Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
[ MUSIC ]
>> WELCOME EVERYONE.
IT'S NICE TO SEE YOU HERE THIS THURSDAY MORNING.
MY NAME IS RAUL REIS, I'M THE CHAIR
OF THE JOURNALISM DEPARTMENT HERE ON CAMPUS.
I ALSO TEACH -- ONE
OF THE CLASSES I TEACH IS GLOBAL NEWS MEDIA
WHICH RELATES DIRECTLY THROUGH THIS PANEL
THAT WE HAVE HERE TODAY WHICH IS TITLED THE GLOBAL NEWS MEDIA:
IS THE BALANCE AND ACCURATE STORY BEING REPORTED.
AND I -- BEFORE I INTRODUCE THE PANEL I WANT
TO CALL YOUR ATTENTION.
EARLIER THIS WEEK I WAS LOOKING
AT A NONGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION'S WEBSITE CALLED
REPORTERS WITHOUT BORDERS AND THEY LISTED ON THE WEBSITE
THAT IN 2009 ALONE,
12 JOURNALISTS HAVE BEEN ALREADY KILLED
AND 138 JOURNALISTS HAVE BEEN IMPRISONED AND SADLY
AS YOU KNOW WE'RE STILL IN EARLY MARCH.
WHEN THEY ISSUED THEIR 2008 ANNUAL PRESS FREEDOM REPORT,
THIS IS THE WORLD MAP THAT REPORTERS
WITHOUT BORDERS INCLUDED ON THE COVER PAGE.
IT SHOWS HOW EACH COUNTRY RANKS WHEN IT COMES TO THE PROTECTION
OF CIVIL LIBERTIES FOR JOURNALISTS.
THAT'S THE MAP FROM 2008.
AND UNFORTUNATELY, THE RED COLOR THAT WE SEE
ON THE MAP MEANS A DIFFICULT SITUATION
FOR JOURNALISTS IN THOSE COUNTRIES.
I WISH THAT MAP DIDN'T SHOW SO MUCH RED
BUT THAT'S THE SAD REALITY.
AMONG THE MOST COMMON THREATS
TO JOURNALISTS WERE RESTRICTING ACCESS TO SOURCES
AND OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS, DIRECT AND INDIRECT CENSORSHIP,
AND PHYSICAL THREATS OR ACTUAL VIOLENCE AGAINST JOURNALISTS.
ANOTHER NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION, THE FREEDOM HOUSE,
WHICH PUBLISHES THE ANNUAL PRESS FREEDOM RANKINGS
FOR ALL COUNTRIES, HAS WARNED ABOUT A CONTINUED DECLINE
IN FREE SPEECH AND FREEDOM OF THE PRESS ALL OVER THE WORLD.
THEY HAVE NOTICED THIS DECLINE SINCE 2001
AND ATTRIBUTE AMONG OTHER REASONS TO THE FACT
THAT GOVERNMENTS BOTH AUTHORITARIAN REGIMES
AND THE DEMOCRACIES ARE FACED WITH NEW MEDIA TECHNOLOGIES
THAT ENABLE AN UNPRECEDENTED NUMBER OF JOURNALISTS
AND CITIZENS TO MAKE THEIR VOICES HEARD ALL OVER THE WORLD.
OF COURSE THE DOWN SIDE OF THAT IS
THAT THESE GOVERNMENTS ARE TRYING TO PUSH BACK
AND IN THIS PROCESS END UP TRAMPLING ON THE RIGHTS
OF MEDIA ORGANIZATIONS,
PROFESSIONAL JOURNALISTS, AND COMMON CITIZENS.
ACCORDING TO THE FREEDOM HOUSE IN 2008, 37 PERCENT
AND ONLY 37 PERCENT OF COUNTRIES HAVE RATED AS FREE
OR HAVING A FREE MEDIA OR A FREE ENVIRONMENT FOR JOURNALISTS
TO WORK IN, 30 PERCENT OF COUNTRIES AS BEING PARTLY FREE
AND THE GREAT MAJORITY OF COUNTRIES
AS BEING NOT FREE AT ALL.
THIS IS THE LAST FREEDOM HOUSE PRESS FREEDOM WORLD MAP
AVAILABLE FOR 2008.
IT'S THE ONLINE ONE WHICH YOU CAN SHOW.
AND YOU CAN SEE HOW THEY RANKED THE DIFFERENT COUNTRIES
ACCORDING TO HOW MUCH FREEDOM IS GRANTED TO JOURNALISTS,
CITIZENS, AND THE MEDIA IN GENERAL.
THESE STATISTICS ARE SOBERING
BUT THEY CERTAINLY DON'T TELL US THE WHOLE PICTURE.
THE GOAL OF THIS PANEL THIS MORNING IS
TO DISCUSS GLOBAL MEDIA AND FREEDOM OF THE PRESS
IN THE CONTEXT OF THE WORK THAT IS DONE ON A DAILY BASIS
BY PROFESSIONAL JOURNALISTS BOTH IN THE US AND ABROAD AS WELL
AS BY ACTIVISTS
AND NONGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS WORKING
TO IMPROVE PRESS FREEDOM.
ONE OF THE BEST WAYS FOR US TO HAVE THE DISCUSSION IS
BY LISTENING TO WHAT OUR HONORED GUESTS
AND PANELISTS HAVE TO SAY.
AMONG THE FOUR OF THEM,
THIS PANELIST HAVE AMASSED AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF INFORMATION
AND PERSONAL EXPERIENCE AND I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOU
TO THEM AND YOU'LL SEE WHAT I MEAN WHEN I SAY
THAT THEY HAVE A LOT OF EXPERIENCE ON THESE ISSUES.
A NATIVE OF DUSTY WEST TEXAS, PETE FUENTES GREW UP IN A TOWN
THAT FOSTERED BOTH FAMILY AND DREAMS,
BALMORHEA TEXAS, POPULATION 200.
PETE'S LONG JOURNEY FROM WEST TEXAS BEGAN IN THE USA ARMY
WITH A POSTING AS DIFFERENT FROM WEST TEXAS AS NIGHT
AND DAY, ANCHORAGE, ALASKA.
BUT IT WAS IN THE ARMY THAT PETE DISCOVERED A CAREER
IN BROADCASTING AS A MEMBER OF THE ARMED FORCES RADIO
AND TELEVISION SERVICE
AND HE WAS NAMED BILLBOARD MAGAZINE'S AIR PERSONALITY
OF THE YEAR FOR 1974.
AFTER DISCHARGE FROM THE ARMY, PETE'S CAREER CONTINUED
TO FLOWER, PAID HIS DUES BACK IN TEXAS IN PLACES LIKE ODESSA,
EL PASO, CORPUS CRISTI, AND THEN HERE IN CALIFORNIA IN SALINAS
AND SACRAMENTO BEFORE HE MOVED ON.
PETE WAS THEN OFFERED A JOB IN NEW YORK, THE BIGGEST MARKET
IN THE COUNTRY, AND WHILE HE WAS AT CHANNEL 9
IN NEW YORK HE WON MULTIPLE EMMYS
FOR THE FEATURE NEWS WORK THAT HE DID.
IN 1999, PETE FUENTES JOINED FOX 6 NEWS
AS SPECIAL PROJECTS DIRECTOR IN SAN DIEGO.
HIS IMPRESSIVE ACHIEVEMENTS INCLUDE 17 SAN DIEGO EMMYS
AND AS HEAD OF SPECIAL PROJECTS,
PETE'S UNIT HAS GARNERED MORE THAN 40 LOCAL EMMYS.
SINCE JOINING THE STATION HE ALSO WON 12 GOLDEN MIKES
AND 4 RTNDA MURROW AWARDS.
HE WOULD TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT MORE
ABOUT THE CONSULTING WORK HE'S CURRENTLY DOING.
TO HIS LEFT, THE LEFT OF THE TABLE, LUCY DALGLISH,
SHE IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE REPORTERS COMMITTEE
FOR FREEDOM OF THE PRESS,
A VOLUNTARY UNINCORPORATED ASSOCIATION OF REPORTERS
AND NEWS EDITORS DEDICATED
TO PROTECTING THE FIRST AMENDMENT INTERESTS
OF THE NEW MEDIA -- NEWS MEDIA.
BASED IN ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA,
THE REPORTERS COMMITTEE HAS PROVIDED RESEARCH, GUIDANCE
AND REPRESENTATION IN MAJOR PRESS CASES IN STATE
AND FEDERAL COURTS FOR 36 YEARS.
PRIOR TO ASSUMING THE POSITION IN JANUARY 2000,
DALGLISH WAS A MEDIA LAWYER FOR ALMOST 5 YEARS
IN THE TRIAL DEPARTMENT OF THE MINNEAPOLIS LAW FIRM
OF DORSEY AND WHITNEY.
FROM 1980 TO 1993, DALGLISH WAS A REPORTER AND EDITOR
AT THE ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS.
AS A REPORTER SHE COVERED BITS RANGING
FROM GENERAL ASSIGNMENTS SUBURBS TO EDUCATION IN THE COURTS.
DURING HER LAST 3 YEARS AT THE PIONEER PRESS,
SHE SERVED AS NIGHT CITY EDITOR, ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR
IN NATIONAL AND FOREIGN EDITOR.
DALGLISH WAS AWARDED THE WELLS MEMORIAL KEY,
THE HIGHEST HONOR BESTOWED BY THE SOCIETY
OF PROFESSIONAL JOURNALISTS IN 1995.
A YEAR LATER SHE WAS ONE OF 24 JOURNALISTS, LAWYERS, LAWMAKERS,
EDUCATORS, RESEARCHERS, LIBRARIANS,
AND HISTORIANS INDUCTED INTO THE CHARTER CLASS
OF THE NATIONAL FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT HALL
OF FAME IN WASHINGTON.
SHE EARNED A LAW DEGREE IN 1995 FROM VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY,
A MASTER'S OF STUDIES IN LAW FROM YALE IN 1988,
AND A BACHELOR OF ARTS IN JOURNALISM FROM THE UNIVERSITY
OF NORTH DAKOTA IN 1980.
ON THIS SIDE OF THE TABLE WE HAVE BRUCE WALLACE
WHO IS THE FOREIGN NEWS EDITOR FOR THE LA TIMES.
BRUCE WAS BASED IN TOKYO AND COVERED JAPAN AND KOREA.
HE HAS ALSO DONE CRISIS REPORTING FROM IRAQ,
LEBANON AND SOUTHEAST ASIA.
WALLACE JOINED THE TIMES IN 2004 AFTER SPENDING 8 YEARS
AS A FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT BASED IN LONDON
FOR CANADA'S MACLEAN'S MAGAZINE
AND THE CANWEST NATIONAL NEWSPAPER CHAIN.
DURING THAT TIME HE REPORTED FROM ACROSS EUROPE,
AFRICA AND THE MIDDLE EAST ON STORIES RANGING
FROM THE BALKAN WARS TO THE COLLAPSE
OF THE OSLO PEACE PROCESS IN ISRAEL.
BORN IN MONTREAL, CANADA,
HE HOLDS A BACHELOR'S DEGREE IN AMERICAN HISTORY.
OUR NEXT PANELIST IS ELIAS WONDIMU
WHO IS A FREE PRESS ACTIVIST AND SOCIAL ENTREPRENEUR
AND AN EXILE JOURNALIST FROM ETHIOPIA.
THE FORMER MANAGING EDITOR OF THE ETHIOPIAN REVIEW MAGAZINE,
HE IS THE FOUNDER OF TSEHAI PUBLISHERS, THE AFRICAN TRIBUNE
AND THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ETHIOPIAN STUDIES.
CURRENTLY, HE SERVES AS AN EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBER
OF THE PEN USA AND THE BLACK JOURNALIST ASSOCIATION,
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA.
HE ALSO ADVISES THE COMMITTEE TO PROTECT JOURNALISTS
AND THE INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S MEDIA FOUNDATION
ON MATTERS RELATED TO FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION IN AFRICA.
THE INSTITUTIONS THAT HE FOUNDED LIKE THE AFRICAN ACADEMIC PRESS
AND THE ETHIOPIAN INSTITUTE FOR NONVIOLENCE EDUCATION
AND PEACE STUDIES ARE SERVED IN THE LARGER COMMUNITY
AS AN INSTRUMENT TO REVERSE AFRICA'S SEVERE BRAIN DRAIN.
LOCALLY, AS A FOUNDING PANELIST
OF THE LA PRESS CLUBS INTERNATIONAL CAUCUS,
HE HAS ADVOCATED FOR THE INCLUSION OF AFRICAN JOURNALISTS
IN THE MAIN ACTIVITIES GOING ON IN THE CITY.
>> AND HE IS ALSO ACTIVE IN THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CHAPTER
OF THE NEW AMERICA MEDIA.
AS A PUBLISHER, HE IS THE FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR
OF THE FIRST PUBLISHING HOUSE
FOR THE LOYOLA MARYMOUNT UNIVERSITY.
WELCOME TO ALL THE PANELISTS AND THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AGAIN.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> WELL, WHAT I HAD IN MIND TO GET IT STARTED IS TO FOCUS
ON THE EXPERIENCES THAT THIS CURRENT AND FORMER JOURNALISTS
AND ACTIVISTS HAVE HAD.
AND ALSO BESIDES THE PERSONAL EXPERIENCES,
THE VIEWS THAT THEY HAVE ON THE CURRENT STATE
OF INTERNATIONAL JOURNALISM
AND FOREIGN NEWS REPORTING ESPECIALLY AS IT PERTAINS
TO FREEDOM OF THE PRESS AND THE OBSTACLES OR DANGERS
FOR JOURNALISTS DOING THEIR JOBS.
I WOULD ALSO BE INTERESTED IN HEARING THEIR PERSPECTIVE
ON THE STATUS OF FOREIGN REPORT VIS-A-VIS THE BUDGET CUTS
THAT EVERYBODY IS FACING, AND THE POTENTIAL
FOR BIASES MAY BE POLITICAL BIASES OR NATIONAL BIASES
AND INACCURACIES IN INTERNATIONAL REPORTING.
GIVEN THE WEALTH OF INFORMATION AND PERSONAL EXPERIENCE
THAT THEY BRING TO THE TABLE,
I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE THEM AT LEAST 15 MINUTES.
THEY CAME ALL THE WAY IN SOME CASES FROM NEW YORK
SO THEY DESERVE AT LEAST 15 MINUTES
FOR THEIR OPENING STATEMENTS.
WE COULD FOLLOW THAT UP WITH QUESTIONS FROM ME AND FROM YOU,
THE AUDIENCE, AND ALSO FROM EACH OTHER
SO THEY CAN TALK ABOUT THESE ISSUES.
THEY'RE EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO THEM.
SO MAYBE WE'LL START WITH PETE FUENTES.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH RAUL.
IT'S A PLEASURE TO BE HERE WITH YOU.
WE'LL GET THE DVD STARTED IN A MINUTE,
AT LEAST WE'LL PUT THE PROMPT UP,
AND I'LL LET YOU KNOW WHEN TO PLAY IT.
IT WILL BE THE FIRST ONE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
IT'S A PLEASURE FOR ME TO BE HERE.
THE FIRST THING THAT'S OUT OF MY MOUTH IS THE WORD
"IMPOTENCY", IMPOTENCY.
DON'T WORRY RAUL, I'M IN THE RIGHT FORUM HERE.
IT'S JUST IT'S NOT THE LIFE SCIENCES FORUM;
IT'S FREEDOM OF THE PRESS.
I REFER TO THAT WORD BECAUSE THERE WAS A GREAT ARTICLE
IN THE TIMES JUST A FEW, ABOUT A MONTH AGO WHERE THEY TALKED
TO SOMEONE IN JUAREZ, RIGHT ACROSS THE BORDER FROM EL PASO.
THEY TALKED TO SOMEONE IN JUAREZ AND ASKED THEM WHAT THE STATE
OF AFFAIRS THERE IS IN JUAREZ.
