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UK SECTION |
The AEJ is active across the continent
of Europe. Please visit its website, www.aej.org |
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World Press Freedom Day |
WPFD
2012 |
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The UK Section of the AEJ is part of the UK Press Freedom Network of 20 journalistic and human rights bodies. In the past, the day has been marked by a public debate on 3 May. Until recently, this was organised by UNESCO’s UK National Commission. UK government support for this has now been withdrawn so the Network is seeking alternative avenues. It is confident, nevertheless, of holding an event on 3 May 2012. All AEJ national sections mark the day with meetings and events. For information about these, see the international AEJ website. UNESCO's website contains further information about its worldwide programme on freedom of the media. |
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Strasbourg: Journalists' Foe or
Friend? This was the theme of the World Press Freedom Day Debate to held on 3 May. Chaired by Clive Anderson, the first speaker was FCO Minister Jeremy Browne (video). For further information, see here. The UK section of the AEJ was a co-organiser
of this event. William Horsley opened the discussion and Tim Large, Editor of Thomson Reuters
Foundation News Services, closed. A full video of the event was posted on the BBC College of Journalism channel on YouTube. Coverage of the many events staged by AEJ sections across Europe this year is appearing on the AEJ international news page. |
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World
Press Freedom Day |
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2011 debate Arab Spring 2011: The
freedom to report |
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This was the topic of the UK public debate to mark World Press Freedom Day on 3 May. The speakers were ·
Mark Thompson, Managing Editor Multimedia, Thomson
Reuters ·
Shahira Amin, journalist and former TV presenter for
Nile TV, Egypt ·
Alanoud Al Sharekh, International Institute for Strategic
Studies (IISS) Middle East ·
Magdi Abdelhadi, broadcaster and Middle East commentator |
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Hannah Storm, International News Safety Institute
(INSI) ·
Maria Golovnina, Reuters ·
Mohammed Abbas, Reuters ·
Alan Fisher, Al Jazeera English correspondent ·
William Horsley, Chair · Minister of State the Rt Hon Jeremy Browne MP also sent a personal video message for the event See the blogs by AEJ member, Jonathan Fryer, and Emily Butselaar of Index on Censorship |
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2010 debate |
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At the World Press Freedom Day debate on 9 April, the motion, “Unregulated political comment online helps the democratic process”, was approved by 40 votes to 15 (1 abstention). It was agreed that online journalism and political blogging will be good for the fair conduct of the UK general election. Video of the debate in full (Frontline Club) Video and other material (UNESCO UK) Links
to the WPFD activities of other AEJ sections in 2010 can be found on the international website |
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The debaters were: Sir Robert Worcester, MORI/Ipsos Group; University of Kent Sunny Hundal, founder of the Liberal Conspiracy blog Caroline Thomson, Chief Operating Officer, BBC Professor Steven Barnett, University of Westminster Paul Bradshaw, Birmingham City University Nicholas Jones, author, ex-BBC William Horsley took the chair Hannah Marshall won the 2010 World Press Freedom Day Student Journalism Competition. She is an MA student studying Media at Southampton Solent University. Her article can be read on UNESCO's website |
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2009 debate |
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Truth in the media is a casualty of war Journalists in London voted by more than two to one for the motion that "Governments at war are winning the battle of controlling the international media". The debate at the Frontline Club on 1 May, moderated by AEJ UK chairman William Horsley, included a frank account by senior NATO official Dr Jamie Shea of how western governments managed to set the agenda for what journalists reported in the 1999 Kosovo war. Conflicts in Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Gaza, Sudan, Congo and Russia-Georgia were also cited in the debate. A full account of the debate was written by journalist Nicholas Jones on SpinWatch. Annabel Symington won the 2009 student journalism prize. |
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Video of the debate in full (Frontline Club) Speaking for the motion were Andrew Gilligan, Evening Standard, and Jamie Shea, NATO. Opposing it were Alan Fisher, Al Jazeera, and Jeremy Dear, NUJ.
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2008 debate |
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The topic for debate was "New Media is Killing Journalism". It was held at the Frontline Club on 2 May. Andrew Keen and Kim Fletcher spoke for the motion, and Robin Lustig and Nazenin Ansari against. William Horsley took the chair.
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The uncertainty that the profession faces due to the economics of online publication was a recurring theme throughout the wide-ranging and at times impassioned discussion. In the end, faith in the survival of journalism and its values triumphed. The motion was defeated by more than three to one (13 to 45 with four abstentions). Two of the speakers – Nazenin Ansari and Andrew Keen – filed contributions to Guardian Online, and Andrew Keen's "I came to bury journalists but in the end I could only praise them" was published in The Independent on 19 May 2008. |
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2007 debate |
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The motion “World Media Freedom is in Retreat” was endorsed by 57 votes in favour of the motion to 18 against. The vote reflected concerns about new restrictive laws on the media in many countries and the growing numbers of journalists worldwide who have been killed, injured, threatened or jailed because of their profession. |
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