VOA names new Africa Division Director

11 December 2021

VOA names new Africa Division Director

Voice of America has selected Salwa Jaafari as the new Director of Voice of America’s Africa Division. Jaafari, a VOA news executive since 2015, will oversee all VOA television, radio, and web content and coverage for Africa and the Africa Division’s staff of more than 500 journalists in the U.S. and around the world. Jaafari has been executive producer for the VOA French-to-Africa news team, in charge of television programming to French-speaking Africa.

Before moving to the U.S. in 2011, Jaafari managed newsrooms in her native Morocco and reported from around Africa and the Middle East. In 2006, she received CNN’s African Journalist of the Year award. In the U.S. prior to joining VOA, she worked for Agence France-Presse and Sky News Arabia.

In addition to English, Jaafari speaks French and Arabic. She holds a bachelor’s degree in English linguistics and a master’s degree in English.

“We are delighted to welcome Salwa Jaafari to the ranks of VOA senior management and are excited about the energy and focus on excellence she will bring to the Africa division leadership,” said Acting VOA Director Yolanda Lόpez.

The VOA Africa Division is one of VOA’s most impactful. Serving sub-Saharan Africa on radio, television and digital media, it reaches a weekly audience of nearly 70 million.

The appointment is effective December 19, 2021.

[Source: VOA press release]

To mark Human Rights Day, the BBC calls on Iran to end harassment of BBC News Persian staff

10 December 2021

To mark Human Rights Day, the BBC calls on Iran to end harassment of BBC News Persian staff

The BBC has today (10 December) marked International Human Rights Day by calling upon Iran to end the escalating cross-border harassment and threats towards BBC News Persian journalists and staff. The call to end the harassment of BBC News Persian journalists comes as the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded to journalists at risk, Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov, “for their efforts to safeguard freedom of expression, which is a precondition for democracy and lasting peace.”

For over a decade, Iran has conducted a campaign of harassment and intimidation towards BBC News Persian journalists and their families in Iran. This has included death threats towards BBC journalists and their families in London, an asset freeze, as well as online harassment and gendered attacks on women journalists. Their family members in Iran have been arbitrarily detained, held in degrading conditions, interrogated and ordered to tell their relatives to stop working for the BBC, and faced other forms of discrimination because their relatives work for the BBC.

In the past year, threats against BBC News Persian staff and Persian-speaking journalists outside Iran have escalated. Death threats and threats of extra-territorial harm have been made towards BBC News Persian staff in London, leading to police involvement and protection. Journalists working for other organisations, and others perceived to be critics of the Iranian authorities have been abducted from other countries and returned to Iran, to be imprisoned and (in at least one case) to face the death penalty.

Liliane Landor, Senior Controller of BBC News International Services and Director of BBC World Service, said:

“It was after the escalation of persecution in 2017, when the Iranian judiciary imposed a freeze on all assets of BBC News Persian staff in Iran, that the BBC initiated its first ever UN complaint in relation to the protection of BBC journalists, and has continued to engage with UN Special Mechanisms since. This asset freeze has served to deprive BBC News Persian staff and their families of property, including their ability to sell or rent assets. The asset freeze serves as a financial sanction and penalty on BBC News Persian staff for doing their journalistic work, and it also sanctions their families.”

Concern has been raised about Iran’s treatment of BBC News Persian by the UN Secretary-General and successive UN Special Rapporteurs. For example, in March 2020, a group of UN experts made a joint statement condemning Iran’s harassment of BBC, raising concern of indications that:

“… the Iranian authorities are prepared to use force extra-territorially, in violation of international law. Harassment, surveillance, death threats against journalists, within and outside domestic boundaries violate international human right law, including the right to physical integrity, the right to life and the right to freedom of expression.”

Caoilfhionn Gallagher QC and Jennifer Robinson (Doughty Street Chambers), Counsel for BBC World Service, said:

“Today marks a historic moment, with the Nobel Peace Prize being awarded to journalists for their work. Our clients from BBC News Persian receive threats of death and violence simply for doing their jobs, and we know from Iran’s past actions that it is willing to take cross-border and deadly action to silence journalists. Many more BBC News Persian journalists are enduring other forms of systematic harassment, including their families being targeted, their assets frozen, and abuse online. We call on the international community to take immediate, robust action to ensure Iran is held accountable, and BBC News Persian journalists can report without fear.”

Michelle Stanistreet, NUJ general secretary, said:

“The continuing campaign of harassment against journalists at BBC News Persian and their families by the Iranian authorities is despicable and must stop. It is not only completely unacceptable for them to face such vicious personal intimidation, it is also a direct attack on press freedom. Journalism is not a crime, and journalists must be free to do their jobs. This year the Nobel Prize committee singled out Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov for their courage, adding that they were representatives of all journalists, such as those working for BBC News Persian, who stand up for freedom and democracy.”

