Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Sudanese reporter jailed for rape story

Khartoum - A northern Sudanese court on Monday sentenced a second female journalist to one month in prison for writing an article about the alleged rape of an activist by security forces, her lawyer said.

Friday, July 22, 2011

Bingu’s govt cracks down on media covering protests

The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns sweeping arrests and attacks on journalists, as well as censorship by the administration of Malawi President Bingu Wa Muthiraka against media outlets reporting on nationwide antigovernment protests that erupted on Wednesday.

Newspaper Prohibited From Writing About Chief Justice

The Government of Swaziland has prohibited the privately-owned "Times of Swaziland" newspaper from continuing to write about Chief Justice Michael Ramodibedi, who has caused an uproar by suspending Justice Thomas Masuku and levelling 12 charges against him that he will have to answer to before the end of July 2011.

Thursday, July 21, 2011

Unesco Offering Scholarships for Access to Information Meeting in Cape Town

UNESCO is offering scholarships to attend the Windhoek +20 Pan-African Summit on Access to Information in Cape Town, South Africa, from 17 to 19 September 2011. A limited number of places are available so apply now - the closing date for scholarship applications is 3 August 2011.

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Launch of the third Nelson Mandela Day

By Karin Labuschagne 

Minister Tokyo Sexwale says the world "needs to reconcile".

Be kind to your neighbour and provide comfort", stated Nelson Mandela Trustee, Minister Tokyo Sexwale at the  launch of the third Nelson Mandela Day in Houghton on Monday.  Sexwale stated that "the world needed to reconcile as enemies and adversaries" before the true influence of former South African President, Nelson Mandela could be realized. 


Govt failing Mandela's legacy on press freedom - Sanef

By: SABC News

The South African National Editors' Forum (Sanef) deputy chairperson of the media freedom committee, Raymond Louw, says the African National Congress-led government is failing former president Nelson Mandela's legacy on press freedom.

Freedom of Expression is Not Unlimited Right - Media Minister

Luanda — Angolan Mass Media minister, Carolina Cerqueira, Monday, in Luanda, said that freedom of expression, mainly when expressed through mass media, does not represent an absolute and unlimited right that can be put on the top of others rights and values.

Thursday, May 5, 2011

So near yet so far: The quest for press freedom in Southern Africa

By DUMISANI MOYO May 03 2011 15:00

This year's Word Press Freedom Day provides a unique opportunity to take stock of the progress, or lack of it, made towards attaining press freedom across the world on one hand, while on the other allowing us to look into the future of press freedom in light of past developments and current experiences.

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Press Freedom: Then and Now

published by  Georgetown University

Gwen Lister, founder of the newspaper The Namibian, threw down the gauntlet in the opening session of Monday’s WPFD events when she said, “Press freedom is non-negotiable.”

World Press Freedom Day Statement: Media in Africa 20 Years On: Our Past, Present and Future – May 4-6, 2011

The Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA), the Government of the Republic of Namibia, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), and the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN/IFRA) are honored to host the celebration of the 20th Anniversary of the adoption of the Windhoek Declaration, which culminated in 03 May 1991, being declared World Press Freedom Day by the United Nations General Assembly.

MEDIA IN AFRICA 20 YEARS ON:Our Past, Present and Future

Celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Windhoek Declaration on Promoting an independent and Pluralistics African Press

Download MEDIA MEDIA IN AFRICA 20 YEARS ON

Friday, April 29, 2011

A Tour into the Media Freedom Environment in Southern Africa: Brief Country Profile

MISA’s Media Monitoring exercise in 2010 showed a skewed shift to legislative nature, where repressive laws seemed to take over the emblem of media freedom in the region. However, much worse to spark concern was the killing of two journalist in Angola, a violation, which one would view as strange to the region, especially 20 years after the enactment of the Windhoek Declaration.

MISA celebrations in the rest of Southern Africa

Annually, on World Press Freedom Day, May 3, MISA launches its state of media freedom report, So This Is Democracy? throughout southern Africa.

Celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Windhoek Declaration

The Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA), the Government of the Republic of Namibia, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco), and the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN/IFRA) are celebrating the 20th anniversary of the adoption of the Windhoek Declaration, which culminated in 03 May 1991, being declared World Press Freedom Day by the United Nations General Assembly.

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

World Press Freedom Day: May 3, 2011

Media in Africa 20 Years On: Our Past,
Present and Future.

Celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Windhoek Declaration on
Promoting an Independent and Pluralistic African Press

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

World Bank links unrest to lack of accountability



April 11, 2011 - WORLD Bank president Robert Zoellick says the crisis engulfing Middle East and North Africa shows that stability of any country can only be guaranteed if the government is more accountable to the people.


Zoellick said that greater citizen participation and better governance were crucial for economic development.

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Who is Muammar Gaddafi?

How can you call someone a dictator leader who overthrew a corrupt monarchy, modernized the country, won the highest HDI in Africa, and applied a direct democracy system of government?

Monday, February 28, 2011

World Press Freedom Day 2011: In Retrospect?

Marshall McLuhan, the Canadian communications theorist Educator,  Writer and Social Reformer, once said that the new media are not  bridges between man and nature; they are nature.

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

44 journalists killed in 2010, media watchdog says

Feb 15, 2011

Nairobi - Some 44 journalists were killed worldwide in 2010 as global institutions failed to protect the media, a report published Tuesday by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) said.

Pakistan was the deadliest country, with eight killed, followed by Iraq with five, according to the report 'Attacks on the Press in 2010'.

Clinton pushes for internet freedom

Lachlan Carmichael | 15th February 2011

US SECRETARY of State Hillary Clinton is renewing her push for the free and open use of the internet as protesters from Egypt to Iran have used it to demand political freedoms.
In a speech in Washington, the chief US diplomat said the question of what people do online and what principles they follow is one that "becomes more urgent every day".



Monday, February 14, 2011

Facebook Officials Keep Quiet on Its Role in Revolts

With Facebook playing a starring role in the revolts that toppled governments in Tunisia and Egypt, you might think the company’s top executives would use this historic moment to highlight its role as the platform for democratic change.


Clinton: US to back cyber dissent in repressive states, warns Internet curbs can't last

Restricting the Internet will not hold back surging popular demand for democratic reforms in the Middle East or elsewhere and the Obama administration is ready to help dissidents evade cyber curbs to promote human rights and democracy in repressive states, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says in a major policy address.

UNESCO condemns murder of Egyptian journalist

PARIS: UNESCO director-general Irina Bokova on Friday, 11 February 2011, condemned the murder of Egyptian journalist Ahmed Mohammed Mahmoud, who died of his wounds on 4 February. He was shot in the head on 29 January while covering the protests that began on 25 January in Cairo

Friday, February 11, 2011

South Africa resumes debate on secrecy bill


Parliamentary hearings on South Africa's Protection of Information Bill resumed last week with heated debate over provisions threatening to restrict press freedom and access to information. For journalists, much uncertainty remains over the final product and when it will be completed.

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

World Press Freedom Day 2011 and the Windhoek Declaration: 20 Years later

2011 will mark 20 years after the Windhoek Declaration on press freedom. Barely a year after gaining political independence, the Republic of Namibia hosted one of the most important UNESCO conferences on media freedom not only in Africa, but around the world.