Latest news with #SteveCapus
Times of Oman
07-07-2025
- Politics
- Times of Oman
Global Media Forum 2025: Building bridges to beat populism
Bonn: All over the world, authoritarian regimes are gaining power through populism and the curtailment of free media. DW is seeking to counter the populist rhetoric with this year's Global Media Forum (GMF). The two-day media congress opens on Monday in the western German city of Bonn, and the motto this year is "Breaking barriers, building bridges." The presence of Steve Capus, the president of the US international broadcaster Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) is an indication of the pressure free media, such as public service radio, are currently under, even in the United States. Donald Trump's administration wants to stop funding the Prague-based broadcaster, which for decades has been a key pillar of the transatlantic partnership between Europe and the US. Like DW, RFE/RL also broadcasts uncensored reports to countries where the media landscape is dominated by propaganda. "We have got to survive. If we don't, it is a huge gift to Russia and China," Capus said in the run-up to the conference. In Bonn, Capus will be in discussion with Michal Broniatowski, head of the Polish international broadcaster TVP World, DW's Director General Peter Limbourg, and Jonathan Munro, Global Director for BBC News. "Political instability is on the rise in many parts of the world, and the consequences for all of our audiences are enormous," says Munro. "At the same time, colleagues from the United States have been forced either to close or curtail their free media. That's a worrying development, particularly as misinformation and disinformation are aggressively growing all over the globe." This year's Freedom of Speech Award, a prize given annually by DW for outstanding work in promoting freedom of expression and human rights, goes to Tamar Kintsurashvili from Georgia. She has similar concerns. "Under the aegis of the Soviet Union we had no say, and were completely dependent on a totalitarian system," she told DW. "But in a democratic country, all citizens must keep the government in check in order to preserve our freedom. The media have a particular responsibility to ensure the separation of powers." As executive director of the nongovernmental Media Development Foundation in Georgia's capital, Tbilisi, Kintsurashvili shows people how to achieve this. She teaches journalists how to fact-check reliably and sensitizes them to hate speech. Overcoming digital walls Many of the discussion forums in the 2025 GMF programme offer practical tools and assistance for people in the media. For example, one is titled: "How authoritarian regimes build digital walls — and how to overcome them." Following on from an initial event on the subject of generative artificial intelligence in journalism at last year's forum, questions around the ethics of using AI in journalism will be central to the GMF 2025. To what extent is it acceptable for journalists to use AI for their work? One way for Europe to respond to division and populism is to expand, and admit more members. One of the most recent candidates for accession, Ukraine, is currently caught up in defending itself against Russia's war of aggression. There is therefore great interest in the keynote speech by the EU commissioner for enlargement, Marta Cos. Will the European community keep its word to the beleaguered country? Syrian minister of information al-Mustafa to attend This year, the GMF will also welcome Syria's minister of information, Hamza al-Mustafa. The future of the multi-ethnic country is unclear now that its long-time ruler, Bashar Assad, who was supported by Vladimir Putin, has been overthrown. Al-Mustafa will speak about the role of the media in Syria's reconstruction. How can the media help people overcome barriers, when so many, especially in the Middle East, are suffering wars that only entrench divisions? A documentary film, co-produced by DW, about the greatest war crime in Europe since World War Two seeks to provide an answer. "The Srebrenica Tape — from Dad for Alisa", directed by Chiara Sambuchi, will be screened by DW for the first time during the GMF. The protagonist, Alisa, was nine years old when her father was killed by Serbian troops in the UN "safe area" of Srebrenica 30 years ago. He was one of 8,000 men and boys who died in the Srebrenica massacre, which took place over several days. Today, Alisa lives with her mother and her daughter in the city of St. Petersburg, in the US state of Florida. At the start of the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which lasted from 1992–1995, her parents took her to safety across the border with her maternal grandparents in Serbia. They then returned to Srebrenica. During the blockade of Srebrenica, which went on for more than three years, Alisa's father, a movie enthusiast and hobby filmmaker, filmed their daily life under siege in the small town. In these recordings, he often talks directly to his daughter. He managed to get a VHS cassette to her before Srebrenica was overrun by Serbian troops led by the Bosnian Serb general Ratko Mladic. For Alisa, the daughter of a Serbian mother and a Muslim Bosniak father, who was murdered by Serbs, overcoming barriers is a matter of existential importance. "Alisa decided, for her, not to take [sides]," the director, Chiara Sambuchi, told DW. The most important thing for Alisa was to make clear that she stands "against this terrible religious hate, ethnically religious hate, and what it implies."