BBC News Persian reaches a weekly global audience of nearly 22 million people, including around 13 million in Iran. It is part of BBC World Service which delivers news content in English and 41 other language services, on radio, TV and digital. The BBC attracts a weekly global audience of 489 million people to its services available internationally, including BBC World Service, BBC World News television channel, bbc.com/news, BBC Studios and the international charity, BBC Media Action.

VOA launches ’52 Documentary’ series

9 December 2021

VOA launches ’52 Documentary’ series

The Voice of America launches a new documentary series on its OTT (over-the-top) streaming platform, VOA+. Titled “52 Documentary,” the series includes 52 short and long-form documentaries released once a week for an entire year, offering VOA’s global audience visually compelling human-interest stories only available on VOA+.

The short-form films will be VOA-original productions with total running times of 10 to 15 minutes. The long-form films will be acquired content ranging from 60 to 90 minutes. Captions will be provided in several languages including Russian, Persian, Mandarin, Urdu and English. After 30 days on VOA+, the films will be available through a special “52 Documentary” YouTube channel.

One of the initial offerings, a 13 and-a-half-minute short documentary titled “Breaking a Taboo,” relays the story of Shukria Bahmani, a Muay Thai (Thai kickboxing) fighter from Afghanistan. Her career and life are now in jeopardy as women battle new gender expectations in Afghanistan. In addition to English, this film is available in Burmese, Farsi, Indonesian, Korean, Spanish, Russian, Mandarin, and Urdu.

“VOA is always looking for new and engaging ways to bring thought-provoking stories to its global audience,” said Acting VOA Director Yolanda Lόpez. “This documentary series on VOA+, our OTT platform, will allow us to reach new audiences that are looking to consume compelling content on demand.”

VOA+ is Voice of America’s streaming application, currently available on Apple TV and Apple handheld devices, Android TV and Android handheld devices, Samsung TV, LG TV, and Amazon Fire. VOA+ allows viewers to watch VOA’s TV shows, documentaries, English lessons, and special live-streamed events at any time and from anywhere. The app is commercial-free and does not require a subscription. OTT is a means of providing television and film content over the internet upon request and to suit the requirements of an individual consumer.

[Source: VOA press release]

MBC Group is strategic partner for Red Sea International Film Festival

7 December 2021

MBC Group is strategic partner for Red Sea International Film Festival

The Red Sea International Film Festival announces MBC GROUP – the largest and leading media company in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) – as festival partner. This partnership is considered highly valuable to the Red Sea International Film Festival – which celebrates its inaugural edition this December – given the unprecedented scale of this cinematic event in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the rest of the Arab world.

Part of the partnership with MBC GROUP will involve elevating and publicising the accomplishments of the Red Sea International Film Festival, taking place in Jeddah. This includes broadcasting the festival’s activities, as well as assisting the festival in inviting local talent to participate in MBC’s special “Talent Days” workshop.

The strategic partnership also extends to films, with several MBC STUDIOS productions debuting or being showcased at the festival. They include two titles being presented in the “New Saudi Cinema” category: “Kayan” by Hakim Jomah, “Route Ten” by Omar Naim, as well as “Rupture” by Hamzah Jamjoom competing in the Red Sea Competition.

Furthermore, “Becoming”, a film produced by the Red Sea International Film Festival, which will premiere at the event on 8 December 2021, will be available to stream on Shahid VIP – MBC GROUP’s leading SVOD streaming platform – in the MENA region immediately after the festival. The premiere of “Becoming” coincides with an important festival event dedicated to celebrating women’s empowerment.

In terms of mentorship and training, the Red Sea International Film Festival’s “Talent Days” programme, taking place 12-12 December in partnership with MBC GROUP, is designed for emerging and amateur filmmakers, scriptwriters, and producers in the region. Featuring workshops, keynote speeches, and panel discussions on a wide range of topics relating to the film industry, the programme offers the opportunity for up-and-coming talent to learn from leading local, regional, and international experts, as well as set new benchmarks for the film industry in KSA.

During the programme, Shahid will be awarding a cash prize of $100,000 to a Saudi project in development or in production, which will result in the winning title being exhibited across the MENA region.

Jana Yamani, Executive Director of MBC Academy, MBC Talent and MBC Al Amal stated: “MBC GROUP and the Red Sea International Film Festival share a unified vision for the region’s youth in media and film production. This generation of young talent consists of ambitious changemakers who seek, not only to create change and make an impact, but redefine the region’s media and entertainment content landscape.”

She continued: “We believe that our partnership with the festival creates a synergy that ultimately develops and showcases the level of talent and creativity our Saudi youth possesses. Being the first Saudi cinematic celebration of its kind, the Red Sea International Film Festival provides a unique platform for young talent to make their mark on the Arab World and beyond. It is our mission to ensure that their capabilities are shown across the world.”

