TrollBusters earns three awards for social impact work

TALLAHASSEE, FL — 27 FEBRUARY 2023 – The International Association of Women in Radio and Television celebrates the recognition of its President Dr. Michelle Ferrier and TrollBusters with three Anthem Awards this year for its Generation Zeitgeist digital fluency curriculum and its digital harms campaign for journalists in Toxic Avenger magazine.

This is the second year of the Anthem Awards, a global competition to honor social impact work on the world’s most pressing issues. The Anthem Awards was launched in response to the prevalence of social good has taken within the national conversation and cultural zeitgeist in recent years. The 2nd annual competition received nearly 2,000 entries from 43 countries worldwide.

TrollBusters, a project of the Media Innovation Collaboratory, provides just-in-time training, coaching and education to journalists operating in digital spaces. The Anthem Awards honored the work of The Toxic Avenger magazine in the Responsible Technology: Innovation category with a bronze award. The magazine, launched in August 2021 with timely and global examination of the digital landscape, policy and remedies. With monthly analysis of international deliberation on digital expression and tactics for resilience, Toxic Avenger magazine has also honored and amplified the stories of women journalists around the globe who continue to fight for press freedoms.

The Media Innovation Collaboratory and TrollBusters also earned three awards this year amid fierce competition. The digital fluency and resilience program, Generation Zeitgeist: From User to Creator, is a series of short videos and wall posters with graphic representations of digital and virtual spaces. The curriculum uses a graphic recording style and short explainer videos to help young people navigate and own the interwebs. Each poster dives into topics that help readers understand how to safely navigate online. The posters are also recreated as short video explainers on TikTok and other short video platforms where young creators can be found. The program, developed by Dr. Michelle Ferrier, received two Anthem Awards: 1. In the Responsible Tech- Innovation Category, the Generation Zeitgeist program earned a silver award; 2. In the Education, Culture and Arts category, Generation Zeitgeist earned a bronze for nonprofit campaigns.

“TrollBusters and the Media Innovation Collaboratory continue to create tools for digital resilience and expression for women and girls and media workers. Our goal has always been your goal…to keep writing, talking, painting, singing, and by whatever means necessary find new ways to recover your voice online and off,” said IAWRT President Dr. Michelle Ferrier. “Toxic Avenger magazine has been providing deep, thoughtful analysis of newsrooms and journalism practices to provide holistic and healing tactics for dealing with online harms.”

Anthem Winners are selected by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences. Members include Nicholas Thompson, CEO, The Atlantic, Christina Swarns, Executive Director, Innocence Project, Zarna Surti, Global Creative Director, Nike Purpose, Maurice Mitchell, National Director, Working Families Party, Lindsay Stein, Chief Purpose Office, Tombras, Jennifer Lotito, President & Chief Operating Officer, (RED), Lisa Sherman, President & CEO, The Ad Council, Emily Barfoot, Global Brand Director Dove, Unilever, Trovon Williams, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications, NAACP, Roma McCaig, Senior VP of Impact, Clif Bar, Michelle Egan, Chief Strategy Officer, NRDC, Dinah-Kareen Jean, Senior Manager, Social Innovation, Etsy, Sarah Kate Ellis, President & CEO, GLAAD, Jad Finck, Vice President of Innovation & Sustainability, Allbirds, Christopher Miller, Head of Global Activism Strategy, Ben & Jerry’s, Shayla Tait, Director of Philanthropy The Oprah Winfrey Charitable Foundation.

The Generation Zeitgeist: From User to Creator Digital Resilience Curriculum and Toxic Avenger magazine, developed by Dr. Michelle Ferrier and the Media Innovation Collaboratory, have now earned an additional three Anthem Awards this year for their social impact work on digital harms. In the 2022 Anthem Awards program, TrollBusters and the Media Innovation Collaboratory earned three silver awards for their innovation and public campaign work around digital culture.

“Since launching this platform in June of 2021, we have seen that social change has emerged as a dominant force in mainstream culture,” said Anthem Awards Managing Director Jessica Lauretti.

“The sheer number, breadth and overall quality of the entries shared with us in the 2nd Annual Awards is a testament to the strength of this growing movement and demonstrates an enduring commitment to the work that is both humbling and inspiring to see.”

Fans will be able to hear from social impact leaders and their hallmark speeches at www.anthemawards.com.

The Anthem Award competition, from the same organization that hosts the Webby awards, features the best digital work from around the world in categories such as diversity, equity and inclusion, education, art and culture, health, human and civil rights, humanitarian action and services, responsible technology, and sustainability, environment and climate. By amplifying the voices that spark global change, the Anthem Awards are defining a new benchmark for impactful work that inspires others to take action in their communities. A portion of program revenue will fund a new grant program supporting emerging individuals and organizations working to advance the causes recognized in the 2nd Annual Anthem Awards.

