Sierra Leone Association of Journalists: SLAJ Launches Professional Network to Support Independent Reporting on Business and Economic Issues (04.08.2021)

National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUPJ): 33 Years Later, Solidarity for Press Freedom and for Media Still Needed (30.07.2021)

Ethiopia Media Authority: Press Release on the Addis Standard (21.07.2021)

Ethiopia: Center for Advancement of Rights and Democracy (CARD) – CARD Strongly Condemns the Deterioration of Media Freedom in Ethiopia (19.07.2021)

Opinion: Kulinski have fled the sinking ship of TYT

It is now revealed after the video clip earlier this week of news anchor Cenk Uygur saying his final “goodbye” to Kyle Kulinski and “the Secular Talk” from The Young Turks (TYT) Network. The last few weeks has been horrible for TYT and this isn’t making things better.

That Kulinski is leaving the TYT. Shows that one of the biggest network assets has left the scene. As the TYT have lost two former commentators and contributors in Kulinski and Jimmy Dore. Both of these YouTube Channels has an ability cause a stir and political interest online. Where they will directly fight with TYT.

That Kyle is now leaving is an indication that the ties are now finally over. TYT have gone on a rampage against anyone criticising it. The TYT have tried to smear other journalists and directly attacked them. Without proof of their allegations and the supposed ill-advised reporting they supposed to do. While the TYT haven’t redacted or done anything in their way to take responsibility for their actions.

Cenk Uygur looks like his losing it and he don’t know how to handle this storm. The TYT is losing not only edge, but also subscribers. The TYT is losing former hosts, anchors and network associates. Former friends of the TYT is now becoming cold or getting attacked. That is what is happening and its a very tragic demise of the Network.

Kyle leaving this way shows he has understood that this was his time. He is starting to have a good platform on his own and also a podcast. His businesses elsewhere is reaching new heights and he isn’t in need of the backing of the TYT. That must hurt Cenk, but Cenk has also stopped giving him any reasons to be affiliated with the network.

The TYT brand and ethos as a progressive is clearly sinking. The ideals of the news network is also becoming stagnate. The TYT has 5 million members on YouTube, but how many of them is daily viewers? How many are following the live shows? Does the Vanguard or Hard Lens Media have more of a traction now? Heck does one man teams of Jesse Dollamore or Farron Balanced have rising power?

The TYT is living on a knives edge. Cenk’s words in his final goodbye to Kyle was distasteful and disgraceful. Wishing someone a “disaster” and saying his choices will be filled with more “disasters”. That isn’t professional, but a butt-hurt and seemingly angry. Kulinski should have gotten some respect for all the years he was a part of the network and the work he put in.

The TYT needs to revaluate its purpose, unless they want to known for these sort of acts. Instead of being the home of progressives. They are instead the home of smear-artists and attacking other journalists. Who can trust a home like that? Who want to watch that?

The way Cenk handled Kyle leaving isn’t worthy of anyone. Especially, when they have worked together for years and been loyal to the same cause. If someone did the same to me and my folks. I would have been horrified and wondered what caused the change.

Cenk especially needs to repurpose his manners and where he wants the TYT to go. Because, people like me used to watch it. However, during the last month I have ditched it totally and I’m not planning to return either.

TYT isn’t showing any care for the viewers, its affiliates or former employees. It is just becoming a hawkish YouTube platform. Not a News Network anymore…. and only name-calling without proof. That isn’t what I came for, but that’s what Cenk is serving you. Peace.

Opinion: The suspension of the Addis Standard is a sign of the times

That the media house or publication suspension of Addis Standard from the Ethiopian Media Authority (EMA). That happened without any forewarning or without any reasons. This isn’t shocking or neither without merit in these times.

As the authorities and the state actors are directly targeting the “unfriendly” media. The media and media outlets that dares to print, write or even question the authorities are in danger in the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia (FDRE).

Addis Standard has dared to publish and write stories, which has humiliated and undermined the stories, the tales and the propaganda, which the states need produced to hail the newly crowned king, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali. He needs to be praised with no question or any scrutiny.

The press and media houses who breaches with that modus operandi. Can easily see the journalists apprehended, arrested or even assaulted in public. The state can easily take away licenses or even close their web-pages.

The story of Addis Standard isn’t alone in this. There is others who has gotten into trouble. This being journalists of Aiga Forum, Ethio Forum or Awlo Media. These has all seen people associated getting into legal jeopardy. Others has also been arrested and taken away for a various reasons.

This is all deliberately to secure the narratives and the stories are told directly from the government to the general public. Not having mixed messages or even have reporting, which could differ from their ideas. The state is supposed to control the news and all reporting. That’s why the likes of Addis Standard is in trouble and loses it licence to operate.

Addis Standard have been a well-run media house and delivered quality reporting, which has differed from Fana Broadcasting or Ethiopia News Agency. Meaning it has independent reporting, which was in dire contrast to the will and the wants of the ones in power. That’s why Addis Standard had to pay this price.

The “reformist” Abiy needs love and needs it abundantly from all the well-wishers from across the globe and local media shouldn’t dare to question him. Because, if they do… they can easily lose their job or company. They could even linger in jail like the other political prisoners, which he has easily made possible during his reign.

