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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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.

IFEX unveils special website for World Press Freedom Day

 

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

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.

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?

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.

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'.