Stories about Media & Journalism from March, 2020
After being kidnapped and threatened, Mozambican YouTuber has his channel suspended
In early February, he was kidnapped for 24 hours, before he was freed by the police. A self-proclaimed prophet named Joe Williams is suspected of ordering the kidnapping.
An interview with Afgan Mukhtarli, abducted Azerbaijani journalist who now walks free
In May 2017 journalist Afgan Mukhtarli was abducted in the Georgian capital Tbilisi and reappeared in a jail cell in Azerbaijan. Recently released, he reflects on his ordeal.
Algeria's crackdown on dissent persists with detention of journalists
More than a year since the start of Algeria's countrywide protests to demand political and economic reforms, the government continues to resort to repressive tactics to silence critics and journalists.
Can Zimbabwe handle the coronavirus amid a collapsing health care system?
Zimbabweans brace for the coronavirus amid chronic health system struggles and expensive internet data. "Sadly, in the remote parts of our country, some are clueless of this pandemic."
Maldives: Can a country so dependent on tourism afford a lockdown?
The President of Maldives banned all tourist arrivals in the country from March 27, 2020. This will impact the country's economy due to a serious shortfall in foreign currency earnings.
Combating ‘fake news’ in the time of COVID-19 in Myanmar
"Thousands of social media users made a group and a network to serve as watchdogs for fake news on social media."
Quarantine woes in Bangladesh amid coronavirus fears
The government has ordered Bangladeshis who are returning from affected COVID-19 countries to home-quarantine. But a lack of monitoring has led to concerns that the disease may spread rapidly.
Watchdog decries threat to press freedom as China expels some US journalists
China announced it would expel American journalists working for the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post. The ban would extend to Hong Kong and Macau.
Malaysian journalist targeted by hate speech and racist attacks on Facebook
"Timely action by Facebook and other social media platforms is crucial in curbing online attacks, which commonly include trolling and doxing."
Trinidad & Tobago's fight against COVID-19 puts emphasis on ‘personal responsibility’
The country's two COVID-19 cases are reportedly improving, but the Ministry of Health is urging people to be conscientious about prevention methods.
Guyana general elections hang in the balance as regional vote count ruled ‘invalid’
Guyana's acting chief justice ruled that the Region 4 results were “unlawful” as they did not fall in line with Section 84 of Guyana's Representation of the People Act.
Groundswell of support to free Julian Assange around February extradition hearing
"Don’t be fooled: Julian Assange is a journalist, not a hacker, and the US wants to make his work—national security journalism—a crime"
Media coverage of Delhi riots muzzled in India
On March 6, the Indian government banned two Malayalam news channels for 48 hours for their coverage of the violence in North East Delhi; the decision was reversed the following day.
Sexism and misogyny in Pakistan TV talk shows
A recent ugly spat on a NEO TV Channel talk show exposes the prevailing misbehaviour, sexism, misogyny and abusive language targeting women panellists and anchors in Pakistan media.
Guyana's 2020 general election results mired in controversy
The dissatisfaction surrounding the manner in which the votes from Guyana's Region 4 were handled is so rife that the country's most respected newspaper accused the elections commission of results rigging.
How Chinese social media platforms control information on COVID-19
At the initial stage of the outbreak of COVID-19 in China, censors curbed public alerts on the threat. Later, censorship was broadened to include criticism of leaders and policies.
‘Comfort women’ documentary generates worldwide interest—and a lawsuit against its director
"My film is about how the 'comfort women' issue is discussed now, and why there are so many people who have devoted so much time and resources towards erasing it"
Kosovo politicians falsely claim Jamaica recognition. Why didn't media verify?
On February 19, Kosovar officials' tweets about Jamaica recognizing their country as a sovereign state received wide media coverage. And then Jamaica denied everything.
France24 headline about COVID-19 in Africa irks netizens as racist
Having just a few COVID-19 cases in Africa has puzzled some experts, according to France24. Many netizens felt this news framing relied on stereotypical images of Africa as disease-prone.
Lost in translation: Why Google Translate often gets Yorùbá — and other languages — wrong
As more tech companies attempt to provide translation and access to multiple languages online, controversies and challenges arise — especially when it comes to accuracy and cultural nuance.
Philippine media groups celebrate as tech companies accused of cyber attacks pledge to promote press freedom
"This is a small victory in our fight for press freedom. We call on all tech companies not to allow their infrastructure to be used by enemies of the truth."
