“You Cannot Sway Them with Logic”: Journalists’ Responses to Public Support for Censorship in Kenya

While the COVID-19 pandemic has posed challenges to working journalists overall, South Asian countries are compounded by scientific illiteracy, language and cultural barriers, and a scarcity of trained science journalists. These constraints can impinge science journalism in the region along with other contextual factors. This study sheds light on science journalism in Pakistan during the COVID-19 pandemic. Informed by the hierarchy of influences model, this study explores the influences on the Pakistani journalists’ science reporting at five levels: individual, routine, organizational, social-institutional, and social system levels. This study reveals that journalists experience individual level influences due to a lack of knowledge about science and the COVID-19 pandemic. At a routine level, access to information, limited technical and financial investments in digital repositories of science publications and safety risks affect their work. At an organizational level, the Pakistani journalists face problems because of a lack of policy guidelines, science journalism training, and equal opportunities to receive training by their respective news organizations. Weak advisory committees for science reporting and the pandemic manifest its influence on journalists’ work at an institutional level. At a social system level, Pakistan’s religious and cultural contexts influence the journalists’ reporting on science and the COVID-19 pandemic.

This study examines how social systems level variables may help shape broadcast journalists’ perceptions of the forces influencing their work. We combined Worlds of Journalism Study data with Hofstede's cultural orientations to consider how the levels of the hierarchical influences model may coalesce. In six analyses across four levels, culture was significantly correlated with perceived influences. Our findings support the belief the social systems level is the hegemonic level on which the other levels rest.

This study explores the development of Chinese feminist media by presenting a case study of a leading feminist media account, Way to Non-Violence (WTNV) (Jieshu baoli zhi lu). Utilizing Shoemaker and Reese’s Hierarchical Model, this study analyzes the factors shaping and constraining WTNV’s development, and investigates the strategies WTNV deploys to meet its objectives amidst survival challenges. We carried out in-depth interviews with WTNV’s staff members and contributors, observed their online meetings, and conducted thematic analyses of 1,331 WTNV’s posts. We identify the influencing factors at five levels, specifically organizational level (WTNV), routines level (WTNV’s daily operational practices), individual level (the staff and contributors), social system level (censorship and content regulation, misogyny patriarchy culture and anti-feminism), and extra-media level (economic pressures). We find that caught between ambition and reality, WTNV maintains a moderate and inclusive feminist stance, deploys survival tactics, keeps a low profile, and continues to advocate feminist ideas. This study offers feminist media scholars and practitioners insight into how political and cultural factors, organizational attributes and routines, and individual agency collectively shape feminist media in the Chinese context.

Local, national, regional and global networks of power intersect in this digital era, raising questions of how re-conceived notions of space in networked societies impact journalism. This study surveyed journalists ( n = 1094) from 20 Latin American countries to explore how spatial dimensions are influencing how journalists’ roles are perceived in the region, within the hierarchy of influences model. It identified the disseminator/informational role – a role traditionally less common among journalists in Latin America – as most impacted by the spatial shifts at the organizational level (geographic scope), social-institutional level (geo-cultural regions) and social systems level (social network structures). As journalists’ work becomes connected with extra-national networks, their perceptions of roles shift, with relevant consequences for journalistic practices.

Freedom of the press guarantees that the government and the public are aware of the various realities that are happening or the opinions, views, of experts on an issue and conflict. While the KIP Law has an important role in changing the paradigm of society, which initially believed that public bodies were obliged to report accountability, since the KIP Law was enacted, the public has the right to obtain the information they need, and has the right to demand that public bodies publish such information. This study aims to determine the role of the UU KIP in promoting press freedom, and the role of press freedom in realizing bureaucratic reform. This research uses a qualitative descriptive methodology to explain phenomena and to find knowledge or theories about research at a certain time. The technique of collecting data is through library research, which is a way of collecting data by referring to books or scientific documents, literature, notes, and various reports that have been available as references to obtain data on the problem being studied. The results of the study show that the universal principle of openness to public information places press freedom as part of the scope of freedom of information. Achieving the true goal of information disclosure requires a press climate that is free, independent and professional. Meanwhile, the presence of the Law on the Disclosure of Public Information is expected to support the implementation of the press's function so that public bodies are obliged to open the tap of information through all available channels. The press has the right to seek, obtain and disseminate ideas and information, and public participation can be carried out by carrying out activities to develop press freedom and promote press freedom. guarantee the right to obtain the necessary information. Thus, public information disclosure and press freedom are two things that are bound and mutually reinforcing in an effort to realize transparent and accountable governance as a manifestation of bureaucratic reform that is currently underway.