AND HE SAYS, "THE POLICE ARE IMPOTENT.
THERE IS IMPOTENCY WITH OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT
TO KEEP THE STREETS SAFE FOR PUBLIC SAFETY."
HE EVEN SAID THAT HE HAS SEEN PEOPLE KIDNAPPED AT GUNPOINT,
PUT INTO A CAR IN BROAD DAYLIGHT AND PEOPLE
AROUND THE SCENE FELT IMPOTENT TO DO ANYTHING AT ALL,
TO DO ANYTHING AT ALL.
THESE ARE THE DANGERS THAT POLICE AND THE PUBLIC FACE,
WHERE DO YOU THINK THE MEDIA FALLS IN?
EVEN LOWER.
I HAD A CASE WITH THE STATION -- I'M A CONSULTANT FOR TELEVISA.
HOW MANY HAVE HEARD OF TELEVISA IN MEXICO?
OKAY, JUST A FEW.
IT'S A BIG BROADCASTER IN MEXICO AND I DO AS MY CONSULTANCY,
I DO BOOT CAMPS FOR JOURNALISTS.
I CONDUCT SEMINARS, CLASSES, STORYTELLING CLASSES.
AND I HAD AN INSTANCE IN JUAREZ WHERE THE NEWS DIRECTOR SAYS,
"THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED TO US -- ", HE TOLD ME A STORY.
HE SAYS, "LOOK, IT'S AN HOUR BEFORE 6 O'CLOCK,
OUR REPORTER SPENT ALL DAY RESEARCHING, DOING A STORY
OUT IN THE FIELD, COMES BACK WITH A GREAT STORY
WHICH IN THIS COUNTRY, HE'D BE UP FOR AN AWARD".
AN HOUR BEFORE THE NEWS AT 5 O'CLOCK THEY GET A CALL,
THE STATION GETS A CALL.
THE VOICE FROM THE OTHER SIDE SAYS,
"IF YOU RUN THAT STORY I WILL KILL YOU."
WOW, 30 MINUTES PAST ANOTHER PHONE RINGS,
THE VOICE FROM THE OTHER SIDE SAYS, "IF YOU DON'T RUN
THAT STORY I WILL KILL YOU."
INTIMIDATION, THERE IS NO WIN.
SO JOURNALISTS ARE REALLY BEING HAMMERED
AND INTIMATED ESPECIALLY IN BORDER TOWNS.
TIJUANA IS NO DIFFERENT.
MONTERREY IS NO DIFFERENT.
I HAD A STATION I WAS CONSULTING --
I HAVE A STATION I WAS CONSULTING IN TELEVISA
IN MONTERREY RECENTLY LAST MONTH, THEY WERE BOMB.
THERE WAS A BOMB WENT OFF
IN THE FRONT LOBBY, NEAR THE FRONT LOBBY.
SO PEOPLE BEING INTIMIDATED.
A YEAR AND A HALF AGO ONE OF TELEVISA'S JOURNALIST
IN ACAPULCO WAS MURDERED RIGHT ON THE STREET.
HE WAS A JOURNALIST ON BOTH FOR TELEVISA,
IN TELEVISION AND ON RADIO.
SO WHAT'S A JOURNALIST TO DO BUT TO SENSOR,
SELF-SENSOR THE MATERIAL THAT THEY GO OUT AND COVER.
MANY JOURNALISTS WILL COVER A STORY
AND ONLY PROVIDE INFORMATION
THAT THE POLICE GIVE THEM, OFFICIAL INFORMATION.
WHY? THEY DON'T WANNA MENTION SPECIFIC NAMES ESPECIALLY CARTEL
MEMBERS IN ANY OF THESE.
MANY TIMES REPORTERS AND YOU'LL SEE THEM HERE IN THE US,
THEY'LL DO A STANDUP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PACKAGE,
A BRIDGE STANDUP WHERE THEY'RE
IN THE STORY COMMENTING ON THE SCENE.
MANY TIMES IN MEXICO THEY DON'T WANNA EVEN APPEAR IN THE STORY.
SO IT'S A STORY WITH JUST A VOICE.
IN MANY BYLINES IN MEXICO IS ACTUALLY YOU'RE SIGNING A
BYLINE, YOU'RE SIGNING A DEATH CERTIFICATE
BECAUSE THEY WILL FIND YOU, THEY KNOW WHERE YOU LIVE,
AND THEY WILL COME AND KILL YOU, ABSOLUTELY.
I HAVE TWO EXAMPLES.
IF YOU BEAR WITH ME WE'LL PLAY THE FIRST STORY,
LET ME SET IT UP, I DID ABOUT A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.
THAT WAS WHEN FOX WAS STILL PRESIDENT.
AND WE HAVE SOME BRAVE JOURNALISTS THAT ARE DEFENDING,
YOU KNOW, PUBLIC'S RIGHT TO KNOW, FREEDOM OF THE PRESS.
AND I LIKE TO PROFILE A COUPLE OF THE FIRST ONES,
A DAY OF STORY WHICH I DID THAT SAME DAY.
THE SECOND ONE IS AN INVESTIGATIVE STORY.
LET'S PLAY THE FIRST ONE.
[ PAUSE ]
>> WELL, AS YOU KNOW REPORTERS COVER THE NEWS THEN I SUPPOSE
TO BECOME PART OF THE STORY,
BUT IN MEXICO MANY JOURNALISTS ARE OFTEN VICTIMS
OF DEATHS THREATS AND VIOLENCE.
FOX 6'S PETE FUENTES TAKES A CLOSER LOOK
AT A SPECIAL UNIT 6 INVESTIGATION.
[ NOISE ]
>> STAFFERS IN THIS NEWSPAPER OFFICE PAY A HEAVY PRICE
TO WORK HERE.
TWO OF ZETA'S JOURNALISTS ARE DEAD, AND PUBLISHER,
JESUS BLANCORNELAS NEARLY SURVIVED AN
ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT.
THESE DAYS MEXICO HAS AN INFAMOUS DISTINCTION.
IT HAS REPLACED COLUMBIA
AS THE MOST DANGEROUS PLACE AMONG THE AMERICANS
FOR JOURNALISTS WHO DO THEIR JOB.
[ FOREIGN LANGUAGE ]
>> WHAT KIND OF A COUNTRY IS THIS
THAT CAN'T AFFORD A JOURNALIST THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK?
THE MAIN PROBLEM IS MEXICAN POLICE ARE NOT DOING THEIR BASIC
JOB OF PROVIDING PUBLIC SAFETY.
>> EDITOR ADELA NAVARRO OFTEN CRITICIZES POLICE ARE HELPING
THE ASSASSINS.
[ NOISE ]
ZETA HAS LINKED KILLINGS TO THE PGJE
OR THE STATE POLICE SUSPECTED OF WORKING WITH CARTEL HITMAN.
[ BACKGROUND NOISE ]
>> LAST YEAR ADELA'S BOSS,
FRANCISCO ORTIZ, WAS GUNNED DOWN.
INTO THIS DAY, POLICE HAVE NO ONE UNDER ARREST.
NAVARRO TOOK ORTIZ'S POSITION AS EDITOR OF THE NEWSPAPER.
[ FOREIGN LANGUAGE ]
>> WE DON'T CONSIDER THIS A DANGEROUS JOB TO THE POINT
THAT WE ARE INTIMIDATED.
IN FACT, THIS IS WHAT DRIVES US.
AS LONG AS I DO MY JOB AS A FAIR INVESTIGATIVE JOURNALIST MY LIFE
IS NOT IN DANGER.
[ PHONE RINGING ]
[ FOREIGN LANGUAGE ]
>> I WAS NERVOUS BECAUSE I --
YOU NEVER EXPECT THAT SOMEBODY CAME TO YOU AND SAY,
"I'M GONNA SEND SOMEBODY TO KILL YOU."
[ FOREIGN LANGUAGE ]
>> ODILON GARCIA IS A BROADCAST JOURNALIST FOR TELEVISA.
HE ALSO HOSTS SOME MORNING RADIO SHOW.
[FOREIGN LANGUAGE] IN BETWEEN INTERVIEWS HE IS FOLLOWING
BREAKING NEWS.
[ FOREIGN LANGUAGE ]
>> THIS TIME TWO COPS ARE INJURED IN A SHOOTOUT.
OFTEN BAJA POLICE HAVE BEEN TARGETS OF GANGLAND KILLINGS.
[BACKGROUND NOISE] ODILON IS WARY OF OFFICIALS.
OTHER THAN HIS WIFE MARCELA, HE TRUST VERY FEW PEOPLE.
>> HE IS NOT SCARED AT ALL, AT ALL.
HE SPEAKS WHATEVER HE THINKS.
>> MARCELA KNOWS SPEAKING YOUR MIND CAN GET YOU IN TROUBLE.
IN THE PAST YEAR 15 JOURNALISTS HAVE BEEN KILLED IN MEXICO.
>> EVERY DAY HE WALKS OUT OF THE HOUSE, I'M SCARED
AND I PRAY TO GOD FOR HIM.
>> MARCELA WAS BORN INTO THE BUSINESS.
HER FATHER AND MOTHER WERE JOURNALISTS.
NOW MARCELA IS PREGNANT AND KNOWS THE ODDS ARE DANGEROUSLY
AGAINST JOURNALISTS LIKE ODILON.
>> SOMETIMES HE'S THERE IN THE BUYERS, IN THE SHOOTINGS,
IN THE MIDDLE OF EVERYTHING AND I'M SCARED.
>> IN TIJUANA, PETE FUNTES, FOX 6 NEWS.
>> JOURNALISTS IN MEXICO HAVE DEMAND
THAT PRESIDENT FOX STEP IN.
THEY ASKED FOR STIFLE PENALTIES FOR CRIMES AGAINST JOURNALISTS.
THEY ALSO DEMAND NEW INVESTIGATIONS AS A WAY
OF ENDING THE CULTURE OF IMPUNITY IN MEXICO.
>> ALRIGHT.
WE CAN STOP THERE, LIGHTS PLEASE,
AND I'LL PLAY THE SECOND ONE IN A FEW MINUTES.
[ PAUSE ]
>> I LOVE THE WORK THE LOS ANGELES TIMES HAS BEEN DOING,
BY THE WAY.
THEY'RE COVERING MEXICO.
THEY HAVE BEEN DOING AN OUTSTANDING JOB
FOR THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS EVEN BEFORE THAT, BUT ESPECIALLY
IN THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS COVERING THIS VIOLENCE.
>> I WAS AT THE FORUM LAST TWO WEEKS AGO IN SAN DIEGO.
TERRIFIC! AND I SAY THE LA TIMES 'CAUSE I GOT TO CREDIT THEM
BECAUSE THEY REPORT THAT DRUGS MAKE
UP A 35 BILLION-DOLLAR PROBLEM.
IT'S NOT MUCH COMPARED AGAINST THE TARP FUNDS OR 700 --
700 BILLION OR MORE THAN THAT THAT THEY'RE TALKING ABOUT NOW.
THIRTY-FIVE BILLION MAY BE A DROPOUT -- DROP IN THE BUCKET.
BUT COMPARED TO THE PESO, IF YOU KNOW IT'S TRADING 15 TO 1,
THAT'S HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS THAT'S BEING MADE DOWN THERE.
THE TRANS-BORDER INSTITUTE IN SAN DIEGO SAYS MORE
THAN 6,000 PEOPLE WERE KILLED IN DRUG VIOLENCE LAST YEAR ALONE.
NOW THE TOLL ALREADY FOR THESE TWO -- PAST TWO MONTHS OR MONTH
AND A HALF IS ALREADY IN THE THOUSAND.
SO THEY MAY EVEN BREAK THAT.
BUT THERE ARE OTHER FORMS OF CENSORSHIP
THAT I WANNA GIVE YOU.
I'LL TOUCH OF COURSE -- I'VE TOUCHED ON THE DRUG VIOLENCE
AND I'LL SHOW ANOTHER VIDEO ABOUT THE IMPACT
OF THE DRUG VIOLENCE THERE.
BUT I CAN'T -- I'LL BE REMISS
IF I CAN'T EXPLAIN REALLY THE OTHER TWO FACTORS
THAT ARE ENDANGERING FREEDOM OF THE PRESS IN MEXICO
AND IT'S THE OLD PRI SYSTEM.
IN THE YEAR 2000, THE OLD PARTY,
THE REVOLUTIONARY PARTY, THE PRI WAS DEFEATED.
SO, YOU SAY, "YEHEY, DEMOCRACY WON!"
WELL IN A WAY.
THIS IS HOW THE OLD SYSTEM WORKED.
[ PAUSE ]
>> THE PRI WAS THE SPOKE IN THE WHEEL, THE HUB,
THE HUB IN THE WHEEL, SORRY.
IT WAS THE HUB IN THE WHEEL AND THE SPOKES WHAT?
THE GOVERNMENT -- GOVERNMENT MEDIA AND YES,
THEY EVEN REGULATED, PLAYED REFEREE AMONG THE DRUG CARTELS.
THE GOVERNMENT THEMSELVES HAS BEEN DOCUMENTED BY THE LA TIMES
AND OTHERS AS BEING INVOLVED IN THE DRUG TRAFFIC ALL THIS TIME.
THEY WERE THE REFEREE AMONG THE DRUG CARTELS
SO THERE WAS RELATIVE PEACE.
BUT WHAT HAPPEN IN THE YEAR 2000, THE END OF THE PRI
AND THE DECENTRALIZATION DEMOCRACY BROUGHT
ABOUT DECENTRALIZATION.
I'M TRYING TO GIVE YOU BIG PICTURES
TO WHY THINGS ARE HAPPENING.
[ PAUSE ]
>> THAT OLD SYSTEM WAS BUSTED UP AND WHAT REMAINED WERE FRAGMENTS
OF ALL THE DIFFERENT CORPORATIONS EVEN DRUG
TRAFFICKING MEDIA JUST FRAGMENTED
TO WHERE NOBODY WAS PLAYING REFEREE.
AND NOW IT'S HELTER SKELTER.
THAT'S JUST A SIMPLISTIC EXPLANATION THAT I WAS GIVEN
BY THE CENTER FOR U.S. - MEXICAN STUDIES AT UC --
AT USD AND ALSO UC LA JOLLA, IN LA JOLLA, UC STATE.
UC SANDIEGO.
I WAS GIVEN THAT AS A SIMPLISTIC EXPLANATION
TO GIVE YOU GUYS AN IDEA AS TO WHY THINGS ARE HAPPENING
LIKE THIS AND WHY THIS CULTURE REVOLT.
I WAS IN A COURSE IN ACAPULCO.
[ PAUSE ]
>> HAS A COURSE IN ACAPULCO
AND I WAS GIVING THEM A WEEK-LONG SEMINAR
AND I ASKED THEM WHAT TYPE OF STORIES ARE THEY COVERING.
AND THESE CORRESPONDENTS COVERING
THAT WHOLE AREA ARE SAYING, "WELL,
WE DO MOSTLY FEATURE STORIES FOR THE EVENING NEWS".
I SAID, "WELL, WHAT ABOUT INVESTIGATIONS?
WHAT ABOUT THE BIG STORIES?"
"OH WE CAN'T TOUCH THOSE."
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN?"
WELL, THE PEOPLE IN CONTROL
IN MEXICO WERE ACTUALLY LITERALLY TELLING THEM WHAT
TO COVER.
THEY WERE LITERALLY GUIDING AND LEADING THE NEWS,
THEIR OWN COVERAGE, THEIR OWN WAY
AS TO WHAT THEY WANTED COVERED FOR THE DAY.
NOT WHAT WAS HAPPENING OUT THERE BUT THE AGENDA THAT THEY HAVE.
AND THIS IS FROM THAT OLD PRI SYSTEM THAT I TALKED
ABOUT WHERE THERE WAS A LOT OF CENSORSHIP
AT THAT TIME, IT'S STILL AROUND.