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ABOUT WINNER

TrollBusters, a project of the Media Innovation Collaboratory, provides just-in-time training, coaching and education to journalists operating in digital spaces. More information is available at www.troll-busters.com. The Media Innovation Collaboratory, is a Tallahassee-based educational nonprofit organization at www.mediacollab.org.

Find TrollBusters Online:

Website: troll-busters.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/onlinetrollbusters/

Twitter:@yoursosteam

Instagram: @TROLLBUSTERS_YOURSOSTEAM

LinkedIn: The Anthem Awards

YouTube: wbby.co/anthem-youtube

Find The Anthem Awards Online:

Website: anthemawards.com

Facebook: facebook.com/anthemawards

Twitter:@anthemawards

Instagram: @anthemawards

LinkedIn: The Anthem Awards

YouTube: wbby.co/anthem-youtube

About The Anthem Awards: Launched in 2021 by The Webby Awards, The Anthem Awards honors the purpose & mission-driven work of people, companies and organizations worldwide. By amplifying the voices that spark global change, we’re defining a new benchmark for impactful work that inspires others to take action in their own communities. The Anthem Awards honors work across seven core causes: Diversity; Equity & Inclusion; Education; Art & Culture; Health; Human & Civil Rights; Humanitarian Action & Services; Responsible Technology; and Sustainability, Environment & Climate. Founded in partnership with the Ad Council, Born This Way Foundation, Feeding America, Glaad, Mozilla, NAACP, NRDC, WWF, and XQ.

About The Webby Awards:

Hailed as the “Internet’s highest honor” by The New York Times, The Webby Awards is the leading international awards organization honoring excellence on the Internet, including Websites; Video; Advertising, Media & PR; Apps, Mobile, and Voice; Social; Podcasts; and Games. Established in 1996, The Webby Awards received more than 13,500 entries from all 50 states and 70 countries worldwide this year. The Webby Awards are presented by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences (IADAS). Sponsors and Partners of The Webby Awards include Verizon, WP Engine, YouGov, Brandlive, Canva, NAACP, KPMG, Fast Company, Wall Street Journal, MediaPost, Podcast Movement, and AIGA.

Alert: Arrest of migrants Afghan journalists by the Pakistani police in Islamabad

The International Association of Women in Radio and Television (IAWRT) Afghanistan Chapter is concerned about the arrests and the situation of Afghan journalists in Pakistan.

0205-IAWRT-PRESS-FREEDOM-ALERTDownload

Visual Visionaries: Power of Film and Feminism, Teaching and Technology

CSW67 virtual parallel event

Friday, March 10, 9 – 11 am ET via Zoom

Register: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEkc-iqqj8pGNGUcLsXe2F_FrUYFdFYtIMy

Film is a powerful tool for social justice. Its central visual quality stimulates human’s most developed sense. Women’s stories in cinema are necessary to advance women and girls’ lives. Yet, a global study (a) conducted five years ago shows that on average only 3% of women directed films are exhibited on main screens throughout the globe. Feminists, like Laura Mulvey (b), who were part of the rebirth of feminist filmmaking in the early 1970s, now over fifty years ago, are alarmed that the progress has been way too slow.

This session is designed to show successful strides women filmmakers have made, yet underscore significant major hurdles that remain. Three filmmakers/advocates – from different continents – will speak about their experiences to bring the cinematic stories of women to a large public audience. They will highlight their work, their teaching, the successes they have achieved and obstacles they have faced. In conclusion, each woman will map next steps that she thinks need to be taken within her immediate sphere as well on a larger political scale. Representatives from two other continents will add their experiences and comments upon the filmmakers’ presentations to deepen and enlarge the discussion. The five women will have a brief exchange among themselves.The last half hour will be Q&A, with a five minute wrap up at the end. A goal of the presentation is to design and direct policy changes. The session will be recorded.

