RNTC

Indonesia's press is legally free — but is it truly free? In a powerful new op-ed published on RNW Media, two Indonesian journalists and RNTC Sander Thoenes Scholars, Retyan Sekar and Juan Robin, unpack the paradox at the heart of Indonesian journalism today.

From mass layoffs (1,200+ journalists in 2025 alone) to self-censorship, structural economic pressures are quietly reshaping what Indonesian media can — and cannot — say. Indonesia's ranking in the Reporters Without Borders Press Freedom Index dropped from 111th to 127th in just one year. Yet beyond the rankings, 80% of journalists admit to self-censoring to avoid conflict.

Retyan and Juan don't just diagnose the problem — they explore paths forward, from grassroots independent media to reimagining trust-based journalism models like De Correspondent in the Netherlands.

This is a must-read for anyone working in media, press freedom advocacy, or development communication.

Read the full article: https://ow.ly/m2Tw50YYL73

There is an Armenian proverb that every journalist should carry with them: "Pain comes on horseback, but medicine comes on foot." In the spirit of World Press Freedom Day, Armen Sargsyan — media professional, public policy expert, and alumnus of RNW Media's RNTC training centre — opens his reflection not with inspiration, but with a sobering truth: in 1937, Armenian poet Yeghishe Charents was taken from his home in a bread-selling truck, and no one knows where his grave is. Millions of stories ended the same way. And yet, people kept choosing to speak.

Sargsyan traces his own journey from becoming a journalist in post-Soviet Armenia in 1995 — where Soviet-era jokes were still the safest form of free expression — to training at RNTC in Hilversum, an experience that would later shape how he taught the next generation of media professionals at one of Armenia's leading universities. The distances that free press has shortened, and the borders it has opened, are not abstract to him. They are lived.

Today, Armenia ranks among regional leaders on the 2025 World Press Freedom Index — a real achievement. But journalists there still face physical attacks, public distrust, and the accusation that their work polarises society. And globally, the most dangerous threat of 2026 is not censorship or arrests — it is disinformation, which travels on horseback while journalists are still walking on foot, doing the slow, unglamorous work of rebuilding public trust.

That is exactly what World Press Freedom Month is about for us. Not a celebration of perfect press freedom, but a recognition of the people making it inch forward — reporters who keep walking despite everything riding against them. Read Armen's full reflection. https://www.rnw.media/index.php/news/profession-that-is-on-foot-but-worthy-to-wait-for/

“Disinformation is not just present in Libya’s conflict. It is part of how the conflict works.”

As we continue to commemorate World Press Freedom Month throughout May, we turn to Libya, where over a decade of conflict and political division has weakened state institutions and created a fragmented information space vulnerable to manipulation.

In this essay, Hanan Mohammed explores how Russia-propagated online disinformation, alongside investment in traditional media, has shaped public opinion and discourse, undermining media authenticity, trust, and political processes.

These challenges reinforce the urgent need to strengthen independent and public interest media and build resilience against disinformation in an increasingly digital and AI-driven landscape.

This philosophy also guides our work on digital transformation and media viability, through our Digital Transformation Assessment (DTA) — a safe, confidential and free tool that helps public interest media organisations understand where they stand in their digital transformation journey, while contributing to collective insight that strengthens the sector.

Curious to learn more? Take the DTA (free):

https://rntc.com/digital-transformation-assessment

Read the full essay via the link in comments.



"في ليبيا، لا تقف المعلومات المضللة على هامش الصراع، بل تنخرط في صميمه. إنها ليست مجرد نتيجة جانبية، بل أداة من أدواته."

بينما نواصل إحياء اليوم العالمي لحرية الصحافة طيلة شهر مايو، فإننا نسلط الضوء على ليبيا التي أدى فيها الصراع والانقسام السياسي المستمران منذ أكثر من عقد إلى إضعاف مؤسسات الدولة وتجزئة فضاء الإعلام والمعلومات مما جعله عرضة للتلاعب.

في هذه المقالة، تتناول حنان محمد كيف ساهمت المعلومات المضللة التي تنشرها روسيا عبر الإنترنت، إلى جانب استثمارها في وسائل الإعلام التقليدية، في تشكيل الرأي العام والخطاب العام، مما قوّض العمليات السياسية ومصداقية وسائل الإعلام وثقة الجمهور بها.

تؤكد هذه التحديات على الحاجة المُلحة لتعزيز وسائل الإعلام المستقلة وبناء آلية دفاعية ضد المعلومات المضللة في ظل بيئة رقمية متزايدة التطور تعتمد على الذكاء الاصطناعي.

