TUNIS: The Algerian parliament approved on Thursday a new media law that tightens control over the work of journalists and imposes new restrictions.
While the government said the law is key to ensuring the free exercise of media activity under legal controls, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said the law included "negative chapters" that constitute a violation of press freedom.
The law prohibits the Algerian media from receiving any funding or material assistance from any "foreign entity".
Communication Minister Mohamed Bouslimani said the law aims to "enshrine freedom and pluralism of the press" and "protect it from all forms of deviation".
The new law de facto excludes dual nationals from the right to own or contribute to the ownership of a media outlet in Algeria.
"Some chapters are positive, some others represent a violation of press freedom, such as revealing sources to the judiciary, if requested, restricting access to any funding," Khaled Drareni, the representative of RSF in North Africa, said.
Unlike the old law that required formal authorization from the Ministry of Communication to create a newspaper, the new one is much easier in that it says journalists can set up a media outlet by only making a statement.
Earlier this month, a court in Algeria sentenced Ihsane El Kadi, a prominent journalist, to five years in prison. Ihsane, a vocal critic of the government who was arrested on Dec. 24, has been accused of receiving foreign funding.
Algerian parliament approves a new law that tightens control over the media
https://arab.news/93shy
Algerian parliament approves a new law that tightens control over the media
- Law included 'negative chapters' that constitute a violation of press freedom, says media watchdog
- New law prohibits Algerian media from receiving funding or assistance from 'foreign entities'
Eurovision Sport, Camb.ai to provide live subtitling for Paralympic Winter Games
- Partnership aims to increase accessibility for all audiences
- Milano Cortina Games run from Friday to March 15
LONDON: Eurovision Sport, the European Broadcasting Union’s free-to-air streaming platform, will provide live and on-demand subtitling for coverage of the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games in partnership with AI language company Camb.ai
The service will run across all competition days, allowing viewers to stream all six Paralympic Winter Games sports on Eurovision Sport with real-time subtitles. The Games open on Friday and run through March 15.
Camb.ai will supply contextual speech-to-text transcription for both live and catch-up coverage, which the organizers said would support accessibility without altering the editorial integrity of broadcasts.
Eurovision Sport Managing Director Alan Fagan said the aim was to make the Games available to “the widest possible audience,” by scaling up digital accessibility across every event on the platform.
The initiative forms part of the EBU’s most extensive digital coverage of a Paralympic Winter Games to date and complements member broadcasters’ linear output.
It also reflects a wider industry push to make live sport easier to follow for viewers watching without sound, people with hearing impairments and audiences consuming content on demand.
Camb.ai’s Chief Technology Officer Akshat Prakash said the company was proud to deepen its partnership with Eurovision Sport, describing the platform as a leader in applying new technology to sports coverage.
The two organizations began working together in 2024, when they delivered what they described as Europe’s first AI-powered real-time translated sports commentary during European Athletics events.
