15 Jan 19 | Events
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”23724″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][vc_column_text]Senior journalists and media leaders are to debate at a London Press Club event whether quality journalism can survive. The panel of experts will be asked how traditional journalism can tackle the risks of fake news dominating social media.
On the panel will be Jane Barrett, Reuters Global Head of Multimedia who is leading the digital transformation of the news agency; Martin Bentham, Evening Standard Home Affairs Editor; Jodie Ginsberg, chief executive of global freedom of expression organisation Index on Censorship which campaigns on free speech issues worldwide; and Polly Curtis, previously editor-in-chief of HuffPost UK and digital editor at The Guardian, a director of the Society of Editors and a member of the panel advising the Cairncross Review, an independent inquiry commissioned by the government to make recommendations on the future sustainability of high quality news.
Chairing the debate will be Michael Hayman, an entrepreneur, broadcaster and author who co-founded the campaigns firm Seven Hills.
The debate is being held in association with the Stationers & Newspapermakers’ media group and the Society of Editors.[/vc_column_text][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”104750″ img_size=”full”][vc_column_text]Jane Barrett is Reuters Global Head of Multimedia and leads the digital transformation of the news agency. She works closely with media clients around the world to understand their changing digital needs and then ensures that Reuters changes to satisfy them. She also works closely with the major technology platforms on their news projects. Previously, she was the Business Editor for EMEA, led a financial video start-up and was a foreign correspondent in Rome, Milan and Madrid.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”104751″ img_size=”full”][vc_column_text]Martin Bentham is Home Affairs Editor of the Evening Standard and covers subjects including policing, terrorism, immigration and prisons. He also writes some of the paper’s leaders and reviews the newspapers on the BBC’s The Papers programme. Before joining the Evening Standard he worked for newspapers including The Sunday Telegraph, The Sun, and the Halifax Evening Courier.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”104752″ img_size=”full”][vc_column_text]Polly Curtis, previously editor-in-chief at HuffPost UK and digital editor at The Guardian, now a visiting fellow at the Reuters Institute in Oxford. Polly is a director of the Society of Editors and a member of the panel advising the Cairncross Review, an independent inquiry commissioned by the government to make recommendations on the future sustainability of high quality news. She started her career as a reporter and has reported on health, education and social affairs and was a member of the Lobby through the 2010 election.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”59025″ img_size=”full”][vc_column_text]Jodie Ginsberg, chief executive of global freedom of expression organisation, Index on Censorship, which campaigns on free speech issues worldwide. Index was one of the leading members of the UK libel reform coalition and, more recently, has campaigned against section 40 of the Crime and Courts Act and spoken out against state-backed press regulation. A four-year project by Index documenting threats to press freedom in Europe concluded in January 2019. Jodie is a former foreign correspondent and business journalist and was London Bureau Chief for Reuters from 2008 to 2011. She is a passionate believer in the power of words and the importance of good heels.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”104753″ img_size=”full”][vc_column_text]The panel will be chaired by: Michael Hayman, an entrepreneur, broadcaster and author. He co-founded the campaigns firm Seven Hills & co-authored Mission (Penguin). He hosts the TV show The Capital Conversation on London Live and is an experienced event host. He has interviewed leaders from business, sports, politics and entertainment. He is a columnist for CityAM and capital markets columnist for the Yorkshire Post. He is an Honorary Professor at the University of London and an Honorary Fellow in Entrepreneurship at the Judge Business School. He is Chair of Entrepreneurs at the private bank Coutts and co-founded StartUp Britain. He was awarded an MBE for services to enterprise.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”104758″ img_size=”full” onclick=”custom_link” link=”https://londonpressclub.co.uk/”][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_column_text]
When: Monday 11 February, 6:30pm
Where: Stationers Hall, London, EC4M 7DD
Tickets: £5 via EventBrite
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15 Mar 18 | Campaigns -- Featured, Media Freedom, media freedom featured, Statements
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Press freedom groups have urged the parliamentary committee considering a proposed new UK data protection law to drop amendments that would force news publishers to sign up to a state-backed regulator or face potentially crippling costs.
The Data Protection Bill had its second reading in the House of Commons on March 5 and now passes to the committee stage where it will be scrutinised by a cross party committee of MPs.