Presenters:

Ariel Dougherty, New Mexico, USA: filmmaker, teacher, co-founder, Women Make Movies, Inc

Aseye Tamakloe, Accra, Ghana: director, WHEN WOMEN SPEAK, Nvida Women’s Film Festival organiser

Paromita Vohra, Mumbai, India: filmmaker, teacher Girls Media Group & founder, Agents of Ishq

with Edel Brosnan, Director of Strategy, European Women’s Audio-Visual Network

& a Representative from Latin America, TBA

(a) https://kinomatics.com/redistributing-gender/

(b) Laura Mulvey and Ariel Dougherty both spoke about this at a 2016 film festival in separate presentations. Laura again states this in the remarkable, must-see documentary, BRAINWASHED: Sex, Camera, Power (1:47 min, 2022) by Nina Menkes

Say Her Name: Artists Speak Out Against Gender-Based Violence (GBV)

Virtual Parallel Event for CSW67

March 14, 10am ET via Zoom

“Every time I have a problem, I have confronted it with the axe of art…” Yayoi Kusama

Despite the intense international focus on achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG 5 that calls for gender equality and an end to violence against women and girls, Gender Based Violence (GBV) is one of the most heinous plagues facing humanity today.

UN Women recently posted that “Globally, an estimated 736 million women—almost one in three—have been subjected to physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence, non-partner sexual violence, or both at least once in their life (30 per cent of women aged 15 and older). This figure does not include sexual harassment….” Additionally, during the pandemic in 2020, 81,000 women and girls lost their lives, with 58% of the murders being committed by an intimate partner or family member.

On a global level, artists in their role as societal truth tellers and historians have responded to this issue. Mexican artist Elina Chauvet’s internationally exhibited red shoes represents women who lost their lives violently; Palestinian artist Sherine Abdel Karim’s “Victim” project raises awareness about GBV; British artist Wilma Woolf’s white plate installation represents all the women that have been killed in the UK at the hands of male violence since 2013; US artist Anne Dushanko-Dobek’s graphic installations draw attention to the human trafficking of women; and South Africa based artist Gabrielle Goliath’s work on situations of gendered and sexualized violence, are a sample of the work of brave artists who are using their work to say NO! to Gender-Based Violence.

This CSW67 virtual parallel event seeks to bring together global artists to present and speak about their work. We invite artists world-wide to join us and amplify their collective voices of opposition to Gender Based Violence, and to explore how to imagine a world where women and girls are able to live and thrive in peace.

Register www.bit.ly/GBVCSW67

Submit a photo of your work that focuses on GBV through the link to register.

IAWRT Cameroon holds first meeting in 2023

January 26, 2023

IAWRT Cameroon chapter held its first meeting in 2023 on January 16. Chapter head Tchonko Becky Bissong presided over the meeting. The chapter discussed its chapter activities from 2020-2022, financial reports and legal registration. Sidonie Pogmoni presented the resolutions of the IAWRT Biennial Conference 2022, held in November in Tanzania, and also discussed the possibility of pitching to host the next biennial conference.

The chapter also discussed conducting activities in view of 8th March 2023, World Press Freedom Day, Rural Women’s Day, and the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence among others. The group is looking to produce short documentaries on how lack of identification papers hinders the socio-economic evolution of girls and women fleeing conflicts in the North-West and South Region and on the life of internally displaced peoples from Cameroon living in Congo and Nigeria.

The IAWRT Cameroon chapter head thanked all who made time to attend the meeting both physically and virtually, especially Mandira Raut, IAWRT Board secretary and for active participation evident in the rich contributions and ideas to boost our activities.

IAWRT Philippines holds assembly, elects new board

The International Association of Women in Radio and Television – Philippines held its General Assembly last December 22, 2022 at the University Hotel of the University of the Philippines – Diliman.

During the General Assembly, IAWRT Philippines members moved to adopt the Strategic Plan and the continuing implementation of the Digital Safe House and Collaboration Platform for Women Journalists in the Philippines.

A new set of officers were also elected.

IAWRT Philippines 2023-2025 Executive Board

  • Lynda Catindig-Garcia, Chapter Head
  • Janess Ann J. Ellao, Deputy Chapter Head
  • Therese San Diego Torres, Secretary
  • Grace Baldo San Pedro, Treasurer
  • Evelyn “Yanni” Roxas, Board Member for Luzon
  • Nona Lasaga, Board Member for Visayas
  • Mary Queenie Casio, Board Member for Mindanao
  • Jola Diones-Mamangun, Co-Opted Board Member

IAWRT honors members for service, achievement

In the recently-concluded 39th IAWRT Biennial Conference in Tanzania, three members received the Service Award and one was given the Lifetime Achievement Award from outgoing president Violet Gonda, on behalf of the IAWRT International Board 2020-2022. 

Birgitte Jallov from Denmark, Nupur Basu from India and Liz Miller from USA were conferred the IAWRT Service Award. Rose Haji Mwalimu of Tanzania was given the Lifetime Achievement Award. 

