Press freedom: why you should be worried
Summary
TLDRThe video script highlights the alarming erosion of press freedom, particularly in democracies, with journalists facing violence, imprisonment, and harassment. It features Indian journalist Rana Ayub, who endures online abuse and legal threats for her reporting on corruption. The script also discusses the global decline in press freedom, the use of SLAPP suits to silence critics, and the financial bullying of media outlets in Hungary. Despite the challenges, there's optimism as journalists continue to find ways to report the truth.
Takeaways
- 📰 Journalists worldwide face increasing threats, including imprisonment, attacks, and murder, for reporting the truth.
- 🌍 Press freedom is deteriorating not just in authoritarian states but also in democracies.
- 🇮🇳 In India, journalists like Rana Ayyub face online abuse, legal cases, and surveillance for reporting on sensitive issues like corruption.
- 📉 India has fallen to 150th place out of 180 countries on the Global Press Freedom Index, dropping eight places in a single year.
- 🌐 Geopolitical and economic issues, along with the pandemic, have been used to justify crackdowns on press freedom.
- 📈 The use of Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) is rising, particularly in Europe, to silence journalists through legal harassment.
- 🇭🇺 In Hungary, the government has used financial bullying to suppress independent media, driving some outlets into bankruptcy.
- 🏦 Journalists have had to innovate, like setting up reader-funded outlets, to maintain independence in hostile environments.
- 😢 The emotional toll on journalists is immense, with many experiencing anxiety, distress, and fear for their safety.
- 💡 Despite the challenges, there is optimism as journalists continue to find ways to report and expose the truth.
Q & A
What is the current situation of journalists in Mexico?
-Journalists in Mexico are facing extreme violence and bloodshed, with many being killed, imprisoned, and attacked for doing their jobs.
Why is press freedom being eroded in democracies?
-Press freedom is being eroded in democracies due to subtle tactics used by governments to silence independent media, often involving intimidation, surveillance, and legal harassment.
Who is Rana Ayub and what challenges has she faced?
-Rana Ayub is an award-winning Indian journalist who has faced online abuse, harassment, and legal cases from the government for her reporting on Hindu nationalism and corruption in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government.
What is the global ranking of India in terms of press freedom?
-India ranks 150th out of 180 countries on the global press freedom index, having fallen eight places in a single year.
What is the impact of press freedom on democracy?
-Press freedom is essential for democracy as it allows for government accountability and public discourse. Without a free press, it is difficult to maintain a strong and vibrant democracy.
What is a SLAPP lawsuit and how does it affect journalists?
-A SLAPP (Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation) lawsuit is a legal action intended to censor, intimidate, and silence critics by burdening them with the cost of a legal defense until they abandon their criticism or opposition. Journalists facing SLAPP suits may self-censor to avoid the financial and reputational risks.
How many journalists were murdered in 2021 and where did most of these murders occur?
-Twenty-one reporters were murdered in 2021, with nearly 40 percent of those murders taking place in democracies.
What was Daphne Caruana Galizia known for and how did she die?
-Daphne Caruana Galizia was a Maltese journalist known for her investigations into corruption, including the Panama Papers. She died in a car bomb explosion, which is believed to be a targeted assassination.
How has the Hungarian government been suppressing press freedom?
-The Hungarian government, led by Prime Minister Viktor Orban, has suppressed press freedom through financial bullying, such as withholding government advertising revenue from independent media and allowing the prime minister's wealthy allies to take over popular media outlets.
What is the role of the European Commission in addressing SLAPP lawsuits?
-The European Commission has proposed a new directive that would allow journalists and activists to appeal to courts to throw out some SLAPP lawsuits, aiming to protect free speech and reduce the abuse of these suits.
How do journalists like Rana Ayub remain optimistic despite the challenges?
-Despite the challenges, journalists like Rana Ayub remain optimistic because they continue to find ways around the tools used by governments to suppress them, demonstrating resilience and commitment to their work.
Outlines
📰 Erosion of Press Freedom
The script discusses the increasing violence and threats against journalists worldwide, particularly in democracies. It highlights the case of India, where journalists face online abuse, legal harassment, and physical threats for reporting on sensitive issues like corruption and nationalism. Rana Ayub, an Indian journalist, shares her experiences of being targeted by the government and facing online harassment. The script also mentions the global decline in press freedom, using India's drop in the global press freedom index as an example.