AND THESE NEWS MANAGERS FROM THOSE AREAS ARE STILL
IN THE NEWS DEPARTMENTS CONTROLLING THE NEWS
THAT PEOPLE GET.
NOW, THERE'S ANOTHER PART OF THE CENSORSHIP THAT I CONSIDER IT
AND IT -- IT HAS TO DO WITH COMMERCIALS, ADVERTISING.
I'VE BEEN AT SEVERAL STATIONS WHERE THE ANCHOR,
THE ACTUAL NEWS PRESENTER WILL BE DOING THE NEWS
AND THEY CUT THE COMMERCIAL AND THERE IS A SPOT
OF THE ANCHOR SELLING MATTRESSES, SOFAS, FURNITURE,
EYE GLASSES FOR A SURGEON, COSMETICS FOR THIS
OR COSMETIC -- THE ACTUAL ANCHOR IS INVOLVED WITH THAT.
THE BIGGEST PROBLEM WITH ADVERTISING IN MEXICO IS
THAT I ASKED THEM, "WHO'S YOUR BIGGEST ADVERTISER
FOR THESE INDEPENDENT STATIONS?"
AND THEY SAID, "THE GOVERNMENT.
THE GOVERNMENT IS OUR BIGGEST ADVERTISER.
WE SURVIVE BECAUSE OF THE GOVERNMENT".
SO HOW CAN THEY'D BE CRITICAL OF THEIR OWN GOVERNMENT
THAN THEY ARE NOT CRITICAL.
THEY'RE BITING THE HAND THAT FEEDS THEM.
SO THOSE -- THOSE EXAMPLES EXIST IN MEXICO.
ONE NEWS DIRECTOR IN JUAREZ, I WAS APPALLED THAT HE --
THERE WAS A CELEBRATION AT A LOCAL TOWN NEAR JUAREZ
AND HE CALLED UP AND HE TOLD THEM, "OKAY.
I'LL COVER YOUR STORY BUT I'LL CHARGE YOU SOME MONEY FOR IT".
NOT ONLY THAT, HE WAS PUT UP IN A HOTEL, GIVEN MEALS
AND EVERYTHING, COVERED THE STORY, AND MADE HIS MONEY,
CAME BACK THE STORY NEVER AIRED.
HE HAPPEN TO BE FIRED JUST A FEW WEEKS AFTERWARDS
AND THE STORY NEVER AIRED.
THOSE POOR PEOPLE IN THAT TOWN FINALLY WROTE A LETTER
AND I READ IT.
AND THEY SAID, "WHAT HAPPENED TO OUR VIDEO?"
WE PAID THIS GUY THIS MONEY AND WE -- AND HE EVEN CALLED BACK
AND WANTED MORE MONEY,
SO WE EVEN GAVE HIM MORE MONEY TO COVER A STORY."
SO YOU KNOW THOSE THINGS ARE HAPPENING WITHIN THE REALM
OF WHAT I HAVE TO WORK WITH DAY IN AND DAY OUT IN MEXICO.
THE BIGGEST ALSO WITH THIS --
ONE OF THE BIGGEST OBSTACLES IS ACTUALLY BIG CORPORATE
COMMERCIAL OR THE RICH PEOPLE IN MEXICO.
THERE'S A GUY NAMED CARLOS SLIM IN MEXICO
AND THE TIMES HAD AGAIN A GREAT ARTICLE ON HIM.
THIS IS THE SECOND RICHEST MAN IN THE WORLD
AND OWNS THE TELEPHONE COMPANY IN MEXICO
AND CELLULAR COMPANY IN MEXICO.
HE'S MADE BILLIONS.
SO LET ME READ YOU FROM A QUOTE ACTUALLY FROM THE TIMES:
"WITH TELECOMMUNICATIONS, RETAILING
AND CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES UNDER HIS COMMAND,
MR. SLIM LOOMS LARGE OVER THE MEDIA LANDSCAPE IN HIS COUNTRY.
NOTORIOUSLY THIN-SKINNED, HE DOES NOT HAVE TO PICK
UP THE PHONE AND BELLOW AT THOSE WHO PUBLISH
AND BROADCAST SOMETHING HE DOES NOT LIKE.
HIS VAST RESOURCES OFTEN TRANSLATE
INTO LESS-THAN-CRITICAL COVERAGE".
RAYMUNDO RIVA PALACIO, A VETERAN JOURNALIST IN MEXICO CITY SAID
THAT AFTER HE WROTE A COLUMN IN EL UNIVERSAL NEWSPAPER
IN 2006 CONDEMNING MR. SLIM AS A MONOPOLIST,
A SLIM ADVISER THREATENED
TO REMOVE NEWSPAPER ADS FROM HIS COMPANY.
THAT IS NO SMALL THREAT.
MR. SLIM'S HOLDINGS ARE SO VAST THAT HE CONTROLS A LARGE CHUNK
OF ALL ADVERTISING COUNTRYWIDE.
MR. SLIM'S ESTIMATED WEALTH WAS ALMOST OR IS MORE
THAN 44 BILLION DOLLARS AT THE END OF LAST YEAR.
SO THAT PRESSURE ALONG WITH ALL THE LITTLE THINGS,
THE LITTLE THINGS I TOLD YOU ABOUT NEWS DIRECTOR IS SMALL
IN COMPARISON BUT THEY'RE BOTH STILL VIOLATIONS.
HOW'D YOU LIKE TO HAVE A GUY
LIKE THIS BRINGING DOWN YOUR NECK?
NOW, I TEND TO LOOK AT THE POSITIVE.
I TEND TO LOOK AT HEROES WHO ARE REALLY MAKING A DIFFERENCE
IN STANDING UP NOT ONLY TO PEOPLE LIKE THIS
OR THE DRUG SMUGGLERS OR THE CARTELS.
I TEND TO LOOK AT THEM AS HEROES, THERE ARE FEW PEOPLE
WHO ARE STANDING UP FOR THEIR RIGHTS THEN WE NEED
TO ACKNOWLEDGE THEM.
ONE IS JESUS BLANCORNELAS.
HOW MANY OF YOU EVER HEARD OF JESUS BLANCORNELAS?
GOOD, I'M GLAD I BROUGHT A VIDEO SO YOU CAN MEET HIM.
I DID INVESTIGATIVE STORY ON HIM A FEW YEARS BACK
WITH MY PRODUCER AND HE WON THE DANIEL PEARL AWARD A COUPLE
OF YEARS AGO AND ALSO WON THE PRESS FREEDOM AWARD HERE,
IT WAS PRESENTED HERE, RIGHT HERE IN LOS ANGELES.
WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, LET'S PLAY THE SECOND ONE
AND THEN I'LL WRAP IT UP.
[ PAUSE ]
>> JESUS BLANCORNELAS HAS DARED TO TELL THE KIND OF STORIES
THAT GET JOURNALISTS KILLED IN MEXICO.
TRUTH IS A FRIGHTFUL WORD
FOR CRIMINALS INVOLVED IN DRUG TRAFFICKING.
BUT FOR YEARS, BLANCORNELAS HAS BEEN A TRAIL BLAZING REPORTER
WITH THE GUTS TO TAKE A ROAD LESS TRAVELED.
[ MUSIC ]
[ BACKGROUND MUSIC ]
>> WHO IS THIS TIJUANA NEWSPAPERMAN
WITH THE GUTS TO PUBLISH THE TRUTH?
>> IN ESTADOS UNIDOS,
IN THE UNITED STATES THERE'S VERY WELL ORGANIZED CRIME.
AND IN MEXICO EXIST THE DISORGANIZED CRIMES.
IN MEXICO THEY KILL DRUG SMUGGLERS AND JOURNALISTS.
MY NAME IS JESUS BLANCORNELAS AND I AM EDITOR
OF THE NEWSPAPER, WEEKLY ZETA.
[ FOREIGN LANGUAGE ]
>> ZETA IS PUBLISHED IN TIJUANA,
HOME OF MEXICO'S MOST NOTORIOUS DRUG CARTEL.
>> THEY BLOCKED US OFF.
THE WINDOWS CAME DOWN --
[ FOREIGN LANGUAGE ]
>> -- AND THEY STARTED SHOOTING AT US BUT MY FRIEND TOOK ME
AND PUT ME TO THE GROUND AND HE WAS THE ONE
THAT RECEIVED ALL THE SHOTS.
[ FOREIGN LANGUAGE ]
>> AND ALL OF THE SUDDEN I FELT LIKE SOMEONE HIT ME ON MY BACK.
[ FOREIGN LANGUAGE ]
>> AND I STARTED GASPING FOR BREATH.
[FOREIGN LANGUAGE] THEY TOLD ME I'M NEVER GONNA FORGET IT.
>> A 183 SHOTS WERE FIRED,
MIRACULOUSLY ONLY FOUR HIT BLANCORNELAS.
HE WAS RUSHED IN THE SURGERY.
HIS DRIVER WHO WAS HIT WITH 38 ROUNDS WAS DEAD.
[ FOREIGN LANGUAGE ]
>> AFTER SIX OR SEVEN DAYS I STARTED REGAINING CONSCIOUSNESS,
BUT POLICE DIDN'T INSPECT THIS ATTACK.
[ BACKGROUND MUSIC ]
>> POLICE SAY ONE OF THE GUNMEN OF THE ATTACK,
DAVID BARRON CORONA, WAS A CAREER CRIMINAL WITH TIES
TO THE ARELLANO FELIX CARTEL.
THE ASSASSIN WAS CAUGHT IN THE CROSSFIRE OF HIS OWN MEN.
[ MUSIC ]
>> DO I HAVE FEELINGS ABOUT THIS PLACE -- WELL, YEAH OF COURSE,
I MEAN IT HAS A SPECIAL MEANING TO IT KNOWING
THAT MY FATHER WOULD HAVE DIED HERE.
[ FOREIGN LANGUAGE ]
>> I AM NOW AT WAR AGAINST THE DRUG TRAFFICKERS.
[ FOREIGN LANGUAGE ]
>> THE ARELLANO'S ARE DRUG SMUGGLERS.
[ FOREIGN LANGUAGE ]
>> AND THEN USE MEN.
[ FOREIGN LANGUAGE ]
>> I HAD TO WRITE ABOUT WHAT THEY DO.
[ BACKGROUND NOISE ]
>> WHY DO I USE A [INAUDIBLE] NOW THEY TELL ME
TO USE IT NOT BECAUSE I WANT TO.
[ FOREIGN LANGUAGE ]
>> WHY DO I HAVE BODYGUARDS?
BECAUSE IT WAS AN ORDER FROM THE PRESIDENT OF MEXICO WHEN I CAME
OUT OF THE HOSPITAL AND PRESIDENTE FOX CONTINUED
THAT PROTECTION SO THAT'S WHY I HAVE BODYGUARDS.
[ FOREIGN LANGUAGE ]
>> THEY ARE MEMBERS OF THE MEXICAN MILITARY.
[ WHISTLES ]
>> IN THE PAST 30 YEARS MORE
THAN 100 JOURNALISTS HAVE BEEN MURDERED IN MEXICO.
IN THE LAST SEVEN YEARS,
500 REPORTERS HAVE BEEN TARGETS OF VIOLENCE.
IN 1988, ZETA COLUMNIST,
FELIX MIRANDA BECAME ONE OF THE STATISTICS.
[ FOREIGN LANGUAGE ]
>> THAT DAY REALLY WAS A SURPRISED.
[ FOREIGN LANGUAGE ]
>> BECAUSE HE WAS AMBUSHED, SHOT HIM WITH THAT SHOTGUN.
IT'S BEEN 13 YEARS THAT WE'VE BEEN ASKING AND WE HAVE 13 YEARS
THAT THE GOVERNMENT HASN'T DONE ANYTHING.
[ FOREIGN LANGUAGE ]
>> THE SAME THING HAPPENED.
IT'S HAPPENING ON MY CASE.
[ FOREIGN LANGUAGE ]
>> THEY HAVEN'T DETAINED ANYONE.
[ NOISE ]
>> IF EVEN THOUGH --
IF MY COLLEAGUES DID THE INVESTIGATION THEY IDENTIFIED
ONLY ASSASSINS BUT THE GOVERNMENT HASN'T DONE ANYTHING
TO OBTAIN IT.
[ FOREIGN LANGUAGE ]
>> THAT'S A PROBLEM.
>> THE TIJUANA MAYOR SAYS THE STATE HAS JURISDICTION
OVER THE INVESTIGATION, NOT THE CITY.
[ NOISE ]
>> JOURNALISTS ARGUE
THAT OFFICIALS KEEP PASSING THE BAT RESULTING
IN LITTLE OR NO PROGRESS.
[ NOISE ]
[ FOREIGN LANGUAGE ]
>> ALL THOSE WITH A LOT OF INTEREST IS INVOLVED.
[ NOISE ]
>> THERE ARE A LOT OF POLITICAL AND ECONOMICAL INTERESTS.
[ NOISE ]
>> AND ON MY CASE IT'S PRETTY DIFFICULT
TO DETAIN THE ARELLANO-FELIX.
[ FOREIGN LANGUAGE ]
>> WE PUBLISHED A LOT OF ARTICLES
THAT OTHER NEWSPAPER WOULDN'T PUBLISH.
>> ZETA STANDS FOR THE LAST LETTER IN THE ALPHABET "Z".
NEWSPAPER READERS KNOW IT AS THE WORD OF TRUTH.
>> WHAT DOES IT MEAN, THIS NAME ZETA FOR ME?
IT MEANS A LOT.
IT MEANS RESPECT, FAMILY, [BACKGROUND VOICE], TEAMWORK,
AND IT MEANS A WHOLE LIFE, A WHOLE LIFE
THAT -- THAT'S MY DAD'S LIFE.
[ FOREIGN LANGUAGE ]
>> WHAT HAPPENS IS THAT IN 1997 SUPPOSEDLY THAT WAS THEY SAID
THAT I WAS SUPPOSED TO DIE.
AND I COME TO A CONCLUSION THAT GOD SAVED MY LIFE.
SO I'M CONVINCED THAT NO ONE IS GONNA KILL ME.
I'M CONVINCED THAT I'M GONNA DIE.
[ FOREIGN LANGUAGE ]
>> WHEN GOD SAYS SO.
[ FOREIGN LANGUAGE ]
>> NOT WHEN THE DRUG SMUGGLERS SAY SO.
[ NOISE ]
>> IF I COULD DO WHAT I WISH I COULD DO, I WOULD TRAVEL A LOT.
IT IS A DREAM.
[ FOREIGN LANGUAGE ]
>> AND IT'S A DREAM THAT'S GONNA COME TRUE.
>> FOR BLANCORNELAS, THE DEATH THREATS CONTINUED TO COME IN.
HE CONTINUES TO WALK AROUND WITH BODYGUARDS AND KEEPS
ON PUBLISHING HIS WEEKLY NEWSPAPER.
AND WHO KNOWS, ONE DAY HE MIGHT GET THE PRINT
ABOUT THE ELIMINATION OF THE DRUG CARTEL IN TIJUANA.
PETE FUENTES, FOX 6 NEWS.
>> FOR THE FIRST --
>> THAT'S FINE, THANK YOU, LIGHTS.
I KNOW I'VE TAKEN A BIG CHUNK OF MY TIME SO I'LL QUICKLY EXIT
BUT THAT -- THAT'S A GUY THAT TO ME IS A REAL HERO.
I DID THAT STORY ABOUT SIX, SEVEN YEARS AGO
AND THE VIOLENCE HAS EVEN ESCALATED EVEN MORE.
HE PASSED AWAY SADLY TWO YEARS AGO UNDER NATURAL CAUSES.
OF COURSE BEING SHOT FOUR TIMES TEN YEARS AGO DIDN'T HELP,
BUT HE PASSED AWAY AND HE REMAINS TO ME, YOU KNOW,
RIGHT UP THERE WITH MERRILL [PHONETIC] AND THE OTHER GUYS
AS DEFENDERS OF THE TRUTH AND HAS SPOKEN IN THE WRITTEN WORD.
