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CPJ launches resources on COVID-19’s impact on journalist safety, press freedom

Source: cpj.org

As the coronavirus pandemic spreads globally and journalists scramble to safely cover the news, the Committee to Protect Journalists is offering resources to reporters, interviewing journalists on the front line, and documenting press freedom violations related to coverage of COVID-19.

A new Coronvirus Response page on CPJ.org features regularly updated physical, digital, and psychosocial safety advice from CPJ Emergencies for journalists covering the crisis, available in more than 15 languages.

An “ask an expert” section allows journalists and newsrooms to submit questions and get up-to-date advice from CPJ safety experts.

Please click here for the full article: https://cpj.org/2020/03/cpj-launches-resources-on-covid-19s-impact-on-jour.php

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Expert Bill Marczak: What Journalists Should Know About Coronavirus Cellphone Tracking

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Source: cpj.org

Governments all over the world have been considering cellphone surveillance to help track and contain the spread of the coronavirus.

In Italy, Germany and Austria, Reuters reports, telecoms companies say they are turning over data containing location information to public health officials, though aggregated and anonymized to prevent individuals from being identified.

Please click here for the full article : https://cpj.org/blog/2020/03/bill-marczak-journalists-coronavirus-cellphone-tracking.php

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SANEF Stands in Solidarity With Colleagues From the SABC Kimberley Office

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The South African National Editors’ Forum  (SANEF) stands in solidarity with our colleagues at the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) – this after one of their journalists tested positive for the Coronavirus (COVID19) in the Kimberley office in the Northern Cape.

SANEF understands that the public broadcaster took immediate precautionary steps yesterday and shut down its operations in the region. All staff are working from home.

SABC Editor-in-Chief Phathiswa Magopeni said the organisation is in contact with the journalist who is recovering at home.

Magopeni states, “We wish him well. We know that he came into contact with two German tourists. Given the close proximity of our news staff in the newsroom – 25 colleagues in the Kimberley office – we decided, as a precautionary measure, to close the office and have all staff quarantined and tested. We are developing contingency plans for the operations there.”

“As the SABC, since the start of the disaster, we have taken critical precautionary measures to safe-guard all our staff – with masks and other protective gear and items. But clearly given this scenario it calls for journalists to be extra careful”, added Magopeni.

SANEF calls on all media organisations to make sure their staff are kitted with the relevant protective gear. Journalists and media workers are among the essential staff listed on government’s lock down regulations and must be cautious when out reporting on the spread and containment of the virus. We refer all media organisations to the safety tips including on our SANEF website https://sanef.org.za/coronavirus-covid-19-updates/

South Africa is in its first day of our 21-day lockdown period. SANEF calls on all media organizations to act responsibly and with care and consideration and to make sure that they have taken all precautions to keep their staff safe.

We send our heartfelt condolences to the family of the two South African women aged 28 and 48 who have succumbed to the disease in the Western Cape.

Note to Editors:The South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) is a non-profit organisation whose members are editors, senior journalists and journalism trainers from all areas of the South African media. We are committed to championing South Africa’s hard-won freedom of expression and promoting quality, ethics and diversity in the South African media. We promote excellence in journalism through fighting for media freedom, writing policy submissions, research, education and training programmes. SANEF is not a union.

For more information please contact:

  • Mahlatse Mahlase – SANEF Chairperson, (083) 399-2852
  • Mary Papayya – Acting SANEF Media Freedom Chair (082) 379-4957
  • Judy Sandison – SANEF KZN Convenor 0825713334
  • Sbu Ngalwa – SANEF Eastern Cape Convenor (073) 404-1415
  • Janet Heard – SANEF Western Cape SANEF Convenor, 0780419528
  • Hopewell Radebe – SANEF Acting Gauteng Regional Convenor 083 582 1734
  • Kate Skinner – SANEF Executive Director – 082 926 6404

 

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Media Diaries: Covid-19 Edition

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Ep1: Health-e News and COVID-19

What happens when our journalists, the people we expect to be out in the world for us, are forced to stay at home? At a time when we vitally need reliable reporting, how are editors managing the COVID-19 crisis?

This podcast tracks our journalists and editors in their intimate moments – as they send us voice notes via WhatsApp – and we document how they are coping and innovating around COVID-19.

Brought to you by Volume and the South Africa Media Innovation Program.

Please click on the following links for the podcast:

https://podcasts.apple.com/za/podcast/media-diaries-covid-19-edition/id1479184124

https://open.spotify.com/show/4a9AReo0L2iOEUJRE2H6DO

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TAEF Statement on Coronavirus (Covid-19) and the African Media

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The African Editors Forum expresses its solidarity with the thousands of journalists, editors and media workers across the African continent who continue to work under difficult conditions to bring communities and nations news and information about COVID-19 (Coronavirus).

Throughout the ages, journalists have braved atrocious conditions to bring news stories, photographs and video footage about wars and other pandemics, such as Ebola, that have afflicted the nations across Africa.Covering COVID-19, one of the biggest pandemic to hit mankind in recent history, is a call of duty that journalists, editors and media workers have carried out with great aplomb.

