Press Ombudsman Joe Thloloe said yesterday 64% of complaints against the print media had been upheld so far this year. Critics of newspapers’ self-regulatory system insist the ombudsman is powerless to deal with damage caused by incorrect newspaper reports, but Mr Thloloe’s findings suggest the ombudsman is far from biased in favour of newspapers. [more]

Somali militants who have seized a radio and TV station say it will now broadcast only Islamic messages. Hassan Dahir Aweys, who leads the Hizbul Islam group, said he wanted the broadcasts to serve Islam.[more]

This week, two journalists were murdered in two different incidents. Paul Kiggundu, a radio correspondent in Rakai, was lynched to death by a mob while on duty. A day later, Dickson Sentongo, a news anchor for Prime Radio was murdered in Mukono district by unknown assailants on his way to work. Nothing was stolen from him. Early this month, Arthur Kintu, a New Vision photojournalist was beaten by businessman Basajjabalaba while he covered the recently concluded National Resistance Movement Conference at the Mandela National Stadium-Kampala.[more]

More than 2000 registered ANC members from all corners of the country have arrived this week in Durban to attend the party's national general council (NGC), a gathering due to discuss, among others, the establishment of a media appeals tribunal (MAT) - an organ that will allegedly seal the fate of the free media in South Africa.[more]

Press freedom in the country has steadily declined over the past five years, according to the Freedom of the Press 2010 report.

Uganda and Senegal registered a 10-point decline. They are grouped with Mexico, Thailand, Philippines and Sri Lanka, all emerging democracies, which demonstrates the fragility of press freedom. [more]

Google's auto-complete function is a convenient tool that can make information searches quicker. But its predictive function, based on complex algorithms and global search patterns, can end up putting less than PC searches at our finger tips, writes Scott Simpson for Vuvuzela. Type “I am extremely” into Google. Thanks to the marvel of auto-complete, a feature which uses previous searches and complex algorithms to hazard a guess at what is being asked, the search engine will offer a number of conclusions.[more]

The Addis Ababa Declaration, adopted by journalists attending a workshop at the African Union (AU), calls for the safety and protection of journalists in Africa. If African leaders sign the declaration at the next AU summit in 2011, journalists will be able to submit their case to the African Court of Justice.[more]

Like any county in transition, the Gambian media is saddled with a lot of obstacles that hinder its development and vibrancy. Ironically, most of these countries effectively used the media as a tool to liberate their citizens from colonial yokes. Until the advent of a military coup on 22 July 1994, The Gambia had been hailed as a model of democracy, rule of law, human rights and media freedom. Media freedom was guaranteed during the British colonial rule and even 30 years after the country became independent. [more]

Hundreds of demonstrators have marched in Johannesburg, South Africa, against new measures they fear will muzzle the country's media.[more]

Reporting on politics in Mpumalanga has become a dangerous affair, with journalists facing verbal and physical threats on a regular basis. In the latest instalment of her "Backstory" series, Gill Moodie writes exclusively for journalism.co.za on the extent of disregard for media freedom in the area.[more]