The media industry, which remains the primary source of news and information in the digital age, faces vast opportunities and steep challenges, the United Nations cultural agency said on Monday in its flagship analysis of new trends in media freedom, pluralism, independence and the safety of journalists.
“Covering the period 2012 to 2017, this study maps emerging global trends and makes an unequivocal call to action to counter new and persistent challenges,” stated Irina Bokova, Director-General of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in the foreword of the report, titled the World Trends in Freedom of Expression and Media Development.
“This provides a unique reference point for Member States, intergovernmental organizations, civil society groups, academia, journalists and media professionals, and all those who wish to understand the fundamentals of press freedom in a changing world,” she added.
The report highlights such positive developments as civil society mobilizing to push for greater access to information, media houses cooperating with fact-checking services to push back against a torrent of disinformation, and more and more Governments adopting freedom of information laws.
Kelvin Lewis, President, Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) in a speech during the association’s annual general meeting reflected on the dangers and opportunities in practicing the profession.
In Sierra Leone, he said, the continued presence and use of the Criminal Libel laws is a constant threat to the right to media freedom, which is a fundamental human right.
Lewis added “whilst we stand in solidarity with colleagues the world over who are in jail and those facing prosecution, threats and harassment in doing their work: we in Sierra Leone continue to reflect on the conditions under which we practice.”
From 2007 to now (2016) over 25 journalists have been arrested interrogated, detained and/or jailed and two have been convicted of Criminal Libel. While it may be in the interest of governments to regulate the press to suit their purpose, using the Criminal Libel Laws is inappropriate. The French Philosopher and journalist Albert Camus sounded a note of warning, “A free press can, of course, be good or bad, but, most certainly without freedom, the press will never be anything but bad.”
The UNESCO report, however, warned that “across the world, journalism is under fire,” citing the rise of ‘fake news’ stories that shroud the truth and muddy information, as well as social media algorithms that are contributing to the creation of virtual ‘echo chambers’ and exacerbating political polarization.
Ransford Wright, Independent Media Network representative, spoke on challenges of citizen journalism and social media as against professional journalism, which has created a situation virtually free for all. SV/7/11/17
By Sylvia Villa
Wednesday November 08, 2017.
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