Paid “News”

New Reports Detail Little Progress in Fight Against Soft Censorship

Posted on October 29, 2015 Leave a Comment

Soft censorship continues to be a major threat to press freedom and the governments of Hungary, Mexico and Serbia appear unwilling to follow recommendations that would guarantee a non-discriminatory allocation of public funds and government advertising across the media.

This is the common conclusion of three new reports examining soft censorship practices in Hungary, Mexico and Serbia launched today by the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers (WAN-IFRA) and the Center for International Media Assistance (CIMA) in Washington D.C.

Official soft censorship, or indirect censorship, is defined as “an array of official actions intended to influence media output, short of legal or extra-legal bans, direct censorship of specific content, or physical attacks on media outlets or media practitioners.”

Published with the support of the Open Society Foundations and research partners Mertek Media Monitor (Hungary), BIRN Serbia, and Fundar (Mexico), the three new reports provide an updated analysis of the situation as uncovered in detailed country studies conducted in 2013.

By using financial power to pressure media outlets, punish critical reporting and reward favourable coverage, biased government intervention in media sectors across the three countries not only distorts the market, but also makes it difficult for media to exercise their essential watchdog role.

“Articles of Asphyxiation: Soft Censorship in Hungary 2015 Update” shows that pressures on free and independent media in Hungary are accelerating and that the Fidesz government is enacting new and ever-broader laws and regulations that aim to control media output. The introduction of an advertising tax and other recently passed laws, together with the unfair and opaque allocation of government advertising show that intervention in the media market aggressively increased throughout 2014 and the first half of 2015.

“Media Reform Stalled in the Slow Lane: Soft Censorship in Serbia 2015 Update” highlights small improvements to the media-related legal framework in Serbia, such as thenew Law on Public Information and Media which regulates financial relations between the state and media outlets. However, as reiterated by the new report, efforts to reform legislation alone will not suffice if the Serbian government does not fully respect these regulations.Biased subsidies to media outlets, selective government advertising contracts, and manipulation regarding licensing continue to persist in the country.

“Breaking Promises, Blocking Reform: Soft Censorship in Mexico 2015 Update” (also available in Spanish) concludes that despite presidential promises, soft censorship – most conspicuously in the form of the partisan allocation of government advertising – remains a powerful impediment to a free, independent and pluralistic media in Mexico. Despite President Enrique Peña Nieto’s 2012 pledge to create a body to oversee government advertising, regulation of the sector remains weak. Lawmakers have failed to meet deadlines to establish a legal framework, while new legislation proposed by members of the Mexican Congress to regulate government advertising has not progressed. While positive developments such as a General Law on Transparency and Access to Public Government Information promises broad access to government advertising data, compliance has so far proven extremely weak.

Through more detailed research into soft censorship practices globally, WAN-IFRA and CIMA are drawing attention to the kinds of widespread and deleterious problems facing independent media that rarely generate the same level of international outrage as direct attacks on the press. The findings and recommendations of the soft censorship research series aim to contribute to the implementation of fair and transparent rules that are necessary for the development of independent media sectors around the world.

Country reports detailing soft censorship practices in Bulgaria, Macedonia and Montenegro are currently being finalised and will be published later in 2015.

Paid for journalism and bribes undermine media credibility in Egypt

Posted on October 5, 2015 Leave a Comment

Paid journalism and an excessive focus on commercial and political objectives have underpinned a culture of unethical journalism characterised by corrupt practices of employment, advertising disguised as news, and the ansence of transparecy, according to Untold Stories, a report by the Ethical Journalism Network.

The difference between news and “paid news” is often unclear, according to the report, written by Tarek Atia and Mohamed Abdel-Rahman. As a design element, the black “zig-zag” line in newspapers is meant to (subtly) indicate that the content below it, is advertising, or sponsored material. In reality, readers are encouraged to think they are just another article, or editorial content. They are sometimes crafted in the same font and style of the paper’s regular content.

The blurring of the lines between editorial content and commercial content is a global phenomenon and advertising sales executives offering gray-area editorial opportunities to their clients know that journalists working in newsrooms can be asked to write up content to suit the advertiser’s needs. Journalists who accept this kind of work often get salary bonuses and end up making more money than their colleagues, creating an inequality between editorial pay scales and office resentments that are potentially harmful to healthy newsroom relations.

Media either turn a blind eye to this practice, or in some cases even actively encourage editorial staff to seek out advertising opportunities as a way of enhancing their incomes.

According to veteran editors who have worked for both the public sector and private media, journalists and editorial managers frequently receive money or favors from sources – whether government agencies, businesses, individuals, or any other entities — in order to produce favorable content about them.

“This is basically advertising masking as editorial in the form of investigative reports, news reports, or any other material that may be printed in the paper, online, or broadcast on radio or television,” said a former newspaper editor in chief to the authors.