Scholars have debated how successful the government was in managing coverage of the ground war in Iraq through the embed system, but few have surveyed the embedded journalists themselves to discover the degree they believe their press freedom was restricted. This study compares results from a survey conducted of embedded journalists in late 2005 and early 2006 to one conducted in early 2004 to examine whether embeds’ opinions toward press freedom have changed over time and whether they believe government news management has increased as criticism of the Iraq War has increased and public support has declined. It also tests the hierarchy-of-influences model by examining the degree to which individual, journalism routines, external and cultural factors significantly predict attitudes toward press freedom and perceptions of censorship after controlling for demographics and political ideology.

BackgroundThe mental health and TB syndemic is a topic that remains under-researched with a significant gap in acknowledging and recognizing patient experiences, particularly in the sub-Saharan African region. In this qualitative study conducted in Zambia, we aimed to explore the lived mental health experiences of TB patients focusing on their multi-layered drivers of distress, and by so doing highlighting contextual factors that influence mental distress in TB patients in this setting.MethodsThe study draws on qualitative data collected in 2018 as part of the Tuberculosis Reduction through Expanded Antiretroviral Treatment and Screening for active TB trial (TREATS) being conducted in Zambia. The data was collected through in-depth interviews with former TB patients (n = 80) from 8 urban communities participating in the TREATS trial. Thematic analysis was conducted. Additional quantitative exploratory analysis mapping mental distress symptoms on demographic, social, economic and TB characteristics of participants was conducted.ResultsMost participants (76%) shared that they had experienced some form of mental distress during their TB investigation and treatment period. The reported symptoms ranged in severity. Some participants reported mild distress that did not disrupt their daily lives or ability to adhere to their TB medication, while other participants reported more severe symptoms of distress, for example, 15% of participants shared that they had suicidal ideation and thoughts of self-harm during their time on treatment. Mental distress was driven by unique interactions between individual, social and health level factors most of which were inextricably linked to poverty. Mental distress caused by individual level drivers such as TB morbidity often abated once participants started feeling better, however social, economic and health system level drivers of distress persisted during and beyond TB treatment.ConclusionThe findings illustrate that mental distress during TB is driven by multi-layered and intersecting stresses, with the economic stress of poverty often being the most powerful driver. Measures are urgently needed to support TB patients during the investigation and treatment phase, including increased availability of mental health services, better social security safety nets during TB treatment, and interventions targeting TB, HIV and mental health stigma.Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03739736. Trial registration date: November 14, 2018.

