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est reported as a quote.Action alerts also educate people about the nature of media freedom violations, leading togreater sensitivity to threats and violations, thus ensuring that more and more violations do notgo unreported. MISA alerts are used as a source of information by media freedom organisationsaround the world and serve to augment important international reports and publicationswhich in turn are used as advocacy tools or research documents.What types of incidents are reported in an action alert?1. Direct violations against journalists’ right to operate or report freely - these includephysical or verbal attacks or threats against journalists during the course of their work or asa result of their work; journalists being barred illegally from observing events or incidentsor inspecting areas, journalists evicted or deported from a country because of their work,journalists imprisoned or detained and, journalists killed during the course of or as a resultof their work.2. Censorship - this is where media workers, institutions or activities are banned or blocked.Where this does happen always indicate who issued the ban, why and in terms of whichlaws the ban was issued (sometimes countries have more than one law which could be usedto censor media).3. Court cases - these are court cases involving the media or concerning issues which affect themedia (e.g. a 1995 case in Zimbabwe involving cell phone company Retrofit did notinclude the media but significantly advanced freedom of expression and required to bereported). Alerts are not normally issued for trials or cases which are in progress (unlesssomething significant happens), the commencement and conclusion (judgement) are themost important to report (it requires however that the entire trial be monitored).Background information is very important in alerts relating to court cases e.g. where anewspaper is being sued over an article, find out when the contentious article waspublished and give a brief idea of what the article said or reported. This helps to accesswhether a trial is reasonable and fair. In the case of a criminal trial, indicate exactly whichlaw and sections thereof the journalist or media is being charged under.4. Legislation - This refers to the introduction, amendment or repealing of all legislationaffecting media in some way or the other. Very draconian legislation is usually monitoredand reported from the stage at which it is mooted. When issuing in alert around legislation,we make sure to explain precisely which parts of the law affect the media and how.5. Policies and statements by elected government officials - these are monitored and reportedin so far as they have a direct bearing on the workings and operations of the media. Verbalthreats or attacks on the media are crucial to report, as well as statements advancing newpolicies or clarifying, government policies with respect to the media.So This Is Democracy? 2005-296-Media Institute of Southern Africa