The Code of Ethics stipulates that journalists’ work be objective, independent, and in the public interest, and not for some special interest. And yet, according to the former editor in chief, the prevalence of such deceptive practices requires urgent and serious investigation to combat this phenomenon, at the individual, institutional, and national level: “No less than the credibility of the media is at stake.”

The value of the cash payments depend on the amount of editorial space on offer and on the status of the media concerned. Public figures who want to protect their image or portray themselves in a certain way often have several writers, editors or journalists on their pay roll at a select number of media outlets. The standard budget, according to experts, for this kind of paid journalism operation is in the tens of thousands of Egyptian pounds per year. On the lower end of the scale — and much more common – is the public figure or special interest body just looking for any kind of favour from a small time hack, the sort who might produce coverage that may only cost the rough equivalent of a dinner invitation.

Source: Tarek Atia and Mohamed Abdel-Rahman (2015) “Egypt: Zig-zag politics and the scorge of paid for journalism” in Aidan White (ed.) Untold Stories. How Corruption and Conflicts of Interests Stalk the Newsroom. Ethical Jornalism Network.

http://ethicaljournalismnetwork.org/assets/docs/220/136/92a87dc-d968188.pdf

Regional journalists in Colombia sell advertising to earn a living wage

Posted on September 21, 2015 Leave a Comment

Manipulation by political authorities, blackmail through government advertising, and irregular contractual relationships are some of the problems that regional journalists in Colombia are facing. These are some of the conclusions of Untold Stories, a 2015 report by the Ethical Journalism Network.

According to the report, the main concern is the pressure to get advertising or direct interference by public officials and politicians. “In the last six years eight radio stations have disappeared. Some have closed because journalists receive threats and leave the region, or move away from journalism. But it is also because media work is not economically viable. The ones that have better relations with the Mayor’s Office and get advertising money are the ones that survive”, said one journalist from Caucasia, capital city of the region of Bajo Cauca.

According to a 2012 report by the Colombian Federation of Journalists (FECOLPER) on working conditions and professional practice, journalists in Colombia devote 60 percent of their time to selling advertising. Most of the other 40 percent work on editing and production. The ability to conduct investigative journalism and research stories that affect society is much reduced.

The microphone and hat booby trap is a consequence of the advertising system’s “quotas” that operates in Colombia. Owners of radio stations provide radio or television space for journalists, as part of their remuneration. Thus, owners pay low wages, which are about 300 dollars, and in return journalists get more airtime, which in turn is sold to those interested in advertising. Journalists are forced to sell advertising to get their stories on air.

When a journalist is assigned to meet senior officials, he must first get out the microphone to ask questions and immediately after he must show the hat and convince them to advertise on his media, and thus collect money. Not surprisingly. It’s a situation that makes independent, critical journalism impossible.

In the book called País lejano y silenciado (Silenced and Distant Country), published by FLIP, the terrible consequences of this system are highlighted. According to the research it has given rise to a generation of journalists skilled in “extortion”, who disseminate false information in order to press potential customers to advertise. It has also served to present cases of “parachutist” journalists, who aren’t professionals but “opportunists who create programmes or newspapers with the only objective to make money from advertising”.

Source: Jonathan Bock (2015) “Colombia. Corruption, censorship and bullet points for ethical journalism” in Aidan White (ed.) Untold Stories. How Corrption and Conflicts of Interests Stalk the Newsroom. Ethical Jornalism Network.

A report denounces how soft censorship practices increasingly affect jornalism around the world

Posted on July 22, 2015 Leave a Comment

The Ethical Journalism Network has released “Untold Stories: How Corruption and Conflicts of Interest Stalk the Newsroom”, a report that covers 18 countries and exposes how financially-stricken news media are being overwhelmed by political and corporate forces.

The report finds that in countries both rich and poor, there are ‘dark arts’ at work in newsrooms: media managers are doing deals with advertisers to carry paid-for material disguised as honest news; reporters and editors accept bribes and irregular payments; and a culture of dependence on political and corporate friends makes it increasingly difficult to separate journalism from propaganda and impartial reporting from public relations.

Although the report notes that the major threats come from outside media, with governments, unscrupulous politicians and corporate communicators increasingly shaping the news agenda and taking advantage of newsrooms weakened by cuts and restructuring of the media economy, it also highlights how many wounds are also self-inflicted. It notes that many of today’s media owners do not buy into journalism for commercial reasons, but mostly to promote their own business and political agenda.

The survey concludes that a toxic mix of political and business pressures are leading to systematic disregard of ethical journalism principles, and includes a series of recommendations for authorities and media professionals necessary to promote ethical journalism and information in the public interest.

Source: White, Aidan (editor): “Untold Stories: How Corruption and Conflicts of Interest Stalk the Newsroom”, Ethical Journalism Network 2015

http://ethicaljournalismnetwork.org/assets/docs/220/136/92a87dc-d968188.pdf

First court victory against ‘brown envelope’ journalism in Nigeria

Posted on July 15, 2015 Leave a Comment

Some publishers in Nigeria expect that the journalists working in their media get their salaries through payments from individuals or organisations in exchange for publishing their stories, denounces bbc.com.

