Journalists

Journalists anticipate renewed hostility toward work under new Trump govt

For the press heading into a second Trump administration, there's a balancing act between being prepared and being fearful. The return to power of Donald Trump, who has called journalists enemies and talked about retribution against those he feels have wronged him, has news executives nervous. Perceived threats are numerous: lawsuits of every sort, efforts to unmask anonymous sources, physical danger and intimidation, attacks on public media and libel protections, day-to-day demonisation. In a closely-watched case settled over the weekend, ABC chose to settle a defamation lawsuit brought by the president-elect over an inaccurate statement made by George Stephanopoulos by agreeing to pay $15 million toward Trump's presidential library. The news media is heading into this next administration with its eyes open, said Bruce Brown, executive director of the Reporters Committee for the Freedom of the Press. Some challenges to the free press may be overt, some may be more subtle, Brown sa

Taliban detained journos over 250 times in Afghanistan since takeover: UN

In a reply accompanying the report, the Taliban-led foreign ministry denied having arrested that number of journalists and added that those arrested had committed a crime

SC quashes Telangana's preferential land allotment to 'privileged' class

In a significant judgment, the Supreme Court on Monday quashed the government orders facilitating preferential land allotments to MPs, MLAs, bureaucrats, judges and journalists within the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation limits, saying the distribution of state largesse was "capricious" and "irrational". A bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Dipankar Datta held the policy to be "unreasonable, arbitrary, discriminatory", and violative of Article 14 (right to equality) of the Constitution. "The allocation of land at basic rates to select privileged groups reflects a 'capricious' and 'irrational' approach. This is a classic case of executive action steeped in arbitrariness, but clothed in the guise of legitimacy, by stating that the ostensible purpose of the policy was to allot land to 'deserving sections of society'," the verdict said. Shorn of pretence, this policy of the state government, is an abuse of power meant to cater exclusively to the affluent ...

Israel accuses 6 Al Jazeera journalists of being Palestinian militants

The Israeli army on Wednesday accused six Al Jazeera journalists covering the war in Gaza of also being current or former paid fighters for Palestinian militant groups. Al Jazeera rejected the claims. Israel cited documents it purportedly found in Gaza, and other intelligence it gathered, in making the accusations against the journalists, all of whom are Palestinian men. It said four are or have been affiliated with Hamas, and two with Palestinian Islamic Jihad. Al Jazeera said the accusations were fabricated and part of a wider pattern of hostility toward the pan-Arab network. It said the claims were a blatant attempt to silence the few remaining journalists in the region, thereby obscuring the harsh realities of the war from audiences worldwide. The AP has been unable to independently verify the authenticity of the documents Israel posted online to support its claims. Al Jazeera is based in the energy-rich nation of Qatar, where many senior Hamas officials are based. The Gulf Ara

Four Russian journalists accused of working for Navalny group go on trial

Four Russian journalists went on trial in Moscow on Wednesday after being accused of working for an anti-corruption group founded by the late Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny, which was designated by authorities as an extremist organisation in 2021. Antonina Favorskaya, Artyom Kriger, Sergey Karelin and Konstantin Gabov were arrested earlier this year and charged with involvement with an extremist group, a criminal offense punishable by up to six years in prison. All four have rejected the charges. The trial, which is being held behind closed doors, is the latest step in the Kremlin's unrelenting crackdown on dissent that has reached unprecedented levels after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine more than two years ago. The authorities have targeted opposition figures, independent journalists, rights activists and ordinary Russians critical of the Kremlin with criminal and misdemeanour charges, jailing hundreds and prompting thousands to leave the country, fearing ...

Telangana CM Reddy paves way for allocation of housing sites to journalists

Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Sunday participated in the land allotment programme to Jawaharlal Nehru Journalists Housing Society here. Revanth Reddy symbolically handed over Government Order copy pertaining to land allotment to Jawaharlal Nehru Journalists Housing Society. Speaking at the event, he said former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajashekhara Reddy had taken the desicion on allotment of housing sites for journalists, an official release said. "Journalism has been branded as a bad profession due to some unprofessional practices by a handful of journos. Some scribes are changing the meaning of journalism," the release quoted Revanth Reddy as saying. Professional journalists should take the responsibility of damage control, he suggested. Revanth Reddy said he has directed Media Academy to prepare new guidelines for permanent solution to health cards to journalists, Accreditation and other issues. The government will take responsibility of approving the

Gershkovich prisoner swap was great news but it sets a worrying precedent

The Pulitzer prize winner also holds US permanent residency. And Gershkovich's parents were emigres from the Soviet Union

World Sports Journalists Day 2024: History, significance, quotes, and more

World Sports Journalists Day is celebrated every year to honour and celebrate the work of sports journalists. The day also helps promote sports among the general public

Targeting journalists a crime, says Al Jazeera as Israel shuts down channel

Al Jazeera Media Network stated that it would pursue legal channels through international legal institutions against the Israeli cabinet's decision to shut down its offices in the country

Seema Nazareth Award: Media, diplomacy relationship evolving, says Menon

"I first became aware of the role of journalism in diplomacy in Beijing in the early 1970s during the last furious, or rather hectic, days of the Cultural Revolution," he recounted