DW
07-07-2025
- Politics
- DW
Global Media Forum 2025: Building bridges to beat populism – DW – 07/07/2025
DW has invited media professionals from all over the world to Bonn, where they will discuss strategies for solidarity in an age of polarization. All over the world, authoritarian regimes are gaining power through populism and the curtailment of free media. DW is seeking to counter the populist rhetoric with this year's Global Media Forum (GMF). The two-day media congress opens on Monday in the western German city of Bonn, and the motto this year is "Breaking barriers, building bridges." The presence of Steve Capus, the president of the US international broadcaster Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) is an indication of the pressure free media, such as public service radio, are currently under, even in the United States. Donald Trump's administration wants to stop funding the Prague-based broadcaster, which for decades has been a key pillar of the transatlantic partnership between Europe and the US. Like DW, RFE/RL also broadcasts uncensored reports to countries where the media landscape is dominated by propaganda. "We have got to survive. If we don't, it is a huge gift to Russia and China," RFE boss Steve Capus said in the run-up to the conference. In Bonn, Capus will be in discussion with Michal Broniatowski, head of the Polish international broadcaster TVP World, DW's Director General Peter Limbourg, and Jonathan Munro, Global Director for BBC News. "Political instability is on the rise in many parts of the world, and the consequences for all of our audiences are enormous," says Munro. "At the same time, colleagues from the United States have been forced either to close or curtail their free media. That's a worrying development, particularly as misinformation and disinformation are aggressively growing all over the globe." This year's Freedom of Speech Award, a prize given annually by DW for outstanding work in promoting freedom of expression and human rights, goes to Tamar Kintsurashvili from Georgia. She has similar concerns. "Under the aegis of the Soviet Union we had no say, and were completely dependent on a totalitarian system," she told DW. "But in a democratic country, all citizens must keep the government in check in order to preserve our freedom. The media have a particular responsibility to ensure the separation of powers." As executive director of the nongovernmental Media Development Foundation in Georgia's capital, Tbilisi, Kintsurashvili shows people how to achieve this. She teaches journalists how to fact-check reliably and sensitizes them to hate speech. Many of the discussion forums in the 2025 GMF program offer practical tools and assistance for people in the media. For example, one is titled: "How authoritarian regimes build digital walls — and how to overcome them." Following on from an initial event on the subject of generative artificial intelligence in journalism at last year's forum, questions around the ethics of using AI in journalism will be central to the GMF 2025. To what extent is it acceptable for journalists to use AI for their work? To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video One way for Europe to respond to division and populism is to expand, and admit more members. One of the most recent candidates for accession, Ukraine, is currently caught up in defending itself against Russia's war of aggression. There is therefore great interest in the keynote speech by the EU commissioner for enlargement, Marta Cos. Will the European community keep its word to the beleaguered country? This year, the GMF will also welcome Syria's minister of information, Hamza al-Mustafa. The future of the multi-ethnic country is unclear now that its long-time ruler, Bashar Assad, who was supported by Vladimir Putin, has been overthrown. Al-Mustafa will speak about the role of the media in Syria's reconstruction. How can the media help people overcome barriers, when so many, especially in the Middle East, are suffering wars that only entrench divisions? A documentary film, co-produced by DW, about the greatest war crime in Europe since World War Two seeks to provide an answer. "The Srebrenica Tape — from Dad for Alisa", directed by Chiara Sambuchi, will be screened by DW for the first time during the GMF. The protagonist, Alisa, was nine years old when her father was killed by Serbian troops in the UN "safe area" of Srebrenica 30 years ago. He was one of 8,000 men and boys who died in the Srebrenica massacre, which took place over several days. Today, Alisa lives with her mother and her daughter in the city of St. Petersburg, in the US state of Florida. At the start of the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which lasted from 1992–1995, her parents took her to safety across the border with her maternal grandparents in Serbia. They then returned to Srebrenica. During the blockade of Srebrenica, which went on for more than three years, Alisa's father, a movie enthusiast and hobby filmmaker, filmed their daily life under siege in the small town. In these recordings, he often talks directly to his daughter. He managed to get a VHS cassette to her before Srebrenica was overrun by Serbian troops led by the Bosnian Serb general Ratko Mladic. For Alisa, the daughter of a Serbian mother and a Muslim Bosniak father, who was murdered by Serbs, overcoming barriers is a matter of existential importance. "Alisa decided, for her, not to take [sides]," the director, Chiara Sambuchi, told DW. The most important thing for Alisa was to make clear that she stands "against this terrible religious hate, ethnically religious hate, and what it implies."