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“The amendments proposed by the Lords reintroduce measures that the government has just said it plans to axe from legislation,” said Jodie Ginsberg, chief executive of Index on Censorship.
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On March 1 the UK government said it would not enforce Section 40 of the Crime and Courts Act. Had this section been enforced it would have meant that any organisation that refuses to sign up to a state-backed regulator could have faced crippling court costs in any dispute, whether they won or lost a case.
“We remain concerned about the prospect of this worrying cost-shifting provision under any guise. These measures threaten press freedom, and have no place in the Data Protection Bill,” said Rebecca Vincent, UK Bureau Director for Reporters Without Borders.
Clauses 168 and 169 of the Data Protection Bill effectively reintroduce the now defunct section 40 via another route because they would force all those news organisations who choose not to join a state backed regulator to pay the costs of data protection actions, even if the claim is unjustified.
Faced with the threat of crippling costs even if the courts found in their favour, news outlets might shy away from important public interest investigations.
Speaking during a Lords debate on the amendments earlier this year, crossbench peer Lord Pannick said the measures would have a “chilling effect”on the industry.
Antonia Byatt, Director of English PEN said: “We must make certain that in ensuring we respect an individual’s right to privacy we do not trample all over our free expression rights.”
[/vc_column_text][vc_basic_grid post_type=”post” max_items=”4″ element_width=”6″ grid_id=”vc_gid:1521114184076-36cd9369-d842-4″ taxonomies=”3895″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”Don’t lose your voice. Stay informed.” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_separator color=”black”][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]Index on Censorship is a nonprofit that campaigns for and defends free expression worldwide. We publish work by censored writers and artists, promote debate, and monitor threats to free speech. We believe that everyone should be free to express themselves without fear of harm or persecution – no matter what their views.
Join our mailing list (or follow us on Twitter or Facebook) and we’ll send you our weekly newsletter about our activities defending free speech. We won’t share your personal information with anyone outside Index.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width=”1/2″][gravityform id=”20″ title=”false” description=”false” ajax=”false”][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][vc_separator color=”black”][/vc_column][/vc_row]
01 Mar 17
[vc_row equal_height=”yes” css=”.vc_custom_1487955099221{margin-right: -15px !important;margin-left: -15px !important;}”][vc_column css=”.vc_custom_1487955108553{margin-right: 15px !important;margin-bottom: 15px !important;margin-left: 15px !important;background-color: #ffffff !important;}”][vc_custom_heading text=”DEFEND MEDIA FREEDOM” font_container=”tag:h1|text_align:center” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_custom_heading text=”SUPPORT INDEX ON CENSORSHIP” font_container=”tag:h1|text_align:center” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_column_text]
Reporters working to share the truth are being harassed, intimidated and prosecuted – across the globe.
Index on Censorship is a nonprofit fighting against these corrosive attacks on press freedom.
Index documents threats to media freedom in Europe via a monitoring project and campaigns against laws that stifle journalists’ work.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/3″][staff name=”Mapping Media Freedom” title=”Documenting threats to the press in Europe and neighbouring countries” profile_image=”85817″]Mapping Media Freedom – a major Index on Censorship project and a joint undertaking with the European Federation of Journalists, partially funded by the European Commission – covers 42 countries, including all EU member states, plus Bosnia, Iceland, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Norway, Serbia, Turkey, Albania along with Ukraine, Belarus, Russia, and Azerbaijan. The platform was launched in May 2014 and has recorded over 3,900 incidents threatening media freedom.
“The precarious state of press freedom across the globe is underlined by the volume of verified incidents added to Mapping Media Freedom in 2017. The spectrum of threats is growing, the pressure on journalists increasing and the public right to transparent information is under assault. People who are simply trying to do their job are being targeted like never before. These trends do not bode well for 2018.” — Joy Hyvarinen, Index on Censorship head of advocacy[/staff][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][staff name=”Changes to the Official Secrets Act” title=”Proposals to update spy laws a threat to journalism” profile_image=”81191″]Proposed legislation that could see journalists and whistleblowers sentenced up to 14 years for leaking official documents has no place in a democracy. The proposals were drawn up by the Law Commission as part of a review of the Official Secrets Act and would cover any data that affects the UK’s national and international interests, including economic interests. The public’s right to know about the Brexit negotiations, for instance, could be put into jeopardy if these proposals were brought into force.
