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WorldPressFreedomDay2020ConceptNote–Printfriendlyversion
WorldPressFreedomConference2020
Journalismwithoutfearorfavour
18–20October|WorldForum|TheHague|TheNetherlands
CONCEPTNOTE
WorldPressFreedomDay2020ConceptNote–Printfriendlyversion
1.Introduction:whyindependentmediamatter
On 3May 2020, UNESCOwill lead the celebration of the 27th annualWorld Press Freedom Day (WPFD).
UNESCO and the Kingdom of the Netherlands had planned to hold theWorld Press Freedom Conference
(WPFC)from22to24AprilattheWorldForuminTheHague,acityknownforitsroleininternationalpeace
andjustice.InlightoftheCOVID-19outbreak,theconferenceisnowscheduledfor18to20Octoberatthe
samevenue.TheeventwillbeajointcelebrationofWorldPressFreedomDayandtheInternationalDayto
EndImpunityforCrimesagainstJournalists(2November).
Thefocusthisyearisontakingactiontosecureindependentjournalism.Thiscall istoeveryonewhohasa
roletoplay-includinggovernments,journalistsandmedia,thejudiciaryandlegalsector,Internetbusinesses,
civil society,academiaand theyouth. The focus forWPFD2020 isonsuccesses inenhancingprofessional
journalismanditsfoundationonindependentnewsmediainstitutions.
Independence is a key element in the 1991 Windhoek Declaration for the Development of a Free,
Independent and Pluralistic Press, which led the UN to proclaimWorld Press Freedom Day in 1993. The
Declarationrecognizesthatpressfreedomrequiresnotonlylawsthatprovidestrongguaranteesforfreedom
ofexpression,butalsoconditionsthatensuremediapluralismandwhichenablejournalismthatiseditorially
independent.
Today, it is timely to highlight such independence as a necessary condition for the fulfillment of press
freedom.Thisisbecausepersistingandnewformsofcontrolofmediathreatenjournalism’sroleinproviding
the public with reliable facts, inclusive views and a diversity of cultural expressions.1Yet there is also a
growingmovement tobring reality closer to theWindhoek idealsby freeing journalism fromcontrols that
impedeeditorialindependence.ThisisessentialifhumanityistoreachtheSustainableDevelopmentGoals
(SDGs)thatincludeachievingpeace,justiceandtheruleoflawforwhichpressfreedomisindispensable.
Independentandprofessionaljournalists,alongwithanindependentjudiciary,playakeypartinpreventing
the capture of state power for private purposes.When these groups are protected, they can help ensure
1RecognitionoftheimportanceofeditorialindependenceanddiversityofthemediaisintegratedintoUNESCO’sMediaDevelopmentIndicatorsandtheInternetUniversalityIndicators,aswellasmonitoredintheframeoftheOrganisation’sreportsonWorldTrendsinFreedomofExpressionandMediaDevelopmentandRe-ShapingCulturalPolicies.
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accountabilityofpowerholdersandduty-bearersforprotectinghumanrightsandforprogressonsustainable
development.
The WPFD 2020 theme coincides with the 75th anniversary of the United Nations. For this anniversary,
MemberStateshaveaffirmedacommitmenttomultilateralism,whichiskeytoupholdinguniversalnormsof
peaceandhumanrights.2ThiscontextprovidesanopportunityforthecelebrationofWPFDtoenhanceco-
operationbetweenMemberStatesandencouragemulti-stakeholdercoalitionstoprotectpressfreedomand
safetyofjournalistswhicharenecessaryconditionsformediaindependence.
2.TheWPFD2020themeinbrief
Journalism todayundergoesmanypressures fromactors trying to captureor intimidatemedia inorder to
hamper journalists in their dailywork and by doing so, influence the flowof information. In addition, the
ongoing revolution in communications technology and the rise ofmajor Internet companies pose another
challengeto independent journalismand– throughthat– to thevaluethatpress freedomhas forsociety.
Thesedevelopmentsmaketheroleofjournalisminsocietiesmoredistinctiveandpreciousthanever,which
isalsowhythereismountingactioninfavourofmediaandjournalisticindependenceacrosstheworld.