Anyone who question the Prime Minister can easily end up like Addis Standard. Losing their licence and not allowed to operate. That’s because the PM and his “Yes-Men” cannot handle the truth. Peace.

Ethiopia: Ethiopian Human Rights Commission (EHRC) – Detention of Ethio-Forum and Awlo Media Journalists and Staff should follow due process, detainees should be released immediately if Court Order not Produced (11.07.2021)

Opinion: TYT have lost me forever now

The Young Turks (TYT) is the biggest YouTube News Channel and the supposed challenger to the Mainstream Media (MSM). However, with the time the difference between TYT and the MSM has withered. The difference between TYT and MSNBC is now now bare minimum.

The TYT difference is the news anchors Cenk Ugyur and Anna Kasparian. The TYT isn’t doing what they used to do. They are instead being smear-artists and going after other credible journalists.

This being either Aaron Maté, Glenn Greenwald or Richard Medhurst. The TYT even went after Julian Assange. Just like they have targeted former employee and comedian Jimmy Dore. The TYT have no quarrels doing this.

It is tragic that things gone this far. That Cenk is saying this about other journalists without any real evidence. He targets people and smears them. He just wants to prove a point and targets them directly. What happened to have any sort of integrity at TYT?

That seems to be lost… and the Network needs to think about themselves. The TYT needs to consider their approaches. They are not reporting news or becoming a viable news source. When they are doing this to credible journalists.

Yes. Nobody is perfect and have done anyone wrong. The TYT goes directly at Dore at his wrongs. However, the same TYT never takes any responsibility for the years of Howard Stern content and “camel toe” segments. Therefore, the TYT isn’t sincere in this. Neither is Cenk who said he wouldn’t even sleep with someone on live-air. That’s why this TYT isn’t what it seems.

I used to watch TYT to get another experience and another perspective to U.S. politics. However, the attacks on Maté, Greenwald or Dore. What else can the TYT edit in their favour? What else can the TYT say or do to save face?

Not like the TYT has taken any responsibility for these smear campaigns and how they are dwelling into these shady tactics. This is not what reliable networks does, but what people does to save face. They are also editing things to make them worse, but not taking any sort of account of their own past behaviour. Even telling the public. That if you watch Jimmy or read anything from Glenn. Just buzz off and don’t return.

That’s what’s happening and its distasteful. Dishonest and disingenuous at best. Disrespectful to the viewer and to the ones who follows them.

This isn’t TYT I used to watch and I’m sad that it turned out like this. Peace.

Maldives: Progressive Congress Coalition condemns MDP statement calling for curbs on press freedom and singling – out vocal mdia critic (02.07.2021)

Opinion: Biden don’t believe in the freedom of speech

Well, during the Trump Administration it was courtesy of the Republican President to call the media the “fake news” and not address the media. They only sent out the Spokesperson of the White House and let bygones be bygones.

These days with the Democratic Party President Joe Biden. Things are not getting better. In 2021, the true nature of his administration is getting out. Not only the nonchalant lecturing of the world. However, they are also seizing networks, media houses webpages in a raid from the FBI. Just like pirates taking away content and news pages ability to report. That is done as a sort of display of “national security” but really to stifle the press in other regions of the world.

This is all falling back on the Executive Order from June 9th 2021:Executive Order on Protecting Americans’ Sensitive Data from Foreign Adversaries “. Where President Biden furthers the powers and continues the path of Trump to go after foreign sites and web-pages. In this regard has no been used against news organizations in the Middle East. Which happens to report in another way than the Washington D.C. accepts. Because, they we’re located on .Com the U.S. say they have jurisdiction to take these sites down. Therefore, they can internationally go after people online. As long as they have a certain power with U.S. law there.

That’s why we can see that the U.S. have now used these powers and by the President who has given his authorities these powers to seize these new-sites. That says it all by the lack of freedom of speech, liberty to post online and produce content. When a nation can go across borders and close news networks or news-sites belonging elsewhere. The lesson here… is that Biden and his government doesn’t really believe in the freedom of the press. Only to the anointed ones and the ones who parrots their agendas. If they differs and has a .com. They should be worried…

That the U.S. does this only shows their true heart and their lack of integrity. That they are demeaning and imperial in action. The Biden administration rather block and silence outside media. Especially, if it see it as a resistance or reporting, which differs from what the U.S. deems undesirable. That is how it looks and Biden cannot run away from this.

Biden and his Executive Order just prolongs and extends the powers Trump had issued in his time. There is no difference here. Only that one man masks as a hero. While the other is the supposed villain. Ironically, Biden is doing the same and furthering the legacy of the interference of the imperial U.S. state. They are doing this online, but it shows their real intentions and what they are gunning for.

I wonder, how would the U.S. have reacted if the PBS, VOX or anything was blocked or jammed online in the nations, which the U.S. has silenced media from?

That seems to only be the fair thing to do. Why should just the U.S. be allowed to silence media? Why shouldn’t Syria and Iran block U.S. media houses now?

Biden deserves to be pushed for this. As his administration and his government is blocking foreign news-sites and news networks. What rights does he have to do this?

Now, the governments of Middle East should retaliate and answer this. Not only being mull and look at it. They should answer back and block U.S. media from their shores. That only makes sense. As the U.S. Imperialism in 2021 needs to be retorted and this act is disgusting. Peace.