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Monday, November 15th
by The Fix Team

Media freedom in Ukraine takes a hit

Hello and a big welcome to our new subscribers from Deutsche Welle, OCCRP, 24 Media, Monash University, TV Rain, Longitude, Pressreader, Kikaweb, and many others. 

While press freedom in the CEE region has been deteriorating for several years, Ukraine has been a relative oasis, with media diversity and elections widely considered free and fair.

It’s particularly concerning, therefore, that Kyiv Post, the country’s leading English-language publication, closed down early last week. The paper’s owner, construction tycoon Adnan Kivan, announced the outlet will close “for a short time,” saying he hopes to reopen it “bigger and better” in the future.

Kyiv Post’s editorial team then released a statement clarifying that all journalists were fired effective immediately. The journalists called the actions “an act of vengeance” by the owner and an attempt to “[get] rid of inconvenient, fair and honest journalists.” Analysts say the move might be the owner’s attempt to avoid angering the authorities – whom Kivan’s construction business depends on – over Kyiv Post’s coverage. 

Apart from being a trusted source of information for the English-speaking audience, Kyiv Post has established itself as a trailblazer of free journalism over 26 years. In 2011, under the government of Viktor Yanukovych later ousted by a democratic revolution, its chief editor was fired – but then reinstated – for refusing to kill a story critical towards a cabinet minister. 

Kyiv Post might indeed reopen later, with a new team and doubts over its editorial independence. However, dozens of journalists that were fired from Kyiv Post are looking for supporters to launch a new publication claiming that if they “cannot save the Kyiv Post brand, [they] can at least save its values.”

For a more detailed overview of the situation, check The Fix’s article and the latest edition of our weekly digest.
From The Fix
 
Ukraine’s Kyiv Post shut down by owner for “relaunch”, team calls it act of vengeance
The Fix Team
The 26-year-old publication was shut down by its owner Adnan Kivan on Nov. 8. The paper’s editorial team believes it to be the end of independence for the publication.
Designed to operate in crisis: the journey of one of Europe’s key media donors
Daryna Shevchenko 
The European Endowment for Democracy (EED) was established 8 years ago to support independent media and civil societies of the struggling democracies when nobody else could.
NYT’s The Daily seems to be beating European English-language news podcasts in popularity
David Tvrdon 
Out of the ten biggest US- and UK-based English-language news podcasts, The Daily from The New York Times ranked highest in Apple Podcasts and Spotify charts together with BBC’s Global News Podcast.
Media entrepreneurs ‘punch above their weight’
James Breiner 
In Africa, Southeast Asia, and Latin America, digital natives are innovating and thriving
 
What we are following 
 
COP26 has received a lot of media attention, but representation has been unequal. Columbia Journalism Review examined the list of attendees. Among the findings is the fact that 165 journalists came from the US, meanwhile, islands that are existentially threatened by the climate crisis did not send journalists at all. 

In Germany, one in four people listen to podcasts weekly. This might be why Axel Springer is investing in audio as a path to sustainability. So far, 14-29 year olds make up 40% of active listeners for them. Journalism.co.uk describes their 4-step plan for expanding audio. 

Media and software companies have chased the dream of a personalized radio station, with news that is only relevant to you. Even though the audio is gaining popularity it is still difficult to determine whether a certain podcast is worth your attention – unlike articles that are easily scannable. Unfortunately, Google called off the project due to algorithm complexity. 

“Has it gone viral in the past?”. Plagiarized or recycled content, with tested appeal, is a cornerstone for unethical operators – an astounding 40% of Facebook traffic was copied content in 2018. The Wall Street Journal explains how this has become a go-to tactic for building a large audience. 
Industry news
 
Apart from the closure of Kyiv Post, last week Ukraine saw another important media story as the country’s former president and media owner Petro Poroshenko sold two TV channels to comply with a newly-signed “anti-oligarch law” signed a few days earlier. The law targets the country’s wealthiest individuals known as “oligarchs”; possession of media assets is among the criteria for inclusion in the list. Those meeting the definition will be subject to a number of limitations, including bans on financing political parties and on taking part in privatization of state assets.

Blasting the new law as an assault on free speech, Poroshenko said he was “forced” to sell two television stations he owns, 5 Kanal (Channel 5) and Pryamiy kanal. The outlets were sold to a newly-established media holding comprising the channels’ journalists and Poroshenko’s political allies, including MPs representing the party headed by the former president.
In the wake of the sexual misconduct scandal that caused Bild to fire its chief editor Julian Reichelt, Axel Springer considers mandating disclosure of romantic relationships between employees. As Financial Times notes, the “German media group wants stricter rules in line with [the] critical US market.” Banning employee relationships altogether, as is increasingly the case in the United States, appears all but impossible because of German laws. 
In the United States, Illinois became the first state to require teaching media literacy in high school. “The hope is that the classes will provide the next generation with tools to maneuver the internet's misinformation minefield,” NPR notes.
British media outlets have won the right to name a 15-year-old killer. Marcel Grzeszcz murdered a 12-year-old friend last year, but the law allowed for a ban on publicly identifying defendants under the age of 18. The court allowed the perpetrator to be named as part of “necessary public debate on knife crime,” Press Gazette writes
Twitter Blue launched in the United States, Twitter’s largest and most important market. Among other features, the service works with publishers to provide an ad-free reading experience. It will cost $2.99 per month.
Opportunities and deadlines
 
Nieman-Berkman Klein Fellowship in Journalism Innovation. Nieman Foundation is offering a course on journalism, innovation, and the evolution of the digital space. The year-long fellowship at Harvard University is open to both international and US candidates.
More info: https://bit.ly/3C2Z8k9
Deadline: December 1

DW Traineeship 2023. Deutsche Welle is opening their doors to journalists for a traineeship. Participants will gain experience in TV, online and radio, and newsroom placements. Eligibility requirements include excellent language skills (German and English), experience in journalism and a university degree. 
More info: https://bit.ly/3ku4IGu
Deadline: November 29

"Is that really journalism?" Journalism & Advocacy. The University of Texas at Austin is conducting a virtual event to discuss the close relationship between journalism and advocacy. 
More info: https://bit.ly/3F87UPI
When: November 18

Job Openings
 

Head of Advocacy. International Press Institute is looking for a Head of Advocacy to operate the organization's global campaign work. The job entails cooperation with IPI members, monitoring press freedom-related developments, and coordinating public advocacy work. The ideal candidate should be familiar with press freedom issues and understand emerging threats to journalists. 
More info: https://bit.ly/3F9nOcy
Deadline: December 8 

Head of Out of Home Distribution. Euronews is recruiting a Head of Out of Home Distribution to develop distribution agreements. The ideal candidate should have international experience in broadcast and have experience in drafting OOH Distribution partnership agreements. 
More info: https://bit.ly/3c49wgV
Deadline: Open until filled 
 

Social Media Manager. Forbes is looking for a social media manager for its German edition. The selected candidate should generate ideas, coordinate advertisements, and be responsible for the website and its associated content. Knowledge of content creation and management tools and digital marketing are among the main requirements.  
More info: https://bit.ly/3FaTezz 
Deadline: Open until filled

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