🗞️ The Impact on Democracy
This paragraph emphasizes the importance of a free press in a democracy, as it holds governments accountable and allows public discourse. It discusses how the decline in press freedom in India reflects its fall in democratic rankings. The script also covers the global trend of using strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) to silence journalists, as illustrated by the case of Daphne Caruana Galizia, a Maltese journalist who was murdered after investigating corruption. Her son shares his experience of inheriting her legal battles posthumously.
🏛️ Financial Bullying of Media
The script explores how governments use financial tactics to suppress independent media, exemplified by Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban's strategies. By controlling advertising revenue and influencing media ownership, the government has stifled press freedom. Veronica Monk, a former journalist for the now-defunct Index news organization, discusses the challenges of maintaining editorial independence. She and her colleagues created a new outlet, Telex, funded by reader support to circumvent government control.
🌍 Global Challenges and Hopes
The final paragraph discusses the broader challenges journalists face globally, including physical violence and legal intimidation. It features a panel discussion with Rana Ayub, who talks about the personal toll of being a targeted journalist. Despite the grim situation, there is a sense of optimism as journalists continue to find ways to report the truth. The script concludes by encouraging viewers to stay informed about press freedom issues and to support independent journalism.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Journalist
💡Press Freedom
💡Authoritarian States
💡Democracies
💡Harassment
💡Intimidation
💡Censorship
💡Self-censorship
💡SLAPPs (Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation)
💡Media Outlets
💡Investigative Journalism
Highlights
Journalists in Mexico face increasing violence and threats.
Press freedom is eroding in democracies as well as authoritarian states.
Journalists are being targeted for reporting on sensitive issues like corruption.
Rana Ayub, an Indian journalist, faces online abuse and government harassment for her reporting.
India's press freedom has declined significantly under the BJP government.
Globally, press freedom is deteriorating year by year, even in Europe.
Geopolitical and economic issues are contributing to the decline of press freedom.
COVID-19 pandemic was used by some leaders to accelerate crackdowns on press freedom.
The decline in Indian media is linked to India's fall in democratic rankings.
21 reporters were murdered in 2021, with nearly 40% of these murders occurring in democracies.
Daphne Caruana Galizia, a Maltese journalist, was assassinated for her investigative work on corruption.
Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) are used to silence journalists.
The European Commission proposed a directive to protect journalists from SLAPPs.
Hungary's press freedom has declined due to government financial bullying and media ownership.
Index, a Hungarian news organization, was forced to close after its editor-in-chief was fired.
Telex, a new independent media outlet in Hungary, is funded almost entirely by its readers.
Journalists continue to find ways to report despite increasing restrictions and threats.
Transcripts
tonight more bloodshed in mexico another
journalist killed this week as you see
that camera person just got shot
last year record numbers of journalists
were imprisoned many others were
attacked and murdered just for doing
their jobs
i'm the international correspondent at
the economist
for many journalists being able to
report freely is becoming much harder
but this isn't just happening in
authoritarian states i'm not going to
give you can you can you stay you are
fake news
in 2022 press freedom is being eroded in
democracies too
is this the price one needs to pay to
speak the truth and governments
everywhere are using more subtle tactics
to muzzle independent media it's always
about silencing the target which is bad
news for global democracy
i want to find out what's going on
and how the freedom of the press can be
protected
just no word for it and you just feel
that
i wish it could just stop i felt like i
have been slut-shamed and i have been
made naked for the public
it was a
virtual lynch mob that is out there to
get me
rana ayub is an award-winning journalist
based in india
her work has appeared in publications
around the world
she's reported on the rise of hindu
nationalism in india and on corruption
in prime minister narendra modi's
government her work has drawn the
attention of the authorities
who are trying to shut her up i think
the authorities are trying to silence me
because they find my truth unbelievable
it's not a popular truth it's something
that reveals them exposes them they
believe that i am trying to discredit
their image internationally rana so nice
to meet you i really wanted to talk to
rana because for the past few years
she's faced unimaginable online abuse
and harassment
what i'm living right now is a nightmare
that i had not anticipated
death and rape threats i get burnt
copies of my book at my residence the
other day i was in a new studio in
bombay and i got a message on my phone
that we are standing downstairs we know
where you are
my image was morphed on a porn video and
circulated all over the country
slut-shamed into silence
many of those threats appear to come
from members of the public
online trolls who don't like what rana
stands for
but government harassment is also
becoming increasingly explicit there is
the constant fear of being arrested
there is a constant fear of being
surveilled upon
i have at least four cases which i'm
facing right now two from the uttar
pradesh police one from the enforcement
directorate one by the income tax
department i'm 100 convinced it's all by
the government
rana is not alone
in the world's largest democracy press
freedom is enshrined in the constitution
but harassment of journalists has
increased under the bharatiya janata
party who came to power in 2014.
