Journalism Testing Legal Boundaries
| Date: | 20 June 2008 |
| Time: | 12.00am - . |
| Location: | Venue: University of Westminster, New Cavendish Campus, 115 New Cavendish Street, London W1 |
Media Laws and the Reporting of Arab News
20 June, 2008
The conference is organised by the Arab Media Centre Communication and Media Research Institute, University of Westminster in collaboration with the Westminster International Law and Theory Centre with support from the UK Higher Education Innovation Fund.
Media, Law and Arab News
It might be assumed that a proliferation of news media operating in Arabic would increase the scope for comprehensive reporting of Arab news, especially now that Arab and non-Arab news outlets are competing for audiences.
Yet media laws, both national and international, have a big impact on journalists trying to report on conflict and dissent in Arab countries. UN human rights treaties set international media freedom standards, while international humanitarian law protects journalists as civilians in war zones. So far enforcement of these provisions remains in question, while national censorship laws are often tightly enforced.
Arab countries continue to criminalise many forms of media activity, spurred by international anti-terrorism efforts that have had negative repercussions for journalists detained or prosecuted in the US or Europe.
- How conducive is the global legal environment to informative reporting on Arab affairs?
- Do we know enough about the legal systems that govern newsgathering in Arab countries or the breaking of Arab news stories in the Arab world and beyond?
- Is critical thinking in international law and legal theory keeping pace with the cross-jurisdictional development of organisations that cover Arab news?
Download a more detailed schedule
|
Session 1 9:30-11:00 |
Senior representatives of media outlets in Arab countries and Europe compare notes on legal obstacles their staff have faced and the action taken. |
|
Session 2 11:30-13:00 |
Representatives of organizations involved in defending journalists and media freedom address issues such as legal curbs on war reporting, laws on freedom of information and the impact of employment law on journalists' status. |
|
Afternoon sessions 14:00-17:30 |
Academic research presented and discussed in parallel workshops on: - Emergency laws and press laws - Counter terrorism laws, national security and Arab news - Blogging, transnational media and the law - Local laws and international ethical standards |