THANK YOU
>> THANK YOU.
>> -- EVERYONE AND I APPRECIATED.
NICE MEETING YOU.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> BEFORE -- CAN YOU GUYS HEAR ME?
BEFORE WE MOVE ON, I HAVE TWO QUICK ANNOUNCEMENTS TO MAKE.
ONE IS THAT IT'S -- YOU PROBABLY FOUND ON THE TABLE --
THE CHAIRS THAT YOU'RE SITTING ON SOME NOTES, INDEX CARDS,
THOSE ARE FOR QUESTIONS.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR THE PANELISTS,
PLEASE WRITE THEM NOW AND THEN A STUDENT VOLUNTEER WILL COME
UP TO PICK THEM UP SO WE CAN READ THEM FOR THE PANELS.
AND THE OTHER THING IS IF YOU HAVE TO LEAVE FOR A CLASS,
WE KNOW THAT SOME OF YOU MIGHT HAVE TO LEAVE
FOR A CLASS BEFORE THE END OF THE PANEL,
WE ASK YOU THAT YOU DO IT QUIETLY AND ALSO
TO WARN THE PANELISTS THAT SOME STUDENTS MIGHT BE LEAVING
TO GO TO A CLASS.
SO DON'T TAKE IT PERSONALLY.
>> DON'T TAKE IT PERSONALLY [LAUGHTER].
>> YES, ABSOLUTELY.
OUR NEXT SPEAKER IS BRUCE WALLACE
WHO IS THE FOREIGN NEWS EDITOR FOR THE LA TIMES.
>> AS I ONLY COME FROM LOS ANGLES,
I WILL ONLY TAKE 15 MINUTES.
THINKING BACK TO SOME OF MY FIRST EXPERIENCES
IN FOREIGN NEWS WERE BACK IN OTTAWA LONGER TO GO THAN I CARE
TO THINK ABOUT WHERE I WAS WORKING
AND WHERE ONE DAY WE GOT WORD THAT COUPLE
OF HUNDRED TAMIL HAD WASHED ASHORE IN --
ON THE NEWFOUNDLAND COAST.
THIS WAS A BIG DEAL IN CANADA
BECAUSE AFTER THE VIETNAM WAR THERE WEREN'T TOO MANY PEOPLE
TRYING DESPERATELY TO GET IN ACROSS THE BORDER
FROM THE UNITED STATES.
MOST OF THEM CAN JUST COME IN LAND.
SO THE FACT THAT SOMEBODY WOULD ACTUALLY TRY TO SNEAK IN SEEMED
TO BE A PRETTY BIG STORY.
SO THE OTTAWA PRESS CORE SORT OF GATHERED TOGETHER AT THE AIRPORT
AND IS PREPARED TO GET ON A PLANE TO FLY TO NEWFOUNDLAND.
WE'RE JOINED BY KEN FREED WHO WAS
IN THE LOS ANGELES TIMES CORRESPONDENT IN CANADA,
'CAUSE BACK THEN LOS ANGELES TIMES HAD A CORRESPONDENT
IN CANADA, GLORY DAYS.
AND WE ALL GOT UP AND GOT ON THE PLANE
AND THE CANADIAN PRESS CORE DUTIFULLY MARCHED
TO THE CHEAP SEATS ON THE BACK
AND KEN PLUNK HIMSELF RIGHT DOWN IN FIRST CLASS.
"KEN, WHAT'S GOING ON?"
HE SAID, "WELL -- ", YOU KNOW, THE PAPER WAS OWN
BY THE CHANDLER FAMILY THEN AND HE SAID, "YOU KNOW IT'S MY DUTY
AS A FORMER CORRESPONDENT I HAVE STRICT INSTRUCTIONS TO TRY
TO REDUCE OTTAWA'S CHANDLER'S CHOCKS EXPOSURE
IN EVERY OPPORTUNITY."
AND I THOUGHT, "MEN THAT'S THE PLACE I WANNA WORK."
BUT SOMEHOW THE GLORY DAYS
LIKE THAT HAVE GONE, WHICH UNDERSCORES.
ONE OF THE PROBLEMS WHEN IT COMES TO COVERING FOREIGN NEWS
AND COVERING HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES AND IT'S LESS PHILOSOPHICAL
AND SOMEHOW SOMETIMES MAY SEEM A LITTLE MORE MUNDANE
BUT IT'S JUST AN ISSUE OF MONEY.
YOU'VE PROBABLY READ THAT WE HAVE A FEW PROBLEMS
AT THE TIMES THESE DAYS.
SOMEHOW WE'VE BECOME A BIT OF A --
WE'RE SORT OF THE ANECDOTAL LEAD FOR EVERY STORY
ABOUT DIFFICULTIES IN THE NEWSPAPER INDUSTRY NOW.
AND THIS HAS REAL IMPACT ON WHAT WE DO.
IT REDUCES AMOUNT OF RESOURCES YOU HAVE.
REDUCES THE NUMBER
OF CORRESPONDENTS YOU HAVE TO COVER THE WORLD.
WE NO LONGER COVER THE TERRIBLE HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES IN CANADA.
IT ALSO HAS LED TO SORT OF PHILOSOPHICAL CHANGES
ABOUT THE WAY NEWSPAPER SHOULD BE RUN.
EVERYBODY DESPERATELY SEARCHES FOR A WAY TO FUND THE FUTURE.
SO THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE AND MANY
OF THOSE PEOPLE -- MANY PEOPLE BELIEVED
THAT THE FUTURE IS BEING RELENTLESSLY LOCAL IN APPROACH
AND LEAVING FOREIGN NEWS TO SOMEONE ELSE.
ALTHOUGH IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF MYSTERY WHO THAT MIGHT BE,
'CAUSE I'VE NEVER BUMP INTO A GOOGLE REPORTER ON THE ROAD.
AND MANY OF YOU MAY ALSO JUST SAY SO WHAT AT THIS POINT.
YOU KNOW, THIS MAY SOUND LIKE THE LAMENT OF ALL MEDIA.
WHAT'S WAS THE IMPACT?
BLOGGERS WILL DO AND CITIZEN JOURNALISTS WILL DO IT
AND YOU'RE RIGHT IN PART ACTUALLY.
NOBODY PRETENDS ANYMORE OUR BUSINESS THAT WE HAVE MONOPOLY
ON COVERING THE STUFF AND WRITING ABOUT IT.
BUT I WOULD ARGUE, STILL IT DOES MATTER.
IT MATTERS BECAUSE -- WELL,
I THINK OUR RECORD ACTUALLY WOULD DEMONSTRATE
TO CERTAIN DEGREE THAT IT MATTERS,
THE STUFF THAT PETE MENTIONED.
THE INABILITY OF MEXICAN JOURNALISTS TO BE ABLE TO REPORT
AS OPENLY AS THEY WOULD LIKE TO BUILD THIS --
SAY WHAT THEY WANT.
WE HAVE SPEND A LOT OF TIMES COVERING THE MEXICO SITUATION.
OUR REPORTERS DO RUN BYLINES.
THAT THEY PUT THEIR PICTURES UP AND DO VIDEOS
ON OUR WEBSITE, WE COVER THAT.
MY EXPERIENCE IN JAPAN WAS ALSO --
IT SHOWED ME THAT EVEN THOUGH JAPAN HAS A VERY LARGE MEDIA
SECTOR, THERE ARE AN AWFUL LOT OF STORIES
THAT GO UNREPORTED THERE RELATED TO -- IN PARTICULAR THE --
SOME OF THE DEFICIENCIES IN THE JAPANESE JUSTICE SYSTEM
WHICH SURE IS A SUBJECT FOR ANOTHER SEMINAR OR TALK SOMETIME
BUT ARE QUITE EXTENSIVE AND JUST TO KNOCK A COVER THERE.
SO THERE'S SOMETHING THAT'S BROUGHT TO IT
BY HAVING FOREIGNERS COMING IN AND TAKE A LOOK AT YOUR COUNTRY.
>> FOREIGN CORRESPONDENTS IF THEY DO IT AS A PROFESSION,
BRING ANALYTICAL ABILITIES TO THINGS,
THEY BRING A COMPARATIVE ABILITY TO THE PLACES THEY GO
AND THE SUBJECTS THEY STUDY.
AND WE STILL DO DESPITE THE DIMINISHED RESOURCES HAVE THE
ABILITY TO GET INTO PLACES
WHICH JUST THE AVERAGE BLOGGER CAN'T DO.
OUR SECURITY SETUP IN BAGHDAD COST US
OVER A MILLION DOLLARS A YEAR.
THAT'S JUST, YOU KNOW, BEYOND--
IT'S BEYOND THE REACH OF MOST OF YOU.
WE HAD A REPORTER IN BURMA THREE TIMES THIS YEAR, HE WENT BACK.
HE HAD THE ABILITY TO SEE IT NOT JUST ONCE
BUT TO GO BACK REPEATEDLY AND SEE PEOPLE ON AN ONGOING BASIS.
HE HAS WRITTEN QUITE BRAVELY AND EXTENSIVELY
ABOUT HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES IN BURMA.
WE, OUR REPORTER ROBYN DIXON WHO IS BASED
IN JOHANNESBURG MADE ALMOST A DOZEN TRIPS
INTO ZIMBABWE LAST YEAR WHICH I DON'T THINK IS SORT OF A STAPLE
OF THE EVENING NEWS OR ANYWHERE ELSE IN THIS COUNTRY.
SHE DID IT MOSTLY BY TRAVELING ON BY LAND
AND GETTING ACROSS RIVERS.
WE'RE IN CONGO AND SOMALIA, IRAN, AND CHINA.
IN OTHER WORDS WE'RE STILL IN THOSE PLACES.
WE'RE STILL DOING IT AND IT'S JUST ONE OF THOSE THINGS
THAT YOU HAVE TO BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH
FOR WHEN YOU ATTACK MAINSTREAM MEDIA
BECAUSE SOMEDAY THAT WILL BE GONE.
ANYWAY IT'S SIMPLY TO UNDERSCORE THE NOTION THAT--
AND THE IMPORTANCE OF RESOURCES IN THIS FIGHT.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> OUR NEXT SPEAKER LUCY DALGLISH,
THE COMMITTEE TO PROTECT REPORTERS.
[ LAUGHTER ]
>> THE REPORTERS COMMITTEE FOR FREEDOM OF THE PRESS.
>> REPORTERS COMMITTEE FOR FREEDOM
OF THE PRESS, I'M SORRY [LAUGHTER].
>> THAT'S ALRIGHT.
I'M GOING TO FOLLOW UP A LITTLE BIT I THINK
ON WHAT BRUCE WAS JUST TALKING ABOUT.
THE REPORTER'S COMMITTEE IS BASED IN ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA.
WE'VE DONE WORK ON BEHALF OF JOURNALISTS WHO WORKED
IN THE UNITED STATES FOR THE LAST ALMOST 40 YEARS.
I HAVE A TEAM OF LAWYERS WHO HELPED ANY JOURNALIST
WHO CALLS US WITH A LEGAL PROBLEM RELATED TO GATHERING
AND PUBLISHING OR BROADCASTING THE NEWS.
I HAVE SEVEN LAWYERS ON MY STAFF
WHO ANSWER OUR HOTLINE 24 HOURS A DAY AND ALL
OF MY LAWYERS HAVE A BACKGROUND AS A JOURNALIST.
WE-- I AM AN EXPERT ON PRESS FREEDOM
AS IT RELATES TO THE UNITED STATES.
AND AFTER WHAT PETE HAS TOLD US AND WHAT I THINK YOU'RE GOING
TO BE HEARING FROM ELIAS,
I HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE WE HAVE IT GOOD HERE.
AND SO I DON'T WANNA MAKE IT SOUND LIKE I DO NOT RECOGNIZE
THAT MOST JOURNALISTS AROUND THE WORLD HAVE IT A LOT HARDER
THAN WE DO HERE.
BUT I WOULD LIKE-- BUT WE HAVE IT GOOD HERE AND WE HAVE
TO WORK VERY, VERY HARD TO KEEP IT GOOD HERE.
SO I'D LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THE UNITED STATES MODEL OF DEMOCRACY
AND POLITICS AND MONEY.
YOU KNOW, WE'RE VERY LUCKY
IN THIS COUNTRY WE HAVE A FIRST AMENDMENT.
BASED ON ENLIGHTENMENT THINKING OF OUR FOUNDERS, THEY RECOGNIZED
THAT IT WAS A FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN RIGHT
FOR OUR CITIZENS TO BE ABLE TO SPEAK.
WE HAD FREEDOM OF SPEECH WRITTEN RIGHT INTO THE FIRST AMENDMENT.
CONGRESS SHALL MAKE NO LAW OF BREACHING FREEDOM OF THE SPEECH,
FREEDOM OF SPEECH AND OF THE PRESS.
NOW WHY IS THAT PRESS CLAUSE THERE?
IT'S NOT BECAUSE JOURNALISTS ARE SPECIAL PEOPLE.
TRUST ME, THEY'RE NOT.
THEY'RE JUST HUMAN LIKE THE REST OF US.
NO, IT'S-- I WOULD SUGGEST THAT IT'S
BECAUSE IN THIS COUNTRY OUR FOUNDERS DECIDED
THAT SELF DETERMINATION IS A FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN RIGHT.
HOW DO WE GOVERN OURSELVES?
WE VOTE, RIGHT.
WE ALL GO TO THE POLLS.
IN NOVEMBER WE HAD TO SEE CHANGE.
IT WAS THE PUBLIC WHO STOOD UP AND SAID "WE WANNA CHANGE."
NOW OUR SYSTEM OF DEMOCRACY REALLY OPERATES
ON FAITH AND INFORMATION.
WE HAVE FAITH THAT VOTERS WILL SEEK OUT TRUTHFUL INFORMATION
AND USE IT TO MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS AT THE BALLOT BOX.
BUT THEY CANNOT DO THAT IN A VACUUM.
VOTERS DON'T HAVE THE TIME OR THE RESOURCES TO GATHER ALL
OF THAT TRUTHFUL INDEPENDENTLY COLLECTED INFORMATION
ON THEIR OWN.
RATHER WE COUNT
ON THE INDEPENDENT NON-GOVERNMENT SPONSORED PRESS
TO DO IT FOR US IN THIS COUNTRY.
THAT SYSTEM OF A WATCHDOG PRESS HAS SERVED US VERY,
VERY WELL FOR MORE THAN 200 YEARS.
BUT THESE DAYS MORE AND MORE PEOPLE ARE ABLE TO SERVE
THAT PRESS FUNCTION BECAUSE OF THE INTERNET.
YOU DON'T NEED A PRESS OR YOU DON'T NEED A BROADCAST LICENSE
TO GATHER AND DISSEMINATE NEWS.
IN MANY RESPECTS, THIS ABILITY OF CITIZENS TO ACT
AS JOURNALISTS WILL SERVE US VERY, VERY WELL.
BUT I'D LIKE TO AS I SAID FOLLOW UP ON A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT WHAT BRUCE SAID.
I'D LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU SOME OF THE THINGS,
SOME OF MY OBSERVATIONS THAT HAVE LITERALLY BEEN KEEPING ME
UP LATE AT NIGHT RECENTLY.
IT IS VERY, VERY POPULAR IN THIS COUNTRY
TO BASH THE MAINSTREAM PRESS, TO BASH MEDIA CONSOLIDATION,
TO BASH THEM FOR STIFLING INDEPENDENT VOICES
AND TO REALLY, REALLY GET
DOWN ON CORPORATE MEDIA IN THIS COUNTRY.
BUT FROM WHERE I SIT, HERE IS WHAT MAINSTREAM MEDIA
AND THE CORPORATE PRESS HAS DONE ON BEHALF OF THE PUBLIC.
THEY HAVE TRAINED JOURNALISTS.
THEY HAVE TRAINED THEM VERY, VERY WELL.