Six Russian journalists, including 1 who covered Navalny's trial, detained

Authorities in Russia have detained six journalists across the country this month, including a journalist who covered the trials of Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny for several years, media freedom organisation Reporters Without Borders said Thursday. Antonina Favorskaya was detained and accused by Russian authorities of taking part in an "extremist organisation" by posting on the social media platforms of Navalny's Anti-Corruption Foundation, the Russian human rights group OVD-Info said. Navalny died in an Arctic penal colony in February. Favorskaya covered Navalny's court hearings for years and filmed the last video of Navalny before he died in the penal colony. She is one of several Russian journalists targeted by authorities as part of a sweeping crackdown against dissent in Russia that is aimed at opposition figures, journalists, activists and members of the LGBTQ+ community. Two other journalists, Alexandra Astakhova and Anastasia Musatova, were also temporarily ..

Journalists not employees under Unfair Labour Practices Act: Bombay HC

Working journalists do not fall in the definition of employees under the Maharashtra Recognition of Trade Unions and Prevention of Unfair Labour Practices Act as they enjoy a special status, the Bombay High Court has said. Consequently, a complaint filed by a working journalist under these Acts before an industrial court would not be maintainable, a division bench of Justices Nitin Jamdar and Sandeep Marne said in its order of February 29. They enjoy a special status under provisions of the Working Journalists Act and have a recourse to settle their disputes under the Industrial Disputes Act, the HC said. The judgement came on petitions filed by two working journalists challenging orders of the industrial court in 2019 rejecting their complaints on the ground that working journalists did not fall within the term of employee or workman under the Prevention of Unfair Labour Practices Act. The bench noted that the Working Journalists Act, 1955 has already established a mechanism for .

Farooq Nazki, veteran journalist and Sahitya Akademi winner dies at 83

Farooq Nazki, who held many significant posts in All India Radio Kashmir and Doordarshan, experienced a heart attack on Monday night, his family members announced

US media layoffs top 3,000 in past year as digital ads disappoint

The job reductions include some of the most storied names in the business. Time magazine cut 15% of its staff. Conde Nast, publisher of Vogue and the New Yorker, has let go 5%

More than 300 journalists around world imprisoned for their work: Report

An estimated 320 journalists around the world were imprisoned because of their work toward the end of 2023, according to a report issued Thursday by the Committee to Protect Journalists, which called it a disturbing attempt to smother independent voices. That's the second-highest number of jailed journalists since the committee began its annual census in 1992. It's down from 367 in 2022, due primarily to the release of many in Iran, either on bail or as they await sentencing, the committee said. Our research shows how entrenched authoritarianism is globally, with governments emboldened to stamp out critical reporting and prevent public accountability, said Jodie Ginsberg, the committee's chief executive officer. More than a third of the journalists in jail according to the CPJ's Dec 1, 2023, census were in China, Myanmar and Belarus, the report said. Israel is tied with Iran for sixth place, the country's highest ranking ever on CPJ's annual list. Each of the 17 that were held in .

Guidelines on search, seizure of digital devices of journalists soon: Govt

The bench, however, questioned the two-year delay by the govt since the filing of the petition before it and said, "When did we issue notice? Some time frame has to be followed. Two years have passed"

Iran sentences two journalists on charges linked to Amini protests

This is a preliminary sentencing that can be appealed in 20 days

Newsclick crackdown: Delhi Police question 25 journalists for 2nd time

Delhi Police Special Cell has questioned about 25 journalists and contributors of the NewsClick for a second time in connection with a UAPA case registered against the online news portal for allegedly peddling "anti-national" agenda in the country, sources said on Monday. An officer said that the investigation into the case is still on and no one has been given the clean chit so far. About 46 people, including nine women journalists, were questioned on October 3, the day the Special Cell raided several locations connected to the website in Delhi and NCR. "Since the arrest took place, everyone was called for the second round of questioning. About 25 of them have appeared so far," said a police officer. On October 3, the Delhi Police arrested portal's editor-in-chief Prabir Purkayastha and human relations head Amit Chakravarty and seized more than 300 electronic gadgets from the office of NewsClick and residences of its journalists. An official said these gadgets were sent to the FS

Delhi Police raids Kerala residence of former NewsClick employee Anusha

The Delhi police on Friday conducted a raid and seized the laptop and phone of Malayali journalist and former NewsClick employee Anusha Paul from her residence near Kodumon here. After a three-member team of the Delhi Police recorded her statement and confiscated her electronic devices, Paul told the media that she was questioned about her association with NewsClick and the CPI(M). She said the questions ranged from whether she reported on farmers' protest, anti-NRC-CAA protests, or about the COVID-19 management of the Union government. "This is a witch-hunt to threaten the organisation and its employees who used to raise voice against the Narendra Modi government and the RSS," Paul said. Paul was staying in Kerala for the treatment of a close family member. She told the media that the Delhi Police asked her whether she knows the Delhi state secretary of the CPI(M), K M Tiwari. "Of course, I know him. I told them that. He is the state secretary of the CPI(M). I am a CPI(M) worker

Beyond due process

Invoking UAPA against a news outfit is overreaction