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The Taliban extremists ruling Afghanistan for the last 100 days have now forbidden women from appearing in films and television shows. This set of restrictions took force last weekend, reported international broadcaster Deutsche Welle (November 24). The main Taliban censor - the Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice - forbid broadcasters from showing films and TV shows “against Islamic or Afghan values.”
"With these new guidelines, the Taliban want to show artists and directors who remain in Afghanistan how the group intends to change society and what has to be paid attention to,” said Afghan film director Sahraa Karimi, who fled the country days after the Taliban arrived in Kabul. "Everyone knows that it is a matter of life and death. The Taliban will now commission new films for their propaganda and try to change the aesthetic tastes of society and establish a new image of women in society.”
During the 20 year period with the Taliban extremists back in their caves or in Pakistan, the country’s media sector embraced a modern revival. Women appeared. There was an all-female television channel (Zan TV) and several radio stations. Separate reports claim women can continue working for and appearing on TV news channels so long as they adhere to traditional Taliban dress codes.
Independent TV channel Tolo News (November 23) quoted a report from Afghan media watcher NAI that 247 media outlets had closed for financial reasons and the restrictions imposed since the August 15 takeover of the country. That report also claimed that “over 70% of Afghan media workers are jobless or have left the country.” Said one editor to Human Rights Watch (November 22): “Access to information has become very limited” as colleagues stopped working due to fears for their safety.
Women and girls in Afghanistan were struggling for rights, indeed survival years before the Taliban pushed out forces of the Soviet Union in the mid-1990s. This reality returned this week. The Italian government gave safe haven to Sharbat Gula, a 49 year old widowed mother of four. Her photo, taken a year earlier by conflict photojournalist Steve McCurry, graced the cover of National Geographic (June 1985), the iconic “Afghan Girl.” Disappearing into the stark realities of unending war and insecurity, she was able to request evacuation, forwarded to the Italian government. “She has arrived in Rome,” said the sparse government statement, quoted by Il Sole 24 Ore (November 25).
While covering a demonstration in Zagreb last weekend (November 20) RTL Croatia reporter Goran Latkovic was verbally and physically assaulted. The protest march was unauthorized - no police permit issued - and largely focused on media workers and organizations. Zagreb police identified two organizers, reported English-language news portal Total Croatia News (November 24), but they remain at-large. Authorities estimated the crowd size between ten and fifteen thousand.
The protestors gathered that evening at public broadcaster HRT headquarters, demanding to see the director, complaining about “censorship” and ranting about the usual right-wing targets. They also “demanded” the resignation of prime minister Andrej Plenkovi. Due to massive rises in coronavirus infections in Croatia, authorities implemented mandatory health passes and other restrictions earlier last week (November 16). (See more about media in Croatia here)
News crews from HRT and Nova TV were harassed. A protestor grabbed the microphone of Al-Jazeera Balkans reporter Nikolina Zavisic as she was broadcasting live, the video of which quickly shared on social media. The threshold has long passed for excusing the behaviors of individuals and groups opposed to effective measures to mitigate coronavirus transmission. (See more about Media and the Virus here)
Mr. Latkovic was attacked from behind, slapped and punched. Subsequently, he has been subjected to a barrage of intimidating social media messages suggesting the whole incident was fabricated. These included death threats.
The violence against news crews “illustrate a growing danger for media covering public events,” said OSCE representative on Freedom of the Media Teresa Ribeiro, quoted by Balkan Insight (November 23). “I trust the perpetrators are swiftly prosecuted. Media must be protected at all times.”
Where news reporters are kept on a very short leash, stories of limited, arguably, significance quickly attract attention. Such is the saga of Chinese tennis pro Peng Shuai who took considerable risk to reveal a #MeToo incident involving a senior government official. Thereafter, she seemed to disappear.
Through the last week, Chinese state media outlets, the local tennis association and government spokespersons have fallen all over themselves with persistent replies of “move along, nothing happening here” to all questions. A video was released showing her at a junior tennis event and with family members. Foreign news reporters have been resoundingly skeptical. Of course, foreign reporters have either been removed from China or, shall we say, seriously warned. (See more about media in China here)
“This is not a diplomatic matter,” said Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian at a regular press conference, quoted by South China Morning Post (November 23). Such questions, he grumbled, add to the “malicious hyping up” of the story. Reporters keep asking government handlers to present Peng Shuai in person, unhindered.
It’s a personal story, certainly for Peng Shuai, which adds to media interest. Sexual abuse is always personal. Add to that the propensity of Chinese authorities to avoid any controversial subject, which recently is just about any subject. Several China watchers have noted extreme concern by authorities of anything possibly disrupting the fast approaching Beijing Winter Olympic Games, itself sure to be a significant media event. (See more about sports and media here)
Telecoms are important suppliers of media distribution. Those controlling broadband and mobile networks have direct relationships with customers. Through those networks, telecoms offer offer everything from social media to video games, TV, email and e-commerce. And, not to be forgotten, telecoms control pricing.
