World Press Freedom Day - May 3

April 30, 2009

May 3rd commemorates the annual World Press Freedom Day, a day devoted to journalists across the world, who often risk their freedom and well-being to deliver fair and independent news reports.   Many of them face harassment, threats of violence, and risk retaliation when they unveil disturbing news, investigate sensitive issues, and expose crime and corruption.   Day after day, journalists investigate and file reports on issues they know they could be sued or killed for. Many of them actually pay the price.  U.S. Secretary of State, Hillary Rodham Clinton, issued the following statement on the World Press Freedom Day at the April 30 Permanent Council meeting in Vienna. On World Press Freedom Day, the World Association of Newspapers will present the story of many journalists whose work upsets and can sometimes undo the powerful.  The U.S. Government launched a feature called "Journalism Under Siege" which examines the risks journalists take to keep citizens informed and hold governments accountable.  An excellent example of promoting democratic values by disseminating factual information and ideas was Radio Free Europe's role in Poland during the Cold War.

The U.S. Embassy in Warsaw would like to encourage everyone to participate in several webchats on independent journalism held on May 4 - May 7, 2009.

Webchat Schedule:

1. "World Press Freedom: U.S. Support for Independent Media"
Date and Time: May 4th at 11:30 am EDT
Speaker:  Ambassador Karen B. Stewart, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor (DRL)

2. "World Press Freedom: Is Independent Journalism Possible?"
Date and Time: May 5th at 9:00 a.m. EDT
Speaker:  Deborah Potter, Director, NewsLab, Washington DC

3. "World Press Freedom: Giving Local Media a Voice"
Date and Time: May 6th at 12:00 Noon EDT
Speaker:  David Hoffman, President, Internews Network

4. "World Press Freedom: Is The Economic Downturn a Threat to Journalism?"
Date and Time: May 7th at 9:00 a.m. EDT
Speaker:  Dr. Sherry Ricchiardi, Professor of Journalism, Indiana University

Additional resources:

-- eJournal USA: Media Making Change
-- Print publication: Handbook of Independent Journalism
-- Print Publication/Power Point: About America: Edward R. Murrow, Journalism at Its Best
-- Booklet:  A Responsible Press Office