The state of journalism in 2021
Hey Checklisters!
As we come to the end of 2021, The Checklist is taking a short break. The team that produces The Checklist would like to thank you for reading and sharing highlights that we bring to you every week. As program team members located in Brazil, India, Kenya and Lebanon, we keep track of significant updates, threats and misinformation news in emerging economies and share some of these with you through this newsletter, along with the latest updates from Meedan. If there are updates you would like us to share from your country or region, please reach out to us at checklist@meedan.com.
This year has been challenging, and The Checklist has followed a number of key stories in the regions we work. Perhaps the most visible one has been the Covid-19 pandemic and its impact, not just in the health space, but also in the societies we live and work in. We have also kept track of political developments in countries like Afghanistan, Myanmar, Brazil, Hong Kong, Colombia, Sudan, Nicaragua, Ethiopia, Nigeria and Tanzania. We have highlighted the role of technology in addressing or spreading misinformation, with a special focus on social media platforms and messaging apps platforms including Facebook, WhatsApp, TikTok, YouTube, Clubhouse, Viber, Line and Koo.
Before we call it a wrap for this year, we would like to share updates from this week. We take a look at the annual report of Reporters Without Borders in which they call out countries that are curbing press freedom. We also have highlights from the report of the Committee to protect Journalists that looks at the alarming trend of journalists being imprisoned in different countries across the world. As well as Reuters research report on how news organizations in the global south and north navigate trade-offs around building trust in news.
Despite the grim updates, we are hopeful for a better and healthier 2022 for all of us. Stay safe and have a fantastic time ahead.
Isabella, Mugendi, Sneha and Shalini
The latest top stories
RSF Press Freedom Report: 'Times Tough For Journalists'; China, Belarus, Myanmar 'Worst Culprits' (Outlook)
RSF (Reporters Without Borders) in its annual press freedom report has sounded the alarm, stating China, Belarus and Myanmar are among the 'worst culprits' when it comes to jailing journalists in 2021. Its press freedoms report concludes that ever more media professionals are being arbitrarily arrested while doing their job.
"This exceptional surge in arbitrary detention is mostly attributable to three countries (China -127, Myanmar - 53, Belarus - 32) whose governments are indifferent to their citizens' yearning for democracy. The magnitude of these figures is also indicative of an increasingly relentless crackdown on independent media." — RSF Press Freedom Report
Journalists jailed in record numbers worldwide – for second year in a row (Daily Maverick)
The number of journalists imprisoned for their work worldwide reached a record high of 293 in 2021, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. In sub-Saharan Africa, at least 45 journalists are currently imprisoned, which is about the same number recorded in this region in 2020. Eritrea and Ethiopia had the highest numbers of imprisoned journalists, at 16 and nine respectively. Other countries with jailed journalists include Rwanda, Cameroon, Benin, Somalia, Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Central African Republic.
“The number reflects two inextricable challenges – governments are determined to control and manage information, and they are increasingly brazen in their efforts to do so.” — Joel Simon, executive director at the Committee to Protect Journalists
Depth and breadth: How news organisations navigate trade-offs around building trust in news (Reuters Institute)
This year’s Reuters Institute Digital News Report (Newman et al. 2021) showed rising rates of concern about the quality of the information environment in many countries. On average, across the 46 markets covered in this year’s report, nearly six in ten said they were concerned about differentiating between what is real and what is fake on the internet.
‘Algorithms make it difficult for us to break through,’ Pedro Borges, Editor-in-Chief and co-founder of Alma Preta (Brazil), explained. He believes platforms reward engagement with polarising content. Adding the names of politicians like Lula and Bolsonaro to stories online is an easy way to attract more clicks, but rarely in a way that ‘pierces the bubble’ across supporters of different political figures. When his own news organisation succeeded in doing so, the result was typically unproductive.
The year we improve representation in international coverage (Nieman Lab Predictions for Journalism 2022)
Journalists who are representative of the communities they cover can access the highest-quality sources, discern compelling issues for local audiences, and rebuild trust with disaffected readers. At Global Press, we see the benefits that arise when communities can relate to stories and the reporters who write them. Several studies demonstrate a resemblance between those who work in a newsroom and those quoted in stories. That means that a lack of diversity in newsrooms contributes to the lack of holistic and equitable storytelling about the world. In 2022, outlets that focus on improving representation will build enduring credibility with readers — who in turn are more likely to use coverage they can relate to and take action in their communities.
“When we hire reporters who speak local languages and deeply understand the nuanced perspectives of the communities they cover, sources recognize themselves in stories.” — Laxmi Parthasarathy, chief operating officer of Global Press Journal.
What’s new at Meedan
End-of-year playlist from Meedan
To close the year, we would like to share some music that we put together as our end-of-year playlist. This is music from all the countries and regions where Meedan has a presence, either through our partners or our own team members. Enjoy the music.