Press Release: Reporting Terrorism & Countering Hate Speech in Southeast Asia

Public Media Alliance Press Release

Webinar & Workshop to develop Guidelines for Reporting Terrorism & Countering Hate Speech for the Southeast Asia Region  

Public Media Alliance (PMA) in partnership with UNESCO and with support from the Ethical Journalism Network (EJN) and Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU), is pleased to announce a workshop and webinar to develop Guidelines for Reporting Terrorism & Countering Hate Speech for the Southeast Asia Region.

When?

The webinar will take place the week commencing 18^th March (date TBC) and the workshop will take place on  29^th – 31^st March 2019 in IPPTAR, Kuala Lumpur

Who?

Aimed at participants from the following locations: Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Timor Leste and Thailand.

Why?

Journalists and media professionals are increasingly facing difficulties when covering terrorist attacks. The new and changing dynamics of terrorism, accompanied by the rapid growth of social media platforms, pose serious challenges to professionals reporting on the subject.

Journalists have a responsibility to provide accurate and comprehensive information about acts of terror and potential threats. The drama of an incident can be infectious, but reports must avoid sensationalism, which can contribute to spreading further terror and panic. Accurate and credible coverage is crucial in stimulating informed public debate about terrorism, and professional journalists must prioritise being ‘best’ not ‘first’.

Journalists can make a positive contribution to the prevention of terrorism and hate speech by demonstrating how states and international organisations can respond effectively to these threats.

This workshop will therefore aim to strengthen the capacity of media in Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand and Timor Leste by developing and adopting clear guidelines on reporting terrorism, violence and hate speech.

The aim of the workshop is to work collaboratively with delegates from news organisations, media NGO’s and press organisations across the region to develop detailed guidelines on aspects of hate speech & terrorism coverage. Particular attention will be paid to language, significance and context as well as accuracy and balance. Participants attending this workshop and webinar will play a key role in devising the content of these guidelines, to ensure their relevance to broadcast & press organisations in their respective countries.

For more information about the event and participation, email [email protected]

Read the original press release on the PMA website.