Syrian cartoonist Akram Raslan
Cartoonists Rights Network International will continue to monitor Mr. Raslan’s situation closely, and once again calls on the Syrian government to drop all charges against Mr. Raslan, and release him immediately to his family.
Sri Lankan cartoonist Prageeth Eknaligoda
Originally published 10/14/2012
Still from Dan Murphy’s censored ad parody
In June of this year, the Canadian newspaper the Vancouver Province took down an animated editorial cartoon that lampoons the Enbridge Corporation. As we reported in a previous article — Dan Murphy, the Editorial Cartoonist and Editorial Animator of the Vancouver Province, Speaks Out After His Paper and His Company “Blink” — the animated cartoon was reportedly removed from the paper’s website “because that energy company had issued an ultimatum to Postmedia Network Inc., the parent company of the Province and nineteen other newspapers and magazines. On June 22nd apparently both the Province and Postmedia blinked when Enbridge Inc. threatened to pull 1 million CAD in ads.” That animated cartoon has not been reposted. However, Dan continues to post traditional editorial cartoons and animated editorial cartoons critical of the Enbridge Corporation on the paper’s website. CRNI has been monitoring the situation at the Vancouver Province since this disturbing incident of corporate interference into a newspaper’s editorial decision making. Earlier this week we sent Kevin Bent, the President and Publisher of the Pacific Newspaper Group, Executive Vice President Western Canada, the following letter of protest. To read the letter, click the link. Read Letter
Still from Dan Murphy’s censored ad parody
Originally published 07/10/2012
“Is that supposed to happen? I don’t think that’s supposed to happen,” are early lines in an animated parody of an energy company’s advertisement as first globs and then gushes of animated oil blot out the pastoral scene portrayed in the advertisement. Editorial cartoonist and animator, Dan Murphy of the Vancouver Province felt the same way after he was told his animated parody was removed from his paper’s website because that energy company had issued an ultimatum to Postmedia Network Inc., the parent company of the Province and nineteen other newspapers and magazines. On June 22nd apparently both the Province and Postmedia blinked when Enbridge Inc. reportedly threatened to pull 1 million CAD in ads. Dan was told that instead of calling Enbridge’s bluff, Vancouver Province editor-in-chief Wayne Moriarty removed the animation from the paper’s website for fear of losing his job. To Dan this was one of those “red flag moments.” He couldn’t stay silent. In the days that followed, Dan risked being fired by giving a limited number of interviews repeating what he had been told as to why his parody was no longer featured on the paper’s website. For the full story and an interview with cartoonist Dan Murphy, click here.
Rob Rogers, 2012 Thomas Nast Award winner
Pittsburg Post Gazette political cartoonist Rob Rogers celebrated being chosen as the 2012 winner of the Thomas Nast Award by announcing he was donating his prize money to CRNI. The Nast Award is given annually by the Overseas Press Club for the best cartoons on international affairs.
Aseem Trivedi
