Wednesday was World Press Freedom Day, as proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly, but I wasn’t feeling the love.
Freedom of information and freedom of the press are under attack in the Pacific Northwest, in the United States and around the world.
And so are journalists. An Associated Press article about Press Freedom Day quoted United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres as saying the 50 percent increase in the killing of media workers in 2022 was “unbelievable,” stressing that freedom of the press “is the foundation of democracy and justice.”
According to the article, at least 67 media workers were killed in 2022. And others, such as The Wall Street Journal’s Evan Gershkovich, are being held prisoner for trying to do their jobs in dangerous, difficult situations.
Now there’s a new threat from artificial intelligence. Audrey Azoulay, director-general of the U.N. Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, said AI platforms “are also proving fertile ground for those who sow disinformation, hate speech and conspiracy theories.”
“We find ourselves at a new crossroads,” Azoulay said. “Our current path is leading us away from informed public debate … toward even more polarization,” she warned. “The other path is one we must imagine together, to ensure information can remain a public good, accessible to all.”
Meanwhile Reporters Without Borders issued its 21st World Press Freedom Index. The index found the situation is “very serious” in 31 countries, “difficult” in 42, “problematic” in 55, and “good” or “satisfactory” in 52 countries.
In other words, the environment for journalism is “bad” in seven out of 10 countries, and satisfactory in only three of 10.
The United States ranked a dismal 45th for press freedom, down three spots from last year. Respondents were negative about the environment for journalists, especially the legal framework at the local level. (A regional example: Washington Democrats continue to attempt to gut the state’s Public Records Act.)
The murders of Las Vegas Review-Journal investigative reporter Jeff German in September 2022, and Spectrum News 13’s Dylan Lyons in Orlando, Fla., in February also affected the ranking.
Although I am not aware of any physical attacks on Columbian reporters last year, it’s worth noting one of our reporters was spit upon at a local school board meeting a couple of years ago. By the way, we report all threats to the police.
Summer internship endowed
Journalism is like pottery. To learn, you have to get your hands dirty. This was true when I was an intern, and it is true today.
For a couple of summers we’ve had an excellent partnership with the Charles Snowden Program for Excellence in Journalism. Administered by the University of Oregon, it is open to journalism students at Oregon colleges and universities and includes mentorship by UO faculty both before and during the internship. The interns work in professional news organizations for 10 weeks, and are paid minimum wage, half of which is underwritten by an endowment.
Paul and Debbie Speer of Vancouver have stepped forward to pay the other half of the cost for our intern this summer through our Community Funded Journalism initiative. Thank you!
I’m happy to report that graduating University of Oregon student Chrissy Booker will be joining us June 26. I haven’t met Chrissy yet, but she comes with excellent references and a portfolio including multimedia reporting and online storytelling. At Oregon, she founded and edited Labyrinth Magazine, an alternate publication focusing on BIPOC student voices.
I think it’s going to be a good summer!
