In our last posting, we noted that the International Center for Media and the Public Agenda (ICMPA) at the University of Maryland’s College of Journalism had issued a report on “Transparency in Global Media Outlets” – a study that asked “how transparent are the media themselves? How candid are they about how they cover the news? How willing are the media to make their reporting and editing standards public?”
ICMPA investigated 25 top news sites and found “most news outlets are unwilling to let the public see how their editorial process works.” VOA was not among the news organizations analyzed, so we decided to use the study’s criteria for a self-evaluation. Here is a preliminary assessment.
CORRECTIONS: Willingness to openly correct mistakes—Does the news organization visibly and/or publicly correct its mistakes, even when those mistakes are embarrassing?
VOA correction policy covers all websites and all broadcast programs in all languages:
“For websites: If the error is a simple typo that does not change facts or understanding of the story, we consider it a minor change and simply correct it without further mention. If the error is substantive or one of fact, we change it, add an asterisk *, then a note at the bottom saying when it was corrected and what was wrong originally.
“Examples: http://www.voanews.com/english/archive/2007-11/2007-11-27-voa37.cfm (originally said Mental Health) http://www.voanews.com/english/archive/2007-11/2007-11-15-voa32.cfm (wrong date) http://www.voanews.com/english/archive/2007-09/2007-09-27-voa81.cfm (gives explanation)
”For broadcast errors: If we make a mistake that needs correcting, we should do so as quickly as possible while the same show is on the air. If the error is not detected immediately, then preferably the correction should be aired on the same program in which the original error occurred, whether the following day or week. Make a point to say "On ____ day (state the day and date and time), we erred in reporting..." then go on to explain what we said that was wrong, make the correction and close by saying, "Voice of America regrets the error."
The web corrections policy is posted on VOANews.com as part of our Disclaimer Statement.
The broadcast correction policy is part of the VOA Journalistic Code, posted on our website, which says “VOA corrects errors or omissions in its own broadcasts at the earliest opportunity.”
OWNERSHIP: Openness about ownership—Is it clear to the audience (ie: readers, viewers and listeners) who owns the news organization? Is there other information about the parent corporation that is divulged, such as any other media and non-media holdings?
Go to the “About VOA” section of VOANews.com
Among the details found there is a listing for the Broadcasting Board of Governors which oversees VOA (along with an organizational chart for the BBG and VOA and other US financed broadcasters). As it states, “the Broadcasting Board Governors (BBG) became the independent federal agency responsible for all U.S. government and government sponsored, non-military, international broadcasting” and this includes VOA.
STAFF POLICIES: Openness about conflicts of interest—Does the news outlet post its standards intended to guide the behavior of reporters, editors, producers? Can journalists be taken out to lunch, can they contribute to a political candidate, can they accept speakers’ fees? Is the news organization upfront about any business or other relationships that might put individual reporters or the news organization in a position where the news judgment could be clouded?
As it states in the VOA Journalistic Code, “VOA employees recognize that their conduct both on and off the job can reflect on the work of the Voice of America community. They adhere to the highest standards of journalistic professionalism and integrity.”
VOA recognizes that staff members should be free to engage in creative, civic and personal activities, paid and unpaid, that are separate from their work in our organization. However, before engaging in such outside activities, staff members need to consider whether possible conflicts of interest might arise and consult as needed with supervisors. In all cases, VOA journalists should ensure that any outside activities do not conflict with nor compromise their VOA obligations or the reputation of VOA.
Conflict of Interest regulations are the same as those observed by all US government agencies. These are available on the web.
REPORTING POLICIES: Willingness to explain editorial decisions—including the values and ethics behind them; Does the news organization let its readers know how it does what it does and why? What are the newsroom's writing and editing policies: when can reporters use politicized terms such as “terrorist,” how many sources does it take to confirm a story? In general, does the news outlet make public its reporting standards (such as its sourcing guidelines) and ethical rules (such as its handling of stories about children)?
As noted above, the VOA Charter and Journalistic Code are posted on our website. We also have this VOA News Blog, specifically designed to address editorial policies and decisions. The News Blog has discussed the “terrorist” term usage issue. The Code addresses VOA sourcing rules.