كما تُوجّه هذه الفلسفة عملنا في مجال التحول الرقمي واستدامة وسائل الإعلام، من خلال تقييم التحول الرقمي - وهي أداة آمنة وسرية ومجانية تُساعد مؤسسات الإعلام المعنية بالمصلحة العامة على فهم موقعها في رحلة التحول الرقمي، وتُسهم في الوقت نفسه في بناء رؤية جماعية تُعزز القطاع.

هل ترغبون في معرفة المزيد؟ شارك في تقييم التحول الرقمي (مجانًا):

https://rntc.com/digital-transformation-assessment

اقرأ المقال كاملاً عبر الرابط الموجود في التعليقات.

#ليبيا

We will be at RightsCon 2026 — and we'd love to meet you! 🌍

If you're joining us in Lusaka, Zambia this 5–8 May, connect with our team on the ground: Giovana Fleck (Information Integrity Manager) and Luckson Mulako (Learning Experience Manager).

RightsCon is the perfect moment to also talk about something we're passionate about: how independent and public interest media organisations can navigate digital transformation strategically and ethically — not just reactively.

That's exactly why we built the Digital Transformation Assessment (DTA) — a free, 60-minute guided tool that helps media organisations evaluate their digital maturity, spot critical gaps, and prioritise actions that drive real and rights-based impact.

✅ Free & available in English, Arabic, and French
✅ Personalised report with your Digital Transformation Score
✅ Includes a free 1-hour consultation with our Media Viability team

👉 Take the assessment before RightsCon and bring your questions and insights to the conversation: rntc.com/digital-transformation-assessment
See you in Zambia!

As Cheryl Thompson-Morton from The Lenfest Institute puts it: tools like the DTA are "especially powerful in supporting digital transformation efforts and guiding prioritization." (slide to see the quote in French and Arabic)

The Digital Transformation Assessment (DTA) goes beyond a simple scorecard. It delivers an in-depth, actionable diagnostic that helps organizations understand exactly where they stand and what to prioritize next.

✅ Automated & insight-driven
✅ Built for newsrooms without deep in-house analytics
✅ Practical next steps, not just a score

Ready to see where your organization stands? 👉 https://rntc.com/digital-transformation-assessment

It's Throwback Thursday: This came from one of our earliest alumni — RNTC Spring Course, 1980.

Four journalists. Three countries — Thailand, Liberia, and the Netherlands. One training course. A network that has been growing ever since.

45 years later, RNTC has trained thousands of journalists and media makers from across the world; from newsrooms under pressure to community radio stations, from investigative reporters to editors shaping public discourse in some of the most challenging media environments.

It looked like this at the beginning. And the RNTC network continues to grow!

Come, be part of the network! Learn more about RNTC here: https://rntc.com/impact

🚀 Live: RNW’s Digital Transformation Assessment (DTA)

Digital transformation is an ongoing journey and requires trust. RNW Media’s Digital Transformation Assessment (DTA) is a safe, confidential and practical tool designed to help independent media organisations reflect, innovate and transform with confidence.

Available for free in English, French, and Arabic, the DTA helps media outlets understand where they stand today - and how to move forward.

🔍 What to expect:

-Takes approximately 60 minutes to complete

-Results are for your organisation’s use only

-Data is secure, anonymous, and confidential

-A benchmarked Digital Transformation Score

-A personalised 17-page report with clear, prioritised next steps

-Aggregated, anonymous insights help strengthen the independent media sector globally

-Rather than prescribing solutions, the DTA strengthens agency — acting as a vehicle for innovation, transformation, and access to community and opportunities across the media development ecosystem.

🗣️ External review – FT Strategies:

“Simple, well-executed tool with a clear target audience. Good for raising awareness and encouraging reflection.”
— George Montagu, Head of Insights & Senior Manager, FT Strategies

💬 What happens next?
-Completion of the DTA unlocks a free 1-hour expert conversation with RNTC’s Media Viability consultants to discuss your results and priorities.
-Following participation and consultation, organisations become part of RNW’s inner network - The Vine - connecting to peers, learning, and future opportunities.

📩 Book your consultation via [email protected]

👉 Take the Digital Transformation Assessment (free):
https://rntc.com/digital-transformation-assessment

Safe. Confidential. Useful.

متوفر الآن: تقييم التحول الرقمي

يمكن الآن لوسائل الإعلام المعنية بالمصلحة العامة استخدام تقييم التحول الرقمي الخاص بنا، وهو أداة مجانية متاحة عبر الإنترنت باللغات الإنجليزية والفرنسية والعربية.
تم تطوير تقييم التحول الرقمي بالتعاون مع شركاء إعلاميين في غرب أفريقيا وشمال أفريقيا وأمريكا اللاتينية، وهو يساعد المؤسسات الإعلامية على تقييم أدائها الرقمي والتنظيمي واتخاذ قرارات تحول مدروسة، وذلك عبر مختلف فرق العمل.

