The onslaught of false news against real news is unprecedented. In the Middle East, an alarming trend of people doubting published news is overwhelming, Mohammed Komani, Thomson mentor and coach for Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalism (ARIJ).
In a debate organised by Thomson Foundation and co-hosted with Reporters Without Borders to mark World Press Freedom Day, Mohammed, a mentor on our Connect 6 programme, said mis and disinformation had a big impact on the work of journalists he trained with ARIJ.
As an organisation we are doubling up our skills to have fact-checkers to help ensure everything is verified and documented, he added.
Responding to how this verification process delays their work he said, Its a challenge but they have to take their time to verify information to escape these kinds of rumours against journalists publishing fake news.
Mohammed was taking part in the discussion The Media Siege: how the tools of repression have changed with fellow panellists, Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Ewen MacAskill and Rebecca Vincent, Director of Programmes and Campaigns for Reporters Sans Frontieres (RSF).
2023 World Press Freedom Index RSF published its annual index on the state of media freedom in 180 countries on World Press Freedom Day which revealed seven out of ten countries to be in a bad situation with an unprecedented 31 countries deemed to be in a very serious situation .
Pointing out that each year has its significant rises and falls, Rebecca highlighted some of the positive and negative instances.
The change in leadership in Brazil played an active role in the rise of the countrys rankings.
After many years of talks about the rise of the strongman model, she said. Figures like Jair Bolsonaro's departure and the return of Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva moved Brazil 18 places in the rankings.
In Turkey, the active crackdown and targeting of journalists and media organisations lead to its drop in rankings.
Twenty-five Turkish journalists remain detained, she said. Resulting in a drop of 16 places to 165th on the index.
With all eyes on Iran and the protest that broke out in August 2022, more journalists were targeted. Twenty-five journalists remain jailed today, she added. But 70 were targeted, detained at some point in the months following Mahsa Aminis death.
Artificial Intelligence The rapid developments in Artificial Intelligence were highlighted in the press index and during the debate. Rebecca also reiterated the need for the industry to find solutions fast to ensure the protection of quality and independent ethical journalism.
Mohammed agreed AI was one of the challenges journalists now faced. We have to ensure good journalism as we benefit from new technologies, he stressed.
Surveillance is increasingly seen as a tool of repression against journalists.
Recalling his involvement in sensitive projects like the Panama Papers, Mohammed revealed that he did not put his name to six of the investigations in which he was involved to protect his family and himself.
He offered practical steps for journalists to ensure their safety advising them that, the first step is to check your mobile phone, your laptop, encrypting all your documents, emails, messages as well as operating in a safer environment.
Ewen MacAskill was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for his work on the revelations about mass surveillance from US National Security Agency contractor and former CIA official Edward Snowden. When he first met the whistle blower in Hong Kong, Snowden told him to turn off his smartphone and lock it in the fridge in his hotel room.
I wasnt aware at that point a mobile phone was basically a speaker, and anyone could easily activate it and listen, he said.
Legal crackdown Media freedom can be achieved through the enforcement of laws, but increasingly the law is being used to try to silence journalists. Libel and defamation laws were the favoured choice to use against journalists but recently that's changed.
Ewen described how governments attempt to intimidate journalists using charges such as irresponsible breaches of national security.
One of the commonest things you see in some countries is not just about jailing people, or torturing or killing, sometimes the law is keener than that, he said. For some journalists, they end up in a form of self-censorship to avoid getting into more trouble or leave journalism all together
Mohammed described how one particular law is used against journalists, forcing them into silence.
There is something called pre-trial detention law, which allows authorities to hold journalists before arraigning them before court every 15 days, he said. Resulting in some journalists spending 4 years without knowing what is going on.
Going forward both Mohammed and Rebecca said that there was a growing need to help financially support journalists under threat including those living in exile. Ewen emphasised the need for transparency, saying the way to combat disinformation is for journalist to be more open about their sources.
Enjoy the full discussion.
-- Play
-- --
The Media Siege: how the tools of repression have changed
A debate to mark World Press Freedom Day 2023
Celebrating 60 years Sixty years after it was founded,Thomson Foundation - now joined by the Berlin based Thomson Media, continues to innovate. Our blended approach to life-long learning supports and inspires journalists and media organisations worldwide because - journalism matters.
Explore our projects across the globe
Most recent headlines
04/08/2024
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, is excited to announce Santiago Solanas as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO)....
03/06/2024
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, a...
24/05/2024
On April 6, 1974, the Swedish pop quartet ABBA won the Eurovision Song Contest w...
24/05/2024
For more than a year, the U.K. government has been working to redefine how the i...
24/05/2024
Alone Australia continues to build as it moves towards finale
23 May, 2024
Media releases
The program continues to deliver for SBS with significant uplifts...
24/05/2024
EditShare Introduces Expanded Product Line-Up at BroadcastAsia
Transforming innovations in workflow, server and delivery from storyboard to screen
Boston, MA...
24/05/2024
Scenario 2.0 introduces pre-calibrated lens templates and the Lens Template Finetuner, increasing flexibility and compability while also saving a great amount o...
24/05/2024
Based on a long-term, coordinated development effort, Chyron today announced sweeping improvements across its news workflow portfolio that empower broadcasters ...
24/05/2024
Cobalt Digital, known for its vast array of signal processing products, is strengthening its position in the Pro AV market by exhibiting at InfoComm 2024 for th...
24/05/2024
HSE USA today announced that the company s JPEG-XS IP Core for KVM and kvm-tec Scalable Pro Line 5K were honored with three awards at this year's NAB Show i...
24/05/2024
Aputure, creators of LED lighting for filmmakers, is excited to showcase its award-winning lineup of professional lighting solutions at the upcoming Cine Gear E...