Historically, take-overs of news have been exercised through political and economic controls over media
institutions. These were through state ownership of media, as well as through media barons, media
monopolies, advertisers’ interferences and public relations manipulation. In recent times, these enduring
challenges have intensified as advertising-reliant businessmodels for newsmedia lose ground to Internet
companies. Meanwhile, longstanding male-gender predominance in media is another factor that affects
editorialintegrity.
Today, the concerns about independence of journalism have extended to additional issues. These include
majorInternetcompanieshavingbecometheprimarycuratorsofjournalisticandculturalcontent,andsome
of themoperatingbusinessmodels thathavepromoteddisinformationandhatespeechat theexpenseof
prominencetojournalism.
On top of this, there is an increase in incitement to hostility against targeted news outlets and individual
reporters, and of intimidation via digital channels where women journalists and artists are especially
subjectedtoattack.
Taken together, these developments are leading to cases of public interest being supplanted by vested
powerful interests.These forcesundermineprofessional journalistic standards,and they skew thekindsof
2http://research.un.org/
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information and cultural content which individuals are accessing. The result is far from the spirit of
SustainableDevelopmentGoal16.10whichrecognizessociety’sneedfor“publicaccessto informationand
fundamentalfreedoms”.
At the same time, peopleworldwide are developing successful strategies to address the classic aswell as
newerchallengestomedia independence. WPFD2020 isanopportunity toshowcase,celebrateand learn
fromtheseexperiences.
3.Editorialindependencechallengedbyvariousformsofmediacapture
Editorial independence isnotpossiblewhenmediaoutletsaresetup,takenoverormanipulatedbyactors
whoweaken or distort the core journalistic standards of verification of facts andethical publishing in the
public interest.3 This phenomenon is referred to by analysts as “media capture”. Press freedom is about
autonomyfromnarrowinterests.Atthesametime,italsohastoentailstrongprofessionalstandardsifthere
istobesubstancetothemeaningofindependence.4Thesearetwosidesofthesamecoin.
It ispreciselythepotentialof independentandprofessional journalismtoexposeabuseofpowerandhold
powerholderstoaccountthatrendersitaprimetargetforcapture.5Theactorsinmediacapturerangefrom
political forces through to private businesses and other interest groups. By exerting power over media
discoursesandpervertingbasic journalisticethicsandstandards,captorsseektofurtherpolitical, religious,
ideological or financial objectives. The common element is that they all serve to sway news away from
keepingpoweraccountable.6
In recent years, therehas alsobeen a rise in public figuresusinghostile action anddiscourse intended to
intimidatejournalistsandspreaddistrust inprofessionalreporting.WithintheUN,severalresolutionshave
warnedaboutthepotentialconsequencesofsuchrhetoricandstressedsupportfortheUNPlanofActionon
SafetyofJournalistsandtheIssueofImpunity.
3AlinaMungiu-Pippidi,citedinhttps://cmds.ceu.edu/sites/cmcs.ceu.hu/files/attachment/article/1174/cima-media-capture-book-f.pdf,p.24Thispointlinkstothekindofcapturehasbeendescribedas“cognitivecapture”,whichresultsfromoverly-closeassociationbetweenreportersandthegroupsinpowerwhomtheycover.Stiglitz,J.E.2017.Towardataxonomyofmediacapturehttps://www8.gsb.columbia.edu/faculty/jstiglitz/sites/jstiglitz/files/Capture2_Taxonomy-of-Media-Capture.pdf5Schiffrin,A.2017.Intheserviceofpower:mediacaptureandthethreattodemocracy.Washington,DCandNewYork:CenterforInternationalMediaAssistanceandColumbiaUniversitySchoolofInternationalandPublicAffairs.https://www.cima.ned.org/resource/service-power-media-capture-threat-democracy/6ApartialbibliographyonmediacaptureisavailablefromtheForumMediaandDevelopment,andcanbefoundathttps://fome.info/events/symposium-2018/literature
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Inthesectionsthatfollow,moredetailisgiventohoweditorialintegrityandindependenceareimpactedby
captureandattacks, to issuesposedby the roleof Internetcompanies for independent journalism,and to
the place of gender dimensions in the equation. In this, attention is also given to the many actors and
strategiesthatarerespondingtothesechallenges.
