“Together we must support the vulnerable, assist each other through challenging times, as nations as well as agencies. We must never forget that to be proactive is far, far better than having to be reactive”

Public Media Alliance CEO, Sally-Ann Wilson, rounded up the Global Conference for Media Freedom by calling for committed multi-stakeholder action on the pledges made.

The roundup was part of the conference’s closing panel alongside FCO conference coordinator Alastair King-Smith, Canada’s Ambassador and Permanent Delegate to UNESCO, Elaine Ayotte and Luminate’s Director of Investments, Nishant Lalwani.

The conference took place on 10-11 July 2019 and was co-organised by the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Canada’s Department for Global Affairs.

Read Sally-Ann’s speech in full:

Last Friday, when I had a call from the UK FCO team, it seemed to be a great privilege to be invited to capture and present the key threads and outputs of the past two days, in this final session.

But this is a Media freedom conference, attended by hundreds of journalists. Have you any idea how much has actually been written and said!

Our small team at Public Media Alliance have tried to identify the key ‘Take Aways’ and outputs from every session, including Twitter and other coverage. Please forgive me now for anything I have omitted.

There has been a fabulous diversity of ideas, views and opinions shared but most heartening has been the amount of common threads.

The grim and ugly truths we all know. Not that it ever hurts us to be reminded of the stories and courage of individual journalists who have been killed.  Or of those who live with the most appalling pressure and threats…and still do their jobs.

This MUST change.

In terms of the safety and the better protection of journalists, women journalists, all of those who work on the front line to tell the truth, we heard of shared the many things we can and must do before we meet again in Canada next year.

Like many, I was initially a cynic about this event.

But this coming together of media, and government, academics and civil society from so many countries has been really excellent. It’s not been just another conference where media talk to media. Or politicians talk to politicians. There really has been a great buzz, perhaps we as journalists are all a little thrown by seeing turkey’s not only vote for Christmas, but actually start to mix the stuffing!

But this enthusiasm from the media will wane. And fast. If action doesn’t quickly follow words.

But this enthusiasm from the media will wane. And fast.

If action doesn’t quickly follow words.

Amal Clooney highlighted the strongest of the common threads, “signing pledges and agreements is just not enough”.

In the 21stcentury how are we in the utterly shameful position that only 1 in 10 people live in a country with free media? And with the rapid spread of authoritarianism and populism this can only get worse.

The announcements here of resources and support are unprecedented-if followed through and delivered they will make a difference.

But make no mistake…. there must be a legacy from this event, if that is, we want democracy to survive and thrive.

For any real progress to be made it is essential to continue this multi-stakeholder approach.

The issue of media freedom is a global one. One that reaches beyond every border.

We can agree the desired outcomes. We agree that media freedom is fundamental to human rights. But to achieve universal media freedom we must always check ourselves and reflect on local and national contexts. Small actions in one part of the world can readily trigger negative consequences elsewhere.

There is real recognition that we must collaborate not compete. In the past two days we have all witnessed a step up towards better collaboration.

That willingness to collaborate is evident but we do need more resources. A chronic lack of funding-including core funding-forces media support agencies to compete. That is not healthy. Donor capacity building is urgently needed. I run a Global media support organisation. I am also Trustee of a tiny local nature reserve. I receive five times as much money for the reserve each year than I do for the vital work PMA does in supporting and promoting media freedom. That can’t be right.

And it’s not just about the amount of money.  How well funding is planned, co-ordinated and implemented is critical. In many, many regions capacity building and training are desperately needed. Following the 2008/9 economic crash funding for media training from the West has dropped markedly. But other state actors-with no intention of supporting media freedom- have already stepped in to fill the void. The impact of this will be hard to reverse.

Together we must support the vulnerable, assist each other through challenging times, as nations as well as agencies.

Fund and support us and our strength will come from working together-for the long term.

Together we must support the vulnerable, assist each other through challenging times, as nations as well as agencies. We must never forget that to be proactive is far, far better than having to be reactive.

This conference has been about ideas as well as discussions. Many of those ideas are already incorporated into vital frameworks. The co-design of frameworks by stakeholder is critical.

There has been inevitable reflection on the changes and challenges of the digital era. But let’s not forget media freedom is a political issue, not a technical one.

It may be tempting to legislate but for governments to police media standards comes with an inherent risk.

And so, to governments. Any governments role is to provide an enabling environment for media freedom. I have to say one common sentiment has been…the least they do the better for media freedom! It may be tempting to legislate but for governments to police media standards comes with an inherent risk. But to move forward, media does require support from the same actors it seeks to hold to account. That will continue to bring inevitable tensions that may need to be navigated rather than resolved.

Governments really can make a difference. Of course, their actions can and do have terrible effects on media freedom, but they can also have a positive effect and that can be rapid too. RTM Malaysia has been a long term member of the PMA. There have been recent difficult times. But we stuck with the managers and journalists we knew and now with a change of government those same people are once again able to work and more confidently as we chad demonstrated how we believed in them during the darker days.

Every government can take a lead by reviewing and repealing laws that could be used to supress free media.

We all need to learn from countries with high levels of media freedom. We need to better share and communicate the best as well as the worst. And we do urge governments to come together and speak out more strongly about the worst. Your silence is damaging and damning.

Every government can take a lead by reviewing and repealing laws that could be used to supress free media.

How can it be right that while those that report on human rights abuses face abuse, the perpetrators have impunity? The focus on legal support for media freedom and more enabling legal frameworks is truly welcomed, including UNESCO’s proposal to train the judicial and security sectors about media freedom.

Much of the conference has rightly been about the freedom of individual journalists but one media system has cropped up again and again, in session after session-multiplatform Public service media or PSM.

And by the way, yes, the BBC is rightly a global brand. But first and foremost, it is a public service media organisation!

PSM is not perfect but it is a structure. It can and often does preserve and build public TRUST. It trains journalists and it needs support and funding from governments. One of the first signs of growing incursions into media freedom is when governments cut funding and then act to stifle public media. Later this summer the PMA will be launching a new global initiative for public media.

Our reality is now a digital one. It has made life and preserving media freedoms more complex, but it has also opened many new opportunities for media freedom. The big tec. companies must play their part in combatting disinformation but the neat journalistic trick of lumping them all together as GAFFA or FANGS may not be helpful. Different issues require different solutions.

Trust in media rests with the public. Trust is their choice. The media must earn that trust.

Trust in media rests with the public. Trust is their choice. The media must earn that trust. But we can and should do more to help the public navigate in the digital era. This conference is about media freedom. In the main we want less policing of the media. With better digital media literacy our need for legislation will decrease.

As journalists we are privileged. We must constantly check that privilege but stand up for what you believe in…be courageous and be brave.

Luz Mely Reyes from Venezuela (Efecto Cocuyo) said yesterday, “The best answer to the attack is to do more and better journalism.” If not, “who is going to tell the story of the country for the fight for democracy?”

To the UK FCO and Canadian Ministry of FA, I am sure I convey all of our thanks….. but add. You’ve started something…now stick with it and see it through.

Sally-Ann Wilson, CEO. PMA

Header Image: PMA CEO Sally-Ann Wilson (right) speaks as part of the closing panel with (from left) Alastair King-Smith, Elaine Ayotte and Nishant Lilwani. Credit: Chloe Howcroft/PMA