THESE PEOPLE UP HERE THAT YOU SEE, THEY DIDN'T JUST DECIDE
TO START REPORTING AND DO IT VERY WELL YESTERDAY.
THEY TRAINED AT IT, THEY WORKED HARD AT IT.
THERE IS A WEALTH OF EXPERIENCE
IN OUR MAINSTREAM PRESS CORE OUT THERE.
NOW, OUR LAWS DO NOT APPEAR BY MAGIC
AND THEY ARE NOT ENFORCED BY MAGIC.
WE HAVE SOME VERY, VERY GOOD JUDGE MADE LAW AND STATUTES
IN THIS COUNTRY THAT PROTECT THE PUBLIC'S RIGHT
TO KNOW WHAT ITS GOVERNMENT IS UP TO.
AS I SAID THAT THOSE LAWS DO NOT APPEAR BY MAGIC.
OUR LAWS BY AND LARGE OVER THE LAST 40 TO 50 YEARS
IN PARTICULAR HAVE BEEN FOUGHT FOR AND ENFORCED
BY THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA.
IT HAS BEEN THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA LED BY LARGE MEDIA COMPANIES
THAT HAVE FOUGHT
TO GET COURTROOMS OPENED IN THIS COUNTRY.
THERE WAS A BODY OF LAW IN THE LATE '70S
AND THROUGHOUT THE '80S, THESE CASES, ANY OF YOU WHO ARE HERE
AS LAW STUDENTS MIGHT KNOW THEM
OR IF YOU HAVE TAKEN MEDIA LAW YOU WILL RECOGNIZE THEM.
NEBRASKA PRESS ASSOCIATION VERSUS NEBRASKA--
VERSUS STUART, THAT SAID THAT A JUDGE CANNOT TELL A REPORTER
WHO IS SITTING IN A COURTROOM THAT HE
OR SHE CANNOT REPORT A STORY.
RICHMOND NEWSPAPERS VERSUS VIRGINIA,
THAT SAID THAT CRIMINAL COURTS
IN THIS COUNTRY ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.
PRESS ENTERPRISE 1 AND 2, PRESS ENTERPRISE
OUT OF RIVERSIDE HERE IN CALIFORNIA.
THOSE CASES SAID THAT IF A JURY IS BEING PICKED,
YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO SEE WHO IS SITTING ON THAT JURY
AND YOU KNOW WHO PAID FOR THAT, IT WAS THE MEDIA.
YOU AS THE PUBLIC HAVE DIRECTLY BENEFITTED FROM THAT.
IT WAS THE MEDIA LED BY THE AMERICAN SOCIETY
OF NEWSPAPER EDITORS THAT LED THE BATTLE FOR STATE
AND FEDERAL OPEN GOVERNMENT LAWS.
IT WAS THE STATE PRESS ASSOCIATION.
YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO GO INTO A PUBLIC MEETING
AND YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO GO TO A COUNTY BOARD OR A SCHOOL BOARD
AND SAY, I WANNA SEE THE SUPERINTENDENT'S SALARY.
I'D LIKE TO SEE THE RESUME OF THE GUY YOU JUST HIRED
TO RUN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM.
AND YOU KNOW WHO IT WAS THAT FOUGHT FOR THAT AND PAID FOR ALL
OF THAT, IT WAS YOUR LOCAL NEWSPAPER.
THEY LED THE EFFORT TO PROTECT WHISTLE BLOWERS
AND CONFIDENTIAL SOURCES IN STATE AFTER STATE AFTER STATE.
IF YOU ARE A GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEE
AND YOUR EMPLOYER WILL NOT LISTEN TO YOU
WHEN SOMEONE IS REPORTING
THAT SOMEONE IS EMBEZZLING MONEY FROM A COUNTY BOARD.
NO ONE WOULD LISTEN TO YOU.
YOU WENT TO YOUR LOCAL NEWSPAPER REPORTER,
YOUR LOCAL TELEVISION REPORTER, AND SAID "I'D LIKE TO TELL YOU
ABOUT SOMETHING THAT IS BEING DONE THAT IS WRONG BUT YOU HAVE
TO PROTECT ME BECAUSE I WILL LOSE MY JOB."
IT IS YOUR LOCAL MEDIA AND YOUR NATIONAL MEDIA THAT LED THAT.
IT IS YOUR MEDIA THAT LED THE EFFORT TO MAKE SURE THAT EXCEPT
UNDER THE MOST EXTREME CIRCUMSTANCES,
THE GOVERNMENT MAY NOT SENSOR
OR RESTRAIN WHAT IS REPORTED OR SAID.
THOSE LAWS, THIS FACT THAT YOU CANNOT PREVENT THE NEW YORK
TIMES OR THE WASHINGTON POST
FROM PUBLISHING THE PENTAGON PAPERS, THAT APPLIES NOT ONLY
TO THE MEDIA BUT THAT APPLIES TO YOU ON YOUR BLOG, THAT APPLIES
TO YOU AS, IF YOU WERE PUBLISHING ANYTHING.
IT APPLIES TO CITIZENS AS WELL AS THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA.
MEDIA COMPANIES DID THIS FOR YOU.
IT WASN'T CHEAP.
THEY MADE MONEY SO THAT THEY COULD SPEND MONEY.
ON YOUR BEHALF, MOST OF IT WAS DONE
BY MAJOR NEWSPAPER COMPANIES.
NOW THEY HAVE HAD VERY HARD TIMES AS BRUCE MENTIONED.
THE ROCKY MOUNTAIN NEWS IN DENVER CLOSED LAST WEEK.
THE KENTUCKY POST AND THE CINCINNATI POST CLOSED
AT THE END OF THE YEAR.
THE DETROIT NEWSPAPERS, THEY ARE
DOWN TO ONLY DISTRIBUTING NEWSPAPERS
IN PAPER FORM THREE DAYS A WEEK.
MINNEAPOLIS, PHILADELPHIA, THE TRIBUNE COMPANY,
THEY WERE ALL IN BANKRUPTCY.
>> JOURNALISTS ARE BEING LAID OFF, DOZENS OF THEM EVERYDAY.
YESTERDAY, THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH LAID OFF I THINK IT WAS 42
PEOPLE IN THEIR NEWSROOM.
THE SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER
AND THE SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE HAVE BOTH SAID THEY ARE
IN DANGER OF CLOSING BY THE END OF THE MONTH.
THAT WOULD LEAVE SAN FRANCISCO WITHOUT A DAILY NEWSPAPER FOLKS,
A MAJOR DAILY NEWSPAPER.
I'M VERY AFRAID, I'M VERY,
VERY AFRAID THAT THESE FOLKS WON'T BE ABLE
TO CONTINUE THESE BATTLES.
AND WHO'S GOING TO SUFFER?
WELL, LET'S FORGET ABOUT THE JOURNALISTS
AND THE BLOGGERS YOU KNOW, THEY'LL STILL THE BLOGGERS,
THEY'LL ALL STILL BE THERE.
THEY WON'T HAVE ANY MONEY UNDER THE CURRENT MODEL
SO YOU CITIZENS ARE GOING TO SUFFER.
NO ONE WILL BE OUT THERE TO FIGHT THE COURT
AND LEGISLATIVE BATTLES TO ENSURE THAT YOU CAN CONTINUE
TO GET ACCESS TO TRUTHFUL INDEPENDENTLY GATHERED
INFORMATION THAT YOU NEED
TO MAKE DECISIONS AT THE BALLOT BOX.
WHO'S GOING TO KEEP A CHECK ON GOVERNMENT?
WHO'S GOING TO KEEP A CHECK ON BIG BUSINESS?
DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOUR TAX DOLLARS ARE GONNA GO AS FAR
AS THIS HUGE BANK BAIL OUT?
I DON'T KNOW THAT ANYBODY OUT THERE EXCEPT MAYBE BLOOMBERG
WHICH IS SUPPORTED
BY NON-ADVERTISING REVENUE IS GONNA BE ABLE TO REPORT
WHERE ANY OF THIS MONEY IS GOING.
THAT'S YOUR DOLLARS.
YOU KNOW GOOD LUCK EVERYBODY.
WE HAVE A REALLY, REALLY BIG PROBLEM IN THIS COUNTRY.
SO WE DON'T HAVE JOURNALISTS GETTING SHOT ON STREET CORNERS
BUT WE HAVE A REAL PROBLEM RIGHT NOW WITH OUR ABILITY
TO GET THE INFORMATION THAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE OPERATING
AS A DEMOCRACY IN THE WAY THAT WE'VE BECOME ACCUSTOMED
TO FOR THE LAST 200 PLUS YEARS.
THANKS.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> AND OUR LAST SPEAKER, ELIAS WONDIMU.
[ PAUSE ]
>> THAN YOU SO MUCH FOR INVITING ME.
IT WILL MAKE VERY DIFFICULT MY PRESENTATION ESPECIALLY
AFTER LISTENING TO BRUCE AND LUCY,
ESPECIALLY GIVING US THE SIGN OF THE TIMES, WHAT'S HAPPENING
IN CURRENT SITUATIONS.
BUT SINCE WERE PRESENTING THIS PANEL TO FUTURE JOURNALISTS
WHO WILL BE THE LEADING WRITERS AND THE REPORTERS
OF THE NEXT GENERATION, I WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE
WITH MY PREPARED PRESENTATION.
AND I'M A BIT CRITICAL OF THE MAINSTREAM PRESS,
THE INTERNATIONAL MEDIA ON HOW IT HAS BEEN COVERING SOME
OF THE ISSUES THAT MATTERS TO WHERE IT COMES FROM.
SO I WILL SHARE THIS.
THE PRESENT CONFERENCE HAS CONVENED TO FOSTER A DIALOGUE
OVER THE CHALLENGES FACED BY FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION
AND BELIEF MORE SPECIFICALLY AND WITHIN THE DISCUSSION,
OUR PANEL WILL CONSIDER THE ROLE OF THE GLOBAL NEWS MEDIA PLAYS
IN FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION.
THE PRESENT ANALYSIS MAYBE DIVIDED INTO TWO MAIN PARTS.
FIRSTLY, RECOGNIZING THE WAY
IN WHICH THE GLOBAL NEWS MEDIA OUTLETS HAVE MONOPOLY
ON THE PRODUCTION OF KNOWLEDGE ABOUT--
AND THE REPRESENTATION OF AFRICA
WHICH SHAPED THE PUBLIC OPINION AND POLICY.
AND SECONDLY, ACKNOWLEDGING THE NEED
TO FORGE INDEPENDENT MEDIA OUTLETS WITHIN AFRICA ITSELF
SO THAT IT MAYBE MORE EMPOWERED INTO SHAPING THE WAY
IN WHICH ITS IDENTITY IS REPRESENTED INTERNATIONALLY.
IN A PARADOXICAL TURN OF EVENTS, ONE OF THE LARGEST THREATS
TO AFRICA AS A WHOLE IN FREE PRESS PARTICULARLY
IN THE GLOBAL NEWS MEDIA.
THIS ALWAYS CONTROLS THE PERCEPTION OF EVERYDAY PEOPLE
OF AFRICA TO A FRIGHTENING DEGREE.
THEY PORTRAIT AFRICA
AS A CONTINENT BEYOND ANY APPROPRIATE RESTORATION,
LACK OF DEPTH ANALYSIS WITH INTERCESSION AT LEAST,
HIGHLY EXAGGERATED-- EXACERBATES THIS PROBLEM
AS HUMAN INTEREST STORIES DISPLAYING ITS CONFLICT
OR GENOCIDE AND ENGAGING IN NO FURTHER ANALYSIS
THAN THE DESIGNATION OF THESE TERMS AND TELL THE INNER PAGES
OF NEWSPAPERS WHILE NOTHING IS EVER SAID
ABOUT THE PRACTICAL SIMPLE WAYS
IN WHICH INDIVIDUALS MAY CONTRIBUTE TO THE FORGING
OF SOLUTION TO THESE PROBLEMS.
WHILE RESPECTFULLY ACKNOWLEDGING THE INVALUABLE IMPORTANCE
OF COVERING THE STORIES DESPITE DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES
THAT WAS EARLIER DISCUSSED, WE FEEL VERY LITTLE IS DONE
IN THE WAY OF REPRESENTING POSITIVE MESSAGES
WHICH ARE BEING TAKEN AND WHICH COULD BE ADDITIONAL CONTRIBUTION
TO ASSIST THE PLIGHT OF AFRICAN PEOPLE.
WHAT EXPONENTIALLY WORSENS THE PRESENT CONDITION IS THE
INABILITY OF AFRICANS
TO REPRESENT SOME [INAUDIBLE] MEDIA OUTLETS
AS THE ONLY EXISTING ONES ARE RELATIVELY SMALLER USUALLY
CENSORED BY THE POLITICAL REGIMES UNDER WHICH THEY RESIDE,
AS A RESULT AFRICA HAVE NO CONTROL
OVER THE IMAGE DEPLOYED INTERNATIONALLY IN THEIR NAME.
NOT ONLY IN THEIR-- THERE IS A DEFICIENCY IN THE QUALITY
OF NEWS ABOUT AFRICA, THERE IS ALSO A SCARCITY IN THE QUALITY
OF NEWS STORIES ABOUT AFRICA IN THE US MEDIA.
AN ANALYSIS OF 10,000 STORIES FROM 1972 TO 1989 ABC, NBC, CBS,
ONLY 2.2 PERCENT OF THE STORIES WERE ABOUT AFRICA, 2.2 PERCENT.
IMAGINE FROM 1972 TO '89, AND THE SAD PERCENTAGE
OF THE CONTINENT WHICH IS OVER 54 COUNTRIES AND MORE
THAN 800 MILLION PEOPLE.
IN A RELATED THEME, THE NEW YORK TIMES REPORT BETWEEN 1955
TO 1995 SHOWED 73 PERCENT OF ALL STORIES
ABOUT AFRICA WERE NEGATIVE.
FURTHERMORE, BRILL'S CONTENT, A MEDIA-WATCHING MAGAZINE,
EXAMINED TWO STORIES OF NEWS WEEK AND TIME REGARDING THE 19--
THE 1994 RWANDA GENOCIDE AND INVOLVED--
AND THE 1999 *** OF EIGHT TOURISTS
ON THE UGANDA-RWANDA BORDER.
SHOCKINGLY, TIME REPORTED 1,898 WORDS ABOUT THE TOURISTS
AND 797 WORDS ABOUT THE GENOCIDE.
NEWS WEEK PRODUCED 1,387 WORDS AND--
ABOUT THE TOURIST AND 775 ABOUT THE GENOCIDE.
SO YOU CAN SEE WHERE THE FOCUS LIES.
THAT'S WHAT I MEANT BY THE LACK OF REPORTING
OR EVEN THE DEPTHS OF COVERAGE.
AMONG THE MANY CONSEQUENCES OF THIS NEGATIVE COVERAGE OF AFRICA
AS A POLITICALLY BACKWARD
AND DIRE CONTINENT IS THE LUMPING TOGETHER OF ALL AFRICAN
AS ONE NATION ALLOWING WESTERN GOVERNMENTS
TO AVOID ACCOUNTABILITY REGARDING THEIR POLICIES TOWARDS
SPECIFIC AFRICAN GOVERNMENTS DUE
TO THE COLLECTIVE IGNORANCE INSPIRED
BY THE HOMOGENIZATION REPRESENTATION--
HOMOGENIZED REPRESENTATION OF AFRICA AS A WOUND IN THE FACE
OF HUMAN RIGHTS DEVELOPMENT.
HOWEVER, SCRUTINY CAN BE APPLIED TO ACTUAL POLITICAL STANDARDS
OF WESTERN GOVERNMENTS THEREBY CREATING ONE
OF THE BIGGEST [INAUDIBLE] OF HONEST ATTEMPTS
TO ASSIST THE CONTINENTS.
