We need to treat cybersecurity (more) seriously
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The ransomware attack on Colonial Pipeline caused gas shortages for millions of Americans and drove home the importance of cybersecurity. Similarly, revelations of the “Pegasus project” highlight how important this area is for the media.
The major journalistic investigation revealed how authoritarian regimes surveilled activists and journalists across dozens of countries using Israeli firm NSO Group spyware. It started with a data leak of 50,000 phone numbers that might have been targeted. (For more details, check The Fix’s recent weekly digest).
As David Tvrdon puts it in his latest column, “the NSO Pegasus hack surfaced… the vulnerability of digital communication and security measures taken by journalists” and “[serves as] a reminder for newsrooms to step up their cybersecurity training.”
Beyond the sheer power of the Pegasus-enabled attacks (they are extremely difficult to resist, with zero-click phishing) and the astounding scope, what is also striking is how accessible these technologies are. The Economist noted that “cyber-capabilities are easily spread and available to those of modest means,” providing users with powerful destructive tools.
This strengthens the case for any and all cybersecurity hygiene. Having two-factor authorisation everywhere and going through a two-hour cybersecurity training might not protect you from powerful governments, but it might just be enough against many other malevolent actors.
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Systemic failure of local newspapers?
Olaf Deininger
The "local newspaper system" needs to be further developed and anchored more firmly in the lives of readers and users.
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Pegasus shows just how vital journalism networks and cybersecurity training are for journalists
Dávid Tvrdoň
Israeli NSO Group spyware was used on journalists, politicians and activists. A data leak and international journalist cooperation helped make the story public
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Creating projects of the future: Kyrgyz media hackathon case study
Daryna Shevchenko
Perspectives and learnings from running media hackathons in emerging and frontier markets
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Should public writing be in ornate high style, low style or a plain style? Bringing up the example of George Orwell’s works, Poynter’s Roy Peter Clark explains the advantages of plain style and gives tips to the journalists and storytellers. |
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How do you write about traumatic situations without retraumatizing those involved? NiemanLab offers insights into the new report that touches upon trauma related issues coming up in reporting – “everything from trans issues to refugees, mass shootings to mental illness, suicide to genocide”.
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Can publishers benefit from the growing market of non-fungible tokens (NFTs)? Pressgazette dives into how this new opportunity can work for the news media.
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Following recent social media trends and developments can be challenging. Damian Radcliffe’s listicle features six must-read newsletters that will keep you on top of your game.
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Russia continued its crackdown on free press labelling The Insider a “foreign agent”. The Insider is a local partner of Bellingcat in Russia; it’s known for its high-profile investigations into the Salisbury poisonings and FSB attacks on Alexei Navalny.
The Guardian called it “an apparent act of revenge for helping reveal the Kremlin’s role in the Salisbury poisonings and assassination attempts by the security agencies”. Five individual journalists were also designated “foreign agents” on the same day.
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In China a number of foreign journalists were harassed while covering floods in the province of Henan. Media workers from the BBC and Los Angeles Times received death threats, and a local branch of the Communist Party's Youth League asked its 1.6 million social media followers to watch a BBC journalist reporting on the floods.
Although the attacks didn’t come from the government, the general situation is conducive to the harassment of reporters. The Foreign Correspondents' Club of China claimed in a statement that “rhetoric from organizations affiliated with China’s ruling Communist Party directly endangers the physical safety of foreign journalists in China and hinders free reporting”.
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The Guardian revealed its financial results for the past financial year, showing robust growth in readership revenue, notably including revenue from outside the United Kingdom. Digital subscriptions and recurring contributions hit record numbers, and digital reader revenue was up 61% year-over-year. Guardian Media Group’s revenue was £225.5 million (€264.5 million).
According to the Press Gazette’s summary, “more than half of The Guardian’s digital reader revenue comes from outside the UK… helped by a dramatic US election campaign.
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Substack, a newsletter platform that has been attracting top journalists in the US and abroad over the past year, has acquired Letter, a public correspondence service. According to Digiday “the acquisition comes as Substack’s biggest, newest competitors are trying to position newsletters as one hub in a larger relationship between creators and their audience.”
One of Substack’s competitive advantages when competing with Facebook’s, Twitter’s and others’ alternatives could be to provide new ways for connections, collaboration and “bundling” across different writers – and this purchase might provide an opportunity for the company to do so.
Find the full version of our weekly digest on our website. |
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Opportunities and deadlines
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RGNI Startups Lab Europe. GNI, Media Lab and the EJC have built a six-month programme specifically tailored to the needs of content startups in Europe. Early-stage news organisations creating original digital content are welcome to apply.
More info: https://bit.ly/3zQHBv3
Deadline: September 20th
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Call for applications for the New Cooperation. Funding for CSOs and cultural, educational and knowledge institutions registered in Denmark with experience or partners in the Eastern Neighbourhood Countries.
More info: https://bit.ly/2VjjDcQ
Deadline: August 8th
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Product Strategies for Journalism: Free online course. Knight Center offers free online courses offering journalists insights into necessary tools and concepts for creating and maintaining sustainable information products.
More info: https://bit.ly/2V0R587
When: August 23th – September 19th
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The School of Splice. Splice is launching a special training program for early-stage media entrepreneurs.
More info: https://bit.ly/3BzplYL
Deadline: Rolling (limited availability)
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Senior Director position at Agency Bell. Candidates with working experience in media and strong leadership skills are eligible to apply.
More info: https://bit.ly/3ye2FuL
Deadline: August 25th
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One of the top courses for media leaders, editors and journalists looking to launch their own media – the Stockholm School of Economics in Riga’s Future Media Management course – is currently gathering applications for its September intake.
The program is composed of 4 intensive modules on media strategy, finances, marketing and leadership. The current program is in Russian (the English intake will be in May 2022).
Check out on the program website or message program coordinator Jana Altenberga at jana.altenberga@sseriga.edu to learn more.
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