prime minister modi the leader of the
party has been described as a predator
of press freedom
pressure has increased on media
organizations to toe the government line
there's a pattern of critical
journalists being intimidated with
online hate campaigns police violence
and even criminal prosecution
it's a living breathing claustrophobic
feeling
i've worked as a foreign correspondent
in india and to witness today's state
silencing of its media is
shocking india is 150th out of 180
countries on the global press freedom
index having fallen eight places in a
single year
and it is by no means the only democracy
languishing in the bottom half
the index is compiled by reporters
without borders
a charity that campaigns for independent
journalism
its director of international campaigns
is rebecca vincent press freedom has
steadily deteriorated around the world
year by year even our democracies when
we look at the performance of for
example europe which has long been the
region that respects press freedom the
most even there
why is press freedom
getting worse and in particular why in
democracies we've had geopolitical
issues we've had economic issues which
also impact the media i mean we also saw
some leaders taking advantage of
attention being on the pandemic to maybe
accelerate pre-existing crackdowns or
start to implement new restrictions and
then of course covert related
restrictions as well in some countries
we saw real backlash against independent
reporting targeting of journalists who
were actually reporting the truth on
figures in their country or or taking a
critical approach to their to their
governments
i guess you think about the media as an
important part of democracy it's the way
in which you'd hold a government
accountable it's the way in which people
members of the public can share their
stories and what they want and need and
so
if you don't have that mechanism you
don't have that dialogue it's pretty
hard to imagine how you can have
a strong and vibrant democracy
another index compiled by the economist
intelligence unit uses media freedom as
one of the indicators to measure how
democratic a country is
i believe that the
decline of the indian media really
explains the steep downfall of india as
democracy how can you continue to be a
democracy when you do not have a vibrant
press
[Music]
not long after we interviewed rana her
bank accounts were frozen by the
government
constant surveillance harassment and
abuse are taking their toll
look at me i've been unable to work i
was supposed to step out to go and
report election season in india
and i'm fighting a case and i'm fighting
battles i have to go to court to get my
account unfreezed you don't know what's
coming and you want to do your work you
want to report you want to tell the
world
your story and you don't want to tell
the world that it's difficult to do
journalism and
you can't do it and i don't know what's
what the future holds for me
for some journalists the attacks can be
fatal
21 reporters were murdered in 2021
and nearly 40 percent of those murders
took place in democracies
[Music]
the country's leading investigative
journalist described as a one woman
wikileaks daphne carolina galicia died
when a car bomb exploded in her vehicle
galizia led the panama papers
investigation some feel her murder is a
sign of threats to freedom of speech
i never imagined that
someone would
target my mother in this way in 2017
daphne caruana galicia a maltese
journalist was murdered
the 53-year-old galicia was a specialist
in reporting on corruption her son
accused senior politicians of being
complicit
daphne's investigations into the maltese
government and business elite had made
her the most read journalist in the
country
she was just so
so fierce in the way that she defended
those stories and in the way that she
defended the facts of the case
um the way that she defended her sources
but her work also created many enemies
who on earth would have an interest in
reporting me to the police
and asking for my arrest because of an
article about leader of the opposition
[Music]
in the years leading up to her
assassination daphne endured threats
intimidation and attacks
as well as another less conspicuous form
of harassment
by time she was killed she was facing 47
libel suits
five were criminal defamation there
cases that could have put her in jail
those lawsuits didn't die with daphne
much to their horror her family
inherited all of the cases
this to me was unbelievable i mean
my mother had just been murdered and we
inherited this
entire sort of structure which had been
set up to threaten my mother it was just
passed on to us
these lawsuits are known as strategic
lawsuits against public participation
or slaps
they're a powerful way for people with
deep pockets to deter scrutiny
some of the slaps against daphne came
from government politicians including
the prime minister of malta himself the
cases against my mother
where were taking up
the vast majority of her time it was
just all designed to sort of harass
intimidate her make her life miserable
it was really superhuman that
that she was able to continue her
reporting
over the past few years there has been a
rise in the use of slaps against
journalists particularly in europe
in poland one newspaper alone has
received almost 60 many of which have
been brought by politicians from the
ruling party
very often there isn't a case well the
point is you don't actually need a case
because you're not trying to achieve
justice it's always about silencing the
target the whole point of a slap case is
to harass to intimidate and to make an
example of the defendant to other people
and to wear that person down so that
they no longer pursue the story
fighting a case can cost the defendant a
fortune
often the only option is to take the
content down
most people are not able or willing to
take on these risks these financial
risks these reputational risks and
finding it so it can result in
