jewish magazine based in D.C.

Who: reporters between the ages of 22 and 38.

Amount: $5,000.

———————————————————————————————————–

INTERNATIONAL

Knight International Journalism Fellowships are for journalism trainers to use digital tools “to instill a culture of news innovation and experimentation worldwide.” They are administered through the International Center for Journalists.

Who: Reporters with at least 10 years experience.

Amount: living costs, travel fees, health insurance, paid vacation and honorarium.

———————————————————————————————————–

World Press Institute Fellowship provides reporters from around the world the opportunity to travel for three months and learn about journalism in the United States.

Who: Non-U.S. reporters working outside the United Sates with at least five years experience.

Amount: Travel costs, food and lodging.

———————————————————————————————————–

Persephone Miel Fellowship is offered by the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting and provides an opportunity for reporters to work cross-borders.

Who: Non-United States reporters.

Amount: up to $5,000 for reporting costs.

———————————————————————————————————–

Pullitzer Center on Crisis Reporting Travel Grants fund international travel costs associated with reporting projects on topics and regions of global importance, with an emphasis on issues that have gone unreported or under-reported in the mainstream American.

Who: open to all journalists, writers, photographers, radio producers or filmmakers of any nationality.

Amount: will depend on the specific project, “most awards fall in the range of $2,000 to $10,000 but depending on project specifics may be as much as $20,000″.

———————————————————————————————————–

Abe Fellowship for Journalists supports reporters working on projects about security, trade and social issues involving Japan and the United States.

Who: Japanese or U.S. reporters with at least five years experience.

Amount: Up to $25,600.

———————————————————————————————————–

Open Society Fellowship seeks “idea entrepreneurs” from across the world. Project themes should cut across at least two areas of interest to the Open Society Foundations: human rights, government transparency, access to information and to justice, and the promotion of civil society and social inclusion.

Who: Journalists, activists, academics, and practitioners in a variety of fields.

Amount: stipend of $80,000 or $100,000, depending on work experience, seniority, and current income, plus a travel budget.

———————————————————————————————————–

SPECIALIZATIONS

Knight Science Journalism Program at MIT offers an academic-year fellowship for reporters interested in deepening their knowledge of science and technology.

Who: reporters with at least five-years experience. English-language ability.

Amount: $65,000, health insurance and research travel expenses.

———————————————————————————————————–

Templeton-Cambridge Journalism Fellowship is a two-month fellowship emphasizing science and religion.

Who: English-speaking reporters.

Amount: $15,000 plus travel and accommodations.

———————————————————————————————————–

Science Immersion Workshop for Journalists is a one-week training on environmental and science reporting offered through the Metcalf Institute in Rhode Island.

Who: early- to mid-career journalists.

Amount: room, board, tuition, and up to US, $500 in travel support.

———————————————————————————————————–

Innovation in Development Reporting Grant Program is offered by the European Journalism Centre with support by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Who: Media outlets and their affiliates based in France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.

Amount: Average grant is €20,000.

———————————————————————————————————–

Soros Justice Media Fellowship funds projects about the criminal justice system.

Who: full-time reporters.

Amount: $50,000 stipend plus reporting expenses and health benefits.

———————————————————————————————————–

Knight-Bagehot Fellowship at Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism offers an academic year of courses in business and economics journalism.

Who: Open to any “accomplished” reporting working full-time or freelance.

Amount: $55,000 and housing.

———————————————————————————————————–

Dart Fellowship Programs are offered through Columbia University in New York City include the Ochberg Fellowship on trauma and conflict and the Dart Asia Fellowship to train reporters in Asia on how to report on tragic events.

———————————————————————————————————–

Kiplinger Program in Public Affairs Journalism Fellowships are offered through Ohio State offers a one-week intensive training on using public records, data and social media.

Who: reporters with at least five-years experience. English-language ability.

Amount: travel stipend, room and board.

———————————————————————————————————–

Fund for Environmental Journalism grants are offered through the Society of Environmental Journalism underwrites reporting projects and entrepreneurial ventures on issues around the environment.

Who: journalist working independently or on the staff of either a for-profit or non-profit news organization worldwide.

Amount: grants of up to $3,500.

This guide is part of a series of Resources pages on gijn.org. Have an addition or correction? Post a note below or contact us at hello(at)gijn(dot)org.

Reporters Without Borders hails yesterday's European Parliament resolution on the plight of Burma's Rohingya Muslims, who are not only persecuted by the authorities and denied Burmese citizenship, but also denied access to news and information and subjected to an information blackout.

“We welcome the European Parliament's calls for journalists to be given unrestricted access to sensitive regions of Burma such as the western state of Arakan, where people of Rohingya origin are in the majority,” Reporters Without Borders said.