INTERACTIVITY: Openness to reader comments and criticism—Does the news organization have an ombudsman? Does the news organization publish letters to the editor and/or provide other ways for the readers to interact with the people who collect, edit and disseminate the news, such as by posting email addresses for reporters and editors, or by making staff accessible via on-site blogs, live chats, or space to leave remarks at the bottom of stories?”
We don’t have an Ombudsman or Public Editor whose official job is to represent the audience in independently assessing editorial decisions. That said, we do have the News Blog which encourages audience input and has broad leeway to conduct internal inquiries. VOANews.com is also open to email queries and comments as are all our language websites. Contact info is published on the website.
Our broadcast services are also open to listener or viewer comments, criticism and questions, including questions on editorial issues. For example, the Persian service, known as VOA Persian News Network, has a regular weekly segment called “On The Record” hosted by the service’s Managing Editor. The segment addresses editorial decisions and fields questions from the audience.
So, we now leave it to you to judge how well we stack up in terms of our openness.
27 February 2008
22 February 2008
Transparency at VOA News
The International Center for Media and the Public Agenda at the Philip Merrill College of Journalism at the University of Maryland studies international news coverage. Recently it released a report on “Openness & Accountability: A Study of Transparency in Global Media Outlets”. You can see it at:
http://www.icmpa.umd.edu/pages/studies/transparency/main.html
ICMPA notes the news media routinely report on issues involving transparency in government and business. But it asks, “how transparent are the media themselves? How candid are they about how they cover the news? How willing are the media to make their reporting and editing standards public?”
ICMPA investigated 25 top news sites. It found that “most news outlets are unwilling to let the public see how their editorial process works. Fewer than half of the websites publicly corrected mistakes in their stories and only a handful shared with readers the journalistic and ethical standards that theoretically guide their newsrooms…”
The study was based on five measures of transparency:
“CORRECTIONS: Willingness to openly correct mistakes—Does the news organization visibly and/or publicly correct its mistakes, even when those mistakes are embarrassing?
“OWNERSHIP: Openness about ownership—Is it clear to the audience (ie: readers, viewers and listeners) who owns the news organization? Is there other information about the parent corporation that is divulged, such as any other media and non-media holdings ?
“STAFF POLICIES: Openness about conflicts of interest—Does the news outlet post its standards intended to guide the behavior of reporters, editors, producers? Can journalists be taken out to lunch, can they contribute to a political candidate, can they accept speakers’ fees? Is the news organization upfront about any business or other relationships that might put individual reporters or the news organization in a position where the news judgment could be clouded?
“REPORTING POLICIES: Willingness to explain editorial decisions—including the values and ethics behind them; Does the news organization let its readers know how it does what it does and why? What are the newsroom's writing and editing policies: when can reporters use politicized terms such as “terrorist,” how many sources does it take to confirm a story? In general, does the news outlet make public its reporting standards (such as its sourcing guidelines) and ethical rules (such as its handling of stories about children)?
“INTERACTIVITY: Openness to reader comments and criticism—Does the news organization have an ombudsman? Does the news organization publish letters to the editor and/or provide other ways for the readers to interact with the people who collect, edit and disseminate the news, such as by posting email addresses for reporters and editors, or by making staff accessible via on-site blogs, live chats, or space to leave remarks at the bottom of stories?”
VOA was not included in the study. But we are going to apply the same standards of transparency used in the study to see how we measure up.
We’ll report shortly on the News Blog’s internal findings. It is an important topic. It speaks to our credibility. As the ICMPA study notes:
“Transparency is not just a way to measure how successful journalists and journalism organizations are at living up to their key values, it is a natural part of those values. Among the values that many journalists hold dear are balance, accountability, credibility, and openness or transparency. Some of these core values, such as balance and fairness, are typically thought of in terms of the coverage a journalist or organization provides. In other words, is the news coverage fair? Others, such as accountability and openness, can refer both to government and powerful private institutions covered by journalists, as well as to journalists and their organizations. In other words, it is not only important to demand accountability of the subjects of news coverage, it is also important to demand accountability from those who do the covering. That’s where media transparency comes in.”
