A Japanese journalist was arrested and held in prison in Myanmar for reporting the news. He is accused of reporting “fake news” under a tough restriction on reporting imposed by the military junta ruling the coutnry. The killing goes on but it is not mainstream journalists that are widely reporting it. A new generation of amateur volunteer journalists—the civil reporters—who are often in the thick of the demonstrations reporting live over the Internet when it is not shut off.
In Zimbabwe, two Spanish journalists, David Beriain and cameraman, Roberto Fraile, were killed in an ambush attack against an army convoy in the tri-border Sahel zone of Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso, in the African Sahel region. They were on the way to a national park where poachers and armed groups are killing wildlife like elephants and rhino.
Life for professional journalists is increasingly precarious and dangerous. Many countries have introduced draconian anti-terrorist and media restriction laws that consider criticism of the government an act of subversion or even terrorism. Many professional journalists, while trying to report the news, have been arrested, jailed and killed.
In 2015, 73 journalists were killed, in 2018, as many as 56 were slain, while in 2019 26 lost their lives. In 2020, another 32 were killed and so far in 2021, five have died, according to the Committee to Defend Journalists. Shocking records of violent responses against the free press, most were murdered for unfavourable reporting about corruption among politicians and criminal gangs. Others were caught in the crossfire in war zones.
That is not all. Hundreds have been jailed. Since 2020, the number of incarcerated journalists is 274 jailed in various countries around the world for their work telling the truth. These countries are among the most severe violators of human rights and free speech. They are oppressors of journalists and manipulators of the truth.
Then there are the new generations of reporters from the streets, jungles and mountains around the world who give their lives in getting the truth out to the world via the Internet using their smartphones. In Myanmar, more than 700 people were shot to death with bullets to the head and some were killed reporting police and military violence.
Hundreds have been jailed. Since 2020, the number of incarcerated journalists is 274 jailed in various countries around the world for their work telling the truth. These countries are among the most severe violators of human rights and free speech. They are oppressors of journalists and manipulators of the truth.
Technology has made reporting live more efficient and effective, but in conflict zones it is fraught with danger. We see in countries like the United States street-side reporters reporting by video, sometimes live, acts of police brutality. The reports make the news highlights around the world. The day of the civil journalist is here.
The life and work of journalists was once considered among the most respected, adventurous and exciting of professions. They were mostly professionally trained in schools of journalism and universities. They worked on every kind of news in every sphere of public and private life. The international journalist was a revered figure reporting from war-torn and disaster-prone regions. The most ambitious were after the next big scoop, exposing crime and corruption, reporting wars and conflicts, and deep into politics and human rights issues. Those days of the protected member of the press are no more. They are targeted persons to be silenced and killed.
Reporting the news in an honest and truthful manner was the code of conduct in years past. They are long gone since the onslaught of attacks against the media and journalists in recent years over Internet platforms.
Organised social media trolls spread political propaganda and lies to keep the image of the oppressor looking clean. They use Internet platforms like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Snapchat, Pinterest, Reddit, and TikTok, allowing the spread of propaganda, personal attacks, false news and hate speech.
Around the world, the attacks spurred on by blatant lying by politicians their enablers who have sought to undermine the credibility of a free press. For them the truth is “fake news” because it does not favour their point of view or casts them in an unfavourable light.
It is common practice by politicians, police, security officials and military to silence the free press to hide criminal behaviour that is corrupt and detrimental to the good of the people. The enemies of the truth can gag truthful reporters and honest critics.
Organised social media trolls spread political propaganda and lies to keep the image of the oppressor looking clean. They use Internet platforms like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Snapchat, Pinterest, Reddit, and TikTok, allowing the spread of propaganda, personal attacks, false news and hate speech.
As we celebrate the 500 years of Christianity in the Philippines. The Chaplaincy to Filipino Migrants organises an on-line talk every Tuesday at 9.00pm. You can join us at:
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The former president of the United States, Donald Trump, openly challenged and called out journalists by name and ridiculed and insulted them in public. He called all reporting “fake news” if it criticised him. He was so successful at this that “fake news” became the cry of every politician, tyrant, killer dictator, business tycoon who had a dark side to hide.
Regimes passed laws that branded critical reporting as communist propaganda and jailed and manufactured baseless and false charges against many journalists and tried or succeeded in shutting down television stations and media outlets.
After public outrage, Trump is now banned indefinitely from Twitter and Facebook after instigating his followers to attack the US Capitol building in Washington DC on January 6.
There needs to be a review and rewriting of Section 230 of the US Internet legislation known as the Communications Decency Act. Section 230 gives immunity to website platforms.
It says “No provider or user of an interactive computer service shall be treated as the publisher or speaker of any information provided by another information content provider.” That’s why abuse is rampant.
For truth and freedom of the press to be respected and flourish, the false news, hate speech, and the proliferation of propaganda on the Internet must be stopped. Repealing section 230 is the way to guarantee the truth will prevail.
For those interested in free speech, the values of life, here is an new, interesting take on an old story: https://www.facebook.com/JesusOfNazarethStories/
Father Shay Cullen
www.preda.org
