Rwandan media: The offender and victim of the genocide

This week marks the 20th anniversary of the start of the Rwanda genocide, which killed nearly one-in-seven people in the small African nation. Today, there is continuing debate about the role of the news media in the calamity – from the role local broadcasters and newspapers played in fuelling ethnic hatred, to concerns that the shallowness of international coverage in the early days contributed to the lethargic international response.

The Global Citizen Journalist: Eric Mwamba profile

If you are reading this on a mobile phone, lap top or tablet, chances are that some of its parts came from journalist Eric Mwamba’s home country of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

By Lyndal Rowlands, Right Now (Australia) January 31, 2014

FAIR wins Partners Choice Media Award in Istanbul

Exchanging experiences, expertise and workshops. Free Press Unlimited’s partner meeting in Istanbul was all about true partnership. Except for one thing: the award competition. All partners were asked to submit their most prestigious project. Quite a challenge, also for the jury. The award winners were granted prize money to reinforce existing projects or set up promising initiatives in the field of media development.

Burundi approves controversial media law

Burundi’s President Pierre Nkurunziza approved a controversial media law that infringes on press freedoms, much to the dismay of media watchdogs and rights groups. “His excellency has just promulgated the media law,” presidential spokesman Leonidas Hatungimana told AFP.

Journalists in Burundi and Kuwait suffer setbacks

One country borders Iraq and Saudi Arabia. The other lies in central Africa. While both small in size and scope, Burundi and Kuwait are making headlines for passing harsh media laws severely limiting journalist freedoms.

Mali endures media blackout as journalists go on strike

Mali’s press has endured one attack too many. Since the coup d’état of March 22, 2012, CPJ has documented a staggering 62 anti-press violations across Mali. Journalists and media houses have become ready targets of attacks, threats, intimidation, assassination attempts, arbitrary arrests, detention, and censorship by separatist and Islamist militant groups and government security forces alike.