In the meantime, we’d like to hear from you on how you feel about VOA’s transparency as a news organization. We’ll include your comments when we return to this topic with our findings.
http://www.icmpa.umd.edu/pages/studies/transparency/main.html
ICMPA notes the news media routinely report on issues involving transparency in government and business. But it asks, “how transparent are the media themselves? How candid are they about how they cover the news? How willing are the media to make their reporting and editing standards public?”
ICMPA investigated 25 top news sites. It found that “most news outlets are unwilling to let the public see how their editorial process works. Fewer than half of the websites publicly corrected mistakes in their stories and only a handful shared with readers the journalistic and ethical standards that theoretically guide their newsrooms…”
The study was based on five measures of transparency:
“CORRECTIONS: Willingness to openly correct mistakes—Does the news organization visibly and/or publicly correct its mistakes, even when those mistakes are embarrassing?
“OWNERSHIP: Openness about ownership—Is it clear to the audience (ie: readers, viewers and listeners) who owns the news organization? Is there other information about the parent corporation that is divulged, such as any other media and non-media holdings ?
“STAFF POLICIES: Openness about conflicts of interest—Does the news outlet post its standards intended to guide the behavior of reporters, editors, producers? Can journalists be taken out to lunch, can they contribute to a political candidate, can they accept speakers’ fees? Is the news organization upfront about any business or other relationships that might put individual reporters or the news organization in a position where the news judgment could be clouded?
“REPORTING POLICIES: Willingness to explain editorial decisions—including the values and ethics behind them; Does the news organization let its readers know how it does what it does and why? What are the newsroom's writing and editing policies: when can reporters use politicized terms such as “terrorist,” how many sources does it take to confirm a story? In general, does the news outlet make public its reporting standards (such as its sourcing guidelines) and ethical rules (such as its handling of stories about children)?
“INTERACTIVITY: Openness to reader comments and criticism—Does the news organization have an ombudsman? Does the news organization publish letters to the editor and/or provide other ways for the readers to interact with the people who collect, edit and disseminate the news, such as by posting email addresses for reporters and editors, or by making staff accessible via on-site blogs, live chats, or space to leave remarks at the bottom of stories?”
VOA was not included in the study. But we are going to apply the same standards of transparency used in the study to see how we measure up.
We’ll report shortly on the News Blog’s internal findings. It is an important topic. It speaks to our credibility. As the ICMPA study notes:
“Transparency is not just a way to measure how successful journalists and journalism organizations are at living up to their key values, it is a natural part of those values. Among the values that many journalists hold dear are balance, accountability, credibility, and openness or transparency. Some of these core values, such as balance and fairness, are typically thought of in terms of the coverage a journalist or organization provides. In other words, is the news coverage fair? Others, such as accountability and openness, can refer both to government and powerful private institutions covered by journalists, as well as to journalists and their organizations. In other words, it is not only important to demand accountability of the subjects of news coverage, it is also important to demand accountability from those who do the covering. That’s where media transparency comes in.”
In the meantime, we’d like to hear from you on how you feel about VOA’s transparency as a news organization. We’ll include your comments when we return to this topic with our findings.
19 February 2008
Linking to VOA and the News Blog
We have received an email from Bea in Italy asking about linking to VOA. Bea is very interested in the news, especially American news, but says the English language is difficult and notes, “I read you very, very slowly.”
Two things for you, Bea.
First, on linking, go to: http://www.voanews.com/english/link_to_us.cfm
That is where you can find directions on how to post the VOA News banner on your site. As the link page notes, www.VOANews.com is the official web portal for the Voice of America. It is a public domain website and you may link to VOANews.com at no cost. We request only that you credit VOANews where appropriate and ask that when you link, that you do so in an appropriate context as to provide your visitors a link to a trusted source of news and information.
You can also post a link to the VOA News Blog if you wish. The blog is at: http://voanewsblog.blogspot.com/
Now, the second thing we have for you, Bea, and for all those interested in learning English, is our Special English or learning English website at:
http://www.voanews.com/specialenglish/index.cfm
As that page notes, Special English has been around since October 19, 1959. The goal was to communicate by radio in clear and simple English with people whose native language was not English. Special English programs quickly became some of the most popular on VOA. They still are.