“It is unthinkable that whistle blowers and those to whom they reveal their information should face jail for leaking and receiving information that is in the public interest. It is shocking that so few organisations were consulted on these proposed changes.” — Jodie Ginsberg, CEO, Index on Censorship[/staff][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][staff name=”Section 40, Crime and Courts Act” title=”Section 40 would allow the corrupt to silence investigative journalists” profile_image=”85827″]Section 40 is part of the Crime and Courts Act 2013, which deals with a whole range of issues but also implemented some of the recommendations contained in the Leveson Report into phone hacking by newspapers. Index on Censorship strongly opposes the introduction of section 40.
Section 40 addresses the awarding of costs in a case where someone makes a legal claim against a publisher of “news-related material”. The provision means that any publisher who is not a member of an approved regulator at the time of the claim can be forced to pay both sides’ cost in a court case — even if they win.
“If such laws were introduced in another country, British politicians would be speaking out against such shocking media censorship.” — Rachael Jolley, editor, Index on Censorship magazine[/staff][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row equal_height=”yes” css=”.vc_custom_1474531377622{margin-right: -15px !important;margin-left: -15px !important;}”][vc_column width=”1/3″ el_class=”text_white” css=”.vc_custom_1487957370833{margin-right: 15px !important;margin-bottom: 15px !important;margin-left: 15px !important;background-color: #f21400 !important;}”][vc_column_text]
A gift of £20
ensures a verified attack is mapped publicly
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A gift of £100
enables an official report to pressure governments
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A gift of £1000
supports extensive fieldwork to identify and confirm reported violations
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UK donors can also give to Index on Censorship by making a bank transfer.
Sort Code: 16-58-10 Account number: 20110063
Outside the UK and cannot access Paypal? Please email [email protected]
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If you are a US donor and would like more information about tax deductible charitable giving to Index, please contact [email protected]. Index works with CAF American Donor Fund.
[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row equal_height=”yes” content_placement=”middle” css=”.vc_custom_1487172040880{margin-top: 15px !important;margin-right: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 15px !important;margin-left: 0px !important;background-color: #ee3424 !important;}” el_class=”text_white”][vc_column width=”1/2″ css=”.vc_custom_1478508145989{padding-top: 60px !important;padding-bottom: 60px !important;background: #000000 url(https://www.indexoncensorship.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/art-and-the-law-banner.jpg?id=80742) !important;background-position: center !important;background-repeat: no-repeat !important;background-size: cover !important;}”][vc_row_inner][vc_column_inner][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″ css=”.vc_custom_1474534568795{padding-top: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;}”][vc_custom_heading text=”Sponsor the Awards” font_container=”tag:h2|font_size:24|text_align:left” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_column_text]If you would be interested in sponsorship – including sponsorship of our Digital and Arts Awards – please contact Helen Galliano – [email protected][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row equal_height=”yes” content_placement=”middle” css=”.vc_custom_1487172040880{margin-top: 15px !important;margin-right: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 15px !important;margin-left: 0px !important;background-color: #ee3424 !important;}” el_class=”text_white”][vc_column width=”1/2″ css=”.vc_custom_1487609489413{padding-top: 60px !important;padding-bottom: 60px !important;background: #ffffff url(https://www.indexoncensorship.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/2017-awards-logo-white.jpg?id=85472) !important;background-position: center !important;background-repeat: no-repeat !important;background-size: contain !important;}”][vc_row_inner css=”.vc_custom_1487609333823{background-position: center !important;background-repeat: no-repeat !important;background-size: contain !important;}”][vc_column_inner][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″ css=”.vc_custom_1474534568795{padding-top: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;}”][vc_custom_heading text=”Freedom of Expression Awards 2017″ font_container=”tag:h2|font_size:24|text_align:left” use_theme_fonts=”yes” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.indexoncensorship.org%2F2016%2F11%2Fawards-2017%2F|||”][vc_column_text]Celebrate the courage and creativity of some of the world’s greatest journalists, artists, campaigners and digital activists[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