This goes from providing communities across the continent with basic information about how they can prevent the spread of the virus and what to do if they think they have it. The media has also played a crucial role in providing news and information that people can use as country after country enforces lockdowns in a desperate effort to stop the spread of the COVID-19, which has decimated lives across Europe at an alarming rate.

In addition to expressing its support to the media across Africa, TAEF calls on governments who have not yet declared media
workers as essential workers to do so. This would, as it has done before, enable them to do their work without any hindrance.

TAEF also cautions that the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic must not be used by some governments on our continent to restrict media freedom and independence.

For more information, please contact:

Jovial Rantao
Chairperson: [email protected]
Makan Kone: [email protected]

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SANEF ALert – Media Cards and Documentation for Lockdown – Final Information

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The South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) now has FINAL confirmation from both the Ministry of Communications and Digital Technologies, Stella Ndabeni Abrahams and the Minister of Police, Bheki Cele that media workers and support staff will need the following to go out on assignment during the lock down:

  • ID document;
  • A media card; and
  • A permit – a short document included as annexure C in government gazette No. 43148 – The Disaster Management Regulations released by Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, 25 March 2020.
  • Click here to download the Government Gazette :  43148_25-3_COGTA

In terms of foreign journalists, the following is required:

  • Identification/ passport;
  • Confirmation from employer that the person is a working journalist, a letter will do; and
  • Permit – annexure C as mentioned above.

In terms of freelancers:

  • ID document;
  • Letter from media house confirming the journalist is working on their projects; and
  • Permit – annexure C as mentioned above.

 

Note to Editors: The South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) is a non-profit organisation whose members are editors, senior journalists and journalism trainers from all areas of the South African media. We are committed to championing South Africa’s hard-won freedom of expression and promoting quality, ethics and diversity in the South African media. We promote excellence in journalism through fighting for media freedom, writing policy submissions, research, education and training programmes. SANEF is not a union.

For more information please contact:

  • Mahlatse Mahlase – SANEF Chairperson, (083) 399-2852
  • Mary Papayya – Acting SANEF Media Freedom Chair (082) 379-4957
  • Judy Sandison – SANEF KZN Convenor 0825713334
  • Sbu Ngalwa – SANEF Eastern Cape Convenor (073) 404-1415
  • Janet Heard – SANEF Western Cape SANEF Convenor, 0780419528
  • Hopewell Radebe – SANEF Acting Gauteng Regional Convenor 083 582 1734
  • Kate Skinner – SANEF Executive Director – 082 926 6404  

 

 

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SANEF Alert – Media Cards for Lockdown

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The South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) has confirmation from the Ministry of Communications and Digital Technologies, today 25 March, that journalists and media workers will need their ID document, a letter from their CEO on a company letterhead, and a media card. No permits are required.

Note to Editors:The South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) is a non-profit organisation whose members are editors, senior journalists and journalism trainers from all areas of the South African media. We are committed to championing South Africa’s hard-won freedom of expression and promoting quality, ethics and diversity in the South African media. We promote excellence in journalism through fighting for media freedom, writing policy submissions, research, education and training programmes. SANEF is not a union.

For more information please contact:

  • Mahlatse Mahlase – SANEF Chairperson, (083) 399-2852
  • Mary Papayya – Acting SANEF Media Freedom Chair (082) 379-4957
  • Judy Sandison – SANEF KZN Convenor 0825713334
  • Sbu Ngalwa – SANEF Eastern Cape Convenor (073) 404-1415
  • Janet Heard – SANEF Western Cape SANEF Convenor, 0780419528
  • Hopewell Radebe – SANEF Acting Gauteng Regional Convenor 083 582 1734
  • Kate Skinner – SANEF Executive Director – 082 926 6404

 

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SANEF Directive on Emergency Media Cards for Lockdown Identification

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The South African National Editors’ Forum (SANEF) wishes to advise all members of the media and their respective media houses and organisations to organize media cards.

The Government Communication and Information System (GCIS) and the South African Police Services (SAPS) have stated that if you are stopped by security personnel, that will be enforcing the lockdown, you will need to show media cards. This will include support services.

SANEF encourages media houses to go to the Publishers Support Services (PSS) via the Press Council to organise their cards within the next 48 hours.

They should urgently fill in the attached application form for emergency press cards.

Please send the forms to Lionel Jeffries at [email protected] or to Penelope at [email protected].

Journalists wanting press cards must send the application form with a photo. Applicants for the press card will be invoiced later and therefore can send the application forms without funds for now. Cards can be collected from the Press Council.

Applicants and or media houses who are outside Johannesburg and or outside the Gauteng province must sort their own courier. All applicants must make their own arrangements to collect their press cards at the following address:

Press Council

First Floor, Building 8

Burnside office Park

410 Jan Smuts Avenue, Craighall Park.

Please note that you need to be a member of the Press Council.

SANEF is presently investigating options for media houses who are not part of the Press Council. We will get back to you shortly.

SABC journalists can use their company security cards.

Note to Editors: SANEF is not responsible for the issuing of the Press /Media cards. Talk directly to Lionel and Penelope.

Please click here to download the form: Press Card Form 2020.doc (008)

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