Over the years, its role has expanded. It helps people learn English while they learn about American life and stay informed about world news and developments in science. It provides listeners with information they cannot find elsewhere.
Special English has a core vocabulary of just 1500 words. Most are simple words that describe objects, actions or emotions. Our Special English writers use short, simple sentences that contain only one idea. The broadcasters read at a slower pace, which helps people learning English hear each word clearly.
You can find Special English broadcasts on the radio to different parts of the world several times a day, seven days a week.
Special English is also on satellite TV weekly with a 20-minute program of five short features read by Special English announcers along with the scrolling text. Check out our TV schedule for your area. http://author.voanews.com/specialenglish/tv.cfm
Internet users can also listen to programs on the Special English Web site while reading the text. And they can receive scripts of features by e-mail.
As our Special English folks note, in countries around the world, many English teachers require their students to listen to Special English. They praise it for the content of the programs and for improving their students’ ability to understand American English. Universities, governments and private companies publish and broadcast Special English materials for use in English teaching.
Hope this helps, Bea. Thanks for contacting us.
Two things for you, Bea.
First, on linking, go to: http://www.voanews.com/english/link_to_us.cfm
That is where you can find directions on how to post the VOA News banner on your site. As the link page notes, www.VOANews.com is the official web portal for the Voice of America. It is a public domain website and you may link to VOANews.com at no cost. We request only that you credit VOANews where appropriate and ask that when you link, that you do so in an appropriate context as to provide your visitors a link to a trusted source of news and information.
You can also post a link to the VOA News Blog if you wish. The blog is at: http://voanewsblog.blogspot.com/
Now, the second thing we have for you, Bea, and for all those interested in learning English, is our Special English or learning English website at:
http://www.voanews.com/specialenglish/index.cfm
As that page notes, Special English has been around since October 19, 1959. The goal was to communicate by radio in clear and simple English with people whose native language was not English. Special English programs quickly became some of the most popular on VOA. They still are.
Over the years, its role has expanded. It helps people learn English while they learn about American life and stay informed about world news and developments in science. It provides listeners with information they cannot find elsewhere.
Special English has a core vocabulary of just 1500 words. Most are simple words that describe objects, actions or emotions. Our Special English writers use short, simple sentences that contain only one idea. The broadcasters read at a slower pace, which helps people learning English hear each word clearly.
You can find Special English broadcasts on the radio to different parts of the world several times a day, seven days a week.
Special English is also on satellite TV weekly with a 20-minute program of five short features read by Special English announcers along with the scrolling text. Check out our TV schedule for your area. http://author.voanews.com/specialenglish/tv.cfm
Internet users can also listen to programs on the Special English Web site while reading the text. And they can receive scripts of features by e-mail.
As our Special English folks note, in countries around the world, many English teachers require their students to listen to Special English. They praise it for the content of the programs and for improving their students’ ability to understand American English. Universities, governments and private companies publish and broadcast Special English materials for use in English teaching.
Hope this helps, Bea. Thanks for contacting us.
15 February 2008
Who’s Visiting the News Blog?
Over the last 30 days, we’ve collected some data on visitors to the News Blog. So far, we have, during that period, had 1,872 “absolute unique visitors.”
And these visitors have come from 110 countries and territories.
The top 10 countries are, in order (and excluding the United States):
South Korea (with 223 visits)
Japan (with 208 visits)
Iran (88 visits)
Vietnam (82 visits)
Canada (78 visits)
Taiwan (55 visits)
Russia (53 visits)
United Kingdom (46 visits)
France (46 visits)
Turkey (42 visits)
The top Latin American country for visits has been Brazil (28). In Africa, the top country for News Blog visitors has been Nigeria (14). In Oceania, it’s been Australia (18).
There have been 35 countries and territories providing a single visitor each so far. They are a diverse group that includes Botswana and Cameroon, Chile and Venezuela, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, Nepal and Bangladesh, Albania and Bosnia.
