Archives 2021

There Is a Compelling Influence of Media Owners on Media Practice: A Personal Opinion

To say that media owners have a clear influence on media practice is to say nothing. Indeed, the world’s media deny the necessary freedom, even if the journalist bears undivided responsibility to his society, his country and his conscience. It must choose between the interests and policies of media owners and the demands of professionalism. Thus, serving the private interests of owners is a subtle betrayal of professional ethics. Holding a compromise line between the media owner’s political goals and the social responsibilities/duties of the profession is never an easy decision.

Media professionals around the world, especially in Africa, have in practice tried to address the still contentious issue of the political objectives of media owners versus professionalism. For example, Kofi Buenoor Hajor, a journalist from Ghana, once said that “journalism must be important” for Africa. According to Hajor, the media, which absorb and disseminate information around the world on a daily basis, should be treated as they are: an inalienable art of society, which in turn reflects and influences existing social relations.

Because of the prevailing influence of media owners on the media, the policy was proclaimed in Yaounde, Cameroon, in the African member state of UNESCO, the Intergovernmental Conference on Communication Policy from 22 to 31 July 1980. The conference report said: “We need a new concept of freedom that will truly give people and society the right to vote, rather than subjecting them to the conditions of those who control powerful means of communication that will promote the democratization of communication and recognize the rights of people and peoples to ask and freely express their opinions.”

In many parts of the world, especially in Nigeria, competing power structures dominate the problem faced by the media because of their contribution to the absence of forced press freedom.

According to Herbert Altszull, an independent press is impossible because “information is agents of people exercising political and economic control.” In other words, regardless of the goodwill of the government or the democratic principles of society; Regardless of the progress of any society, the media are usually subject to some form of control by those who own and control the apparatus of power.

However, the foundations of authoritarianism in Nigeria, which gave the government direct control and monopoly on radio and television stations, were broken in 1992, when private broadcasters obtained their first licence, ushering in a new era in the ownership of audiovisual media. .

In the United States, according to Amy and David Goodman, the concentration of media ownership today is very often seen as a media and society problem, because most people are motivated by so many things. Media ownership may focus on one or more inappropriate issues, which can then lead to a number of undesirable consequences, including serving the interests of their sponsors (advertisers and government) rather than the public interest, and lack of accountability. . competition-based. This has led to companies dominating the media market from suppressing material that is not in their interest. As a result, the public suffers from a lack of awareness on some important issues that may concern them.

The censorship of the media, which is a persistent problem throughout the world, regardless of the perceived freedoms expressed in their constitutions, will remain true to the practice of the media unless decisive measures are taken to restrict it. Over the years, those in political power have controlled the media in every society in various ways. They often achieved this through arsenals of authoritarian control, such as repressive laws, high taxes, direct or indirect control of basic means of production, ill-treatment of media workers, death threats and, in some cases, death threats. Extreme cases, murders of media workers and media house. Closing.

Indirect control measures are also applied to media workers, which includes a governance structure in which media workers determine the day-to-day activities of the organization; financing, production, structure and distribution of broadcast signals, as in the case of broadcast media.

In addition to state control over the media, there are other agencies, such as courts, that impede freedom of speech. The Government’s position on preferential treatment also cannot “bribe” the most influential journalists or critics of the Government with appointments to high public office. When journalists are appointed to public office, they become mere pioneers, as this influences the objectivity of their media products in dealing with issues of concern to the government.

On the other hand, the owners of private media exercise considerable control over their media. There are cases when owners demand self-censorship from their publishers to promote the interests of their sponsors.

Noting that unethical practices and negative attitudes in the workplace can have a negative impact on the productivity, profitability, growth and reputation of an organization, the environment in which so many journalists work today has been the exact opposite. Success is now measured by the number of “who is who?” on the organization’s list of sponsors. Imagine a situation where unemployment, poverty and the deterioration of social values are central and a journalist manages to secure a place where his daily needs are met despite ethical concerns? In some parts of the world dominated by money, most journalists no longer care even about the ethics of their profession, but succumb to the antics of dubious media owners in order to gain access to places and people to get information, to get well-paid advertising from sponsors, and to dubiously label and distort materials containing valuable information, in the interests of their sponsors.

