Inaugural lecture on ‘Diminishment and Resistance: The Civil Power of Journalism’ marks the start of Professor Jackie Harrison’s term as UNESCO Chair on Media Freedom, Journalism Safety & the Issue of Impunity.
The inaugural, which was held on November 7th as part of International Journalism Week 2018, addressed the fact that journalism and the civil values it represents are under threat and examined the diminishment of the civil and truth-telling standing of news journalism through the use of oppression, violence and intimidation and more generally through the creation of an antagonistic environment where the news media are weaponised for political and commercial ends. It is the nature of the clash between these anti-civil forces and the forms of civil resistance the news media take which ultimately determines the kind of news we receive, participate in and act upon Jackie Harrison argued in her talk.
The new Chair which was established by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) in recognition of the extent and diverse nature of threats to free and independent journalism will build on CFOM’s work by strengthening and developing links between higher education institutions, development bodies, media organisations and journalists – through its own networks and through the development and growth of the Journalism Safety Research Network (JSRN). This will focus on the areas of media freedom, freedom of expression, media development and access to information and knowledge at global, regional, national and local levels.
Read more about the Chair here