We’re quite pleased with the diversity shown in these statistics. VOA Internet Director Mike Messinger says: “VOANews.com is excited about our participation in this News Blog. It provides us with another opportunity to engage in a conversation with Internet users worldwide who are interested in the news reporting that VOA has been recognized for over the past 65 years. Using the Internet to reach visitors from over 100 countries is a great way to share our knowledge and hear your voice."
We remain interested in hearing from any of you out there. Let us know if there are any topics you’d like to discuss. Thanks for dropping by.
And these visitors have come from 110 countries and territories.
The top 10 countries are, in order (and excluding the United States):
South Korea (with 223 visits)
Japan (with 208 visits)
Iran (88 visits)
Vietnam (82 visits)
Canada (78 visits)
Taiwan (55 visits)
Russia (53 visits)
United Kingdom (46 visits)
France (46 visits)
Turkey (42 visits)
The top Latin American country for visits has been Brazil (28). In Africa, the top country for News Blog visitors has been Nigeria (14). In Oceania, it’s been Australia (18).
There have been 35 countries and territories providing a single visitor each so far. They are a diverse group that includes Botswana and Cameroon, Chile and Venezuela, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, Nepal and Bangladesh, Albania and Bosnia.
We’re quite pleased with the diversity shown in these statistics. VOA Internet Director Mike Messinger says: “VOANews.com is excited about our participation in this News Blog. It provides us with another opportunity to engage in a conversation with Internet users worldwide who are interested in the news reporting that VOA has been recognized for over the past 65 years. Using the Internet to reach visitors from over 100 countries is a great way to share our knowledge and hear your voice."
We remain interested in hearing from any of you out there. Let us know if there are any topics you’d like to discuss. Thanks for dropping by.
12 February 2008
The Free Flow of Information vs. Jamming and Internet Censorship
Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights says “Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers.”
VOA conducts much of its work by transmitting information across international frontiers --- sometimes into countries that don’t support the notion of a free flow of news and ideas. Some of these countries go to great (and expensive) lengths to block VOA programming.
Some of the blocking is aimed at preventing people from accessing VOA websites.
Some blocking is aimed at VOA radio and television broadcasts, using a technique known as jamming.
As VOA Director Danforth Austin notes, “Millions of people tune in to VOA every week or visit VOANews.com for trustworthy news and information. When our broadcast frequencies are jammed or our website is blocked, it is the people in our audiences who suffer the most."
We believe all countries engaged in jamming or internet censorship should halt such activities and live up to the promise of Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by allowing a truly free flow of information.
And if you are among those in our audience who are victims of jamming or internet censorship, we here at the VOA News Blog would like to hear about your experiences as well as your thoughts on such interference. Just click on the comment function at the end of this post.
VOA conducts much of its work by transmitting information across international frontiers --- sometimes into countries that don’t support the notion of a free flow of news and ideas. Some of these countries go to great (and expensive) lengths to block VOA programming.
Some of the blocking is aimed at preventing people from accessing VOA websites.
Some blocking is aimed at VOA radio and television broadcasts, using a technique known as jamming.
As VOA Director Danforth Austin notes, “Millions of people tune in to VOA every week or visit VOANews.com for trustworthy news and information. When our broadcast frequencies are jammed or our website is blocked, it is the people in our audiences who suffer the most."
We believe all countries engaged in jamming or internet censorship should halt such activities and live up to the promise of Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights by allowing a truly free flow of information.
And if you are among those in our audience who are victims of jamming or internet censorship, we here at the VOA News Blog would like to hear about your experiences as well as your thoughts on such interference. Just click on the comment function at the end of this post.
07 February 2008
How VOA Helps, Part 3
For this segment, we passed along the question from Aboaondofa (who asked us in an email: “how do you help people in your journalism?") to one of our correspondents – Nico Colombant in VOA’s West Africa news bureau in Dakar.
Here is what he replied:
“I believe a journalist’s first job is to raise the alarm on abuse. Examples of what can be flagged in a report include corruption, security crackdowns, violence against women and minors, victims of oppression.
“Another important mission is to report accurately in times of crisis, scandal, upheaval, disaster, election, so that listeners can make informed decisions.
“Building awareness among people, across borders and cultures, breaking down misunderstandings, is also crucial."
