What price freedom? Global reporting trends and journalistic integrity

Abstract

Commentary: On 18 May 2009, the ABC’s Ultimo Centre in Sydney, Australia, and on May 22, Massey University’s Wellington campus in New Zealand were host to twin conferences on war reporting.  Jointly organised by the global aid organisation International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the Australian Centre of Independent Journalism at the University of Technology, Sydney, and Massey’s School of Communication, Journalism and Marketing, the conferences were attended and contributed to by senior international and national news media people—including many who had themselves reported wars—as well as humanitarian, legal and military representatives.  The conferences addressed: the role and responsibilities of the journalist in reporting conflict; media, humanitarian and military relationships; an apparent increasing targeting of journalists in conflict zones; and the application of international humanitarian law in times of conflict. The following address by Chris Cramer was the keynote speech at both conferences.