“The disinformation about the recent violent rioting, in which the security forces have usually looked on without intervening, must stop. It is just exacerbating racist attitudes towards the Rohingyas.”

Reporters Without Borders added: “We urge the European Union, the 2012 Nobel peace laureate, to undertake to ensure that the Burmese authorities heed the injunctions of its parliament.”

Passed on the last day of a four-day plenary session in Strasbourg, the resolution blamed the current ethnic violence on policies that discriminate against the Rohingyas.

Article 5 of the resolution urged the Burmese authorities to “provide UN agencies and humanitarian NGOs, as well as journalists and diplomats, with unhindered access to all areas of the country, including Rakhine state, and to give unrestricted and full access to humanitarian aid for all communities affected by conflict and sectarian violence.”

Burma's ethnic violence and rioting erupted at the end of May 2012, after the rape and murder of a young Rakhine Buddhist woman was blamed on three Rohingyas, whose photos were posted on online social networks.

While the large volume of comments and opinions posted online testified to an increase in Internet freedom in Burma, the constant mention of the ethnic origins of the victims and suspects quickly imposed one-sided and distorted interpretations of this horrific crime.

Many foreign journalists who went to Burma to cover the crisis found themselves being harassed and threatened by the local population, while the government tried to suppress information and did not comment on the unrest until five days after President Thein Sein proclaimed a state of emergency.

When the weekly Snapshot (Hlyat Tabyet in Burmese) published a photo of the rape victim on 9 June 2012, the Press Scrutiny and Registration Division suspended its licence indefinitely the same day.

Disgraceful propaganda

Several foreign media were the targets of smear campaigns waged through street protests and online posts. The BBC and Democratic Voice of Burma (DVB) were among those accused of biased coverage of the inter-communal violence, while the DVB website was the target of repeated cyber-attacks.

Reporters Without Borders reiterates its recommendations for Burmese and foreign journalists and other news providers who, directly or indirectly, cover the sensitive issue of Burma's Rohingya minority.

In the absence of a satisfactory legal framework offering real protection to all the media, and bearing in mind the polarization and/or inexperience of some Burmese journalists:

1) News organizations must urgently remind their journalists of the requirements of professional ethics and must organize special meetings on covering the crisis.

2) In view of the varying levels of human and financial resources available to different media, reporters should be given accelerated special training to prepare them for the security problems they could encounter while covering the conflicts in Arakan state.

3) The media community should work together to find solutions to the obstacles preventing access to information, to the security problems for reporters visiting conflict-ridden areas, to the breaches of professional ethics and to the need for all media to implement international journalistic standards.

Read the special report entitled “Crisis in Arakan state and new threats to freedom of information” that Reporters Without Borders published on 28 June 2012.

Photo : Soe Than WIN / AFP

Federico Guerrini writes in the Oxford Magazine: Fact-checking is an old journalistic practice now being brought into considerably greater prominence due to the possibilities offered by the Internet. First of all: what do we mean by “fact-checking”? We could stick to Wikipedia: “A fact checker is the person who checks factual assertions in non-fictional text, usually intended for publication in a periodical, to determine their veracity and correctness.” A formal and correct definition. Publications, especially weekly and monthly ones, need to check the content of articles written by their reporters; e.g. verify, and if necessary correct, things like the names of people, streets and buildings referred to, or call the persons interviewed to ensure they really have said what they’re supposed to have  done according to the author. An important job, that began to be done  systematically at some US magazines – like Time and the New Yorker in the 1920s. It was done by a dedicated staff (composed mostly by women), albeit more and more reducing in size and importance as magazines have struggled to cover the costs and cut the workforce.

It is also done ex-post in some newspapers, through a column for “mistakes and corrections”, as in the Guardian (corrections & clarifications), and in the Wall Street Journal (corrections & amplifications). But behind the issue of  fact-checking (especially political fact-checking), as developed on the Internet through blogs and independent platforms, there’s much more going on. When you deal with concepts like that of “truth”, things tend to get blurred and the way you define the role of the fact-checker is actually intimately connected to your core attitude towards journalism.

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Secretary of state for communities and local government issues guidance to highlight 'new rights for journalists and bloggers to film council meetings'    

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Reporters Without Borders is deeply concerned at the approval by the lower house of the Russian Parliament, the Duma, two days ago of two acts restricting freedom of information on the pretext of protecting religious feelings and traditional family values.

The press freedom organization calls on the authorities to refrain from enacting the legislation, which imposes penalties for insulting religious feelings, and amendments banning “propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations”.

“The Duma continues to exploit morality and the protection of children as a means of curtailing freedom of information,” Reporters Without Borders said. “Punishing ‘insults to religious feelings' is both futile and dangerous. The criminal code already provides for the punishment of incitement to hatred and affronts to human dignity on religious grounds, and the severity of the sentences against the members of Pussy Riot shows the courts are not short of repressive tools in this arena.