CNN
17-03-2025
- Politics
- CNN
‘Massive gift to America's enemies': Activists decry cuts to government-funded networks
Radio Free Europe streamed unflinching coverage of Russia's war in Ukraine to Russians when the Kremlin banned its citizens from calling it a war. Radio Free Asia bravely exposed China's mass detention of the Uyghurs, a predominately Muslim ethnic minority in the far west of the country. The Open Technology Fund helped fund the creation of Signal, the hugely popular encrypted messaging app. All three American government-funded outlets are in jeopardy now that the Trump administration has terminated all of the grant programs at the US Agency for Global Media, or USAGM. The administration said Saturday that the agency is 'not salvageable.' Thousands of employees and contractors are now trying to figure out what's next for them. Advocates for the networks, including lawmakers in both the United States and Europe, say the cutbacks will undermine press freedoms and hurt America's standing in the world. America's international broadcasters have, for more than eight decades, 'served as critical sources of independent news for audiences living under censorship, state-controlled media, and information blackouts,' the UK-based Association for International Broadcasting said in a statement. 'Their reporting provides an essential counterbalance to disinformation and propaganda in some of the most restrictive media environments in the world.' The president of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Steve Capus, was more blunt over the weekend: He said the termination of the network 'would be a massive gift to America's enemies. The Iranian Ayatollahs, Chinese communist leaders, and autocrats in Moscow and Minsk would celebrate the demise of RFE/RL after 75 years. Handing our adversaries a win would make them stronger and America weaker.' The biggest network targeted by Trump's dismantling is Voice of America, a global news outlet with stations and websites in local languages around the world. Voice of America abruptly stopped publishing new stories Saturday when virtually the entire staff was placed on administrative leave and told to stop working. Until Saturday, USAGM also bankrolled networks in Europe, Asia and the Middle East, as well as the Open Technology Fund, which fights online censorship and promotes an open internet, countering repression and surveillance by authoritarian regimes. The agency also oversees the Office of Cuba Broadcasting, which has a long history of broadcasting news in Spanish to the island of Cuba. The Trump administration has indicated that the funds for those efforts are being cut off, though the networks were still operating as of Sunday. Since the agency was established and funded by Congress, and its broadcasting initiatives have historically won bipartisan support, some employees are wondering if and when Trump's actions will be challenged. Radio Free Asia CEO Bay Fang said 'we plan to challenge this short-sighted order and pursue whatever means necessary to continue our work and protect our courageous journalists.' Fang called the grant cutoff 'a reward to dictators and despots, including the Chinese Communist Party, who would like nothing better than to have their influence go unchecked in the information space.' That's the primary point made by outside advocates, as well. USAGM 'promotes press freedom and counters disinformation worldwide,' Democratic congresswoman Lois Frankel said Saturday. 'Dismantling it silences independent journalism, emboldens authoritarian regimes, and weakens democracy at home and abroad.' Republican congressman Don Bacon also praised the broadcasters for 'getting America's story to the rest of the world.' The Trump White House is telling a completely different story. In a press release, the administration claimed the 'Voice of Radical America' produced 'radical propaganda.' Trump loyalist Kari Lake, who was tapped to oversee Voice of America, said 'waste, fraud, and abuse run rampant in this agency and American taxpayers shouldn't have to fund it.' In a late-night executive order on Friday, Trump said the agency should be reduced to its bare minimum function as required by statute. Affected employees are now left wondering if Lake and her deputies will try to transform the gutted networks into an overtly partisan, pro-Trump media apparatus. For now, they've been told to remain on leave 'until further notice.' Liam Scott, who covers the press freedom beat for VOA, said that 10 journalists from US-funded broadcasters are currently 'imprisoned around the world for doing their jobs.' He wrote on X, 'I hope they will not be forgotten.'