The article interviews the editor Pau Ibe, famous in the country after an Abuja court awarded him damages against his former newspaper’s publishers, who expected him to work without pay.

‘Brown envelopes’ containing cash are handed out during press briefings, the article says, a practice “that has been going on for so long that many young journalists with whom I have spoken have no idea that it is unethical”, According to bbc.com, “you cannot expect the average Nigerian journalist to be fair in the presentation of facts”.

Direct payments and montly salaries to editors by Nigerian politicians, together with a dysfunctional judicial system, influence reporting and prevent investigative journalism.

According to the article, “established newspapers are paid to keep big stories off the front page [while] adverts are supposed to buy silence”.

The article also reminds the financial difficulties of the now defunct Next newspaper, funded by Pulitzer-winning journalist Dele Olojede, and with a clear policy against brown envelopes. After one revelation about corruption in the oil trade, scores of advertisers instantly pulled out and any organisations began to distance themselves from the newspaper, for fear of being seen to be supporting the enemy of their friends.

Source: Nigeria’s ‘brown envelope’ journalism (5 March 2015) Bbc.com http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-31748257

Paid news have become “common” in Israel

Posted on July 3, 2015 Leave a Comment

Branded content, product placement, and paid news items have become common in the Israeli media, according to Freedom House.

Such practices gained greater exposure in 2014, generating public calls to clearly identify content that has been paid for by advertisers and other parties. For example, the Seventh Eye, a Hebrew media monitoring site, reported in May that the Economy and Trade Ministry had paid nearly $100,000 to Yedioth Ahronoth in exchange for positive coverage in 2012 and 2013.

The Mako news and entertainment portal announced at the end of 2014 that it would be the first site to clearly identify reports and video clips that contain branded content.

Source: Freedom of the Press Index 2015 – Israel

https://freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-press/2015/israel#.VY0Ty0v_9EQ

Tacit advertising appears to be common in Bulgaria

Posted on April 2, 2015 Leave a Comment

EUROPE – BULGARIA – PAID “NEWS”

In Bulgaria, according to Freedom House (FH) and the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS), while the media environment remains pluralistic, editors and journalists routinely shape their reporting to suit the political and economic interests of owners or major advertisers. A large portion of the coverage of May 2013 parliamentary elections allegedly consisted of paid partisan content, which was often not labelled as such. An editor-in-chief quoted in the KAS analysis provides an example: “During the election campaign, we covered the tacit party publications under a specially-created column because the parties did not want it to be understood that they are paid ones”.

This report highlights tacit advertising as a common practice in Bulgaria. It affects exclusively print media and websites because it is prohibited by law for electronic media with the Article 85 of the Radio and Television Act. Even if the two ethical codes in the country provide that advertisement and paid publications should be differentiated from journalistic content, there have been many breaches of this principle in practice, according to the report. Certain advertisement tariff lists of national dailies show that they allow PR publications in consideration of higher payment.

Commercial advertisers also have a strong influence on the editorial output of Bulgarian media, according to the KAS report. Companies allegedly ask for materials that present them in a positive light as a condition of buying advertising. The analysis also highlights that sometimes they even ask outlets to play down or ignore customer complaints or run critical coverage of their competitors. In addition, many times there is no clear differentiation between the sponsored and editorial content, the report found.

Advertising disguised as news in Croatia

Posted on April 2, 2015 Leave a Comment

EUROPE – CROATIA – “PAID NEWS”

In Croatia, a decline in advertising revenue due to the global economic crisis, as well as rapidly dwindling newspaper circulations, have left many media outlets financially weak, Freedom House found in 2014. This leads allegedly to a blurring of the lines between journalism, advertising, and public relations. Media outlets are unable to publish articles that criticize their advertisers, and it is possible to find advertising pieces disguised as news articles.

Serbian media required to broadcast gov PR

Posted on March 31, 2015

EUROPE — SERBIA — PAID NEWS

Advertising contracts offered by Serbian state bodies often require media outlets to broadcast/ publish interviews with state officials or public relations materials on the work of state organs or public enterprises as news, the WAN-IFRA Soft Censorship report found. These are not marked as paid content, and may mislead the public into believing that they are independent journalistic reporting.

Paid content disguised in Latvia

Posted on March 31, 2015

EUROPE — LATVIA — PAID NEWS

“Hidden advertising” in the media is reportedly a serious issue in Latvia, particularly troublesome in the Russian language publications, the European Journalism Centre found. Paid content is offered as professional journalistic content “against pay or other agreements, and not as a result of journalistic evaluation.”

Vita Zelce, Klinta Locmele, and Olga Procevska, European Journalism Centre, Media Landscapes—Latvia, November 2010, http://ejc.net/media_landscapes/latvia

http://www.docstoc.com/docs/27610123/Hidden-Advertising-in-Latvian-media