Journalists should be able to work without fear of violence or arrest
- The world needs a strong, vibrant media. Yet press freedom is declining in many places amid war, state crackdowns and climate change
The role played by journalists in providing readers with news they can trust has never been more important, at a time of rampant misinformation, disinformation and propaganda. But recent assessments of the global media environment make depressing reading. Press freedom is in decline in many parts of the world amid war, geopolitical tensions, state crackdowns and climate change.
Hong Kong’s journalists face their own challenges. So it was good to see them honoured at the Hong Kong News Awards on Friday, with the Post picking up six prizes. Speaking at the ceremony, the city’s leader, John Lee Ka-chiu, took the opportunity to remind the news industry that it “bears heavy social responsibilities”.
Few would argue with his statement that the media should uphold principles of fairness, objectivity and truth. But Lee also drew a distinction between “raising questions”, “provoking quarrels” and “smearing”. He said the difference depends on whether there are good or bad intentions.
Most self-respecting journalists would say their intention is to serve the public interest. This sometimes involves being provocative, to draw attention to an important issue, and their work might spark heated debate. It is not necessarily inconsistent with their social responsibilities.
The chief executive also attached importance to media codes of ethics. These play an important role in providing journalists with guidance and ensuring high professional standards. But they should not be confused with laws. Ethical considerations involve balancing different factors, including the extent to which a story serves the public interest. Upholding press freedom is an ethical requirement.
Hong Kong’s journalists are operating in a political environment that has changed dramatically in recent years. Officials have stressed they have nothing to fear from new domestic national security laws. Time will tell.
One positive development is the government’s shelving of plans for a “fake news” law. That is a sensible decision. There is no need for such a law, which would have further curbed free expression.
Still, the city ranked 135th out of 180 countries and territories in this year’s World Press Freedom Index compiled by Reporters Without Borders.
Hong Kong rose five places compared to last year. But that is not a cause for celebration. The city’s score declined and its modest rise in the rankings was attributed to press freedom worsening elsewhere. It is sobering to reflect that the city ranked 18th in 2002, five years after its return to China, at a time when it was hailed as a beacon of media freedom in Asia.
This year’s report paints a grim picture for press freedom globally. It showed a worrying decline in support and respect for the media among government and political institutions around the world. The report highlighted the plight of journalists in many hotspots, from Afghanistan to Sudan and Russia. The media environment in almost 80 per cent of the Asia-Pacific region was rated as being either problematic, difficult or very serious. No region, including Europe, was free of problems.
Unesco’s World Press Freedom Prize was, this year, awarded to all Palestinian journalists covering the Gaza conflict. More than 100 of them have lost their lives, with 26 killed while working. Meanwhile, the UN body, which organised press freedom day earlier this month, focused much-needed attention on the plight of journalists covering environmental issues. Their role is vital to increasing awareness and understanding of the impact of climate change.
But this can be a perilous activity, carried out in the face of intimidation and attacks from governments and other vested interests. A Unesco report revealed 44 environmental journalists have been murdered over the last 15 years, with 749 facing violence and intimidation. And the situation is getting worse.
It is important to honour journalists for outstanding work. But the best reward would be to let them get on with it without fear of arrest, harassment or violence. The world needs a strong and vibrant media industry to expose wrongdoing, increase awareness of issues in the public interest and to strive for the truth.
