Egypt Gives Al Jazeera Journalists 7-10 Years

Residents Interviewed Along With Cops — Novel Idea?

"Last week's Brian Lehrer Show (6/10/14) was pretty remarkable,"Josmar Trujillo wrote Thursday for Fairness & Accuracy In Reporting.

"The popular show, based on New York City public radio station WNYC, had on journalist Daryl Khan from the Juvenile Justice Information Exchange website. Khan had written a piece, 'Harlem Residents: We Asked City For Help, We Got a Raid Instead' (6/5/14), that did something a little unusual: It asked residents at the receiving end of a major police operation what they thought about it.

"What a novel idea.

"Khan strayed from most media coverage around New York's 'biggest gang raid ever' by writing about the people living in the housing projects at the heart of the early-morning 400+ officer raid (complete with helicopters and riot gear), and by including voices of residents critical of it.

"The initial New York Times story (6/4/14) included only official accounts. The Rupert Murdoch-owned New York Post (6/4/14) printed Facebook quotes of some of the teenagers indicted (an apparent attempt to prove their guilt in the court of public opinion — a guilt assumed by the headline's flat assertion about 'Rival Gangs Arrested'), as well as quotes from the Manhattan district attorney and residents offering comments supportive of the end to alleged violence — if not the raid itself. . . ."

• Benjamin Weiser, New York Times: 5 Exonerated in Central Park Jogger Case Agree to Settle Suit for $40 Million

In Britain, BBC Ramps Up Diversity Efforts

"The BBC has announced new measures to improve the representation of the Black, Asian and minority ethnic community, including a new executive development scheme and a ringfenced commissioning fund," Jason Deans and Tara Conlan reported Friday for Britain's Guardian newspaper. .

"Other measures announced on Friday include more training internships for BAME graduate trainees, an assistant commissioner development programme for people from diverse backgrounds and new on- and off-air diversity targets.

"BBC director general Tony Hall, unveiling the BAME proposals at the EastEnders set in Elstree on Friday morning, also announced that he would chair a new independent diversity action group to advise the BBC. . . ."

• Kathy English, Toronto Star: Diversity is right course: Public Editor

Editor of State-Controlled Paper Arrested in Zimbabwe

In Zimbabwe, "After armed police raided his home and his office early on Thursday, Edmund Kudzayi, the newly appointed editor of the state-controlled Sunday Mail newspaper, handed himself over to police later in the day,"Peta Thornycroft reported Friday from Durban, South Africa, for the Independent Foreign Service.

"Police confiscated equipment from his office, but have so far not laid any charges against him.

"Police are also looking for Dumisani Muleya, the editor of a privately owned newspaper, The Independent, owned by Trevor Ncube, who also publishes two daily newspapers in Zimbabwe and the Mail & Guardian in South Africa.

"Police visited Muleya’s office on Thursday but were told he was on leave.

"Muleya told online publication New Zimbabwe.com by telephone from Harare: 'I've no business with the police, and until they state specifically why they want me, I will not be turning myself in.'

"Mduduzi Mathuthu, appointed last year to edit a state newspaper, The Chronicle, in Bulawayo, said that his home had been burgled early in the day and that his communication equipment had been stolen.

"Mathuthu spent several recent years in exile, mostly in London, where he helped launch a well-read online Zimbabwean newspaper, NewZimbabwe.com.

"The arrests are believed to be linked to a fight between two camps within the ruling Zanu-PF party over who will succeed President Robert Mugabe, 90, when he retires or dies. . . ."

• Lloyd Gumbo, the Herald, Zimbabwe: Why Sunday Mail editor was arrested