Making A List Not Just For Santa - March 6, 2020
Authoritarians in our midst and various wannabes practice keeping inconvenient news away from their subjects. It’s a time honored tradition. The digital era promised relief from this practice, in the interest of preventing repression and promoting democracy. It has not worked out so well.

State Media Unhappy About International Attention - December 2, 2019
As a concept, public broadcasting of the European variety has vast support. Its radio and television channels, now including online platforms, have offered local entertainment, expansive cultural coverage and reliable information shielded by public funding and statutory independence. This mandate for public service media, as it is collectively identified, sets it apart from commercial, profit-oriented media that relies entirely on popular fare suited for advertising. Audiences for public and commercial channels reflect, generally, the strength of a nations social compact. It has become a bigger battle.

Small Cracks Emerge In State Media Control - October 28, 2019
Election campaigns are fought wholesale, entirely though media. Gone are the days of retail politics, when candidates would go door to door, figuratively if not literally. Now, election campaigns use every media platform available for messaging and advocacy; sometimes positive, often negative. And it can be nasty and relentless.

Propaganda Seeks Its Own Level, Sometimes Spreading, Sometimes Sinking, Always Stinking - April 11, 2019
Media outreach is considered essential for organizations seeking to manage their profile. While big companies mastered the art and science of message control decades ago. Governments have followed suit. Everybody has a message, it seems, critical to their purpose. Getting it in front of the right audience, in this digital age, can be a trick.

In Complete Control And Out of Control - December 4, 2018
Amassing more power is a common purpose of political leaders of a certain authoritarian bent. Media is a means to that end. Once in control of regulators and jurists many possibilities arise. Money is no object with the state treasury at hand. Opportunities are there for the taking. There is one big problem.

Juggling The Media Complicated For The Untrained - August 13, 2018
There are many reasons media and political spheres should remain at arms length. Experience and interests differ plus they certainly do not speak the same language. Politicians of all stripes long for power over message while media people tend toward keeping their jobs with clever messaging. Forcing them together requires a new talent: juggling.

A Free Press Is The Heartbeat Of A Country - April 26, 2018
Press and media freedom are not abstractions. The gains are genuine for leaders, institutions and the public informed directly. The loss is destructive; confidence shed, reality twisted. And, too, people die.

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Flying Through Turbulence – Media in the New EU Member States

ftm reports on media in the 12 newest EU Member States. Will media find clear air or more turbulence? Country reports, company reports and broadcaster/publisher reports. 98 pages PDF file (February 2007)

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