Read the citations for the awardees below:

The IAWRT International Board 2017-2020 conferred the Lifetime Achievement Award to IAWRT USA Chapter head Sheila Dallas-Katzman and Service Award to former IAWRT web journalist Nonee Walsh from Australia in the IAWRT online biennial in 2020. The biennial was held online then due to the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns around the world. 

Al Jazeera files case at ICC over journalist Shireen Abu Akleh’s killing 

The Al Jazeera network has submitted a case against Israeli forces at the International Criminal Court (ICC) over the killing of Shireen Abu Akleh. 

Al Jazeera, based in Doha and funded by the Qatari state, said in a statement on December 6 ‘ , “The claim by the Israeli authorities that Shireen was killed by mistake in an exchange of fire is completely unfounded.”

“Al Jazeera has highlighted in its submission to the ICC Prosecutor that the new witness evidence and video footage clearly show that Shireen and her colleagues were directly fired at by the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF),” the network said.

Shireen’s family submitted their own complaint to the ICC in September. 

The Palestinian-American journalist was shot dead by the Israeli Army in Jenin in the West Bank on May 11, 2022 while wearing a body armor and a helmet clearly-marked “PRESS.” 

Shireen’s funeral was the longest in Palestine, lasting for three days, and going through four Palestinian cities: Jenin, Nablus, Ramallah and lastly in Jerusalem, where she was laid to rest.  Shireen was mourned by millions of Palestinians inside the country and in diaspora, in addition to millions of Arabs and internationals around the world.

Shireen, 51, spent the last 25 years reporting for Al-Jazeera Arabic Channel.

IAWRT welcomes efforts to continue seeking justice for the killing of Shireen. 

Read IAWRT story on the killing of Shireen. 

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Lady Ann Salem nominated for RSF’s Independence Prize in 30th Press Freedom Prize

IAWRT Philippines member and IAWRT Communications Officer Lady Ann Salem was nominated among five journalists and media outlets from around the world for the Independence Prize in the 30th Annual Press Freedom Awards of Reporters Without Borders (RSF).

Fifteen journalists and media outlets including Salem were shortlisted for the three categories, the other two are Courage and Impact. Salem is the only nominee from the Philippines. 

Salem is nominated for the Independence Prize along with Tolo News from Afghanistan, Omar Radi from Morocco, Bettie K. Johnson Mbayo from Liberia, and Bolot Temirov from Kyrgyzstan.

The Prize for Independence is awarded to journalists, media or NGOs for resisting pressure (including financial, political, economic or religious pressure) or because of the values and rules that enable them to resist.

“She embodies journalism’s future in the Philippines, a new generation of journalists following the trail blazed by Maria Ressa,” RSF said of Salem.

Salem led the building of the IAWRT’s first digital safe house for women journalists, using her own experiences as a guide.  

Manila Today, her alternative media outfit in the Philippines, said they are “elated with the nomination and recognition of its editor who continues to face charges in connection to her imprisonment in 2020. The government sought to reverse the dismissal of the charges against her at the Court of Appeals in 2021, a case that is pending up to this day.” 

International Human Rights Day on December 10 this year will mark the 2nd year since Salem’s arrest. 

The RSF Press Freedom Awards will be presented in Paris on December 12 this year in a ceremony opened by 2021 Nobel Peace Laureate Dmitry Muratov. 

IAWRT Iraq-Kurdistan member Niyaz Abdullah receives International Press Award from CPJ

November 27, 2022 

IAWRT Iraq-Kurdistan member Niyaz Abdullah is one of four recipients of theInternational Press Freedom Awards Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). 

CPJ’S citation for Abdullah reads as follows:

Abdullah is a prominent Iraqi Kurdish freelance journalist. She regularly contributes to media outlets in the Kurdish region of northern Iraq, including Radio Nawa, the broadcaster NRT, and the news websites Westga, Zhyan News Network, Hawlati, and Skurd, among others. Abdullah has covered politics, civil unrest, government corruption, human rights, and ethnic and religious minorities in Iraqi Kurdistan. Abdullah faced legal harassment by security forces and local authorities, and she was detained and threatened with violence over her work. In 2021, she fled to France to escape threats against her.

Drawing from CPJ

The annual International Press Freedom Awards and benefit dinner honored courageous journalists from around the world on Thursday, November 17, 2022, in New York City. This year’s dinner was chaired by Shari Redstone, who leads Paramount Global.

The three other journalists honored are Abraham Jiménez Enoa from Cuba (living in exile in Spain), Sevgil Musaieva from Ukraine (providing reports on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine through Ukrainska Pravda) and Pham Doan Trang from Vietnam (currently serving a 9-year sentence for violating a provision in the penal code making or spreading news against the state).

More information here.

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