Shivani Pandiya Malhotra, Managing Director at the Red Sea International Film Festival, commented on this momentous partnership: “It is our honour to collaborate with the media giant, MBC GROUP as our festival partner. As the pioneering media company in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the region, MBC’s expertise and perceptions are extremely valuable to us, our talents, and our guests.

“Our purpose at the Red Sea International Film Festival is to empower the youth and provide Saudi talent with a platform and creative outlet for storytelling. With MBC’s contribution to the festival, our efforts are amplified – the festival aims to promote cross-cultural exchange and foster the growth of the Arab film industry. Alongside our partner MBC, with its wide reach across the region, the festival is set to position the Kingdom as a contributor to the international film industry, whilst creating and delivering a world-class event for the people of the nation.”

[Source: MBC press office]

New DW-led research provides insights into the control of Covid-19 in European prisons

6 December 2021

New DW-led research provides insights into the control of Covid-19 in European prisons

DW’s latest research released today December 6, “COVID: How Europe’s prisons have fared in the pandemic”, produced in collaboration with 11 newsrooms* in the European Data Journalism Network (EDJNet), gives a comprehensive overview of the ongoing management of Covid-19 in European prisons and the actions required to protect the health and human rights of prisoners and control the spread of the infection.

By gathering data on COVID cases, deaths, and vaccinations in prisons in 32 countries, the research reveals that the number of Covid-19 cases in prisons tends to follow those in the outside world. However, prisons’ responses to control the spread of the virus came at a price: prison visits were discontinued, communal activities suspended, and solitary confinement increased. In particular, the pandemic has exacerbated already existing structural problems, such as overcrowding. In addition, the data indicate that vaccine access in prisons was delayed.

These findings support the need to stop overcrowding, expand the availability of vaccinations to inmates and provide necessary access to in-person visits. It also highlights the need to find alternatives to imprisonment as a critical step towards reducing the use of incarceration.

DW has been a member of the European Data Journalism Network since 2019. Coordinated by Deutsche Welle, the project was led by Kira Schacht and started in June 2021. Together with DW, the 11 partner today newsrooms published their own stories in more than 15 languages and shared DW’s findings.

Kira Schacht, research project lead and Data journalist at DW: “People in prisons are especially vulnerable to COVID-19, and outbreaks in prisons can endanger the world outside as well. But there’s virtually no public information, and very little reporting, on how prisons have fared during the pandemic. This international collaboration is a unique chance to shine a light at this often-ignored topic. Because, as one expert we spoke to said: “If the pandemic has taught us anything, it’s that if we leave one group behind, we make things worse for all of us”.

As regards the project scope, Schacht said: “Since there is no easily accessible data for all European countries, we combined the reporting and language skills of 11 newsrooms throughout Europe. Through a mix of international reports and information requests to local authorities, we built our own database of COVID-19 cases, deaths, vaccinations and measures in prisons. Together with the finished stories, we’ve also published this database, as well as a detailed report of our analysis methodology.”

Adriano Martufi, who researches prison conditions in Europe at Leiden University, said: “There is certainly a problem of underreporting. Health services in prisons are understaffed, underequipped. I’m not even sure whether they have the technical capability to collect and handle such data.”

[Source: DW press release]

NHK WORLD programme highlights December

1 December 2021

NHK WORLD programme highlights December

Designer Nakazato Yuima first took part in the Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week in 2016. The event is widely regarded as the pinnacle of fashion art. By now, he’s become accustomed to big runways, but the pressure is always on to produce something that goes beyond what he’s already done. Nakazato’s also committed himself to creating collections that are ecologically sustainable. Follow along as he makes his way through a hectic half-year, leading up to the next show.

From a boyhood in Mongolia, Hakuho rose to Yokozuna, the highest rank in the competitive world of Japanese sumo. He held that position for a record-breaking 14 years. But he struggled with the thought that he would never earn the love of the Japanese people. With the help of his trainer and his devoted family, he overcame physical pain and public disapproval to make his mark on the sumo ring and take his place in history. We follow the remarkable career of a rikishi who came to define his era.

BOSAI: Science that Can Save Your Life

Saturdays Sundays

5:40 / 8:40 14:40 / 22:40

Japan has a long history of natural disasters. BOSAI explores how to overcome them and save lives with the power of science.

NHK Symphony Orchestra Family Concert

December 24 Fri.

11:10 / 18:10

NHK Symphony Orchestra Family Concert presents highlights from a family concert originally performed in the summer of 2020 by the NHK Symphony Orchestra conducted by blossoming international conductor Keitaro Harada. With an introductory segment by Maestro Harada and excerpts from well-known classical masterpieces played for speed and a competition for the instruments with the lowest pitch, NHK Symphony Orchestra Family Concert provides listening enjoyment for the whole family and delight even the classical music novice. It is available for free through NHK WORLD–JAPAN On Demand for three months after the broadcast.

[Source: NHK WORLD press release]