“The broad and vague nature of the new legislation closes the door to public discussion of religion and sparks fears that blasphemy may in future be punishable by imprisonment in Russia. Such a prospect, which is at odds with Article 14 of the constitution, is unacceptable in a secular state.

“The ban on ‘propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations' imposes absurd restrictions on the flow of information about public health and sex education. In these circumstances, how will Russia be able to combat AIDS and homophobic prejudice? These backward steps are the cause of even greater concern since they have been taken to an international level, where Moscow, in concert with China and the Organization of the Islamic Conference, is promoting the highly dangerous notion of “traditional values”, in opposition to basic freedoms.”

“Protecting believers and children”

Bill no. 142303-6, designed to crack down on “insults to citizens' religious beliefs and feelings”, provides for amendments to Article 148 of the criminal code and several articles of the code of administrative offences.

Penalties for “public acts that demonstrate clear disrespect for society and are carried deliberately to insult the religious feelings of believers” range from a fine of 300,000 roubles (more than 7,000 euros) to a year's imprisonment. Russian human rights organizations point out that the terms “public acts”, “intention to insult” and “religious feelings” can be interpreted in many ways.

Bill no. 44554-6, approved by the Duma at its second reading on the same day, amends the law designed to “protect children from information that is harmful for their health and development”, as well as other legislation. It is specifically aimed at shielding minors from “propaganda that undermines traditional family values”.

Those guilty of “propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations among minors” will be liable to fines of up to 5,000 roubles (about 120 euros) for individuals and a maximum of 1 million roubles (24,000 euros) for organisations. The latter may also have their activities suspended for 90 days. The penalties for individuals may be increased considerably if the offences have been committed via the media or the Internet.

In Russian case law, “non-traditional sexual relations” refers to homosexual relations, which were targeted specifically in previous versions of the legislation. The propaganda in question is defined as “the dissemination of information aimed at creating non-traditional sexual orientation among minors, making such practices attractive, distorting the views of young people by presenting traditional and non-traditional sexual relations as equal in the eyes of society and emphasizing information about non-traditional sexual relations with aim of arousing interest in them.”

Child protection has already been used as a pretext for the creation of a blacklist of blocked websites. As a result of imprecise criteria, the absence of a judicial ruling and weak safeguards, this measure aimed at combating child pornography, extremism, the promotion of suicide and drug abuse has led to a serious risk of overblocking.

According to the Rublacklist project, 3,300 sites had been blocked “by mistake” by January this year because they had the same IP address as others containing so-called harmful content. Since the law came into force, sites such as YouTube, Google and the Russian-language social network Vkontakte have found themselves on the list of blocked sites for several hours, officially for technical reasons. Earlier this month, a service provider was for the first time punished with a fine of 30,000 roubles (more than 700 euros) for failing to block censored websites.

New threats

Reporters Without Borders strongly appeals to members of the Duma to reject amendments to the media law that have been drafted by the ministry of communications and mass media.

The draft, published by the Interfax news agency on 27 May, is designed to prevent anyone convicted of such crimes as participating in mass disorder, hooliganism, incitement to hatred or violation of human dignity, or promoting extremism from creating a media outlet. Such allegations are regularly fabricated against the political opposition and other critical voices.

On the other hand, the organization notes the Duma has rejected amendments to articles 150 to 152 of the civil code, which would ban journalists from publishing information about citizens without their consent, even when such information has nothing to do with their private lives. Members also decided to retain the one-year statute of limitations for allegations of defamation.

Finally, Reporters Without Borders will be looking out for the list of public information that the authorities recently promised to post on the Internet.

Photo: Alexandr Piragis / RIA NOVOSTI

Неоконсерватизм Госдумы серьезно ущемляет свободу информации

«Репортеры без границ» выражают свою глубокую озабоченность принятием Госдумой (нижней палатой российского парламента) 11 июня 2013 г. двух законов, ограничивающих свободу информации под предлогом защиты верующих и традиционных семейных ценностей. Организация призывает компетентные органы не утверждать закон, преследующий за “оскорбление религиозных убеждений и чувств” и поправки, запрещающие “пропаганду нетрадиционных сексуальных отношений”.

“Дума продолжает использовать мораль и защиту детства в качестве инструментов для ограничения свободы информации, - считает организация. – Наказание за «оскорбление религиозных чувств» излишне и в то же время опасно. Уголовный кодекс и без этого предусматривает ответственность за возбуждение ненависти либо вражды и унижение достоинства человека по признакам отношения к религии, а тяжелый приговор Pussy Riot показал, что правосудие имеет достаточно репрессивных инструментов в данной сфере. Слишком общий и расплывчатый текст нового закона заключает общественное мнение о религии в рамки и создает такое впечатление, что отныне в России богохульство наказывается лишением свободы. Подобный закон нарушает статью 14 российской Конституции и неприемлем в светском государстве”.

