Dijah Jawo’s Post

An unfortunate byproduct of the digital age is that incorrect, incomplete, or misleading journalism now has the power to damage your reputation indefinitely. #ReputationManagement #PersonalBranding https://bit.ly/3EDmlN9 How to remove negative information and news articles from the web - https://lnkd.in/eNDf_r-z

Upon long discussion between the government and relevant stakeholders, on 20 February 2024, President Joko Widodo finally enacted President Regulation No. 32 of 2024 on Digital Platform Company’s Responsibility to Support Quality Journalism (“Regulation 32/2024”), which will be fully in force 6 (six) months after its enactment, i.e., on 20 August 2024. Regulation 32/2024 was enacted to respond to the unavoidable connection between journalism and digital platforms that have a significant role in creating and distributing journalistic works to the public. Regulation 32/2024 is thought to be inspired by similar regulations in other jurisdictions, such as the “News Media Bargaining Code” in Australia and “Bill C-18” in Canada, which govern the rights of publishers regarding their relationship with digital platforms. Read the full article on : https://lnkd.in/e-NVi_r4

Politicians increasingly blur the line between providing factual information and sensationalizing issues for political gain. This tactic often involves presenting basic government responsibilities as extraordinary achievements, suggesting that they are addressing past neglect by previous administrations. This strategy can mislead the public, overshadowing the government's duty to ensure continuity in essential services and creating a distorted narrative where routine actions are portrayed as exceptional. Such practices diminish transparency and erode public trust in political leadership. In this context, educating the public about the work of journalists and the value of local news becomes crucial. As political narratives skew information, helping people understand the essential role of journalism can address the public's declining support for it. Local news serves as a check on power and informs citizens about important community issues, yet its collapse leads to a more vulnerable public, susceptible to misinformation. Educating the public to evaluate their information sources and recognize the harms of losing reliable, local journalism is a vital step toward fostering an informed and engaged citizenry. This combined effort can counteract political manipulation, conspiracy theories etc., promoting a clearer, more transparent flow of information. I continue to advocate for the above, as a journalist.

In today's world, biased media erodes trust and democracy. We need journalism that prioritizes truth and accountability, not corporate interests. Let's support media that asks tough questions and champions the public good. Our society's future depends on it. What kind of media do we really want? #Journalism #MediaIntegrity #TruthMatters #Accountability #PublicTrust https://lnkd.in/gDYxva7i

It's #WorldPressFreedomDay, a time to reflect that journalism plays a central role in sustaining democracy. This excerpt from a message by Courtney Radsch, PhD, director of Center for Journalism and Liberty, reminds me that press freedom does not exist in a void: at the end of the day, journalists provide a public service in a market economy, and the policies that govern such market have always mattered for journalists to make a living and do their jobs free from fear of retaliation - be it coming from govts or the private sector. "News organizations and journalists around the world face not only a myriad of obstacles from authoritarian and autocratic regimes that seek to silence them, but also an information environment that is heavily controlled and concentrated in a handful of digital platforms. Competition policy plays a fundamental role in structuring media markets and business models that ensure the future of a strong and independent free press where journalists can make a living and work safely and without fear of reprisal, from government or corporations." #pressfreedom #digitaljournalism #informationintegrity I invite you to read the full message here:

Despite looking "very annoyed" at times (Lord McNally), I was grateful to be able to give evidence to the UK House of Lords inquiry into the future of journalism this week. I was sitting next to two execs from the largest local media owners in the country, both companies that have made mass layoffs in the past decade. I suppose it's their job to portray the industry in a positive light because they control the majority of it. But I felt it was important to make clear to the committee just how far things have fallen in local journalism. Just the top three companies are employing around 6,000 fewer local journalists than they were in 2007 (according to estimates from Press Gazette), down from around 9,000 to around 3,000. Hundreds of newspapers have disappeared, and many that remain are now "zombie papers" with little or no original reporting. Local journalism in this country needs a huge wave of innovation and renewal, but given how the large companies have trashed their local brands and taken readers for granted, that renaissance will need to be led by new entrants to the market. Hundreds of journalists have started great titles in the past decade, but very few can make a proper living out of it. At the moment, innovation is being stifled. As I told the committee, the government needs to create a level playing field by reforming archaic public notice rules (which currently funnel more than £40m a year to the big cost-cutting companies), make government ad spending fairer and implement strong anti-SLAPP rules, so that smaller media companies can't be bullied into silence by spurious legal claims. But the first step is awareness. Policymakers and the public need to understand the scale of the crisis, which is the point I was trying to make in this clip. I'd love to know your thoughts and what else can be done to get things moving in the right direction again.

The role of journalism in the digital age. In a nutshell, the article says, that the core issue in addressing trust between sources and journalists lies in the power balance: choosing between diverse perspectives or a single "truth." Experts stress that journalists must adapt to the digital era by viewing information as a service, not a product. This involves acting as curators and information filters rather than sole providers of comprehensive news. Additionally, journalists should foster open discourse by presenting various opinions and stepping away from the role of absolute authority. Lastly, the role of citizen journalists should be embraced as a valuable resource, particularly as traditional news organizations face staff reductions. https://lnkd.in/eNq854pf

Media coverage of the Olympics has demonstrated the media's unreasonably powerful role in shaping narratives and creating divisions. News now need to be quick and concise, often resulting in shallow and empty clickbait rather than quality journalism – otherwise, people won't engage. I’m not saying there are no good journalists out there, nor is it solely their fault (as demand drives supply). But the truth is there has been so much misinformation in the media, promoting hateful, divisive and false narratives. And it's not just about false information but also about not providing the full context, leaving readers with too many information gaps. As readers, we have the responsibility to double-check our sources before posting, commenting, or spreading information, avoiding rushed judgments or accusations based purely on assumptions. Often we are too focused on making our point, ignoring the actual situation, facts and the impact we may have on someone’s life. Do we always need to have an opinion? Can we normalise the response: ‘I don’t know; I need to read more and think about it’? How do you verify the information you share?

  Communications professionals have an obligation to defend and support credible media outlets producing journalism grounded in shared facts, ethical reporting standards and protecting the public interest. In the disinformation age, shady websites like The Hub have spilled out of think tanks to prop up political and corporate agendas while passing themselves off as ‘independent’ media outlets. At least in this social media graphic they’re transparent about the far-right agenda they’re amplifying (though not so transparent about who funds them). I have nothing against the opinionator industry as long as they’re honest that they’re little more than Substack curators and a long way from credible media outlets that aim to meet basic journalism standards and engage in newsgathering.

Journalism as a public good