24/05/2024
EvertzAV (https://av.evertz.com), a division of Evertz, the global leader in providing professional A/V over IP solutions, is proud to announce its partnership ...
24/05/2024
With 25 Prism Sound ADA-8XR multichannel converters already in use across its five studios, the internationally acclaimed Metropolis Studios in London is no str...
24/05/2024
Leader Electronics Corporation, globally active innovator of broadcast-quality test and measurement instrumentation, announces an expansion to the capabilities ...
24/05/2024
Digital Alert Systems, the global leader in emergency communications solutions for video services providers, and broadcast equipment provider Inovonics today an...
24/05/2024
Time in Pixels Updates OmniScope with New Twin Peaks Scope for Professional Co...
24/05/2024
ZEISS CinCraft Scenario Camera Tracking Now Compatible with Most Popular Lens Br...
24/05/2024
Tonight's the night! The Greenville Yard Gnomes open their inaugural home season at Guy Smith Stadium!
Join the Gnomes for all the fun and excitement of t...
24/05/2024
Boston Conservatory Plays a Leading Role at the 41st Annual Elliot Norton Awards With five wins and eight additional nominations, the Conservatory's theat...
24/05/2024
An amendment to the Bill includes retaining the Reithian principles of public service broadcast, ensuring PSBs continue to inform, educate and entertain
By Jen...
24/05/2024
Merle joins BCE following a 30 year career including roles at Orange/Globecast and beIN Media Group
By Matthew Corrigan
Published: May 24, 2024
Merle join...
24/05/2024
WASHINGTON, D.C. As concerns grow about the potential impact of fake AI-generate...
24/05/2024
CINCINNATI The E.W. Scripps Company has named Robin Davis as its senior vice president, chief distribution officer....
24/05/2024
CAIRO, Egypt PlayBox Neo has announced that it is providing technologies for the expansion of the broadcast channel management and playout infrastructure at the...
24/05/2024
WASHINGTON, D.C. FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr has come out against a proposal b...
24/05/2024
WASHINGTON, D.C. Federal Communications Commission commissioner Nathan Simington has announced several staff changes with one departure from his office, one new...
24/05/2024
The Increasingly Important Role of IPTV in College & University Sports Venues
Andy Wagner May 23, 2024
0 Comments
According to Nielsen data, college b...
24/05/2024
Disguise Launches New Generation of EX Media Servers to Power the Future of Ente...
24/05/2024
Graded on Baselight 6.0 - rase Una Vez En El Caribe (Once Upon a Time in the Ca...
24/05/2024
Harrisburg-Lancaster-Lebanon-York is one of just two four-city DMAs in Nielsen's top 50, and the so-called HLLY market (pronounced hilly ) offers small-tow...
24/05/2024
Former MediaLink head Michael Kassan's slander and libel suit against a lawyer for UTA has been dismissed....
24/05/2024
Mission Broadcasting has sent a letter to Adell Broadcasting terminating Mission's agreement to purchase WADL Detroit for $75 million....
24/05/2024
The 1% Club, a game show hosted by Patton Oswalt, debuts on Prime Video May 23 and then on Fox June 3. The show is not so much about answering trivia questions,...
24/05/2024
Pete Hegseth, Fox & Friends Weekend co-host, releases his book The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free June 4. Published by Fox New...
24/05/2024
The CW has renewed drama Wild Cards for a second season. Vanessa Morgan and Giacomo Gianniotti are in the cast. There will be 13 episodes....
24/05/2024
The certification underscores world-class standards of services at Yahsat's Abu Dhabi Teleport
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 21 May 2024: Al Yah Satelli...
24/05/2024
May 24th, 2024 Press Materials Available Here
TRIBECA FESTIVAL AND CANVA ANNOU...
24/05/2024
Indy 500: NBC Sports Introduces Virtual Car, Pit-Box SpyCams to Memorial Day Tra...
24/05/2024
The New Big Sports (Video) Scene: Las Vegas Sports Venues Fire Up the Entertainm...
24/05/2024
Inside DAZN's host broadcast of the UEFA Women's Champions League Final By George Bevir
Friday, May 24, 2024 - 09:00
Print This Story
Dave Wade, D...
24/05/2024
UEFA Europa League Final 2024: Broadcast facts and figures for Atalanta BC vs Ba...
24/05/2024
WNBA Tip-Off 2024: CBS Sports Commits to Women's Pro Basketball With Full On...
24/05/2024
Back to All News
Netflix presents the teaser trailer for LALIGA: All access. Pr...
24/05/2024
The Urania Hall has been an architectural gem in the Polish city of Olsztyn since 1978. In a significant step towards improving the city's cultural and spor...
24/05/2024
Scripps Research's Skaggs Graduate School awards doctoral degrees to 32nd graduating class Skaggs family also honored at commencement ceremony as first reci...
23/05/2024
Alone Australia continues to build as it movies towards finale
23 May, 2024
Media releases
The program continues to deliver for SBS with significant uplift...
23/05/2024
As the 2023 HPA Awards were taking shape last year, in the aftermath of the pand...
23/05/2024
By HPA Staff
The call for submissions for the HPA Engineering Excellence Awards is already open, and closes soon on June 14; but the submission period for crea...
23/05/2024
PHILADELPHIA Comcast is reporting that it has reduced the electricity it takes to deliver each byte of data across its network by 40% since 2019....
The onslaught of false news against real news is unprecedented. In the Middle East, an alarming trend of people doubting published news is overwhelming, Mohammed Komani, Thomson mentor and coach for Arab Reporters for Investigative Journalism (ARIJ).