“Запрет на ‘пропаганду нетрадиционных сексуальных отношений' вводит нелепые ограничения на распространение информации о проблемах общественного здравоохранения и сексуального воспитания. Как в таких условиях Россия сможет бороться со СПИДом и гомофобными предрассудками? Эти ретроградные инициативы вызывают еще большую озабоченность в виду того, что звучат и на международной арене, на которой Россия совместно с Китаем и Организацией исламского сотрудничества продвигает очень опасное понятие ‘традиционных ценностей', противопоставляемых основным свободам”.

“Защита верующих и детей”

Закон n°142303-6 предусматривает внесение изменений в статью 148 Уголовного кодекса России, а также в ряд статей кодекса административных нарушений в целях противодействия “оскорблению религиозных убеждений и чувств граждан”. “Публичные действия, выражающие явное неуважение к обществу и совершенные в целях оскобрления религиозных чувств верующих” наказываются штрафом в размере до трехсот тысяч рублей (более 7 000 евро) или лишением свободы сроком до одного года. Российские правозащитные организации подчеркивают, что такие формулировки, как “публичные действия”, “намерение оскорбить”, а также “религиозные чувства” могут истолковываться по-разному.

Законопроект n°44554-6, принятый в тот же день во втором чтении Думой, вносит изменения в закон “о защите детей от информации, причиняющей вред их здоровью и развитию”, а также в ряд других законодательных актов. “Пропаганда нетрадиционных сексуальных отношений” влечет наложение административного штрафа в размере до пяти тысяч рублей (120 евро) на граждан до одного миллиона рублей (около 24 000 евро) на юридических лиц. Деятельность последних может также быть приостановлена на срок до девяноста суток. В отношении граждан меры наказания значительно ужесточаются, если нарушения совершены с применением прессы или интернета.

В российской юриспруденции “нетрадиционные сексуальные отношения” соответствуют гомосексуальным отношениям, о которых открыто шла речь в предыдущих версиях законопроекта. Подобная “пропаганда” определена как “распространение информации, направленной на формирование у несовершеннолетних нетрадиционных сексуальных установок, привлекательности нетрадиционных сексуальных отношений, искаженного представления о социальной равноценности традиционных и нетрадиционных сексуальных отношений, либо навязывание информации о нетрадиционных сексуальных отношениях, вызывающей интерес к таким отношениям”.

“Защита детства” уже послужила предлогом для создания “черного списка” заблокированных интернет-сайтов. Из-за крайне расплывчатых критериев, необязательности судебных решений и слабых предохранительных мер данный механизм, рассчитанный на борьбу с педофилией и порнографией, экстремизмом, пропагандой суицида или токсикоманией, привел к неправомерному блокирования интернет-источников. Согласно проекту «Rublacklist», в январе 2013 года 3300 интернет сайтов уже были “ошибочно” заблокированы, так как имели тот же адрес IP, что и сайты с “вредным” контентом. После вступления в силу закона такие сайты как YouTube, Google и социальная сеть ВКонтакте неоднократно были блокированы на несколько часов, согласно официальной версии “по техническим причинам”. В начале июня один сетевой провайдер впервые был приговорен к уплате штрафа в размере тридцати тысяч рублей (более 700 евро) за отказ заблокировать сайты, подвергшиеся цензуре.

Новые угрозы

“Репортеры без границ” настойчиво призывают парламентариев отклонить поправки к закону “О средствах массовой информации”, подготовленные министерством связи и массовых коммуникаций. Данный проект, опубликованный 27 мая агентством Интерфакс, предусматривает введение запрета на создание СМИ теми лицам, кто когда-либо был осужден за “участие в массовых беспорядках”, “хулиганство”, “подстрекательство к ненависти или посягательство на человеческое достоинство”, “призыв к экстремизму” и т.д. Зачастую такие обвинения искусственно фабрикуются против политических оппонентов или прочих критикующих лиц.

Кроме этого, организация принимает к сведению отклонение Думой поправок к статьям 150-152 гражданского кодекса, согласно которым журналистам запрещается опубликовывать какую-либо информацию о гражданах без их согласия, в том числе и информацию, не касающуюся частной жизни. Депутаты также отказались отменить срок исковой давности за диффамацию, который на сегодняшний день составляет один год.

Наконец, “Репортеры без границ” будут с особым вниманием следить за составлением списка информации о деятельности госорганов, которую власти обещают публиковать в интернете в открытом доступе.

Фото: Alexandr Piragis / RIA NOVOSTI

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