The Risk of Inappropriate Use of Social Media: Fair Dismissal for Inappropriate Comments on Facebook

Law

Unfair dismissal

Under English law, workers have the right not to be unfairly dismissed. The employer must determine that the reason for dismissal may be a valid reason. In order for the dismissal to be fair, the employer must also comply with a fair procedure. To establish the fairness of the dismissal case for behavioral reasons, the employer must be able to demonstrate that at the time of dismissal:

The staff member was found guilty of misconduct.

There were reasonable grounds to believe that the officer was guilty of this misconduct.

He did as much research as was reasonable in the circumstances.

The question of whether the employer acted reasonably should be assessed objectively: was the employer’s decision to dismiss part of the reasonable answers that a reasonable employer could take in those circumstances and in that business? The court cannot replace its position with the employer’s position.

The right to freedom of expression

The basic rights of residents of European member states are protected by the European Convention on Human Rights (Convention). These rights include the right to freedom of expression (Article 10 (1)).

The right to freedom of expression ‘can be governed by any formality, conditions, restrictions or sanctions prescribed by law and necessary in a democratic society in the interests of national security, territorial integrity or public security, in the event of riots or crimes, to protect health. or morality to protect the reputation or rights of others, prevent the disclosure of confidential information or maintain the authority and impartiality of the judiciary.”

The Human Rights Act 1998 (HRA 1998) enacts most (but not all) contractual rights and enforces them in UK courts. As far as possible, basic and by-laws should be interpreted and enforced in accordance with the rights enshrined in the Convention (section 3, HRA 1998). Government authorities also operate unlawfully in violation of contractual law (Article 6 (1) HRA 1998).

In the latest Facebook case, the court investigated whether the cafe manager was honestly fired after posting negative comments from customers on his Facebook page and whether his right to free speech had been violated.

Solution

The court rejected his application.

The court ruled that the employer had launched a reasonable investigation into allegations of serious misconduct, namely that the complainant had been interviewing on Facebook. The conversation was clearly about work and led to an exchange of views that many people, including the clients themselves, could read. The sanction of dismissal was one of the reasonable answers offered to a reasonable employer.

The Court held that if an employee had the right to freedom of expression under article 10 of the Convention, the employer’s actions were justified because of the risk of reputational damage.

The court found the behaviour of the buyers offensive and shocking. However, Facebook posts took place over a long period of time, after the situation calmed down and it began to work normally. The employee knew that she could use the hotline to get advice from an experienced manager or, if she was sad, ask for permission to retire earlier.

Conclusions

For employers, this case underscores the importance and usefulness of a well-defined policy on the use of social media. The lesson for employees is not to use Facebook or similar media to express frustration at work.

All articles are for public use and public use and are not legal or professional advice.

Copyright 2010 Anassutzi and Co Limited. All rights are protected. Information cannot be transmitted or reproduced unless it is accompanied by the author’s name and biography.

Is WikiLeaks Leading a Media Revolution or Digging the Industry’s Grave?

Not many people have ever heard of WikiLeaks. Julian Assange is probably now discussing Amish groups. It is hard to imagine another organization that has so completely divided the world. People love it or hate it, and they change loyalty in the blink of an eye, or, so to speak, an international bomb.

The Association for Progressive Communications (APC) is a non-profit organization that truly believes in the importance of an open and transparent Internet. He regrets the level of criticism and resentment directed against WikiLeaks and its founder, who are currently in a legal predicament. The APC is concerned not only about the reaction of global governments, but also about the reaction of private companies such as Amazon and PayPal, which severed all ties with WikiLeaks and deprived it of the opportunity to work and raise funds.

APC believes that WikiLeaks (and other like-minded sites) play an important role in the fight against international corruption and censorship.

However, it is also called a counter-revolutionary. It was suggested that instead of posting information at the request of the website, it could take the information even further underground, returning espionage tactics to the Cold War era.