This study investigated the relationship between cultural pluralism and the journalists’ attitudes towards freedom of expression and press freedom within the institution of journalism in Pakistan. It sought to identify any shared understanding and practice of these two concepts amongst the Pakistani journalists, who participated in this study. Particularly, this study explored the influence of Pakistan’s religious and socio-political contexts on the journalists’ understandings and practices of these two concepts in Karachi. Thus, this study linked the journalists’ understandings and practices (actions) of freedom of expression andpress freedom with the environment in which they operate; and therefore, used the new institutionalism theory as a framework.The new institutionalism theory builds itself in relation to three core aspects, precisely: ‘standardisation’ (of concepts, practices, routines, rules and values); the ‘influence of environment’ on actors’ agency and the role of ‘actors’ agency’ in any institutional setting. The new institutionalism in organisational theory acknowledges journalism as a distinct institution, which is “comprised of shared concepts, practices, norms, values, organisational routines and rules” (Jaasaari and Olsson, 2010, p. 76; Powell and DiMaggio, 1991). In journalism, the theory derives its origin from the early institutional studies that attempted to scope the standardised media routines, news-making process, the patterned roles and values of news workers by using the ethnographic research approach (Galtung and Ruge, 1965; Tuchman, 1978; Gans, 1979; Golding and Elliot, 1979).Thus, this study investigated press freedom in Pakistan at three levels, namely: conceptual (understanding), practice (action) and environmental (context) levels. These three levels of analysis aimed to address the journalists’ understandings and practices of freedom of expression and press freedom within the context (environment) of Pakistan. As a result, this study attempted to describe the lived experiences of journalists. This required the use of ethnographic research approach and the qualitative methods of data collection. Therefore, data were collected through document review, in-depth interviews, focus groupdiscussions and direct observation to investigate four research questions, namely: (i) What meanings do Pakistani journalists give to freedom of expression and press freedom?, (ii) How do Pakistani journalists describe their ability to practice personal understandings of freedom of expression and press freedom?, (iii) Are there any gaps between the local and the global understandings of press freedom indicators? and (iv) What are the various influences and constraints that affect journalists’ work and their right of freedom of expression in Pakistan?This study found that there was no ‘shared’ understanding and practice of freedom of expression and press freedom amongst the Pakistani journalists, who participated in this study. ‘Context’ emerged as the most dominant factor in shaping the diverse understandings and practices of journalists. These findings suggest that ‘freedom’ is a contested concept in Pakistan. The notions of freedom of expression and press freedom do not form a central plank in the institutionalisation of journalism in the country; therefore, the local journalism institution can be seen as lacking the cohesion. Furthermore, a disconnection between the Pakistani journalists’ views of press freedom indices and the global press freedom metrics was also found due to the influence of context. Finally, this study found the dominant impact of Pakistan’s context (environment) on the work of journalists, revealing them as ‘passive actors’ with a less level of empowerment and participation in the local journalism institution.

ABSTRACTNational in scope, this survey of Kenyan journalists conducted in 2012–2013 (n = 504) examines job autonomy in news selection decisions, media freedom and predictors of journalistic autonomy. The research also investigates the relationship between Kenya’s media freedom and journalistic autonomy. Findings show that over half (59%) of respondents believe that there is enough media freedom in Kenya. Similarly, there is a positive correlation between media freedom and journalistic autonomy—a relationship though moderate is statistically significant. While four in 10 Kenyan journalists have “some freedom” in deciding what to include in news, only 15.5 per cent enjoy “almost complete freedom,” and 31.7 per cent have “a great deal of freedom.” When analysed by demographics and work-related variables, male journalists reported higher autonomy than their female colleagues. Older and more experienced journalists have more freedoms than those who are younger and limited in work experience. Journalists with advanced education (doctorate and MA degree holders), those employed on full-time basis, and high monthly earners enjoy more job autonomy. Kenyan journalists working for international media organisations reported far higher autonomy than those in the local media. Job satisfaction and job autonomy emerged as the strongest predictors of journalistic autonomy in the Kenyan media.

This paper presents results gathered from a project implemented by an interdisciplinary project team between 2007 and 2009, which focused on interpreting in social service and welfare institutions (Community Interpreting und Kommunikationsqualität im Sozial- und Gesundheitswesen[Community Interpreting and Communication Quality in Social Service and Healthcare Institutions]). One of the aspects investigated by the project was the interpreting practice at two Austrian municipal social service and welfare institutions via in-depth interviews and recordings of authentic interpreter-mediated encounters. After a brief overview of the history of gatekeeping theory and the application of the gatekeeping concept in Translation and Interpreting Studies, some of the project results are analysed using one specific model of gatekeeping theory proposed by Shoemaker and Vos in 2009. Taking a leaf from this work, the analysis is based on five different levels, namely the individual level, communication routines, the organisation level, the social institutional level, and the social system level. The analysis investigates “gates” present in the communication routines at the two institutions and which may prevent non-German speaking clients from full access and understanding, as well as the role of interpreters as “gatekeepers.”

