Media Helping Media

The International News Safety Institute (INSI) says more than 1,000 journalists and support staff have been killed covering news over the past 10 years, and the toll is increasing each year. Chris Cramer, former MD of CNN International and current president of the INSI says the profession is already working hard to ensure the safety of news staff, but more needs to be done.

A survey, released to coincide with World Press Freedom Day, claims that media freedom suffered a global decline in 2006, particularly in Asia, the former Soviet Union and Latin America. The report published by Freedom House also warns of a growing effort to restrict Internet freedom by censoring, harassing, or shutting down sites.  The following is the text from the organisation's news release.

The broadcast spectrum is a precious resource for media freedom yet the threats to it are real and present. Nalaka Gunawardene writes that most who occupy the public spectrum don't support the public interest. He says there is a danger that governments allow a handful of privileged users and political cronies to take control and that which we don't see and value will be quietly taken away before we realise.