It was also suggested that by disclosing information, the website could put whistleblowers at risk. However, Wikileaks argues that the policy of anonymity is valid.

Freedom of the media is a vague subject that can be interpreted. Wikileaks strongly supports its disclosure policy to make governments accountable and transparent, as well as to keep people informed. And the discussion continues.

Freedom of The Press Is Essential For Democracy

In countries where dictators control the population, the press is either blocked or absent. Government media are often the only source of information on what governments are doing in these authoritarian societies. The leaders of media freedom are Western countries, including the United States. But Trump has railed against the media and refuses to inform reporters about his policies, and many wonder why.

Sadly, he calls them liars and crooks, as he often does. It also accuses them of spreading false information and distorting facts. However, this is not true, and it reminds us of how important freedom of the press is to democracy.

There are countries all over the world where people crave information not from their own leaders. One such country is North Korea. There’s nothing reported other than repetitive descriptions of the leader’s greatness and what he has done against his enemies, the most important of which is the United States.

We have seen the same scenario in other communist countries. The same was true in the Soviet Union and China, which are still reporting on the government’s achievements and the greatness of its leaders.

In countries where the press can tell stories from all over the country, as well as from other countries, educating people in this regard can be part of a democratic system. So why would Trump, the president of the world’s most powerful country, turn the tide in the media? What can he get or does he have anything to lose?

Journalists are notorious for revealing the truth, and he may be concerned about it. You have to wonder if this affects the way he constantly accuses them of fake news. Does it pave the way for the overthrow of everything they think against him? No one can hide forever, and if something has to come out, they’ll do it. This is democracy, openness and freedom of the press.

Norma Holt has the knowledge that allows her to understand a lot. Political, social and behavioral issues are usually on her list for discussion, as are everything related to the Spirit of the Universe and the reincarnation it has experienced. She’s happy to hear from all her readers.

African Media Freedom a Reality

If you think the African media are under threat, you’re wrong. The Third African Media Leaders Forum (AMLF) was recently held in Yaounde, Cameroon, and it is likely that the media industry in Africa is growing by the hour rather than by day, although it is constrained by a lack of funding. The forum, dedicated to the theme “Funding African Media in the Age of Uncertain Economic Models,” brought together 271 media representatives and representatives of the banking sector. The goal was to find ways to develop financial and business platforms in the industry.

Many people would be surprised to learn that Cameroon is a beacon of press freedom in Africa and an example to which all other African countries, including South Africa, should aspire. With more hope, Issa Chiroma Bakary, Cameroon’s Minister of Communications, also promised that his Government would fully support AMLF’s overall goal of creating networking opportunities that meet the highest standards of ethics, fairness and objectivity.

During a possible dig in South Africa, AllAfrica reports that one of the speakers, Alfred E. Opobor, secretary general of the West African Center for New Media and Development, said that African media are theoretically free based on the constitution of most countries. but he lacks reality because of the immaturity of political leadership. Ministers and politicians should see the press not as an enemy of progress, but as a partner. Today’s struggle in Africa for freedom of expression is aimed at making our politicians and even our businessmen understand that a free communication environment is a good issue for the economy. Development. “

Speaking about funding, Eric Chinge, head of global media development at the World Bank Institute, said most media outlets in Africa receive funding from governments and corporations. It’s bad because it undermines transparency and honest journalism. Private media companies that depend on advertising find it difficult to compete with the almost appalling state treasury, and they can find it hard to work if you don’t stick to the government’s line.

One solution, according to Chinji, is to finance banks, financial institutions, development agencies and fund managers. “That’s where the real money is. If you look at the figures, the amount of media funding from banks, financial institutions and development agencies is negligible.”

It is important to find this additional funding because, according to Hunter Gault, an award-winning SA journalist, “the media can help accelerate Africa’s economic and social progress … Africa needs strong media to record these changes. part of what could eventually lead to the rebirth of Africa. “

If only the Government of South Africa had paid attention to its other African counterparts now, we could have stopped pointing the finger and moving forward as a nation.

