Can the press be truly free? Lessons from the Philippines and Southeast Asia
/Can the press be truly free? Lessons from the Philippines and Southeast Asia
4 p.m.
1995 University Ave, Suite 510, Berkeley, CA 94704
Sponsor(s): Center for Southeast Asia Studies, Graduate School of Journalism Investigative Reporting Program
About the talk: In the Philippines and most of Southeast Asia, the press—like democracy—is a precarious proposition, vulnerable to multiple political, regulatory and financial pressures. Populist politicians have attacked journalists as “presstitutes” and delegitimized the work that they do. Popular support for a free press is waning even as the business models that have traditionally supported independent newsgathering have been upended. Journalists feel a loss of agency. They have little say not just in their own newsrooms but on the social media platforms and other emerging information technologies that have profound impact on their work. What does press freedom mean in the age of algorithms? And are there still spaces where independent media can hold power to account?
About the speaker: Sheila S. Coronel is the Stabile Professor of Professional Practice in investigative journalism and Director of the Stabile Center for Investigative Journalism at the Columbia Journalism School. She began her reporting career in the Philippines and was co-founder of the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism. She has reported on the rise of populism, human rights abuses, corruption, and the challenges to democracy. She is chair of the Media Development Investment Fund, a foundation that supports independent media in countries with a history of media repression, and a member of the boards of, among others, the Committee to Protect Journalists and the Columbia Journalism Review. For six years, she served as academic dean of the Columbia Journalism School.
If you require an accommodation for effective communication (ASL interpreting/CART captioning, alternative media formats, etc.) or information about campus mobility access features in order to fully participate in this event, please contact Alexandra Dalferro at adalferro@berkeley.edu with as much advance notice as possible and at least 7-10 days before the event.
Contact Info:
Access Coordinator:
Alexandra Dalferro, cseas@berkeley.edu, 510-642-3609