EXEMPLARY HERE ARE THE RELATIONS BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES
AND ETHIOPIA WHERE DESPITE EXTENSIVE PROOF OF THE ABUSE
OF CURRENT ETHIOPIAN GOVERNMENT AGAINST BASIC RIGHTS
SUCH AS THE FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION
WITHIN THE STATE DEPARTMENT HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT,
THE UNITED STATES CONTINUES
TO SUPPORT CURRENT POLITICAL REGIME.
THE CONSPIRACY OF IGNORANCE AS FOSTERED
BY THE GLOBAL NEWS MEDIA ALLOWS INDIVIDUALS TO IGNORE THE WAY
IN WHICH THEIR GOVERNMENT FUNDS MILITARY POLITICAL REGIMES
ABROAD AS HAS BEEN THE CASE FITTING WITH ETHIOPIA.
THIS BRINGS US TO THE SECOND COMPONENT OF THE ANALYSIS
THAT I WANTED TO SHARE EARLIER.
ALTHOUGH THE ETHIOPIAN CONSTITUTION
AND THE 1992 PRESS LAW BOTH EXPLICITLY PROTECT THE RIGHT
OF THE FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION,
THE ETHIOPIAN GOVERNMENT COMMITS VICIOUS ACTS
OF CENSORSHIP AGAINST ITS PEOPLE.
TO FURTHER OUR POINT, ALL OF THE FOLLOWING EVIDENCE WAS TAKEN
FROM THE US STATE DEPARTMENT'S HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT ON ETHIOPIA
BETWEEN THE YEAR 2000 TO-- UP TO PRESENT.
BY THE END OF 2001, THIS IS FROM THE STATE DEPARTMENT'S REPORT,
BY THE END OF 2001 OVER 40 JOURNALISTS REMAINED ABROAD
IN EXILE RATHER THAN FACING CHARGES UPON RETURNING
TO ETHIOPIA INCLUDING THE EDITORS OF [INAUDIBLE].
IN 19-- 2004, I MEAN IN 2004 THERE WERE REPORTERS
THAT POLICE ARREST, BEAT, AND DETAINED.
ONE OF THE JOURNALISTS WAS [INAUDIBLE] WHO ALLEGED
THAT ON OCTOBER FIRST, THREE MEN WHO ARE
IN FEDERAL POLICE UNIFORM ASSAULTED HIM
AND THROW HIM OFF NEAR RIVER
IN THE [INAUDIBLE] NEIGHBORHOOD IN ADDIS.
NOW HE CAN'T WALK AND DESPITE HIS REQUEST
THROUGH A POLICE INVESTIGATION, THIS MATTER WAS NOT REPORTED --
INVESTIGATED AT THAT TIME.
AFTER THE MAY 2005 ELECTION
WHICH THE OPPOSITION PARTY GAINED A TREMENDOUS SUCCESS
IN GETTING VOTE, IT WAS ALSO THE YEAR
THAT THE GOVERNMENT EFFECTIVELY SILENCED THE PRIVATE NEWSPAPERS
THAT -- EIGHT NEWSPAPERS WAS BANNED AFTER THEIR PUBLISHERS
AND EDITOR-IN-CHIEFS WERE ARRESTED.
SIX OTHER JOURNALISTS SEIZED PUBLICATION DIRECTLY AS A RESULT
OF THE GOVERNMENT CRACKDOWN ON THE GOVERNMENT
ON PRINTING PRESSES' REFUSAL TO PRINT THE PAPERS.
WHAT'S MORE, THE CLOSED PAPERS HAVE A COMBINED TOTAL LEADERSHIP
OF CIRCULATION ABOUT 400,000 AT THAT PARTICULAR TIME.
IN 2005, THE GOVERNMENT ARRESTED 16 JOURNALISTS IN ADDITION
TO OPPOSING -- OPPOSITION PARTY MEMBERS BY STATUTORY PROVISIONS
ON THE PUBLICATION OF FALSE INFORMATION,
INCITEMENT OF ETHNIC HATRED AND LIBEL CHARGING THEM
WITH TREASON, GENOCIDE, AND ATTEMPT TO SUBVERT CONSTITUTION.
THESE ARE THE CASES THAT CHARGED WHICH NOT ONLY APPEAL
TO INTEREST IN THE SENSATION OBVIOUSLY TO HUMAN RIGHTS
BUT ALSO CARRIED WITH THEM WAS THE MAXIMUM PENALTY
OF LIFE IMPRISONMENT OR THE DEATH PENALTY
AND WHAT WAS THE FIRST GLIMPSE OF HOPE IN 2000--
IN MARCH 3, 2006, THE FEDERAL HIGH COURT LIFTED 17 MONTHS BAN
ON THE ETHIOPIAN FREE PRESS JOURNALIST ASSOCIATION
AND THE PRESIDENT OF THAT ASSOCIATION KIFLE MULAT,
WHO IS NOW IN EXILE IN HOUSTON, WAS ONE OF THE AWARD WINNER
OF THE FREEDOM TO WRITE AWARD BY PEN USA.
ON JULY 1ST, 2007, THIS IS --
MORE PRESSURE IS BEING PUT INTO THE MEDIA.
THE PARLIAMENT PASSED A MASS MEDIA AND FREEDOM
OF INFORMATION PROCLAMATION
WHICH PROHIBITS PRETRIAL DETENTION OF JOURNALISTS
AND CENSORSHIP OF THE PRIVATE MEDIA
AND IT RECOGNIZES THE RIGHT OF JOURNALISTS
TO FORM PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATION WHILE
IN MANY REGARDS THIS IS A BLESSING AND A SIGN OF PROGRESS.
IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE
THAT THE LAW ALLOWS ONLY INCORPORATED COMPANIES
TO PUBLISH PRINT MEDIA, REQUIRES ALL PREVIOUSLY LICENSED PRESS
TO REGISTER, BARS FOREIGN AND CROSS-MEDIA OWNERSHIP,
GRANTS THE GOVERNMENT UNLIMITED RIGHTS TO PROSECUTE THE MEDIA,
CRIMINALIZES DEFAMATIONS OF PUBLIC OFFICIALS
AND INCREASES THE DEFAMATION FINES
TO 100,000 ETHIOPIAN DOLLAR, ALMOST 10,000 US DOLLAR
WHICH IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR ANY JOURNALIST EVEN TO THINK
ABOUT TO PAY THAT AMOUNT WITH THE CURRENT SITUATIONS
AND DE-ESTABLISHING THE NATIONAL SECURITY AS THE GROUND
FOR IMPOUNDING MATERIALS PRIOR
TO PUBLICATION PROVIDES GOVERNMENT INFORMATION OFFICIALS
EXCLUSIVE DISCRETION TO WITHHOLD SENSITIVE INFORMATION
WITHOUT JUDICIAL REVIEW AND MAINTAIN THE MINISTRY
OF INFORMATION WHICH HAS ABSOLUTE POWER
TO REGULATE THE MEDIA.
WITHIN THE ARRAY OF EXAMPLES PROVIDED
BY THE US STATE DEPARTMENT'S HUMAN RIGHT REPORT ON ETHIOPIA,
THERE IS MUCH TO BE ANALYZED FIRSTLY IN AN OPTIMISTIC LIGHT.
IT SHOULD BE EMPHASIZED
THAT ETHIOPIA CONSTITUTIONALLY PROTECTS THE FREEDOM
OF THE PRESS AND WHILE THERE ARE OBVIOUS LIMITATIONS
WITHIN THE 1992 PRESS LAW AND ESPECIALLY IN THE NEW MASS MEDIA
AND FREEDOM OF INFORMATION PROCLAMATION, THE DISSOLUTION
OF THE MINISTRY OF INFORMATION HAS LARGELY STEPPED
INTO THE DIRECTION OF PROTECTING THE PRESS, HOWEVER,
IT SHOULD BE DEMANDED
THAT ADDITIONAL POLITICAL PRESSURES BE PLACED
ON THE ETHIOPIAN GOVERNMENT TO RESPECT THE RIGHTS
OF JOURNALISTS REGARDLESS OF THEIR POLITICAL DISPOSITION.
WITH THESE THINGS HAVING BEEN SAID,
THERE IS ALSO AN INCREDIBLE IMPORTANCE NEED
TO BE INTEGRATED, THAT THE ETHIOPIAN DIASPORA
AND EXILED JOURNALISTS WITH AN INTERNATIONAL ALTERNATIVE
ACADEMIC OR MEDIA BASED OUTLETS OUTSIDE OF ETHIOPIA.
IF THIS DOESN'T HAPPEN THEN THEIR VOICE WERE EFFECTIVELY
SILENCED BY THE CURRENT POLITICAL REGIME IN ETHIOPIA.
RATHER THAN LET THESE LAWS OCCUR, WE FIND THOSE PEOPLE
TO BE SOME OF THE MOST IMPORTANT WHEN IT COMES TO TESTIFYING
AGAINST THE ABUSE WHERE IT'S AGAINST THE ETHIOPIAN PRESS
AS WELL AS WHEN IT COMES TO PROVIDING ACCOUNTS
OF STRUCTURAL INEQUITIES WITHIN ETHIOPIA
AND HOW THEY MAYBE REMEDIED.
MORE OVER, THESE EXILES ARE PEOPLE BEST SUITED
TO EFFECTIVELY COMMUNICATE NOT ONLY TO THE CITIES
OF FOREIGN ASSISTANCE BUT ALSO TO ETHIOPIAN PEOPLE THEMSELVES.
DOVETAILING WITH THE SUGGESTION THAT TIME SHOULD BE TAKEN
TO NOTE THE DISQUIETING ABSENCE OF AFRICAN JOURNALISTS
WITHIN THE GLOBAL NEWS MEDIA.
IN RESPONSE TO THIS PROBLEM, EXILED JOURNALISTS' TALENTS
AND INTERESTS MUST BE HARNESSED,
MORE AFRICAN PRESENCE MUST BE ENCOURAGED --
ESTABLISHED AND INTERNATIONAL JOURNALISTS
OF ANY RANK MUST BE ENGAGED IN FORGING POSITIVE SOLUTION
AS PEN USA, PEN AMERICA COMMITTED
TO PROTECT JOURNALISTS, HUMAN RIGHT WATCH
AND OTHER SIMILAR ORGANIZATIONS AND UNIVERSITIES
LIKE CAL STATE LONG BEACH ESPECIALLY THE
JOURNALISM PROGRAM.
THE JOURNALISM PROGRAMS SHOULD BE ACTIVELY ENGAGED
IN THIS GLOBAL DIALOG AND PLAY AN ACTIVE ROLE
IN CREATING NEW GENERATIONS OF JOURNALISTS WHO WILL BE AGENTS
OF POSITIVE CHANGE IN THE GLOBAL LANDSCAPE.
AT THE SAME TIME,
THE INTERNATIONAL NEWS MEDIA SHOULD ACKNOWLEDGE FREEDOM
OF THE PRESS AS A BASIC HUMAN RIGHT AND REPORT ON CENSORSHIP
OF AUTHORS AS IT WOULD ON ANY HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATION.
IN THIS WAY, PROPER ATTENTION WILL BE AFFORDED TO ATTEMPTS
TO ESTABLISH FREE PRESSES WITH INDIVIDUAL COUNTRIES
WHICH WILL ALLOW THIS -- FOR THEIR SELF PRESENTATION,
REPRESENTATION AND COVERAGE OF ISSUES FROM INSIDE
AND REGIONS BEING DISCUSSED.
IN THIS SENSE, THE ESTABLISHMENT OF FREE PRESS
WITHIN AFRICA IS A CRITICAL PREREQUISITE TO THE ABILITY
OF EXTERNAL ACTORS TO EFFECTIVELY CONTRIBUTE
TO AFRICA'S DEVELOPMENT TO THIS
AND THE GLOBAL NEW MEDIA SHOULD BE FOCUSED ON TREATMENT
OF AFRICAN JOURNALISTS WHO ARE OUR BEST INTERMEDIARIES
OF AFRICAN ISSUES.
THANK YOU.
[ APPLAUSE ]
[ PAUSE ]
>> THANK YOU.
WE'RE GETTING TO ALL THE PANELISTS AND I WANTED
TO GIVE SOME TIME FOR QUESTIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE.
I KNOW THAT SOME CARDS WERE FILLED OUT WITH QUESTIONS.
SO PERHAPS KEN, PLEASE DO--
>> YEAH I CAN HANDLE THAT.
CAN YOU HEAR ME?
[ SIMULTANEOUS TALKING ]
>> YES.
>> OKAY. WELL, FIRST QUESTION I REALIZED WE LOST A NUMBER
OF STUDENTS HERE GOING TO 12:30 CLASSES,
BUT SEVERAL PANELISTS MENTIONED THE OBVIOUSLY THE CHANGING
FAITHS OF PRINT JOURNALISM, TRADITIONAL PRINT JOURNALISM
AND THE EFFECT ON RESOURCES FOR COVERAGE OF ISSUES
SUCH AS INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES.
I JUST WANTED TO DO A BRIEF POLL.
HOW MANY OF THE STUDENTS WHO ARE STILL HERE REGULARLY READ THE
DAILY NEWSPAPERS SAY TWO OR THREE TIMES A WEEK?
WELL, I THINK THAT HEARTENING
BECAUSE THIS MIGHT BE A SELF SELECTED GROUP
OF JOURNALISM STUDENTS [LAUGHTER].
BUT I JUST WONDER IF YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE
FROM A STUDENT'S STANDPOINT IF THERE IS, YOU KNOW,
IF THEIR CONSCIOUSNESS HAS BEEN ERASED ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE
OF THESE ISSUES BUT IF THE TRADITIONAL DAILY NEWSPAPER,
THE LA TIMES, WHATEVER IT MIGHT BE,
IS NO LONGER THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY, SAY FOR YOUNG PEOPLE,
SAY THE RISING GENERATION, TO PROACTIVELY FOLLOWTHROUGH
ON THESE SORTS OF ISSUES THAT HAVE BEEN RAISED TODAY.
WHAT WOULD YOU RECOMMEND FOR THEM?
WHAT SHOULD THEIR NEWS GATHERING STRATEGIES BE?
>> WELL, CERTAINLY THE ABILITY TO WORK ON ANY PLATFORM.
BUT I THINK -- I MEAN YOU GUYS ARE GONNA BE FAST
ON WHATEVER MEDIA IS AVAILABLE.
YOU KNOW, YOU'RE GONNA BE GOOD AT THAT.
I THINK IT'S A CONCEPTUAL PROBLEM TO A CERTAIN DEGREE.
IT'S HOW DO WE GET -- WE DON'T PRETEND TO HAVE --
WE'RE NOT SAYING THAT YOU SHOULD READ NEWSPAPERS
BECAUSE THAT'S GOOD FOR YOU AS YOU HAVE TAKE YOUR MEDICINE
AND WE'RE PERFECTLY PREPARED TO LOOK AT
AND EXPLORE OTHER FORMS OF JOURNALISM.
BUT I'M JUST WONDERING WHAT YOU GUYS SEE CONCEPTUALLY
AS A FUTURE WAY OF HAVING THESE DISCUSSIONS.
>> THE INTERNET WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A WAY FOR DIALOG
TO TAKE PLACE ACROSS LINES AND BARRIERS, INSTEAD I TEND --
WHAT I SEE WHEN I READ AND I READ EXTENSIVELY ALL,
I SORT OF JUST SPEND MY DAY TRYING TO LOOK FOR THOSE VOICES
THAT WERE SUPPOSEDLY NOT REPORTING,
IS I SEE PEOPLE TALKING TO THEMSELVES ANDS TALKING
TO AN ECHO CHAMBER AND SPEAKING IN SILENCE.
I'M LOOKING FOR THE MODEL WHERE BY WE CAN GET --
WE GET PEOPLE ACTUALLY ENGAGING
IN DIALOG THE WAY THE TECHNOLOGY IS SUPPOSED TO ALLOW.
IT HASN'T GOTTEN HERE AND I DON'T KNOW HOW WE DO THAT
BUT IF ANYBODY CAN KINDA CREATE A PLATFORM
FOR THAT I THINK THEY'RE --
THE WAY YOU CAN HAVE A CIVILIZED DISCUSSION
WHERE THE CONVERSATION IF IT WERE, YOU KNOW.
