JotCast | Panel Discussion: Where to Now for Press Freedom?

Jyoti

5:00

Hello and welcome to the panel discussion on the topic ‘Where to Now for Press Freedom?’ organised by the World Association of News Publishers. Colombian journalist Jineth Bedoya Lima, Rappler CEO Maria A. Ressa, John Montgomery, Executive VP (Brand Safety), Group M and Javier Garza Ramos, Safety Advisor, World Editors Forum, Mexico discuss some of the main challenges facing media worldwide and ways to broaden support for press freedom.

5:01

Javier Garza Ramos introduces the panelists.

5:03

Ramos initiates the discussion by talking about the international recognition for the work that Jineth Bedoya Lima has been engaged in for over a decade. He asks her, "What do you say about the situation of press in Colombia? How much progress has been made?"

5:05

Lima thanks Ramos. She responds, "Freedom of press is facing challenges. We have to be much more rigorous in what we publish."

5:06

"Journalists are exercising the right to speak the truth," asserts Lima.

5:08

She talks about the economic challenges as well as the the new trends of risks, like arrests and physical violence, that the journalists are facing while covering protest movements. "117 journalists faced this violence this year," states Lima.

5:09

She considers this an attempt to curb the fundamental rights of citizens, especially in the context of the pandemic this year.

5:10

Jineth Bedoya talks about Freedom of Press #ACJLive #PressFreedom

"The newsrooms have to be more precise so that the audience receives just the truth. It is a long way to go," Lima adds.

5:11

She emphasises that new ways of communicating need to be explored and people who read newspapers should carry out the responsibility of protecting the freedom of press as well.

5:13

Ramos raises the question of challenges to press freedom in Philippines. He asks Maria A. Ressa, " Where do things stand and what are you currently facing now?"

Ressa replies, "I have 8 criminal cases against me right now."

5:14

"During this lockdown - this is the 26th week of the lockdown - we had to shut down the largest broadcasting centre in Philippines," adds Ressa.

5:15

5:16

Ressa elaborates,"The law has been weaponised. We are going to continue working, just as we always have. I think, globally, we are at an existential moment because the major distribution platforms have faced problems."

5:17

Ramos says that he considers "the tech angle" as one of the most important aspects in this year.

5:18

But before he gets to that, he says he wants to explore "the other side of the world" with John Montgomery.

5:20

Ramos states, "The threat to press freedom does not only mean an authoritarian government".

He addresses Montgomery, "You recently wrote a piece that advertises the need to flow dollars into proper journalism. How do you see it all fit beyond the advertising model?"

5:22

Ramos introduces Montgomery, who is joining from the US. Montgomery will be talking about how brands media agencies and advertisers intersect and how they promote local journalism.

5:38

Javier asks Montgomery about the changing business model of journalism in the context of press freedom. Javier poses the question, "What about the journalism sustainability model? "
Montgomery congratulates Lima for her award and remarks that he is in awe of her bravery.
Montgomery states that there has been a transfer from classified advertising and local advertising. He talks about the inevitability of this revenue flowing out and opines that it is necessary to explore alternative revenue models.
"The appetite to pay subscription models is different for different people. Social media apps are taking advertisers," asserts Montgomery.

Why do not we use social networking apps to promote and improve our products?

#PressFreedom #ACJLive

"We have recognised that quality content limits the risk for advertisers. High quality news environment has more impact than fleeting forms of news," shares Montgomery. He observes that in this scenario, advertising on the page is for longer and that results in higher retention of advertisements. He adds, "The reader's trust transfers to the brand."
"During the pandemic, advertisers stopped advertising in news. VICE, for example, did research that advertisements on controversial content does better," he elaborates.

5:40

He asserts, "We have taken a number of actions to get news re-monetised."
Ramos addresses the next question to Lima, "What kind of lessons can we learn, with what is happening in your country?"
Lima replies, "As mentioned before, we are facing major challenges. Because we have to carry out the transition to new media and we need to discover how to maintain the responsibility and the historic challenges of the need of resources, we are still the target of lots of compromises, lots of forced silence from governments."
Lima explains that the situation of corruption has been so throughout the ages. She says that the journalists are being attacked by the armed forces.
Lima emphasises, "We have to do something about the criminality. We have to do something about the weapons and armed groups and the support they are receiving."

5:41

5:42

She remarks, "This is the responsibility! The journalists have to deliver the right information and speak out."
"It is difficult along with the pandemic, but we have to maintain our responsibility," she adds.
Lima states that gender violence, with the added impact of the pandemic, has affected women badly. She emphasises, "Let's pay much more attention to gender violences and the number of women who are losing lives due to such practices in offices and also in the streets."

5:43

Ramos says that one of the important aspects of Ressa's work is with tech companies and social media. He addresses her, "You are vocal about how there is fake news and abuse online and that they are unchallenged. What do you think needs to change for a better model for journalism?"

5:45

Ressa opines that fake news and abuse have "destroyed the world as we know it."

Do you think fake news has increased during the pandemic?

Yes (100% | 13 votes)

No (0% | 0 votes)

Maybe (0% | 0 votes)

Total Votes: 13

5:47

Ressa adds to the issue raised by Lima earlier — gender violence due to the power of social media.

Jineth Bedoya Lima talks about the gender violence against women and girls around the world. She talks about the responsibility that journalists have towards covering the gender violence happening around the world. #ACJLive #PressFreedom

Ressa says, "These leaders are sexist and misogynist; they project it in their social media."

5:48

She raises the question about finding ways to deal with the same.

5:50

5:51

"We need to understand how technology has changed our world," she emphasises. She considers that the way individuals form groups online is by recommending friends of friends and as the network grows, a filter bubble is created where no one challenges your facts. She asserts that the leaders put in alternative narratives. She exemplifies it with her case in which the narrative "journalist equals terrorist" was floated and used.

5:52

Online forums are often looked at in a vacuum, but they are merely a reflection of society curbing hate speech and fake news. It now has risen as a challenge globally. But this is not just a technological issue; it is also a societal problem.
#ACJLive #PressFreedom

"You can see here how alternate realities are created. Facts are boring — we put in our own data into social media. All that data is about us using AI, it knows us better than others and in our moment of weakness, they take that data and sell it to the highest bidder," warns Ressa.

5:53

"We see the disinformation and reality, and they exist together." She says that the importance of facts increases even more in such a context.

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