Category: Head Honchos
Mexico’s Second Richest Man Uses Television to Defy Authorities
Ricardo Salinas Pliego, owner of TV Azteca, has in recent months used his television station to pressure the Mexican government to lift the quarantine imposed…
The Rise and Fall of A Romanian Media Mogul
Radu Mazare pioneered independent journalism in the early days of post-communist Romania. But his excessive craving for fame, wealth and power led to his downfall….
How to Wipe Away Digital History: Buy a Newspaper
A wealthy and influential lawyer buys the sole English newspaper in Cyprus. The real motive: cleaning his digital record. The announcement by Cyprus Mail yesterday…
Cameroon’s Independent Media: Zero Tolerance
One of the wealthiest media tycoons in Cameroon lands firmly into the government’s crosshairs as attacks on independent journalism intensify. Only seven years ago, Mimi…
The Man Who Wants to Be the Czech Berlusconi
Jaromir Soukup, owner of TV Barrandov in the Czech Republic, is building a media empire with Russian and Chinese money. “I am ashamed of him,”…
Media Capture, Made in Bulgaria
One businessman has managed to bring both the state structures and big business in Bulgaria under his tight control. Media was a key piece of…
Thai Far-Right Gets Its Hands on Fancy Newspaper
A business group with far-right affinities buys The Nation, one of Thailand’s most respectable newspapers. This means that independent reporting is now likely to be…
Philippine Daily Inquirer: Fearless No More?
The sale of a majority stake in the Philippine Daily Inquirer raises concerns about the newspaper’s fabled fearlessness. On 17 July 2017, Marixi Prieto, the chair of the…
Next Target for Moldovan Politicians: The Internet
Politicians meddling with the journalism business is not uncommon in Moldova’s media. But now, the battle to control dissenting voices moves online. The recipe used…
Romania: How A Corrupt Minister Turned Journalists Agains Journalists
For four years, two journalists investigating a suspected money laundering and influence peddling case at a Romanian ministry faced numerous obstacles. But they didn’t expect…