Nico notes that sometimes someone in our audience will be spurred to send money to a person in need or a relief organization highlighted in a report. He says, “Other times someone will be moved so much that they will act on the emotions that were awakened, sometimes to the point of finding a new mission in their life.”
We know several journalists who have found such new missions in humanitarian aid or human rights organizations, career shifts triggered by experiences reporting in the field.
But for those who remain in the news business, reporting on the plights of those who might otherwise remain unseen and unheard is among their most important duties.
Nico has filed many such reports. Two recent examples come from a trip he just made to the West African country of Guinea where he wrote about abandoned and exploited children, sometimes found working in slave-like conditions.
You can see these reports at http://www.voanews.com/english/2008-01-13-voa21.cfm and http://www.voanews.com/english/2008-01-28-voa21.cfm
Here is what he replied:
“I believe a journalist’s first job is to raise the alarm on abuse. Examples of what can be flagged in a report include corruption, security crackdowns, violence against women and minors, victims of oppression.
“Another important mission is to report accurately in times of crisis, scandal, upheaval, disaster, election, so that listeners can make informed decisions.
“Building awareness among people, across borders and cultures, breaking down misunderstandings, is also crucial."
Nico notes that sometimes someone in our audience will be spurred to send money to a person in need or a relief organization highlighted in a report. He says, “Other times someone will be moved so much that they will act on the emotions that were awakened, sometimes to the point of finding a new mission in their life.”
We know several journalists who have found such new missions in humanitarian aid or human rights organizations, career shifts triggered by experiences reporting in the field.
But for those who remain in the news business, reporting on the plights of those who might otherwise remain unseen and unheard is among their most important duties.
Nico has filed many such reports. Two recent examples come from a trip he just made to the West African country of Guinea where he wrote about abandoned and exploited children, sometimes found working in slave-like conditions.
You can see these reports at http://www.voanews.com/english/2008-01-13-voa21.cfm and http://www.voanews.com/english/2008-01-28-voa21.cfm
05 February 2008
Attacks on the Press
The Committee to Protect Journalists has issued its annual report, “Attacks on the Press 2007.” http://www.cpj.org/news/2008/aop01feb08na.html The report discusses troubling trends like “China’s onerous restrictions on the media in the run up to the 2008 Olympic Games, the erosion of press freedom in many of Africa’s new democracies, the criminalization of journalism in central Asia, and the increasing use of vague ‘antistate’ charges to jail journalists around the world.”
The report also details how 65 journalists were killed worldwide in 2007, which CPJ notes is the highest toll in more than a decade. Scores more suffered assault, imprisonment, censorship, and legal harassment.
We here at VOA lament the toll and the trends. Just days ago VOA issued its own statement http://www.voanews.com/english/About/2008-01-28-voa57.cfm condemning the beating of Goran Gavrilov, General Manager of Kanal 77, which rebroadcasts VOA's Macedonian-language radio programs across its nation-wide network. Mr. Gavrilov was beaten violently outside his home in Stip, Macedonia on the night of January 25.
VOA Director Danforth Austin has called for a full investigation into what he described as a brutal attack. As he put it, “To tolerate such violence against the media --- the free flow of ideas --- would be a step backwards for Macedonia."
One of those journalists killed in 2007 worked for us. Alisher Saipov, a journalist who reported extensively for VOA's Uzbek language service was killed outside his office in Osh, Kyrgyzstan. At the time, last October, Director Austin said “We are all deeply saddened by Alisher's brutal death but firmly resolved to continue reporting events in Kyrgyzstan and throughout Central Asia." (See story at http://www.voanews.com/english/archive/2007-10/2007-10-25-voa29.cfm ; also statement at http://www.voanews.com/english/About/2007-10-24-Saipov-Killed.cfm )
VOA joined other major international broadcasters recently in a joint statement calling on governments worldwide to “end any and all practices that hamper the rights of people everywhere to receive and impart information.”
The full statement put it this way:
“In recent years, international broadcasters have seen grave and rising threats to the right to gather information and communicate it across national borders.