Hungary’s Media Freedom Burns

Hungary has enacted draconian media laws that have been widely criticized, casting a shadow over The Current EU Presidency of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. The laws effectively give full control over the media to the government, which can impose fines for any alleged crime. The new laws will be vague and subject to interpretation.

One of the first victims of the new laws was radio host Attila Mong, whose personal protest included a minute’s silence in his popular show “180 Minutes.” Mong was immediately removed from office and an internal disciplinary investigation is under way. Npr.org said Mong said: “It was a matter of journalistic conscience for me. I talked to my editor, and we decided we didn’t want young reporters to ask 15 years from now, “Were you there, what did you do?” “I think it’s public journalism when something serious happens, and maybe you choose unusual and formal decisions. Notice what to do.”

These laws have caused such concern that the European Commission has launched an investigation. But the legal head of the Media Council, Gyorgy Oxko, defended the law, saying the country’s post-communist media should be limited. However, he said they would review the European Commission’s findings if it was found that the laws violated international and democratic standards. Oddly enough, Oxko said, “This “unlimited freedom of the press” has also brought negative results.”

Other Hungarian officials also defended the laws, but with more aggression than Oxko showed. State Department Secretary Jolt Nemet wrote in a blog post that “cannot escape the assumption that foreign criticism is more directed at certain economic measures”, i.e. special “anti-crisis taxes” imposed on energy, telecommunications and telecommunications, as well as on retail trade. Taxes were levied to cover the budget deficit. They will be in effect for the next three years.

Hungarian Deputy Prime Minister Tibor Navracic said the criticisms reflected the Western world’s distrust of Central and Eastern European democracy.

Meanwhile, Hungarian opposition lawmaker and former EU commissioner Laszlo Kovacs suggests that media laws are just the tip of the iceberg, as Orban also appears to be considering rewriting the constitution to meet the political needs of himself and the Fidesz party. Kovacs cites the nationalization of some pension funds as an example. The Constitutional Court opposed the decision, so the party simply drafted a bill limiting the court’s jurisdiction.

While the world has held its breath while the EU investigates, desperately hoping that any recommendations will be taken seriously by Orban and the ruling party. Otherwise, it could be another blow to global media freedom.

An Onslaught to Media Freedom

The ongoing attack on media freedom is a threat to the rights of all.

Yesterday’s new report fails to conclude that press freedom has fallen to its lowest level in at least a decade.

The market for ideas still exists, but fundamental factors are under threat. It’s not a pretty picture. Freedom of expression and information in many places is upside down.

Turkey is a prime example of one of the worst. Examples – Philippines, Egypt, Poland, Mexico, Venezuela.

All over the world, more and more journalists are being silenced, harassed or even killed. According to the investigation, 259 people were imprisoned for political reasons last year and 79 were killed. “Global media freedom is at its lowest level since the beginning of the century,” the report warns.

It’s bad enough, but it’s not uncommon.

For almost four centuries, this metaphor has embodied the belief that in free, fair and transparent competition the best ideas always win. In democratic societies, freedom of expression, which includes freedom of expression and freedom of the press, is protected by this belief.

Threatening journalists today make this belief naive.

We are not helpless in the face of breaking the peace of our union, but we must all get out of our echo chambers and act against it.

The challenge for teachers and academic institutions is to conduct fact-checking and improve the ability of each student to make informed judgements.

For journalists and media organizations, threats must lead to an honest understanding of our actions and objectives. The attack poses a real threat to freedom of speech and the press as it begins to force political leaders to turn to draconian legislation in an attempt to retaliate.

Consider the danger. No matter how divided our communication may be on certain days, a free flow of ideas of interested citizens is preferable to better state control over our public discussions.

Dictators and powerful figures in many countries, including trade unions, have often restricted media freedom as part of their efforts to strengthen control. For example, the transition to authoritarianism in our union was accompanied by predictable pressure on the media.

The latest wrinkle is a new threat to an editorial column dated Monday, December 18, 2017, in which some personalities have made it private and public. Usually these are typical destructive gossip in our union itself, but there is a real risk that the media will start repression in other unions if the necessary measures are not taken. If the Federal Union of Modake students, among all trade unions, does not defend the principle of media freedom, why should other unions pay attention?