4.Curtailingthecorrosionofnewsbypoliticalandbusinessinterests
Political control over newsmedia by governments aswell as by opposition politicians is amuch-observed
form of media capture. Governmental control often exploits public ownership of media assets, and the
patronagepowerofstateadvertisingbudgets,inordertofavourselectedmediaoutletsandpenaliseothers.
Politicalcapturehasalsobeeneffectedbypreventingorcompromisingtheindependenceofcommunications
licensing and regulatory bodies. Theweaker the privatemedia, themore vulnerable it is to purchase by
patronsorotherentitieswithintereststhatgoagainstindependentjournalism.
Concentration of ownership and unlimited cross-ownership in privately-owned communications industries
continuestoenabletheweakeningofeditorialindependence.Thereisalsotheco-optionofmediabyhidden
shareholderswithpoliticalmotives.7EntitiesasdiverseastheEuropeanCommissionandtheInter-American
Special Rapporteur for Freedomof Expression are raising concerns aboutmedia pluralism and diversity in
theirregions,andmanyactorsarepressingfortheenforcementofcompetitionlaws.8Othersareworkingfor
transparency of ownership, aswell as effective regulation to prevent abuse of state advertising budgets.9
Stronginstitutionalprotectionsareneededforeditorialindependenceinstate-ownedmediaenterprises.The
solutionalso requirescommunications regulators tobe independentofexternal interests.For theartsand
culturesectors,publicpoliciesandregulationscanprotectandpromotetheintegrityandemergenceoffree
anddiverseculturalexpressions,avitalcontributiontoanyflourishingdemocracy.Robustself-regulationfor
news media institutions is essential for their own accountability for upholding editorial standards.
7SeetheMediaOwnershipMonitorofReportersSansFrontières.http://www.mom-rsf.org/TheOrganisedCrimeandCorruptionReportingProjecthasalsoliftedthelidonshellcompanies,oftenregisteredoffshore,usedtohidetheidentityofmediaownershttps://www.occrp.org/en8Nelson,M.M.2017.Whatistobedone?Optionsforcombattingthemenaceofmediacapture.InSchiffrin,A.(ed).2017.Intheserviceofpower:Mediacaptureandthethreattodemocracy.CenterforInternationalMediaAssistance:WashingtonDC.9SeeMendel,T.,GarciaCastillejo,A,andGomez,G.2017.ConcentrationofMediaOwnershipandFreedomofExpression:GlobalStandardsandImplicationsfortheAmericas.UNESCOMontevideoOffice:Montevideo.https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000248091;Becerra,MandMastrini,G.2019.Laconvergenciademedios,telecomunicacioneseinternetenlaperspectivadelacompetencia:Haciaunenfoquemulticomprensivo.UNESCOMontevideoOffice:Montevideo.
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Strengtheningjournalisticethicsisalsopartofthepictureasaresponsetocorruptionofindividualjournalists
whichalsocompromiseseditorialintegrity.10
Thedevelopmentofalternativejournalisticplatforms,theinclusioninmediaofvoicesofyoungpeople,and
innovations in ownership and business models, are further steps that can support enhanced diversity,
transparencyandjournalisticintegrity.Exposingthelucrativebusinessofundisclosedsponsorship,suchasin
thecasesofsomebloggersand“influencers”,isanothermeasurebeingundertaken.
Media capture can in some instances be facilitated by “a pliant judiciary to prosecute independent
journalists.”11In order for judicial officials to be able to effectively safeguard press freedom, journalistic
safetyandmediaindependence,lawsandsystemsshouldbeinplacetoadequatelyprotectthemaswellas
freedomofexpression.Manyinternationalinstitutionsandparliamentsareworkingtoentrenchanenabling
legalenvironmentfor judicial independence.UNESCOandothersareworkingwith judges,prosecutorsand
lawyers around the world to promote better understanding of international standards for freedom of
expressionastheserelatetothelegalsphere.Thesestepscanrestrainpoliticalandbusinesscaptureofthe
judiciaryandthemediaasprecioussocialinstitutions.