>> THIS IS NOT SO MUCH A PROBLEM THAT IS DRIVEN
BY THE JOURNALISM MODEL AND THE NEWSROOM MODEL.
THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT RELATES TO MONEY
AND IT'S AN ADVERTISING PROBLEM.
THE NEWSROOMS, I THINK, WERE VERY WELL-EQUIPPED
AND OVER THE LAST DOZEN YEARS OR SO HAVE DONE A VERY GOOD JOB
OF PUSHING THEIR INFORMATION TO THE INTERNET
SO THAT IT IS VERY AVAILABLE.
I READ PROBABLY 7
OR 8 NEWSPAPERS A DAY ON THE INTERNET.
I'M LIKE A LITTLE KID IN A CANDY STORE.
THE PROBLEM IS THERE IS NO ADVERTISING MODEL
THAT HAS CONVERTED ITSELF SO THAT THEY CAN PAY
FOR THE NEWS GATHERING.
NOW, I TALKED TO A LOT OF PEOPLE.
WE NEED TO BE A LITTLE BIT MORE SAVVY
ABOUT WHERE THE GOOD QUALITY INFORMATION IS COMING FROM.
I HEAR A LOT OF PEOPLE SAY, "WELL,
I DON'T READ NEWSPAPERS ANYMORE.
I GET MY INFORMATION ON GOOGLE AND YAHOO."
WRONG! AS BRUCE SAID, THERE ARE NO GOOGLE REPORTERS YOU KNOW
IN THE GAZA STRIP.
DO YOU UNDERSTAND -- I DON'T THINK THE PUBLIC UNDERSTANDS
WHERE THAT INFORMATION COMES FROM.
GOOGLE, YAHOO, THEY PICK UP INFORMATION FROM THE AP,
OTHER NEWS SERVICES AND WHERE DO THOSE NEW SERVICES GET
THAT INFORMATION?
DO YOU UNDERSTAND HOW NEW SERVICES WORK?
THE AP AND WHAT NOT?
THEY HAVE THEIR OWN STAFF IN THE BIG CITIES AND INTERNATIONALLY
BUT THEY TAKE INFORMATION FROM THEIR LOCAL NEWSPAPERS
AND THEIR LOCAL TELEVISION STATIONS.
THOSE FOLKS ALL BELONG TO THE AP.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE A HEALTHY LOCAL NEWS GATHERING OPERATION
WHETHER IT BE PRINT BROADCAST OR, YOU KNOW,
PRINT RADIO TELEVISION, YOU'RE NOT GONNA GET GOOGLE
AND YAHOO ANYMORE EITHER.
AND YOU HAVE TO BE CONSCIOUS OF ALL OF THAT
BECAUSE THAT INFORMATION IS DONE BY --
IS BEING GATHERED BY BONA FIDE JOURNALISTS BUT GOOGLE IS NOT
OUT THERE COVERING THE WORLD.
GOOGLE IS A MARVELOUS INFORMATION DELIVERY SYSTEM
BUT IT'S A TECHNOLOGY.
IT IS NOT A SOURCE OF ITS OWN INDEPENDENT INFORMATION
AND WE ALL HAVE TO BE MINDFUL OF THAT.
>> I LOVE NEWS PAPERS.
THAT'S TO ME -- THAT'S IT.
THAT'S A BIBLE.
THAT'S RECORD I -- BECAUSE THEY DO SUCH A BETTER JOB
THAN BROADCAST JOURNALISTS MANY TIMES IN COVERING THINGS.
SO I READ A LOT OF PAPERS.
I KEEP UP.
BUT THIS IS ALSO A THREAT
TO TELEVISION MEDIA, IT'S SHRINKING.
THEY ARE ALSO BAILING OUT LIKE CRAZY AND LIKE LUCY SAYS,
THE ADVERTISING MODEL IS WHAT WE NEED.
I'LL BE STARTING A BLOG NEXT WEEK AS A MATTER OF FACT
IN SAN DIEGO WITH NEW MEDIA RIGHTS
AND I CAN EMAIL YOU THE LINK.
BUT WE'RE TRYING TO FIND A NEW MODEL
THAT WILL ACTUALLY SERVE PEOPLE WITH LOCAL NEWS IF THEIR --
THAT'S RELEVANT TO THEIR LIVES.
I'LL BE STARTING THAT NEXT WEEK BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT SURE.
I MEAN ALL THEY'RE COVERING IS REX AND YOU KNOW, BRITNEY SPEARS
OR THE *** DOWN THE STREET AND THEY'RE JUST COVERING THAT.
WHAT ABOUT THE ISSUES THAT RELATE TO PEOPLE?
AND IN SAN DIEGO, THERE'S A BIG NEED
AND I'LL BE STARTING THAT NEXT WEEK.
>> I WANTED TO TOUCH UPON SOMETHING THAT ELIAS MENTIONED
WHICH WAS THE AFRICAN COVERAGE AND KINDA GO BACK TO --
WITHOUT THROWING THE BABY WITH THE BATH WATER, SO TO SPEAK,
REINVENTING THE WHOLE JOURNALISTIC MOTTO
WHICH I THINK WAS REALLY REFRESHING TO HEAR LUCY
AND BRUCE AND ALL OF YOU SPEAK ABOUT THAT.
BUT THAT SIDE OF -- I HAD WRITTEN THAT OUT IN TERMS
OF BIAS, ONE OF THE BIASES THAT I SEE
IN INTERNATIONAL COVERAGE IS OBVIOUSLY THE WESTERN BASED
ASSUMPTIONS AND MODELS AND THAT'S --
ULTIMATELY THAT'S WHY WE USE FOREIGN REPORTERS.
WE WANT A PAIR OF EYES WHO CAN RELATE TO THE PUBLIC BACK
AT HOME TO GIVE THIS VIEW OF WHAT'S GOING ON SO
THAT PEOPLE CAN READ AND RELATE TO THAT.
BUT HOW DO YOU SEE TO THE PANELIST IN GENERAL THE ROLE
OF THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA IN TERMS OF TRYING
TO BE SELF CRITICAL SOMETIMES WITH THE INTERNATIONAL COVERAGE,
FOR EXAMPLE, ISSUES LIKE GENOCIDAL AFRICA,
RWANDA WHICH WAS THE EXAMPLE GIVEN.
IS THAT A LOT OF ROOM -- IS THAT SOME ROOM FOR IMPROVEMENT
AND IS THE ECONOMIC DOWNTURN GOING TO HAMPER THAT AS WELL
IN TERMS OF ENDANGER THAT EVEN MORE?
HOW DO YOU SEE THAT?
>> DEFINITELY AFTER LISTENING BRUCE'S PRESENTATION
AND I HAVE MANY FRIENDS IN LA TIMES ALSO AND RECENTLY I WENT
TO THEIR OFFICE AND WHAT I HAVE WITNESSED IS SHOCKING
BECAUSE OF ALL THAT BEAUTIFUL BUILDING IS ALMOST EMPTY
AND MANY OF THE DESKS ARE WITH COMPUTERS AND --
BUT NOT PEOPLE THERE AND I KNOW THIS WILL AFFECT WHAT I'M TRYING
TO PRESENT EARLIER.
THAT'S WHAT MAKES IT ACTUALLY MORE DIFFICULT FOR ME TO GO OUT
AND TALK ABOUT WHAT I DID EARLIER IN LUCY'S
AND BRUCE'S PRESENTATION.
SO WITH THE ECONOMY SITUATION THAT'S WHAT I MEAN
BUT AT THE SAME TIME I THINK STILL NOW EACH MORE --
THE STATE DEPARTMENT TALKS
ABOUT SOMETHING DIFFERENT VERY CRITICALLY
BUT AT THE SAME TIME THE GOVERNMENT --
WHAT THE GOVERNMENT DOES IS TOTALLY DIFFERENT
AND SOMETIMES WE HAVE PROBLEMS FOR EXAMPLE
WITH LOS ANGELES TIMES, I WISH AS MY FRIEND HERE SAID,
I WOULD HAVE LOVED TO SAY GREAT THINGS ABOUT LA TIMES
BUT UNFORTUNATELY BRUCE IS A NICE PERSON,
BUT LA TIMES WAS VERY DIFFICULT FOR --
TO COVER SPECIFICALLY THE ETHIOPIAN GOVERNMENT
IN 2005 KILLED 120 PEOPLE AFTER THE --
THIS WAS AFTER NIGHT OF THE ELECTION.
ALL THE OPPOSITION WAS IMPRISONED.
THE FREE PRESS WAS TOTALLY --
IT WAS UNDER SIEGE BUT LOS ANGELES TIMES DIDN'T REPORT IT.
THIS IS A MAJOR NEWS THAT YOU SHOULD COVER
ON AFRICAN FRONT AND NOT ONLY THAT.
ACTUALLY, WE WENT AND PROTESTED.
THERE WAS MAYBE -- JUST MAYBE SEVERAL HUNDRED PEOPLE IN FRONT
OF LOS ANGELES TIMES AND I WAS ONE OF THE PEOPLE WHO WERE SENT
TO TALK TO THE PERSON WHO WAS IN OFFICE.
SO THOSE KIND OF ENGAGEMENT ARE ABSENT AND SO,
EVEN THOSE THE SMALL STUFF THEY HAVE I THINK WE HAVE
TO TAKE INITIATIVES TO BE ABLE TO MAKE A POINT
TO COVER IMPORTANT LIFE CHANGING MOMENTS OF HISTORY
AND IF WE DON'T DO THOSE KIND
OF SMALL THINGS DESPITE THE MEAGER RESOURCES
THAT LA TIMES MAY HAVE,
BUT AT THE SAME TIME YOU'LL SEE THEM MAKING A COVERAGE
OR TAKING TIME TO DO A REPORTING ON SOMETHING
WHICH IS NOT IMPORTANT AS SUCH.
SO THOSE ARE THE KIND OF CRITICISM THAT I HAVE
AND THAT'S WHY ACTUALLY WE NEED
TO BE MORE CONSCIOUS [INAUDIBLE].
[ SIMULTANEOUS TALKING ]
>> IT'S A VERY CONSCIOUS SITUATION HERE.
>> SO MAYBE ONE MORE QUESTION FROM THE AUDIENCE?
KEN YOU HAVE A HARD JOB OF CHOOSING.
[ LAUGHTER ]
>> WELL, THAT'S GOOD 'CAUSE I HAVE A NUMBER.
ONE CATEGORY IS MEDIA BIAS.
LET'S JUST SAY, YOU KNOW,
[INAUDIBLE] PROBABLY GOT A QUESTION I ASKED BEFORE.
OF COURSE, WE DO HAVE INCREASED ACCESS TO ALTERNATIVE MEDIA NOW
LIKE I DIRECT MY STUDENTS TOWARDS BRITISH BROADCASTING
CORPORATION WHICH IS GOVERNMENT FUNDED AND WHICH WAS RESOURCES
WHICH ARE NOT LINKED SPECIFICALLY TO ADVERTISING
AND WHERE YOU WILL FIND REGIONAL UPDATES SUCH AS EVENTS
IN ETHIOPIA WHEN THEY RISE TO THE LEVEL OF GLOBAL NEWS.
SO I THINK PART OF THE RESPONSIBILITY DOES LIE WITH US
TO PURSUE, TO BE CRITICAL CONSUMERS OF NEWS
AND NOW WE HAVE ACCESS.
NEVERTHELESS, THE WAY ISSUES ARE FRAMED
IN THE MEDIA DRIVE THE GENERAL DISCUSSION,
DRIVE THE CONSCIOUSNESS THAT WE BRING
TO OUR CONSUMPTION OF THE NEWS.
AND SO, THE ONE EXAMPLE I HAVE HERE IS SOMEONE IS CONCERNED
ABOUT SPECIFICALLY, FIRST,
THE WAY THE LA TIMES HAS BEEN REPORTING FROM VENEZUELA.
THE LA TIMES HAS PUBLISHED 100 ARTICLES ON VENEZUELA
SINCE APRIL 20TH 2007.
THE OVERWHELMING MAJORITY ARE EXTREMELY NEGATIVE
LIKE THE TABLOIDS, MANY ARE OF THE
"GOT-YOU" VARIETY SIMPLY POINTING TO SOME TIE
BETWEEN VENEZUELA AND RUSSIA, CHINA, CUBA OR IRAN.
SO THERE'S -- I WONT GO ON WITH THE REST OF THE QUESTION.
BUT BASICALLY, THE IDEA IS THERE IS A BIAS AND THIS LIST
OF NATIONS WHO HAVE SORT OF A PARIAH STATUS IN THE EYES
OF AT LEAST THE PAST AMERICAN ADMINISTRATION WE'LL SEE GOING
FORWARD, THAT THE LA TIMES IN PARTICULAR
AND MAYBE THE TRADITIONAL MEDIA
IN GENERAL HAVEN'T BEEN CRITICAL ENOUGH OR BROAD ENOUGH
IN THEIR DISCUSSION OF THOSE ISSUES.
[ CLEARS THROAT ]
>> I MEAN THEY CAN GET ONLINE.
EVERYBODY WE WRITE ABOUT COMPLAINS ABOUT THE PERCEPTION.
IT'S -- I MEAN GENERALLY IF YOU'RE IN THE NEWSPAPERS
AND YOU GOT SOMETHING NOT GOOD HAS HAPPENED,
SO ALMOST BY DEFINITION IT'S GOING TO BE SEEN IN THAT LIGHT.
THE LIST OF CALLS AND EMAILS
AND ANGRY LETTERS [CLEARS THROAT] IS THE ANALYST IN TERMS
OF PEOPLE BEING UPSET WITH THEIR PARTICULAR WORLD VIEW IS NOT
COMMUNICATED, NOT JUST A HEARD BUT COMMUNICATED
TO 100 PERCENT OF THEIR WORLD VIEW.
>> THIS IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT YOU LIVE WITH,
BUT DO WE NEED TO BE MORE OPEN TO HEARING VOICES
AND TO SEEING WORLD EVENTS THROUGH DIFFERENT PRISMS
THAT ARE NOT FROM HERE?
ABSOLUTELY.
AND TO A CERTAIN DEGREE AND I DON'T WANNA MAKE TOO MUCH--
NOT JUST CHAMPION THE PRINT SIDE
BUT TO A CERTAIN DEGREE IT'S INTERESTING COMING BACK
TO NORTH AMERICA AFTER BEING AWAY FOR SO LONG,
AFTER BEING AWAY FOR 12 YEARS.
BUT THE DEGREE TO WHICH TELEVISION IMPOSES A NARRATIVE
ON EVENTS IS EXTRAORDINARY.
SO WHEN RUSSIA AND GEORGIA GO TO WAR,
THE STORY BECAME VERY QUICKLY DEFINED BY CABLE NEWS
AND THE MAJOR TELEVISION NETWORKS.
[INAUDIBLE] REALLY WAS A VERY COMPETENT PERFORMER IN ENGLISH.
HE MANAGED TO GET A MESSAGE OF THE RUSSIAN'S DEFAULT MECHANISM
ON MEDIA CONTROL AND SEE THAT WE DON'T CARE
OR WE'RE JUST BAD AT IT.
SO VERY QUICKLY THIS BECAME A STORY
OF TINY DEMOCRATIC GEORGIA BEING CRUSHED
BY THE OPPRESSIVE RUSSIAN BEAR AND THE BEAR IS BACK AND,
YOU KNOW, IT ROLLED ON VERY QUICKLY.
IT FIT A FORMAT ON TELEVISION AND THAT WAS HARD TO BREAK.
WHAT WE TRIED TO DO IN THE PRINT SIDE, WE SET IT SPECIFICALLY
TO TRY TO HEAR THE RUSSIAN PERSPECTIVE.