Threats to journalists carry many different lessons, but one is constant: People who would intimidate or kill journalists usually terrified that someone might find out. who want to protect one another need do nothing more than what should come naturally to them: report on threats to journalists--big threats and small threats, whether they directed against the international luminaries of the profession or small timers. Non-journalists can also play a big part in the fight to protect journalists. Next to tough and timely reporting that establishes the facts of a case, nothing protects a journalist so much as public outrage and public support. Ordinary citizens can play an enormous role by pressuring thugs and tyrants who would like to stifle the freedom of the press. freedom of journalists is consequently the bedrock of freedom for all people. Chapters and contributors to Journalists in Peril include: The Clash of Arms in Exotic Locales by Peter Arnett; Press Freedom--Balkan Style by Kati Marton; Grim Prospects for Hong Kong by John Schidlovsky; Russian Reporters--Between a Hammer and an Anvil by losif M. Dzyaloshinsky; Defiant Publishing in Nigeria by Dapo Olorunyomi; Turkish on Trial by Ahmet Emin; In America, Justice for Some by Ana Arana; and Blood and Fear in Italy by Candida Curzi. tragic accounts detailed in Journalists in Peril are poignantly written and important reading for all concerned with democracy in the world, especially political scientists, government officials, and those involved in the various communications professions.

Public opinion polls conducted over the past five years point to a downward trend in African citizens’ support for civil society and media freedoms. This is despite the flourishing of civil society and media actors as well as the expansion of democracy on the continent in the post-Cold War period. What explains this downward trend in public support? We use cross-national polling data from the Afrobarometer survey to examine the decline in public support for freedoms of association and media between 2011 and 2018 in the African context, a continent that has experienced decades of democratization waves and pressure. Using a multilevel statistical modelling approach, we analyse the influence of government repression of civil society and media actors on citizen support for enhanced government control over freedoms of association and the media. Our study shows that the government’s repressive actions against civil society and media actors increases the probability that citizens will support control over association and media freedoms. Concerningly, this suggests government clampdowns on democratic rights influences the African publics to support such clampdowns, potentially legitimizing them.

BackgroundEcosystem services (ESs) are fundamental to ensuring human well-being and sustainable development. However, the complex nonlinear relationships between ESs and social systems are still not fully recognized at present. Here, we used a comprehensive indicator framework, a coupling coordination degree (CCD) model, and a GeoDetector model to measure the CCD and development level of ESs and social systems in Sanmenxia City, Henan Province, China from 2000 to 2020, analyze the spatial patterns and temporal variations of their development, and quantify the influence of 15 factors on the spatial heterogeneity of their CCD.ResultsWe observed that the increase of social system development level in Sanmenxia City was higher than that of ESs’ provisioning capacity. From 2000 to 2020, the ecosystem service index value of Sanmenxia City increased by about 25%, while the level of social system development increased by 118.9%. The coordination between ESs and social systems improved by 25%, indicating that their relationships were shifting from trade-offs to synergies. Lushi County (one of the six administrative regions of Sanmenxia City) had the highest level of CCD, but the overall coordination remained relatively weak in Sanmenxia City, and none of the six administrative regions achieved a high level of coordination. CCD was influenced by multiple interacting factors, with topography and land use patterns being the primary drivers.ConclusionsOptimizing the spatial layout of ecological space, agricultural space, and urban space based on natural geographic patterns can be an effective way to improve CCD. Accordingly, we identified the impacts of potential barriers on sustainable development and provided multiple possible effective actions. Our findings deepen the knowledge and understanding of the “human-nature relationships”, which are of great significance in promoting the synergistic development of social and ecological systems.

Midwives perspectives of barriers and facilitators for the practice of promoting women's positive childbirth experience in China: A qualitative study.

This article discusses the digital activism model for advocacy of press freedom in Indonesia. This study examined the model and characteristics of digital activism and inhibiting factors in advocacy of press freedom, carried out by civil society organizations, social activists, and media professionals. Using qualitative methods, this paper provides answers to the question of how is the digital activism model aimed at countering threats to press freedom in a post-authoritarian country with a case study of Indonesia? How does digital activism emerge and form cross-sector collaboration? Given the broad scope of digital activism in Indonesia, the researchers chose two cities that represent the national and regional/provincial spectrum, namely Jakarta as the nation’s capital and Yogyakarta as a prominent student city in the country. The current study found a unique digital activism model in Indonesia that is a spectator collaboration: participants and initiators of activism are involved together in clicktivism, metavoicing, and assertion. Social activists and independent media activists develop systematic collective actions in the digital realm, such as online petitions and press releases, republication, and fundraising for the sustainability of the activism itself. This paper also found a gladiatorial model: media managers as victims and activists merged with more organized social movements, signaling that press freedom has become a collective agenda of pro-democracy advocates in Indonesia.