Endangered: journalism in jeopardy

Freedom of the press is considered a fundamental pillar of successful democracies, yet trust in independent media is being eroded by the nefarious application of political power to manipulate public opinion, plunging journalists into levels of obstruction and danger more commonly encountered when working in conflict zones or under autocratic regimes. Personal data and social media are exploited – often by world leaders – to publish mis– and disinformation, deploy smear campaigns, and censor reporting, fuelling very personal and very violent attacks on journalists; a price they pay simply for doing their jobs.

Endangered is a new documentary on threats to press freedom produced by Pulitzer Prize winner Ronan Farrow and directed by Oscar nominees and Peabody winners Rachel Grady and Heidi Ewing. Starring investigative journalist Patricia Campos Mello, it chronicles a year in the life of four journalists who are living and working in countries where freedom of the press was once considered a “given”, but now is pursued at great risk to their own personal safety. With clips from the film shown throughout, this discussion with those involved in the making of the documentary and hosted by the Thomson Reuters Foundation, explores the experiences that courageous journalists face in pursuit of their mission to report the truth and keep the public informed.

Organised in association with Thomson Reuters Foundation.