Thursday 7 September 2017

Press freedom: here and there

The protest of the killing of an Indian journalist has now been widely reported.

Gauri Lankesh was shot down outside her house, police are investigating the murder.

This event, tragic as it, crystallised an argument for me.

There are reports of online abuse from Hindu nationalist organisations who she strongly opposed for what she saw as a disruptive agenda.

This is the sharp end of all press freedom is about, disseminating a message despite risk.

Yet currently in the U.K. the press has got itself into hot water for phone tapping and become embroiled in a celebrity charade damaging nearly everyone involved.

However, this over step of the mark is having real repurcussions in the state of media law and the dialogue about it, affecting the reputation and freedom of more than those involved.

It is easy to write off celebrity journalism as frothy nonsense, especially within the context of what has just happened in India.

However, the same premise still applies, they are still conveying information to an audience and if they choose to do it well and ethically we all become winners.

They play fast and loose with how they approach engaging with their subjects, the whole thing descends into a damaging farce and we all lose.


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