Yahoo
17-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘Massive gift to America's enemies': Activists decry cuts to government-funded networks
Radio Free Europe streamed unflinching coverage of Russia's war in Ukraine to Russians when the Kremlin banned its citizens from calling it a war. Radio Free Asia bravely exposed China's mass detention of the Uyghurs, a predominately Muslim ethnic minority in the far west of the country. The Open Technology Fund helped fund the creation of Signal, the hugely popular encrypted messaging app. All three American government-funded outlets are in jeopardy now that the Trump administration has terminated all of the grant programs at the US Agency for Global Media, or USAGM. The administration said Saturday that the agency is 'not salvageable.' Thousands of employees and contractors are now trying to figure out what's next for them. Advocates for the networks, including lawmakers in both the United States and Europe, say the cutbacks will undermine press freedoms and hurt America's standing in the world. America's international broadcasters have, for more than eight decades, 'served as critical sources of independent news for audiences living under censorship, state-controlled media, and information blackouts,' the UK-based Association for International Broadcasting said in a statement. 'Their reporting provides an essential counterbalance to disinformation and propaganda in some of the most restrictive media environments in the world.' The president of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Steve Capus, was more blunt over the weekend: He said the termination of the network 'would be a massive gift to America's enemies. The Iranian Ayatollahs, Chinese communist leaders, and autocrats in Moscow and Minsk would celebrate the demise of RFE/RL after 75 years. Handing our adversaries a win would make them stronger and America weaker.' The biggest network targeted by Trump's dismantling is Voice of America, a global news outlet with stations and websites in local languages around the world. Voice of America abruptly stopped publishing new stories Saturday when virtually the entire staff was placed on administrative leave and told to stop working. Until Saturday, USAGM also bankrolled networks in Europe, Asia and the Middle East, as well as the Open Technology Fund, which fights online censorship and promotes an open internet, countering repression and surveillance by authoritarian regimes. The agency also oversees the Office of Cuba Broadcasting, which has a long history of broadcasting news in Spanish to the island of Cuba. The Trump administration has indicated that the funds for those efforts are being cut off, though the networks were still operating as of Sunday. Since the agency was established and funded by Congress, and its broadcasting initiatives have historically won bipartisan support, some employees are wondering if and when Trump's actions will be challenged. Radio Free Asia CEO Bay Fang said 'we plan to challenge this short-sighted order and pursue whatever means necessary to continue our work and protect our courageous journalists.' Fang called the grant cutoff 'a reward to dictators and despots, including the Chinese Communist Party, who would like nothing better than to have their influence go unchecked in the information space.' That's the primary point made by outside advocates, as well. USAGM 'promotes press freedom and counters disinformation worldwide,' Democratic congresswoman Lois Frankel said Saturday. 'Dismantling it silences independent journalism, emboldens authoritarian regimes, and weakens democracy at home and abroad.' Republican congressman Don Bacon also praised the broadcasters for 'getting America's story to the rest of the world.' The Trump White House is telling a completely different story. In a press release, the administration claimed the 'Voice of Radical America' produced 'radical propaganda.' Trump loyalist Kari Lake, who was tapped to oversee Voice of America, said 'waste, fraud, and abuse run rampant in this agency and American taxpayers shouldn't have to fund it.' In a late-night executive order on Friday, Trump said the agency should be reduced to its bare minimum function as required by statute. Affected employees are now left wondering if Lake and her deputies will try to transform the gutted networks into an overtly partisan, pro-Trump media apparatus. For now, they've been told to remain on leave 'until further notice.' Liam Scott, who covers the press freedom beat for VOA, said that 10 journalists from US-funded broadcasters are currently 'imprisoned around the world for doing their jobs.' He wrote on X, 'I hope they will not be forgotten.'