self-censorship that is incredibly hard
to to counter it it's hard to fight back
against and in fact self-censorship in
that way can be one of the biggest
challenges to free expression globally
as well as continuing to fight the
lawsuits matthew and corrin campaign to
make it harder for slaps to be brought
against journalists and at the end of
april 2022 the european commission
proposed a new directive that would
allow journalists and activists to
appeal to the courts to throw out some
slaps
the laws have to be changed so that they
no longer can be abused in the interests
of plaintiff every time
i learn about a journalist being
targeted in this way
i feel for them in the same way that i
felt about my mother at the time
it sort of hits me in the same way
this is why we've taken this up as a
campaign i mean we have to do something
to stop it
it's not just the individual journalists
who are being targeted
whole media outlets are coming under
pressure too
in 2022 hungary's prime minister victor
orban was elected for a fifth time
it's been over a decade now since mr
orban first came to power and in that
time here in hungary press freedom has
gone into decline
the government's weapon of choice seems
to be financial bullying
much of the advertising revenue in
hungary comes from the government
by not placing adverts with independent
media companies the government has been
able to destroy their income and drive
some of them into bankruptcy
and the prime minister's wealthy cronies
have taken over many of the country's
most popular media outlets
veronica monk worked for hungarian news
organization index for almost two
decades
index was the largest and most
influential online news daily
in hungary
everyone wanted to know what's happening
in the country they just clicked on
index and got unbiased news
but veronica found that being able to
report freely was becoming much harder
[Music]
in the last couple of years of index it
became more and more obvious that our
independent operation
will not be possible anymore
some very
very well known oligarchs
came and go
on the on the top of the ownership
structure of the company who owned index
then the editor-in-chief was fired in
recent weeks the company have expressed
concern that their media and editorial
freedom is under threat from external
forces and just two days ago the
company's editor-in-chief chabot stall
well he was sacked
it was a very clear move a very clear
expression that they
don't want to let us work independently
anymore
on the day index's editor-in-chief was
fired more than 70 of its journalists
quit
the same day at the evening there was a
large protest on the streets of budapest
thousands of people were marching on the
street shouting beside freedom
i was at home totally tired crying my
eyes out but i knew that the only
mistake that we can do if we do not try
to stick together and create something
new because those people thousands of
them
express that they want to consume fat
based quality journalism
together veronica and her colleagues set
up a new independent organization
telex so this is telex this is our our
newsroom this is our new office we moved
in couple of months ago
could you tell us a bit about sort of
setting this up or what does it involve
starting a media outlet from scratch
first of all it was extremely tiring we
needed to find out how we will have
money
we knew that we cannot rely on
advertisement revenue because of the
political influence of the advertisement
market so we decided okay let's turn to
our readers we put a message on youtube
less magic let's write addish mulik i
said something like guys you know us you
know what we can do please give us money
it became really successful
in the first month we collected one
million euros so we could launch we
could hire almost the whole team and we
could start the operation very quickly
almost two years on around 600 000
people read telex every day its funding
comes almost entirely from its readers
but hungary remains a hostile
environment for journalists
many people are really so much involved
emotionally in politics they don't care
about the facts anymore
nearly 80 percent of hungarian media is
owned by allies of orban's government
despite the efforts of telex
freedom of the press continues to
deteriorate
being a critical juror is hard it's
really hard to get into press
conferences for instance or know about
press conferences so we wanted to talk
with the meps there was like a fencing
so basically they stopped you to ask
questions
this is the fourth time that the urban
government got two-thirds of the
parliament seats which gives them a
large potential in every fields in the
hungarian life
i expect difficulties i expect that
access to information will be as
difficult as before and i'm really
concerned or i could say afraid what
comes next
joining us tonight is the extraordinary
independent investigative journalist
rana ayub
at the frontline club in london rana
ayub is a guest on a panel discussing
attacks against female reporters
that i've felt that i'm better off keno
on my own and going a different way
that just caused me so much anxiety and
distress why do we have to lose one
journalist to violence it's inspiring to
witness their bravery and ambition but
it's also shocking is there any reason
for optimism
that the press might get freer over time
i do believe there is spoke but i also
know it's going to be a challenge for
each one of us
it's a depressing story
but even at this time when there are so
many attacks against journalists
what you do see is that reporters find
ways around the tools that governments
are using against them
be it technology be it physical
harassment
reporters keep finding ways to do their
work
and that has to be a reason for optimism
to read more of our coverage on press
freedom click the link and don't forget
to subscribe thank you for watching
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