NOT TO TAKE SIDES BUT SIMPLY TO SAY THAT THERE HAS
TO BE ANOTHER VIEW OF WHAT'S GOING ON IN THIS PART
OF THE WORLD, AND THERE WAS.
THERE'S A SENSE OF A COUNTRY THAT'S BEING SURROUNDED
BY NATO EXPANSION.
THEY DON'T WANT AN EXAMPLE OF A SUCCESSFUL WESTERN ECONOMY
ON THEIR DOORSTEP, A VARIETY OF THINGS LIKE THEM OR NOT
BUT THE POINT IS IT WAS IMPORTANT
TO GET THOSE-- GET THAT OUT.
BUT I AGREE WITH YOU THAT THE STORIES ARE SHAPED AND DEFINED
TO A LARGE DEGREE BY THE MORE POWERFUL ELECTRONIC MEDIA
AND IT'S HARDER TO BREAK THROUGH THAT NOISE RIGHT NOW.
BUT ARE YOU GONNA MAKE PEOPLE [INAUDIBLE] ALL THE TIME?
NO. CAN YOU TRY HARDER TO MAKE SURE THAT PLACES ARE NOT REDUCED
TO A CARICATURE SO THAT IRAN IS NOT ALWAYS [INAUDIBLE]
SCREAMING, YOU KNOW, DEATH TO ISRAEL?
YEAH, OF COURSE, IT'S A BIGGER PLACE, IT'S A BROADER PLACE,
MILLIONS OF PEOPLE WHO LEAD LIVES.
PAKISTAN IS NOT FILLED WITH HOLY RELIGIOUS EXTREMIST
WHO ARE ANXIOUS TO PULL PEOPLE UP AND SPEND TIME THERE,
AND IT'S A PRETTY INTERESTING PLACE.
PEOPLE PLAY CRICKET IN THE STREETS AT NIGHT.
>> UH-HMM.
>> THEY DO AND I THINK WE NEED TO COMMUNICATE THAT ABSOLUTELY.
>> AS A FOLLOWUP TO THAT, IF THE PANELIST WOULD LIKE TO COMMENT
ON THE ISSUE OF THE-- I THINK THE BUILDUP TO THE IRAQ WAR
AND MOST OF THE BUSH YEARS, THERE WAS A DEGREE OF CRITICISM
THAT WAS LOST AND THE MEDIA KIND OF JUMPED IN THE BANDWAGON
AND GOING WITH THE BUILDUP AND EVERYTHING ELSE.
AND I THINK I HAVE SEEN VERY LITTLE OF SELF CRITICISM
FROM PART OF THE MEDIA EXCEPT FOR THE NEW YORK TIMES IN 2004,
2005, MAKING APOLOGIES.
BUT IN TERMS OF IN GENERAL, I DON'T THINK THE MEDIA IS--
AND WHEN I SAY THE MEDIA, I'M GENERALIZING OBVIOUSLY
BUT TALKING ABOUT THE MAIN COMMUNICATION MEDIA
THAT WE SEE IS NOT NECESSARILY WELL NOW VERY GOOD
FOR MAKING SELF CRITICISM AND APOLOGIES OR THINGS LIKE THAT
OR REFLECTING ON THE PAST AND LEARNING FROM EXPERIENCE.
MAYBE I'M WRONG BUT DO YOU SEE
THAT THAT WOULD BE NECESSARY OR--
AND I'M NOT TALKING ABOUT THE LA TIMES IN PARTICULAR.
I'M TALKING ABOUT THE BUSH YEARS IN GENERAL
AND THE WAY THINGS WERE PLAYED OUT.
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
>> I THINK THINGS CHANGED DRAMATICALLY, BUT FROM 2001
TO 2005 RIGHT AFTER 9/11 YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
WE HAD A SERIES OF INCREDIBLY SHOCKING THINGS HAPPEN AND,
YOU KNOW, I WATCHED THE PENTAGON BURN FROM MY OFFICE WINDOW.
IT WAS A TERRIFYING TIME, AND JOURNALISTS ARE HUMAN BEINGS TOO
AND THEY PARTICULARLY, I THINK, DID NOT WANNA DO ANYTHING
THAT WOULD CAUSE THIS TO HAPPEN IMMEDIATELY AGAIN.
A LOT OF THEM SHED THEIR SKEPTICISM.
A LOT OF THEM GOT VERY RA-RA, THEY WERE WEARING FLAGS
IN THEIR LAPEL PINS, ALL OF THAT.
I THINK IT WAS A FAIRLY HUMAN RESPONSE THAT KIND
OF DROVE ME NUTS FOR A WHILE.
EVERY TIME I WOULD SAY ANYTHING IN PRINT OR IN A STORY SAYING,
YOU KNOW, WE NEED TO BE SKEPTICAL.
WE NEED TO MAKE THE PRESIDENT, THE ADMINISTRATION PROVE
THAT WE NEED TO TAKE ALL OF THESE--
THAT THE REASON THEY'RE SHUTTING DOWN ACCESS
TO PUBLIC INFORMATION IS TO PROTECT US.
WE NEED TO MAKE THEM PROVE THAT THIS IS NECESSARY.
I WOULD GET DEATH THREATS, YOU KNOW,
I'D APPEAR IN VANITY FAIR SAYING, YOU KNOW, MAYBE WE NEED
TO BE A LITTLE BIT SKEPTICAL HERE
AND THE NEXT THING I KNEW MY, YOU KNOW,
INBOX AND I WAS GETTING PHONE CALLS
AND PEOPLE WERE GOING CRAZY, SO THAT HAD TO HAVE BEEN HAPPENING
TO THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA AS WELL.
WE DON'T FORGET WE WERE LIED TO, YOU KNOW, THAT WAS PART OF IT.
BUT BY ABOUT 2004, 2005, I THINK MAINSTREAM MEDIA
IN PARTICULAR WAS STARTING TO BOUNCE BACK A BIT,
BE A LITTLE BIT MORE SKEPTICAL, AND IN FACT THE END
OF THE BUSH YEARS IF YOU WERE TO ASK WHETHER
OR NOT THE MEDIA SWALLOWED EVERYTHING,
THE BUSH ADMINISTRATION TOLD THEM WHOLE THAT, YOU KNOW,
IF YOU WERE TO ASK THE FORMER PRESIDENT HE'D LOOK AT YOU
LIKE YOU WERE OUT OF YOUR MIND.
I THINK WE WERE EVENTUALLY PRETTY TOUGH ON IT.
SHOULD WE HAVE BEEN MORE SKEPTICAL, ABSOLUTELY,
BUT I KIND OF UNDERSTAND WHERE IT WAS COMING FROM.
>> I THINK IN THE RECENT HISTORY OF AMERICA,
AMERICA BECAME POST 9/11 VERY CLOSE TO OTHER COUNTRIES
IN THE WORLD WHERE THIS KIND
OF VIOLENCE PERPETUATES IN REGULAR BASIS.
AND BEING THE COMMUNITY WHO ARE THREATENING LUCY,
BECOMING MORE NATIONALIST AND WON'T--
THEY WERE NOT WILLING TO SEE ANY KIND OF CRITICISM
OF THEIR GOVERNMENT SO THAT, YOU KNOW,
TO PROTECT THEIR GOVERNMENT.
THOSE ARE THE KIND OF THINGS THAT WE REGULARLY LIVE
IN THESE PARTS OF THE WORLD AS BRUCE CAN [INAUDIBLE] AND COMING
FROM ETHIOPIA MYSELF THAT'S WHAT YOU SEE.
AND THE GOVERNMENT IS THE ONE WHO IS PUNISHING YOU FOR IT.
AND THAT KIND OF FREE EXPRESSION AND TO SEE FOR AS A FOREIGNER,
AS AN IMMIGRANT, AS AN EXILE IMMIGRANT IN AMERICA,
TO SEE 2004, 2005 AND NOW 2008 SEEING AMERICA GOING BACK
TO THAT FREEDOM THAT WE ALL LOVE AND TO TRY TO EMULATE FROM,
LEARN FROM, AND ADAPT IN OUR HOST COUNTRY
AND I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE WANNA GO.
AND I THINK ESPECIALLY AS AN INSTITUTION YOU HAVE
TO MONITOR THOSE KIND OF THINGS AND MAKE SURE
THAT THOSE THINGS WON'T REPEAT AGAIN IN THIS COUNTRY.
BECAUSE IF AMERICA GOES THROUGH THAT PAST AGAIN,
IT'S VERY DIFFICULT, THE OTHER TO BE ABLE TO GO BACK AND SAY
THAT OKAY, YOU KNOW, THIS IS THE MODEL THAT YOU HAVE TO FOLLOW
OR RETURN THEM TO WHERE FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION IS RESPECTED
AND YOU'LL BE SAVED FOR WHAT YOU'LL BE WRITING ABOUT OR FOR.
>> VERY GOOD.
I WOULD LIKE TO AS THE LAST KIND OF WRAPPING UP THE PANEL,
TO ASK THE PANELIST IF THEY COULD MAKE A BRIEF--
EACH ONE OF YOU A BRIEF CONCLUSION IN TERMS
OF BEING KINDA LOOKING TOWARDS THE FUTURE AND BEING POSITIVE
IN TERMS OF ONE SUGGESTION OR ONE ALTERNATIVE WHERE YOU SEE
THAT THE PRESS COULD HAVE A VERY POSITIVE INFLUENCE
IF WE CAN PUT IT THAT WAY ON THE WAY TOWARDS THE FUTURE,
OR SOMETHING THAT WE CAN CHANGE ABOUT THE WAY JOURNALIST WORK
OR GOVERNMENTS WORK OR THE PRESS WORKS.
>> YOU WANNA START THAT OUT?
[ LAUGHTER ]
>> MAYBE PETE CAN START IT.
>> YEAH, VARIOUS THINGS ARE GOING THROUGH MY MIND IS WHY,
YOU KNOW, I'M INVESTIGATING IN THIS RESEARCH BLOG EXACTLY
THAT IN TERMS OF LOCAL NEWS,
AND I THINK THAT'S THE POSITIVE THINGS.
AS FAR AS NEWS, THE LOCAL--
AS FAR AS LOCAL NEWS ON TV, WE KNOW IT'S BROKE.
I MEAN AS STUDENTS HAVE SAID TO ME, YOU KNOW, LOCAL NEWS SUCKS
AND JUST-- I'M NOT, THEY NEVER WATCH IT.
I THINK IS A POSITIVE.
LET'S FIND OUT WHAT WORKS, LET'S FIND OUT HOW WE CAN BRIDGE
THAT INFORMATION WITH NEWSPAPERS, WITH TELEVISION,
WITH THE INTERNET, AND MAKE--
HAVE THEM BE ALLIES INSTEAD OF ENEMIES AND FIND
OUT HOW WE CAN SURVIVE BECAUSE OUR SURVIVAL,
OUR OWN SURVIVAL IS AT STAKE HERE.
>> VERY GOOD.
LUCY.
>> I GUESS I WOULD SAY MY ORGANIZATION IS WORKING VERY
HARD TO TRY TO REACH OUT TO ALL SORTS
OF NEW MEDIA WHETHER THEY BE ORGANIZED OR DISORGANIZED
OR WHATEVER, WE ARE TRYING,
WE PROVIDE FREE LEGAL DEFENSE SERVICES TO PEOPLE
WHO ARE RUNNING INTO PROBLEMS COLLECTING
AND PRODUCING THE NEWS.
AND WE ARE TRYING TO GET THE WORD
OUT THAT THE FIRST AMENDMENT DOESN'T DISTINGUISH
BETWEEN JOURNALIST AND EVERYBODY ELSE AND WE'RE JUST TRYING
TO ATTRACT INTEREST FROM SOME OF THOSE FOLKS WHO ARE
OUT THERE INDEPENDENTLY TRYING TO BECOME, YOU KNOW,
VOICES IN THEIR OWN COMMUNITIES.
I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO REALLY RELY
ON SUPPORT IN THE FUTURE
TO MAINTAIN PARTICULARLY OPEN GOVERNMENT LOSS
ON A STATE IN LOCAL BASIS.
>> AGAIN THAT'S THE REPORTERS COMMITTEE
FOR FREEDOM OF THE PRESS.
>> YES, W-- RCFP.ORG.
>> THANK YOU.
>> WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE I THINK ESPECIALLY
WITH THE CURRENT ECONOMIC SITUATION UNRAVELING,
IT WILL BE VERY DIFFICULT TO SAY
THAT THE MEDIA HAS TO DO THIS AND THAT.
SO MY PERSONAL SUGGESTION ESPECIALLY
AT THE UNIVERSITY LEVEL AND AS STUDENT BODY
WHO WILL REPLENISH THE NEXT GENERATION OF JOURNALIST,
I THINK THIS IS AN EXCELLENT TIME TO BE ACTIVE
AND STUDY WHAT'S HAPPENING
IN THE WORLD INTERNATIONALLY ESPECIALLY IN THE FREEDOM
OF EXPRESSION OR IN THIS LEVEL OF ENGAGEMENT.
>> AND LOCALLY THERE IS AN EXCELLENT ORGANIZATION
THAT I THINK YOUR STUDENTS OR THIS UNIVERSITY PART CAN PARTNER
AND WORK WITH WHICH IS PEN USA.
IT'S PEN, P-E-N, USA DOT ORG.
AND IF YOU ARE MOVING FOR GRADUATE STUDIES
OR ANY OTHER REASON TO NEW YORK,
PEN AMERICA IS ANOTHER INSTITUTION
THAT YOU CAN AFFILIATE.
THROUGH THIS KIND OF ENGAGEMENT, I THINK WHAT YOU CAN LEARN
OR WHAT YOU CAN GET INTO IS
THAT YOU'LL HAVE AN INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVE
SO THAT THOSE DISCREPANCY THAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT IN THE AFRICA
OR IN LATIN AMERICA OR ASIA ISSUES WON'T BE NECESSARY EVEN
TO GO AND RESCUE THEM BECAUSE THE STUDENTS WILL BE
PASSIONATELY, YOU KNOW, ENGAGED IN--
TURN WHAT THE FUTURE WILL BE.
>> YEAH, I JUST THINK THERE ARE SOME GREAT, GREAT CHALLENGES
FOR THE NEXT GENERATION OF JOURNALISTS.
IT'S AN EXTRAORDINARY TIME.
NO ONE IS HERE TO BE SORT OF THE STEWARDS OF SOMETHING
THAT WAS INVENTED BEFORE AND NATO HAS FOLLOWED IT ALONG.
I MEAN IT'S A REVOLUTIONARY TIME.
SO, AND ONE OPPORTUNITY IS TO FIND A MODEL
FOR ONLINE JOURNALISM WHERE PEOPLE DO REAL--
REAL JOURNALISM THAT'S SPECIFIC TO THAT MEDIUM
AND IT'S NOT JUST NEWSPAPERS OR TELEVISION TRANSPLANTED INTO IT,
BUT LOOKS AT THE NET AS A SEPARATE MEDIUM AND FINDS A WAY
TO DO REAL JOURNALISM ON IT.
AND THEN THE OTHER IS TO PROTECT NEWSPAPERS THE WAY WE MIGHT
PROTECT IT, I DON'T KNOW.
RADIO AND TELEVISION CAME ALONG AT OUR THEATER BEFORE THAT.
BUT IT STILL IS A PARTICULAR MEDIUM
THAT DELIVERS A PARTICULAR EXPERIENCE AND THE MORE AND MORE
THAT ALGORITHMS COME TO DICTATE OUR LIVES AND TELL US, YOU KNOW,
EXACTLY WHAT WE WANT AND REINFORCE ALL OF OUR PREJUDICES.
JUST THINK THAT IT'S-- I THINK THE NEWSPAPER IS WORTH
PRESERVING BECAUSE IT OFFERS THAT SERENDIPITOUS EXPERIENCE
OF JUST CATCHING YOUR EYE
WITH SOMETHING YOU DIDN'T KNOW WAS OUT THERE BEFORE.
>> VERY GOOD, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE.