On 14 September Luis Galdámez, a radio journalist working for Radio Globo in Honduras, was targeted by unidentified assassins. He was ambushed as he returned home from work with his children in the car. However he and his son were able to repel the gunmen using the firearms they had bought after a similar attempt on his life was made in 2005. He is widely known for his criticism of the new government of President Porfirio Lobo, and regularly reports on government corruption and human rights abuses allegedly committed by law enforcement. Eight journalists have been killed since March in Honduras.
A correspondent for Uganda’s Tower of Praise Radio was beaten to death by motorcycle taxi drivers on the night of 11 September. Paul Kiggundu was ambushed by the bikers, known locally as boda-boda, while he was filming some of them demolishing a house. The drivers accused Kiggundu of working for the police, despite his attempts to identify himself as a journalist. The building was reportedly the home of another driver, Frank Kagayi, who the attackers accuse of committing murder and robbery. The journalist died of internal bleeding at Kalisizo Government Hospital. No arrests have been made.
The government has decided to suspend the broadcasts of radio station, Radio Mahafaly. The staff at the station, based in the central city of Antsirabé, were not given a reason for its suspension. The order came at the same time as the release of ten Radio Fahazavana employees who have been in pre-trial detention since 27 May on charges for inciting a revolt and rebellion.
Carlos Flores, winner of the Index on Censorship and Guardian award for Journalism has won his fight to have his radio licence returned. Flores’ radio station, Radio La Voz, was closed by the Peruvian government for allegedly inciting violence in Bagua Grande in June 2009, when indigenous groups and villagers clashed with security forces. No official charges were ever brought against Flores. Just a few weeks ago Flores had travelled over 400km to attend a scheduled meeting regarding the reopening of the station, only to be met by a junior minister and told Radio La Voz would remain closed.
Reports from Khartoum state that the Sudanese government has suspended BBC radio stations over alleged smuggling offences which included bringing satellite equipment into the country. The stations broadcast in Arabic to around four million people in the north of the country.Recently the government demanded that journalists in the country provide private information regarding political views, friends, addresses, bank details and floor plans of their houses. The deadline for the return of this information was August 5. Since then the government has announced that it’s official censorship of newspapers has ended, but despite this, some newspapers remain closed and intimidation continues.
The SPP (Paraguayan Union of Journalists) has condemned the recent actions of politicians in the city of Cuidad del Este. Last week Juan Pío Balbuena had his programme cancelled on Radio Corpus after the owner of the station made a ‘business deal’ with local politician Javier Zacarías Irún, in which he agreed not to criticise Zacarías’s political group. Zacarías’ wife, Sandra Mcleod, is mayor of Ciudad del Este and was recently accused of attempting to bribe another Radio Corpus journalist to favour her party on air. He refused and was later forced to resign.
On 13 July, radio presenter Jon Gaunt, lost his judicial review against Ofcom’s decision to censure him for describing a councillor as a Nazi. Ofcom had found a breach of the broadcasting code after Gaunt accused Redbridge Councillor Michael Stark of being a “Nazi”, “health Nazi” and an “ignorant pig” during a live debate on talkSPORT about a policy banning smokers from becoming foster parents. However, despite the ruling the High Court established significant free speech rights for broadcasters. It recognised that “shock jock” style presenting constitutes political speech and thus must be afforded a great deal of protection. Furthermore, the term “Nazi” could and was used as political slang without denoting a political or ideological position. However, OFCOM’s initial verdict was upheld because Gaunt “lost his rag” and gratuitously offended the councillor by describing him as a an “ignorant pig”. Gaunt intends to appeal the decision.
With the launch of a West Bank radio station, settlers are winning legitimacy and influence. Padraig Reidy and Israeli journalist Anat Balint discuss radio in the occupied territories
Anant Balint is a former media correspondent for Haeretz
For more on the topic read Anat Balint’s article Piracy goes Kosher, which appears in Radio Redux, the new issue of Index on Censorship, out now
