JRL NEWSWATCH: “Belarus protests stoke sea change at state media outlets” – Financial Times/ Max Seddon, James Shotter
“Hundreds of journalists have gone on strike demanding fair coverage of demonstrations.”
“… [In] a sea change at … [Belarus’s] normally pliant state media[,] [h]undreds of journalists have gone on strike demanding fair coverage of the [anti-Lukashenko] protests and … brutal police crackdown …. Several have resigned …. [S]tate media … remains a crucial tool in … Lukashenko’s attempt to cling to power. … [He] has threatened to fire employees at … state-owned enterprises – … account[ing] for about 70 per cent of [GDP] – who oppose him. …
Lukashenko … claimed … he … invited ‘6-9 journalists from the most advanced television [station] in Russia’ to restore order on Belarusian state television[,] … main source of news for most of Belarus’ population. …”