🔍 ما يُقدمه تقييم التحول الرقمي:
- مؤشر معياري للتحول الرقمي
- معلومات واضحة حول وضعية الهيكل المؤسسي حاليًا ومدى جاهزيته للتغيير
- تقرير مخصص مكون من 17 صفحة يتضمن خطوات عملية مُرتبة حسب الأولوية

🌍 في ظل المشهد الإعلامي الذي يتشكل بفعل التغير التكنولوجي السريع، والذكاء الاصطناعي، والضغوط المالية، وتقلص الحيز المدني، يدعم تقييم التحول الرقمي المؤسسات الإعلامية في:

- وضع خط أساس للتحول وتتبع التقدم بمرور الوقت
- توضيح نقاط القوة والأولويات - سواءً بوجود تمويل أو بدونه
- إجراء حوارات هادفة مستندة على البيانات مع المانحين والشركاء

💬 استشارة مجانية متضمنة
- يحصل جميع المشاركين في تقييم التحول الرقمي على مكالمة استشارية مجانية لمدة ساعة مع خبراء الابتكار الإعلامي لدينا لمناقشة النتائج واستكشاف الخطوات التالية.
📩 للحجز، تواصلوا معنا عبر البريد الإلكتروني [email protected]

أماكن محدودة متاحة في شهر مايو! احجزوا استشارتكم المجانية لمدة ساعة واحدة قبل 30 أبريل!

🗣️ "قد تجد غرف الأخبار الصغيرة ذات القدرات التقنية المحدودة صعوبة في تحديد نقطة البداية. يوفر تقييم التحول الرقمي إطارًا لمراجعة استراتيجيتها وموظفيها وعملياتها، مما يساعدها على الانتقال من تقييم عام إلى قائمة محددة من الأولويات."
- أحد كبار المستشارين الإعلاميين في صندوق استثماري عالمي غير ربحي

👈 جرب تقييم التحول الرقمي مجانًا ولمزيد من المعلومات:
https://rntc.com/digital-transformation-assessment

👈 لا تنسى مشاركته مع أي شركائك الإعلاميين وشبكة علاقاتك.

لنحول التحول الرقمي من مجرد فكرة إلى واقع ملموس.

🚀 Disponible dès maintenant! Le DTA - une evaluation de la transformation numérique (ETN) de RNW Media.

Un outil en ligne gratuit pour les médias indépendants et la société civile utilisant les médias numériques – désormais disponible en anglais, français et arabe.
Conçu avec des partenaires médias de l'Asie Sud-Ouest et Afrique du Nord, d’Afrique et d’Amérique latine.

🔗 https://rntc.com/digital-transformation-assessment

Qu’est-ce que vous obtenez ? 👇
✔️ Un score de transformation numérique de référence
✔️ Un rapport personnalisé de 17 pages
✔️ Des prochaines étapes claires et priorisées – pas de solutions standardisées

🗣️ « Le DTA aide les petites entreprises médiatiques à passer d’une évaluation générale jusqu'à des priorités plus claires. »
💬 Consultation gratuite offerte jusqu'au 30 April !

Tous les participants de l'évaluation DTA bénéficient d'un appel gratuit - d'une heure avec les experts en viabilité des médias du RNTC pour analyser les résultats et planifier les prochaines étapes. Cette offre est disponible par ordre d'arrivée.

📩 Prendre rendez-vous : [email protected]

🚀 Now Live: Our Digital Transformation Assessment (DTA)

Public interest media outlets can now access our Digital Transformation Assessment — a free, online tool available in English, French and Arabic.

Developed with media partners across WANA, Africa, and Latin America, the DTA helps media organisations reflect on their digital and organisational performance and make informed transformation decisions, across different organisational teams.

🔍 What the DTA offers:

-A benchmarked Digital Transformation Score

-Clear insights into current structures and readiness for change

-A personalised 17-page report with practical, prioritised next steps

🌍 In a media landscape shaped by rapid technological change, AI, financial pressure, and shrinking civic space, the DTA supports outlets to:

-Establish a transformation baseline and track progress over time

-Clarify strengths and priorities — with or without funding

-Engage in meaningful, data-informed conversations with funders and partners

💬 Free consultation included
-All DTA respondents receive a free 1-hour consultation call with our Media Innovation experts to discuss results and explore next steps.
📩 Book via [email protected]
Limited spots available in May! Book your free 1-hour consultation by April30th!

🗣️ “Small newsrooms with limited technical capacity can find it hard to pinpoint where to start. The DTA provides a framework to audit their strategy, staff, and processes—helping move from broad assessment to a clear list of priorities.”
— Senior Media Advisor, global non-profit investment fund

👉 Take the Digital Transformation Assessment for free and for more information - https://rntc.com/digital-transformation-assessment
👉 Consider sharing with any suitable media partners and networks

Let’s move digital transformation from insight to action.