Why a remark from American journalist Chris Hedges offered a perfect (yet grim) lens for me to understand what’s going on in our world today.

In this Digital Media Shakers edition, we speak with Zahra Nader, an Afghan-Canadian journalist and the founder and editor-in-chief of Zan Times. Launched in the wake of the Taliban’s return to power, Zan Times is a women-led investigative newsroom that documents the human rights crisis in Afghanistan.

At RNW Media, our mission is to ensure people have access to safe, reliable, and inclusive information. But let’s be real: even for the professionals, the 2026 news cycle can feel like a fever dream.

Following the killing of a U.S. citizen and civilian,  Renee Nicole Good, by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer on January 7, 2026, in Minneapolis, the incident has sparked and accelerated online disinformation related to the events and details of the shooting. There have been media reports about AI-generated

We call on the Iranian regime to restore full internet and communications access immediately and end attacks on journalists, media makers, and citizens. We urge our followers, civil society, tech platforms, governments, and international bodies to defend the right to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers: speak out, amplify verified reporting, protect public interest digital media, and demand accountability.

Venezuela has entered a sudden imposed political transition after the capture of President Nicolás Maduro, following the U.S. invasion on January 3rd, 2026. This moment of uncertainty underscores just how vital independent media are for citizens’ access to accurate and reliable information.

RNW Media introduces a new series, Digital Media Shakers, where we highlight bold voices shaping public interest and independent media. Next up: Wahyu Dhyatmika, CEO of Tempo Digital and Chairperson of AMSI (Indonesian Cyber Media Association).