February 2020 in conjunction with Project for the Study of the 21st Century (PS21) at King’s College London.

Chaired by Deborah Pout of Oxford Media Network
This event reviewed the emergence of so-called ‘alternative media’ and social media which are increasingly being relied on as a means to obtain information is subject to much debate in the Western hemisphere. Meanwhile, citizens of authoritarian regimes such as the Philippines and Turkey have to rely on social media and ‘alternative media outlets’, as traditional media outlets are often mouthpieces of propagandist governments.

Questions raised included how does the changing nature of the media affect freedom of speech in the world, and who should citizens turn to for information. What is the responsibility of journalists, media outlets and governments in ensuring freedom of expression as well as factuality? How do we fight disinformation in the new media age? And, who has the authority to decide what is real news, and what is fake news?

Speakers:

• Jodie Ginsberg  – Chief Executive at Index on Censorship.
• Kemal Goktas – Turkish scholar and journalist for Cumhuryet and other Turkish media
• Dr Peter Busch – Senior Lecturer at the Department of War Studies, King’s College London
• Meera Selva – Director of the Journalism Fellowship Programme at the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism, previously a journalist for the Associated Press, the Independent and Handelsblatt Global.