Join us on Monday 25 March for a webinar on “Developing relevant guidelines & codes of conduct to report hate speech and acts of terror for South East Asia”.
When: 5:30pm Kuala Lumpur time (GMT+8)
Themes
Understanding and defining hate speech & misconceptions in South East Asia
The role of new technologies and social media in media practice when reporting hate speech and acts of terror
The importance of developing relevant guidelines or codes of conduct to report hate speech and acts of terror
The importance of language and visuals when reporting hate speech and acts of terror
Synopsis
Journalists and media professionals face increasing difficulties when defining and covering hate speech and acts of terror. The new dynamics of terrorism accompanied by the rapid growth of hate speech and fake news, compounded by the acceleration of digital social media platforms, poses many serious challenges to professionals working with and within media organisations.
Journalists and media producers have a responsibility to provide accurate and comprehensive information when reporting incidents and potential threats. But how can they avoid sensationalism that contributes to the spread of terror and panic?
Accurate and credible coverage is crucial in stimulating informed public debate and educating the public. Professional journalists must prioritise being the ‘best’, not ‘first’. Journalists can make a positive contribution in the prevention of threats to communities by responding effectively and in the public interest.
Identifying and responding to hate speech in an appropriate manner takes experience and training. When hate speech includes the direct incitement of violence or dehumanises people it is obvious that a line of acceptability has been crossed. Yet, language can be ambiguous so how can we ensure that journalists do not cross this line?
This webinar will explore the need to develop detailed guidelines on aspects of hate speech & terrorism coverage for South East Asia that deal with language, significance, and context as well as accuracy and balance. It will be followed by a 3-day workshop in Kuala Lumpur for invited participants to further develop relevant guidelines.
Speaker
Mr Paul Risley – Senior Communications Officer, East Asia and the Pacific at The World Bank
Paul Risley is a communications and media relations professional with broad experience in Asia, Europe, Africa and the United States. Having worked extensively with the United Nations, with a focus on conflict, crisis, development and humanitarian agency communications, he served most recently as the Senior Communications Officer for the World Bank for South East Asia. Here, his work involved managing communications during the rapid expansion of development assistance in Myanmar from 2012-2015. Prior to that, Mr. Risley was the Spokesperson for the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), and for the World Food Programme for Asia. He has travelled extensively in the region.
Contributors
Dr Zahera Harb
Dr Zahera Harb is a senior lecturer in International Journalism at City, University of London and a board member and trustee of the Ethical Journalism Network. Dr Harb has been commended by City University London Vice Chancellor’s Awards 2014 in recognition of Excellence in International Engagement. Dr Harb has more than 11 years’ experience as a journalist in Lebanon, having worked for Lebanese and international media organisations. She started as a news reporter and particularly distinguished herself in the coverage of war operations in the battlefield of South Lebanon. Dr Harb was a member of UK regulator Ofcom’s content board from December 2015 to December 2018. She was named Stanford University Humanities Centre International Fellow for 2014.
Mr. Pipope Panitchpakdi
Mr. Pipope Panitchpakdi is the Deputy Director-General of the Thai Public Broadcasting Service. He is also known as a social documentary film maker and a veteran news reporter with a focus on environmental issues, climate change adaptation in developing countries and social justice. His best-known work is about the impact of development projects that are taking place in the Mekong river basin. Mr. Panitchpakdi is also active as an advocate for media literacy and democratization of the media. He developed a mobile phone workshop for citizen journalists nationwide. Mr. Panitchpakdi is also a member of the Thailand Broadcasting Journalists Association and was its vice president for two consecutive terms, between 2014-2016. He was also a board member of Thai Media Fund from 2016-2017.
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.
By registering for this webinar you are giving consent that the information can be used by PMA, ABU, UNESCO and EJN to send relevant material regarding the workshop & Webinar.
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Header Image: TV cameras lined up, covering large public event. Credit: Microgen/istock