“A growing number of countries – in Eurasia, Africa, South and East Asia, and Latin America – have restricted or blocked coverage of events of significant public interest. Journalists – including many working for our organizations – have been detained, arrested, expelled, kidnapped or killed.
“Particularly disturbing are new efforts by some governments, through the licensing and regulatory process, to restrict or forbid local rebroadcasts of our programs on radio and television through local partnerships. And more states are deliberately interfering with broadcast signals or are attempting to block or censor the Internet.
“As international broadcasters, we deplore such efforts – and call upon governments to end any and all practices that hamper the right of people everywhere to "receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers." [United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights]
“Each of us has a different history, a different mission, different resources and different experiences, but we all share a common goal – to present accurate and comprehensive news and information to audiences around the world.
“Accordingly, we oppose efforts to restrict this important work, and call upon governments worldwide to halt such practices.
“Adopted in Hilversum, Netherlands on November 30, 2007
BBC World Service (United Kingdom) Deutsche Welle (Germany) Radio France Internationale (France) Radio Netherlands Worldwide (Netherlands)”
We owe it to courageous journalists like Alisher Saipov and Goran Gavrilov as well as to our audiences worldwide to continue fighting for the free flow of information, opinions and ideas.
The report also details how 65 journalists were killed worldwide in 2007, which CPJ notes is the highest toll in more than a decade. Scores more suffered assault, imprisonment, censorship, and legal harassment.
We here at VOA lament the toll and the trends. Just days ago VOA issued its own statement http://www.voanews.com/english/About/2008-01-28-voa57.cfm condemning the beating of Goran Gavrilov, General Manager of Kanal 77, which rebroadcasts VOA's Macedonian-language radio programs across its nation-wide network. Mr. Gavrilov was beaten violently outside his home in Stip, Macedonia on the night of January 25.
VOA Director Danforth Austin has called for a full investigation into what he described as a brutal attack. As he put it, “To tolerate such violence against the media --- the free flow of ideas --- would be a step backwards for Macedonia."
One of those journalists killed in 2007 worked for us. Alisher Saipov, a journalist who reported extensively for VOA's Uzbek language service was killed outside his office in Osh, Kyrgyzstan. At the time, last October, Director Austin said “We are all deeply saddened by Alisher's brutal death but firmly resolved to continue reporting events in Kyrgyzstan and throughout Central Asia." (See story at http://www.voanews.com/english/archive/2007-10/2007-10-25-voa29.cfm ; also statement at http://www.voanews.com/english/About/2007-10-24-Saipov-Killed.cfm )
VOA joined other major international broadcasters recently in a joint statement calling on governments worldwide to “end any and all practices that hamper the rights of people everywhere to receive and impart information.”
The full statement put it this way:
“In recent years, international broadcasters have seen grave and rising threats to the right to gather information and communicate it across national borders.
“A growing number of countries – in Eurasia, Africa, South and East Asia, and Latin America – have restricted or blocked coverage of events of significant public interest. Journalists – including many working for our organizations – have been detained, arrested, expelled, kidnapped or killed.
“Particularly disturbing are new efforts by some governments, through the licensing and regulatory process, to restrict or forbid local rebroadcasts of our programs on radio and television through local partnerships. And more states are deliberately interfering with broadcast signals or are attempting to block or censor the Internet.
“As international broadcasters, we deplore such efforts – and call upon governments to end any and all practices that hamper the right of people everywhere to "receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers." [United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights]
“Each of us has a different history, a different mission, different resources and different experiences, but we all share a common goal – to present accurate and comprehensive news and information to audiences around the world.
“Accordingly, we oppose efforts to restrict this important work, and call upon governments worldwide to halt such practices.
“Adopted in Hilversum, Netherlands on November 30, 2007
BBC World Service (United Kingdom) Deutsche Welle (Germany) Radio France Internationale (France) Radio Netherlands Worldwide (Netherlands)”
We owe it to courageous journalists like Alisher Saipov and Goran Gavrilov as well as to our audiences worldwide to continue fighting for the free flow of information, opinions and ideas.
