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Nobel Prize for Philippine and Russian journalists


critical of the Philippines’ Duterte administration, including its violent anti-drug campaign. The media group has also been a major player in the global fight against social media disinformation. Muratov has vigorously fought for his


PHILIPPINE and Russian journalists Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov have jointly won the Nobel Peace Prize for their “courageous fight” through their journalism for the freedom of expression. Ressa, chief executive of the Philippine


digital media company Rappler, and Muratov, the founder and editor-in-chief of the independent Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta are the first from their countries to receive the award, which is worth about $1.1 million. Ressa has been subjected to numerous legal threats over her work and Rappler has been


newspaper’s right to report despite the fact that six of its journalists have been killed since its launch in 1993. Those killed include Anna Politkovskaya, a critic of Russia’s war with Chechnya, who was murdered in Moscow 15 years ago. Other journalists on Novaya Gazeta have also been physically and verbally intimidated. The Nobel Peace Prize committee said that


the awards to Ressa and Muratov were “intended to underscore the importance of protecting and defending these fundamental rights”. The committee said: “Free, independent and fact-based journalism serves to protect against abuse of power, lies and war propaganda. The committee is convinced that freedom of expression and freedom of information help to ensure an informed public.”


FoI campaigners seek rescue cash


THE CAMPAIGN for Freedom of Information has launched a £50,000 crowdfunder appeal to keep it going after it failed to renew key grants. On the crowdfunder site, it says: “We


have been fighting government secrecy since 1984. Now we urgently need your


support to help make up a serious shortfall in our funding.” The organisation, which has two


full-time staff and one part-time employee, played a key role in securing the 2000 Freedom of Information (FoI) Act. It was also pivotal in protecting the


rights to FoI after the independent Commission of Freedom on Information recommended imposing fees for requests and allowing public authorities greater exemptions. You can donate at www.crowdfunder. co.uk/fight-secrecy


“ BBC acts on social media use


FOUR BBC journalists were formally disciplined over their use of social media during the first year of Tim Davie’s time as director-general in which he introduced new guidelines, the Press Gazette has reported. Between September 1 last


year and August 31 this year four cases among journalists working in broadcasting were formally dealt with under its internal disciplinary policy, according to a Freedom of


Information request by the Press Gazette. The BBC didn’t provide


details about the four cases, but it conceded that more incidents were probably dealt with informally by reminding staff of the corporation’s social media guidelines. Mr Davie said that staff shouldn’t use social media to express personal views on public policy, politics or ‘controversial subjects’ to ensure the BBC’s impartiality.


The awards were intended to underscore the importance of protecting and defending these fundamental rights


inbrief...


GUARDIAN SALES MADE PRIVATE The Guardian has stopped making public its print circulation figures to put more focus on metrics that reflect its “diversity of journalism, readership and business strategy”. The decision follows the same moves last year by the Telegraph, the Sun and the Times. Last year audit company ABC ended its monthly national paper reports.


NEWS UK STARTS WEEKLY VIDEOS News UK is launching a video series linked to the Sunday Times as it experiments ahead of the start of TalkTV next year. The Sunday Times Culture Show will run weekly, presented by ex-Popworld presenter Miquita Oliver and the paper’s former media correspondent Grant Tucker.


BULLOUGH FACES LIBEL ACTION UK investigative journalist Oliver Bullough is being sued for libel for more than €500,000 in Portugal by Bornito de Sousa Baltazar Diogo, the vice-president of Angola, and his daughter. The claim relates to his book Moneyland: Why Thieves and Crooks Now Rule the World, which was published in 2018.


Students start monthly paper


A monthly paper produced by students from Brunel University covering


Hillingdon has launched with columns


from local MPs Boris Johnson and former Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell. Some 10,000 print copies of the Hillingdon


Herald are distributed locally with daily updates on its website. The university funded the first edition, but it hopes future costs will be met through


advertising. The editor is Rachel Sharp, a journalism lecturer at Brunel and a former Newsquest editor..


theJournalist | 03


DMITRY MURATOV IMAGE PRESS AGENCY / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO. MARIA RESSA IMAGE ITAR-TASS NEWS AGENCY / ALAMY STOCK PHOTO.


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