Huge beyond belief private equity investor KKR made public this week its buyout offer for Telecom Italia. The bid is not considered hostile - by most. Indeed, the Italian Treasury Ministry deemed it “good news for the country.” KKR offered €10.8 billion (US$12 billion), valuing Telecom Italia at about €33 billion. The intention is taking Telecom Italia private, very common to KKR, which did the same with German publisher Axel Springer. (See more about mergers and acquisitions here)
Telecom Italia is more than a phone company. Like other telecoms it has expanded into mobile telephony, broadband and digital television. All of this, plus robust competition, has significantly raised the company’s debt. Naturally, that made it an attractive acquisition target for French conglomerate Vivendi, which has slowly raised its stake in Gruppo TIM, the holding company, to 24%. Through its development bank (Cassa Depositi e Prestiti - CDP), the Italian Treasury has raised its Gruppo TIM holding to 9.8%. The Italian government views Gruppo TIM, particularly the mobile and broadband operations, as strategic assets. (See more about media in Italy here)
At the Gruppo TIM directors meeting last week, Vivendi attempted, again, to depose chief executive Luigi Gubitosi. Vivendi principal Vincent Bolloré prefers TIM Brazilian subsidiary chief executive Pietro Labriola and views the KKR entreaty as a move by Sr Gubitosi - and the Italian government - to foil his own takeover prospects. Another board meeting is scheduled for this week. (See more about Vivendi here)
With trumpets blaring, Russian state news agency TASS announced (November 17) another world space first. On December 8 cosmonaut Alexander Misurkin will boldly go to the International Space Station (ISS) to open the TASS permanent bureau in outer space. The TASS statement did not reveal how long he will be looking out the windows in search of space stories.
"Previously, we were limited to our planet,” said TASS Director General Sergei Mikhailov in a statement (November 17). “We’ve eyed the idea that outer space may be the target of our news expansion. We consider it to be an incredible honor to regard Russian cosmonauts as our colleagues. We will be looking forward to news and amazing snapshots from orbit.” So, cosmonaut and part-time correspondent Misurkin will have a camera. (See more about news agencies here)
“I believe, there will be no conflict of interest," said Russian space agency Roscosmos chief executive Dmitry Rogozin. "The cosmonauts are highly professional and know very well where to stop. Naturally, it makes me feel somewhat bitter that the (TASS correspondent) ID went to Misurkin, and not to me.”
Cosmonaut/reporter Misurkin will file daily, mostly about life on the ISS. That has been a bit exciting recently as Roscosmos blew up an old, unused satellite into 1,500 bits of space junk. That forced current ISS residents to seek shelter, exactly where was not explained. But in a couple of weeks cosmonaut/reporter Misurkin will be covering that beat. (See more about media in the Russian Federation here)
In October a Russian film crew paid a working visit to the ISS. Actually, it was only director Klim Shipenko and actor Yulia Peresild because, as we know, space (sic) is limited. Their project was a documentary called Discovery for Russian state TV Channel One.
Press freedom and civil liberties advocates diverge from time to time on significant matters. Courts empowered to sort out these questions can, just as often, take their own course. All this illuminates the intersection of those interests as a legal quandary.
Last week (November 18) a New York state trial judge enjoined the New York Times (NYT) from publishing certain material related to Project Veritas. The NYT had obtained memos from a Project Veritas lawyer. The judge’s order was temporary but the following day a New York State appeals court refused to lift the injunction. All of this relates to a 2020 Project Veritas lawsuit against the NYT for libel. Twisted into all this is an FBI inquiry into the “stolen” personal diary of Ashley Biden, daughter of US President Joe Biden.
Project Veritas is a fairly well-known right-wing provocateur specializing in various “sting” operations under the pretence of citizen journalism meant to embarrass political enemies, often of dubious legality. Its founder, James O’Keefe, has been banned forever from social media portal Twitter. Project Veritas is principally funded by right-wing “dark money” and NYT investigative reporters have been shedding light on its exploits. This is not David vs Golliath, as Project Veritas supporters claim. A few days before the trial judge’s intervention the NYT published (November 11) accounts of certain dodgy activities of Project Veritas lawyers. Hence, on to the courtroom.
The New York trial judge, in the first instance, allowed “prior restraint” in preventing the NYT from publishing. Nearly 50 years ago the US Supreme Court ruled “prior restraint” an invalid argument related to former US President Richard Nixon’s attempts to prevent publication of the Pentagon Papers. That decision was obliquely referenced in a US Justice Department filing (November 19) related to its investigation into Project Veritas as a “clear difference between stealing documents and disclosing documents that somebody else had previously stolen.” (See more about press/media freedom here)
“This ruling is unconstitutional and sets a dangerous precedent,” said NYT executive editor Dean Baquet in a statement. “When a court silences journalism, it fails its citizens and undermines their right to know. The Supreme Court made that clear in the Pentagon Papers case, a landmark ruling against prior restraint blocking the publication of newsworthy journalism. That principle clearly applies here. We are seeking an immediate review of this decision.”
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), which has defended the Ku Klux Klan, rose to the side of Project Veritas as card-carrying member of the Fourth Estate. “The precedent set in this case could have serious consequences for press freedom,” said its statement. “Prior restraints — which are orders not to publish — are among the most serious threats to press freedom. The trial court should have never entered this order,” said Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press executive director Bruce Brown, in an opposing statement.
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