Thereisprogressinalltheseareasandinspiringstoriestoshare.
Pointstoponder
1. What legal and policy approaches are helping to protect or restore editorial independence in the
mediasector,theintegrityofregulators,andthefairallocationofstateadvertising?
2. Whatinnovativeapproachesaresuccessfullycurbingmediaconcentrationandopaqueownership,as
wellasdiversifyingmediaownership?
3. Whatcasesshowthevalueofanindependentjudiciaryprotectingfreedomofexpressionandfending
offcapture?
4. What steps are journalists, civil society and others taking to strengthen self-regulation as part of
accountabilityforindependenceandeditorialintegrity?
5. Howdotheissuesofcaptureandattacksonmediaimpactonfreedomofartisticexpression?
5.Makingmediaindependenceafactorforgenderequality
10SeetheEthicalJournalismNetworkhttps://ethicaljournalismnetwork.org/andRSF’sJournalismTrustInitiative,https://rsf.org/en/news/rsf-and-its-partners-unveil-journalism-trust-initiative-combat-disinformation11Stiglitz,Joseph,E.2017.Towardataxonomyofmediacapturehttps://www8.gsb.columbia.edu/faculty/jstiglitz/sites/jstiglitz/files/Capture2_Taxonomy-of-Media-Capture.pdf
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Anotherdimensionofpower that impactson theextent towhich journalismserves society inclusivelyand
advances the Sustainable Development Goals is the predominance of men inmedia leadership positions.
Recentstudieshave foundthatmenhold73%of topmanagementpositions inkeymedia institutions.12A
similarpatternisevidentinmediaownership.
This imbalancecorrelateswith relativeblindspots inmedia in regard to female staff, andgenderportrayal
andstereotyping.Further,recentsurveyshavefoundthatinmanyplaceswomenjournalistsandartistsare
disproportionately targeted by online harassment, threats, sexist hate speech and trolling.13 Despite a
growingawarenessof theproblem,manynewsorganizationshavebeenslowtodealwith these issues. In
addition,inmanysocieties,restrictionsandcensorshipofartisticexpressionsparticularlydiscriminateagainst
womenartistsandfemaleaudiences.Thisdemotivatesandrestrictswomeninexercisingtheirrights,andcan
leadtoself-censorship.
Gendered control is often also tied up with intersectional inequalities including race, ethnicity, sexual
orientation and gender identity. Youth is another intersectional issue, and these inequalities need to be
addressedifindependentjournalismistocontributetoinclusivenessandnon-discriminationthatarepartof
sustainabledevelopment.
In recent years, influential movements have been successfully challenging the status quo, and helping to
ensurebettergenderrepresentationinownership,staffingandcontentintheproductionofjournalism.
Pointstoponder
1. Whatarethesuccessstoriesinregardtoachievingchangeinmediaownershipandmanagement
inregardtogenderequality?
2. What steps in regard to content are visible in media and culture outlets to promote gender
equality in society such as by tackling gender stereotypes and reflecting greater diversity in
content?
3. What lessons can we learn from media outlets that provide help to protect journalists, in
particularfemalejournalists,freelancers,andartists,fromharassmentandattack?