01 February 2008
Exposing Hate Broadcasts
As someone who lived in Kenya and reported from the killing fields of Rwanda during the 1994 genocide, I was distressed to see the report from VOA Nairobi Correspondent Alisha Ryu on the emergence of “hate radios” in Kenya: http://www.voanews.com/english/2008-01-30-voa38.cfm
As the report filed this week notes, “Media monitors in Kenya say inflammatory statements and songs broadcast on local language radio stations have contributed significantly to the surge in post-election ethnic violence that has killed nearly 900 people and displaced 255,000 others during the past month.”
It’s alarming because, as Alisha mentions, “the broadcasts bear a striking similarity to 1994 broadcasts in Rwanda that helped whip ethnic Hutus into a killing frenzy that resulted in the genocide of 800,000 ethnic Tutsis.”
In some of those Rwandan broadcasts, ethnic Tutsis were derogatorily described as “cockroaches.”
In Kenya, as VOA’s correspondent reports, “On one Kalenjin-language station, some callers said there was a need for people of the milk to cut grass, which [a] Kenyan rights group says was a call for ethnic Kalenjins, who are cattle herders, to remove ethnic Kikuyus from traditional Kalenjin homelands in the Rift Valley province."
"Other Kalenjin callers referred to ethnic Kikuyus living in the Rift Valley as… a mongoose that came to steal Kalenjin chicken. Meanwhile, a Luo-language station, which supports ethnic Luo opposition leader Raila Odinga, aired a song that called Kenya's ethnic Kikuyu President Mwai Kibaki and his Kikuyu-dominated Cabinet a leadership of baboons.”
We at VOA feel it is important to expose such messages of hate.
The Board of Broadcasting Governors, which oversees the Voice of America, feels the same way.
In a mission statement, approved in September 2007, the BBG said the goal of U.S. international broadcasting is “to promote freedom and democracy and to enhance understanding through multi-media communication of accurate, objective, and balanced news, information, and other programming about America and the world to audiences overseas.”
The statement lists several standards by which to measure the success of this effort. Besides “serving as an example of a free and professional press” and “fostering respect for human rights,” it makes clear that VOA should also work to stem “religious and ethnic intolerance” and specifically strive to combat “hate media.”
And the best way we can do that is to report on hate messages --- and those who deliver them --- whenever and wherever they appear.
As the report filed this week notes, “Media monitors in Kenya say inflammatory statements and songs broadcast on local language radio stations have contributed significantly to the surge in post-election ethnic violence that has killed nearly 900 people and displaced 255,000 others during the past month.”
It’s alarming because, as Alisha mentions, “the broadcasts bear a striking similarity to 1994 broadcasts in Rwanda that helped whip ethnic Hutus into a killing frenzy that resulted in the genocide of 800,000 ethnic Tutsis.”
In some of those Rwandan broadcasts, ethnic Tutsis were derogatorily described as “cockroaches.”
In Kenya, as VOA’s correspondent reports, “On one Kalenjin-language station, some callers said there was a need for people of the milk to cut grass, which [a] Kenyan rights group says was a call for ethnic Kalenjins, who are cattle herders, to remove ethnic Kikuyus from traditional Kalenjin homelands in the Rift Valley province."
"Other Kalenjin callers referred to ethnic Kikuyus living in the Rift Valley as… a mongoose that came to steal Kalenjin chicken. Meanwhile, a Luo-language station, which supports ethnic Luo opposition leader Raila Odinga, aired a song that called Kenya's ethnic Kikuyu President Mwai Kibaki and his Kikuyu-dominated Cabinet a leadership of baboons.”
We at VOA feel it is important to expose such messages of hate.
The Board of Broadcasting Governors, which oversees the Voice of America, feels the same way.
In a mission statement, approved in September 2007, the BBG said the goal of U.S. international broadcasting is “to promote freedom and democracy and to enhance understanding through multi-media communication of accurate, objective, and balanced news, information, and other programming about America and the world to audiences overseas.”
The statement lists several standards by which to measure the success of this effort. Besides “serving as an example of a free and professional press” and “fostering respect for human rights,” it makes clear that VOA should also work to stem “religious and ethnic intolerance” and specifically strive to combat “hate media.”
And the best way we can do that is to report on hate messages --- and those who deliver them --- whenever and wherever they appear.
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