We are writing to you on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day – commemorated each year on May 3. It is a time to celebrate the importance of press freedom, think about the state of press freedom around the world and commemorate media practitioners whose lives are threatened in the course of carrying out their profession. The theme for this year’s World Press Freedom day is “New Voices: Media Freedom Helping to Transform Societies” – a reflection of the growing recognition of new media platforms to give voice to many whose freedom of expression and communication rights have been stifled.
As a social justice organization that promotes communication rights, WACC believes that freedom of expression and freedom of the press are a basic human right. Media independence and pluralism are fundamental to the processes of democracy and serve to facilitate accountability in governance, democratic participation and human rights.
While new media technologies and social media highlight the transformative power of the right to seek and share information, the opportunities offered by these new platforms equally challenge media practitioners to explore ways of strengthening professional codes of ethics to reflect the changing media landscape.
In order to carry out its task, the press operates according to journalistic codes of ethics which emphasise impartiality, truthfulness, and accountability in gathering and disseminating news. Many professional journalists adhere to these codes. However existing media codes of ethics do not cover the proliferation of news and opinion found on the Internet and in social media – often reflected in what has become known as citizen or activist journalism.
The Arab uprisings highlighted the potential of citizen journalism to counter attacks on freedom of expression and freedom of the press. Indeed, citizen journalism and the rise of alternative media voices are an exciting and potentially liberating development of the right to communicate. Bloggers and online activists now have a variety of tools to challenge deceit and deception, censorship and repression.
However, authoritarian governments have intensified efforts to control and censor digital media and the Internet. They are also resorting to licensing and regulatory frameworks to narrow the spaces for independent broadcasting.
Even in established democracies, attempts to exert government influence over public broadcasting have impinged on press freedom. As a consequence, whistle-blowing and investigative journalism of political corruption, corporate wrongdoing, and crime have suffered.
As a social justice organization that promotes communication rights, WACC believes that freedom of expression and freedom of the press are a basic human right. Media independence and pluralism are fundamental to the processes of democracy and serve to facilitate accountability in governance, democratic participation and human rights.
While new media technologies and social media highlight the transformative power of the right to seek and share information, the opportunities offered by these new platforms equally challenge media practitioners to explore ways of strengthening professional codes of ethics to reflect the changing media landscape.
In order to carry out its task, the press operates according to journalistic codes of ethics which emphasise impartiality, truthfulness, and accountability in gathering and disseminating news. Many professional journalists adhere to these codes. However existing media codes of ethics do not cover the proliferation of news and opinion found on the Internet and in social media – often reflected in what has become known as citizen or activist journalism.
The Arab uprisings highlighted the potential of citizen journalism to counter attacks on freedom of expression and freedom of the press. Indeed, citizen journalism and the rise of alternative media voices are an exciting and potentially liberating development of the right to communicate. Bloggers and online activists now have a variety of tools to challenge deceit and deception, censorship and repression.
However, authoritarian governments have intensified efforts to control and censor digital media and the Internet. They are also resorting to licensing and regulatory frameworks to narrow the spaces for independent broadcasting.
Even in established democracies, attempts to exert government influence over public broadcasting have impinged on press freedom. As a consequence, whistle-blowing and investigative journalism of political corruption, corporate wrongdoing, and crime have suffered.
