The Alliance for Journalists’ Freedom (AJF) calls for the immediate release of Australian Journalist, Cheng Lei.
The AJF has offered to help resolve the escalating issue between the NT Government and local digital publication the NT Independent. Banning legitimate news publishers from press conferences is a contradiction to the tenets of a liberal democracy. The Government's concerns about the legitimacy of he publication lie with its owner, not its journalism, and so the AJF seeks a...
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Filipino journalist Ronnie Villamor has been shot dead at a check point in Central Philippines. Villamor was a contributor to the local independent Dos Kantos Balita weekly tabloid. This is the second shooting of a journalist within the last two weeks, after the shooting of Virgilio Maganes on November 10th. The Philippines is 7th on the CPJ's Global Impunity Index, which...
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Ita Buttrose has joined AJF's call for a Media Freedom Act (MFA). Buttrose, in a speech to the Ramsay Centre for Western Civilisation, noted the need for a MFA to strengthen our democracy and balance our national security laws with the public's right to know. The AJF has been calling for a MFA since we released our White Paper, three...
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Filipino journalist Virgilio Maganes has been shot dead, in the second attempt on his life. Maganes was a commentator for DWPR radio station, and was 62 years old. The Philippines is 7th on the CPJ's Global Impunity Index, which calculates the number of unsolved journalist murders as a percentage of each country’s population. The Guardian published an article on Maganes'...
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The Alliance for Journalists’ Freedom has called for a voluntary certification program for Australian journalists as an essential step towards building trust in journalism, and distinguishing journalists from what can be false and misleading commentary on social and digital channels. Professor Peter Greste, AJF spokesperson, says: “We believe that a voluntary certification program is needed now. As journalism and the...
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In the lead up to the Myanmar Election – which is now only a week and a half away – the country has seen a steep decline in media freedoms, in just some areas of the country, due to internet shutdowns. This means not all of the populace have the same access to information during the election period. BNI have...
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The NT's Government blacklisting of news outlet NT Independent seems to be based on personal relationships, rather than concerns about the journalism practiced by the outlet. The AJF commented, saying that the NT Government should reverse its position on the NT Independent immediately. "We can't imagine any Australian government — state or federal — would knowingly restrict press freedom. News...
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Peter Greste, Alliance for Journalists’ Freedom spokesperson can be quoted as saying: “Without any evidence of wrong-doing, the Chinese authorities’ treatment of the ABC’s Bill Birtles and Mike Smith from the AFR looks like harassment of respected journalists to make a political and diplomatic point. “Journalists should never be used as political pawns and hostages. Without Australian journalists operating freely...
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