World Press Freedom Day 2010

May 3, 2010

Op-ed by Ambassador Donald Gips

As the world marks World Press Freedom Day today, we honor the journalists who hold governments and elected leaders accountable, and remind ourselves that a free press serves as a critical part of all democracies. Democratic governments are accountable to their citizens,
yet a democratic system only functions if the citizens fully participate. The public must understand what is happening around them in order to make informed choices – something only possible with a free media providing daily news, investigative pieces and historical
context about the complex and confusing social structures of government, business and society.

In both the United States and South Africa, we are rightfully proud of our strong, well-established media, which works around the clock to keep us informed.  No human institution is perfect, whether it be the government, the corporate world or the media, yet both our countries
can boast a diverse media that operates in a competitive environment with rigorous standards.  South African and American news consumers have dozens of print, broadcast and online sources to choose from produced by journalists from every ethnic, racial and linguistic group.  That our diverse populations are reflected in this way by the media is indeed a triumph of modern democracy that we must cherish and guard.

Unfortunately, in dozens of countries around the world, a free press simply does not exist. Newspapers are censored and closed; radio and television stations shut down; and reporters, editors and publishers harassed, arrested and murdered. From January to late April 2010, nine
journalists were killed and 164 journalists were imprisoned worldwide, according to Reporters without Borders (RWB). The 2010 statistics also show an alarming new trend: RWB notes that 118 'netizens' – bloggers and online journalists - have been imprisoned. From Tunisia and
Zimbabwe to Iran and China, reporters, editors and photographers risk their freedom and their lives to report the truth.

As we decry the worst intimidation of the media, we also must recognize that there are many other threats and obstacles to a free press, some more insidious than others. Dictatorships and police states know that information is a powerful enemy, and that an informed populace will not tolerate their excesses. And they are right.

World Press Freedom Day began in Africa. May 3 is the anniversary of the 1991 Windhoek Declaration, when African journalists stood together "to preserve and extend freedom of the press around the world." Africa was a model then -- we must come together now to make the
continent a model again.   Reporters Without Borders cites countries like Ghana, Botswana, Namibia and Mali as examples of good press freedom practice, but these good examples must be weighed against others. In countries like Zimbabwe, as well as increasingly in countries like Uganda, press freedom is under assault. In Somalia, journalists are targeted and murdered, and radio stations receive weekly, if not daily, lists of “do’s and don’ts” from the government. Africa must do better if democracy is to flourish, and South Africa can and will serve as a beacon.

The challenge to protecting free speech in the media is one of balancing freedom of speech and information with verifying facts, respecting others and keeping the dialogue civil. Over recent weeks, South Africa has walked that line with care. We commend President Zuma for his clear and deliberate support of South Africa's free media.  We also commend the South African media for pursuing challenging and difficult news stories, such as the service delivery protests and the Eugene Terre Blanche murder among others.

The African Media Initiative (AMI) is an example of  a solution coming from the continent to support and protect press freedom. At AMI's recent summit in Nairobi, important steps were taken to formalize a unified media front for the continent. This is critical work, and must be nurtured and supported by civil society, the industry and government. This is exactly the type of African solution envisioned, created and driven from the continent that President Obama honored in his 2009 speech in Ghana.

In the early days of the American Revolution, Thomas Jefferson said, "Our liberty cannot be guarded but by the freedom of the press, nor (can our liberty) be limited without danger of losing it." We must remain constantly vigilant to safeguard media freedom. Our freedom, as Jefferson said, depends on it.