Reporters Against Power

Fidan revisits Istanbul, where she used to work as a news correspondent. Turkey has changed a lot under president Erdogan. Independent news media are being shut down and journalists risk being fired without any reason. The social climate is one of self-censorship and fear.

On paper Uganda is a democracy, but in reality nepotism and corruption are the rule. Journalism is one of the lowest paying jobs, and journalists, newspapers and TV stations are easily intimidated.

Colombia is a weak state. In some regions, criminals are almost in complete control of the government. Journalists are virtually the only people to uncover the corruption and crime. In doing so they become the target of criminal gangs. The central government is not able to tot put up an effective fight against these criminals. They merely provide journalists under threat.

Fidan arrives in Yangon on the eve before the latest elections. The military regime has promised fair elections but who can tell what will really happen? There is one television station that has committed itself to monitoring the election process and uncovering all irregularities that may occur: The Democratic Voice of Burma.

Fidan travels to Hong Kong where the free press is slowly being silenced by communist China. Acoording to Shirley Yam of the Hong Kong Journalist Association it is like boiling a frog: "if you boil the water slowly the frogs doesn't notice, until it's fully cooked and ready to be eaten".

In Moscow, Fidan visits Novaja Gazeta, one of the few critical newspapers in Russia. Ever since six journalists of NG were murdered in the line of duty, chief editor Muratov worries about the danger his colleagues get themselves into.