12French,L;VegaMontiel,A;Padovani,C(eds).2019.Gender,media&ICTs:newapproachesforresearch,education&training.Paris:UNESCO.https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000368963.locale=en;VegaMontiel,A.andMacharia,S.(eds).2019.Settingthegenderagendaforcommunicationpolicy:newproposalsfromtheGlobalAllianceonMediaandGender;Paris:UNESCO.https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000368962.locale=en;https://www.iwmf.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/IWMF-Global-Report.pdf13https://www.iwmf.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Attacks-and-Harassment.pdf;https://www.ifj.org/media-centre/news/detail/category/press-releases/article/ifj-survey-two-thirds-of-women-journalists-suffered-gender-based-online-attacks.html
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6.Promotingindependentjournalismandmediaonline
Internetcompanieshaveaffordedspaceforjournalisticalternatives,includingyouth-driveninnovation.This
is especially significant in contexts wheremedia is captured, and it enablesmore pluralistic and inclusive
information environments. At the same time, Internet technologies have themselves become increasingly
centralised inglobal Internetcompanies.Theseentitiesarenowthemainarbitersof technology-mediated
communications. The world’s Special Rapporteurs on freedom of expression have signalled such
unaccountableprivatecontrolasapotentialrisktofreedomofexpression.14
ManyInternetbusinessmodelsrelyoncapturinguserdatathroughprolonginguserengagementbymeansof
prioritizing content that arouses emotions, and with the side-effect of downgrading the visibility of fact-
based journalistic output. Further,many online channels are availed to actorswho seek to sway opinions
throughbelow-the-radarandmicro-targetedcontent.All this takesplaceoutsideof the transparentpublic
sphere,andcontrastsstronglywiththevalueofnewsmedia’scontributiontosociety.
Theoverall effect is that Internet companieshave increasingly takenovera largepartof the roleofnews
media in the communicationsecology.However,underpublicpressure, theyarebeginning toaddress the
needforethicalcodesalignedtointernationalhumanrightsstandards,andeffectiveself-regulatorysystems.
Anumberofactorshavebeenpromotingtheestablishmentofanindependentandmultistakeholdersocial
mediacouncilforInternetcompanies.Whilethereremainmanyquestions,adialoguehasstarted.
Pointstoponder
1. Whatinterventionsarebeingconsideredinthefaceofinternetactorsplayingsuchalargerolein
communications?
2. What cases exist where Internet companies co-operate meaningfully with newsmedia to help
ensure visibility of independent journalism, as well as creativity and diversity of cultural
expressions,andhowcanthesebereinforced?
3. Howcanimprovedaccountabilityandself-regulationbyInternetcompanieshelptoresistcapture
oftheirplatformsbypeoplespreadingdisinformation,hatespeechandhostilitytojournalism?
4. What wider funding solutions are being proposed to address market failure in regard to the
sustainabilityofindependentjournalismintothefuture?
7.Unshacklingjournalism–strengtheningtheconditionsforindependence
14“JointDeclarationonChallengestoFreedomofExpressionintheNextDecade”https://www.osce.org/representative-on-freedom-of-media/425282
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The celebration of WPFD 2020 is based on a solutions-oriented approach and seeks to galvanize and
empowerallconcernedintomorepowerfulaction.Thediverseeffortsatpushingbackagainstthepressures
andatsecuringeditorial independencefor journalismmeritbeingamplified. Innovativepracticesespecially
deservetobeshared,anddifferentactorslinkeduptoreinforcetheirsynergies.WPFD2020isthetimefor
thistohappen.
Afree,pluralisticandindependentmediaenvironment,bothonlineandoffline,isquintessentialtoupholding
freedomofexpressionasa fundamentalhumanright. It isakeyelementofanydemocraticsociety,and it
acceleratesprogress insustainabledevelopment.Significantly, it isalsoa fundamentalvaluethatmobilises
manypeopleintoaction.Whenjournalistsareprotectedbythelaw,whentheycaninvestigate,reportand
publish freely and professionally without being tied to the specific agendas of powerful elites or interest
groups,andwithoutfearofattack,thentheycanfulfiltheirdemocraticanddevelopmentpotential.Theycan
holdpowertoaccount,promotetransparency,disseminatequalityinformationandcontributetoanethical,
fact-basedcommunicationsecosystem.
Inputting the focusonefforts aimed toprotect independent journalism, theWorldPress FreedomDay in
2020buildsupontheinsightsandenergyofthe2019themewhichsoughttostrengthenmedia’scontribution
toelectionsandthefightagainstdisinformation.Enhancingknowledgeofthecurrentissuesandeffortsfor
changecanhelptokeepjournalismfreeandindependentintothefuture.
ThisisthepromiseofpolicydiscussionsduringtheWorldPressFreedomDay2020andfarbeyond.