CNN
16-03-2025
- Politics
- CNN
‘Massive gift to America's enemies': Activists decry cuts to government-funded networks
Radio Free Europe streamed unflinching coverage of Russia's war in Ukraine to Russians when the Kremlin banned its citizens from calling it a war. Radio Free Asia bravely exposed China's mass detention of the Uyghurs, a predominately Muslim ethnic minority in the far west of the country. The Open Technology Fund helped fund the creation of Signal, the hugely popular encrypted messaging app. All three American government-funded outlets are in jeopardy now that the Trump administration has terminated all of the grant programs at the US Agency for Global Media, or USAGM. The administration said Saturday that the agency is 'not salvageable.' Thousands of employees and contractors are now trying to figure out what's next for them. Advocates for the networks, including lawmakers in both the United States and Europe, say the cutbacks will undermine press freedoms and hurt America's standing in the world. America's international broadcasters have, for more than eight decades, 'served as critical sources of independent news for audiences living under censorship, state-controlled media, and information blackouts,' the UK-based Association for International Broadcasting said in a statement. 'Their reporting provides an essential counterbalance to disinformation and propaganda in some of the most restrictive media environments in the world.' The president of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Steve Capus, was more blunt over the weekend: He said the termination of the network 'would be a massive gift to America's enemies. The Iranian Ayatollahs, Chinese communist leaders, and autocrats in Moscow and Minsk would celebrate the demise of RFE/RL after 75 years. Handing our adversaries a win would make them stronger and America weaker.' The biggest network targeted by Trump's dismantling is Voice of America, a global news outlet with stations and websites in local languages around the world. Voice of America abruptly stopped publishing new stories Saturday when virtually the entire staff was placed on administrative leave and told to stop working. Until Saturday, USAGM also bankrolled networks in Europe, Asia and the Middle East, as well as the Open Technology Fund, which fights online censorship and promotes an open internet, countering repression and surveillance by authoritarian regimes. The agency also oversees the Office of Cuba Broadcasting, which has a long history of broadcasting news in Spanish to the island of Cuba. The Trump administration has indicated that the funds for those efforts are being cut off, though the networks were still operating as of Sunday. Since the agency was established and funded by Congress, and its broadcasting initiatives have historically won bipartisan support, some employees are wondering if and when Trump's actions will be challenged. Radio Free Asia CEO Bay Fang said 'we plan to challenge this short-sighted order and pursue whatever means necessary to continue our work and protect our courageous journalists.' Fang called the grant cutoff 'a reward to dictators and despots, including the Chinese Communist Party, who would like nothing better than to have their influence go unchecked in the information space.' That's the primary point made by outside advocates, as well. USAGM 'promotes press freedom and counters disinformation worldwide,' Democratic congresswoman Lois Frankel said Saturday. 'Dismantling it silences independent journalism, emboldens authoritarian regimes, and weakens democracy at home and abroad.' Republican congressman Don Bacon also praised the broadcasters for 'getting America's story to the rest of the world.' The Trump White House is telling a completely different story. In a press release, the administration claimed the 'Voice of Radical America' produced 'radical propaganda.' Trump loyalist Kari Lake, who was tapped to oversee Voice of America, said 'waste, fraud, and abuse run rampant in this agency and American taxpayers shouldn't have to fund it.' In a late-night executive order on Friday, Trump said the agency should be reduced to its bare minimum function as required by statute. Affected employees are now left wondering if Lake and her deputies will try to transform the gutted networks into an overtly partisan, pro-Trump media apparatus. For now, they've been told to remain on leave 'until further notice.' Liam Scott, who covers the press freedom beat for VOA, said that 10 journalists from US-funded broadcasters are currently 'imprisoned around the world for doing their jobs.' He wrote on X, 'I hope they will not be forgotten.'