None of this applies to the special privileges afforded to the media. Years of experience have shown that trampling on the free press is part of a much larger attack on the rights of all.

The new FUMS Parrot report serves a useful purpose, shedding light on this threat.

durham university uk

The durham university uk is located in County Durham in the north-east of England. Two of the main attractions are the famous and popular cathedral and castle, which were built in the 11th century. The city is also home to Durham University and the infamous Durham Prison. The site has a population of about 45,000 people.

It is believed that the area was inhabited around 2000 BC, and the current city was founded in 995 AD. This area with a rich history was a popular place of carpet making and weaving in the 19th century. It then became a thriving coal region until the 1970s. Durham is also known as the site of the world’s first passenger railway, which opened in 1825.

The city is known for its hills through which the River Weir flows. It has steep shores and a lot of woodlands that make it a natural beauty. The whole of Central Durham was also declared a nature reserve in 1968. Although the cathedral and castle are known throughout the UK, the city centre also houses more than 600 category II architectural monuments.

Some of the most popular are the Elvet Bridge, St. John’s Church. Giles, Chapel of St. John’s College John, Bishop Cosin Hall, Palace Green, Royal Court, Old Elvet, St. John’s Society Cuthbert, St. John’s College John, St. John’s Church Oswald, Durham Observatory and City Hall. and the guild house, the market.

For sports fans, Durham has a cricket club and a non-championship football team. There is also an ice rink for the local Wasps hockey team, as well as a shooting range and a rowing club. There are many regattas and races on the river every year. The Durham Regatta is the second oldest in the country. The city also has a rugby club, and student sport is also very popular.

Staying in Durham hotels means that visitors are spoilt for choice because of the many attractions on offer. Durham has a fascinating history, and many old castles and houses tell stories from the past. Durham is a nature reserve, so walks around the city become a real holiday for lovers of nature, architecture and history. If you want to relax or be active, Durham is your destination. The area has several beautiful country houses, gardens and castles, and whether you’re travelling together or with children, they’re all perfect for a fun day out. You can explore the city’s past and present through a variety of attractions, and booking hotels in Durham guarantees you a safe place to stay at the end of the day.

The castles and historic houses of Durham

Durham Hotels are close to many interesting historic houses, gardens and castles. Durham Castle was built in the 12th century on the order of William the Conqueror. Located on the UNESCO World Heritage site opposite the Cathedral and in the Norman fortress, the castle is truly unique among the colleges of Durham University.

The castle is accessible to the general public through excursions, as the castle is not only a registered museum, but also a lively residential and working community. It is home to Durham University’s Founding College, where more than 100 students have studied since his stay at the university. Another attraction that enlivens history is Raby Castle. Built by the mighty Neville, the 14th century castle has been home to Lord Barnard’s family since 1626.

Throughout the castle, visitors can explore bedrooms with extravagant furniture, impressive artworks and beautiful architecture. The castle also has a deer park, large walled gardens, a collection of crews and horse-drawn carriages, a playground in the woods and a gift shop. Crook Hall is a gem in the heart of the city and if you’re staying at Durham hotels, it’s worth a visit. The medieval hall of the 13th century creates an impressive backdrop for breathtaking gardens. In summer, tea with cream is offered here, it is a great place to visit all year round. Auckland Castle is another landmark, a wonderful example of the history of architecture.

Hotels and churches in Durham

Don’t forget to explore Durham’s hotels in advance if you’re planning to explore historic sites. Durham Cathedral is considered the most beautiful Norman building in Europe. It is also the burial place of St. Cuthbert, the great northern saint and the Honourable Bed, the author of the first English history. St. Andrew’s Church is a former church center consisting of a collection of two Saxon crosses dating back to the 9th century, and the Saxon church of Escombe with Roman inscriptions and sundial creates a sense of mystery, because it is not known when it was built, who built it and why. Staying in Hotels Durham, you will get closer to the best historical places.