Spring Break
Russian media experts to visit Miami
Journalism conference to consider current threats facing press agents
Megan Milstead
Issue date: 2/16/07 Section: Front Page
In an effort to elucidate the dangers of being a journalist in post-Soviet Russia, Miami University will be hosting a conference titled "Russian Journalism Under Fire," and flying in journalists and specialists from the country.
The conference will take place April 2-3 and will mainly focus on the history of Russian journalism, the current and future state of journalism in the country, and main issues in Russia at this time.
Karen Dawisha, director of the Havighurst Center for Russian and Post Soviet studies, spurred the idea for the conference.
"I wanted to do something on journalism in Russia for some time," Dawisha said. "We're just getting under way with the new journalism program (at Miami) and I thought it was a good time to have a partnership. Journalism is really important. It is worth considering why it is that people in some parts of the world are willing to die for it."
Since Vladimir Putin took power in Russia in 1999, journalists have faced particular pressure from the government and some been killed for their outspoken opposition to those in power.
Patricia Gallagher Newberry, lecturer in the journalism program and chair of the conference planning committee, said the violence and obstruction of reporting in Russia would be the main theme at the conference.
"The overriding theme (of the conference) is the suppression of speech and journalism in Russia," Newberry said. "We settled on this as a worthwhile topic because 13 journalists have been killed since Putin has been in power. Aggressive journalists have found themselves in harm's way."
Anna Politkovskaya, an award-winning and "aggressive" Russian journalist, was shot to death in October 2006. Both Newberry and Dawisha said they had hoped she would be a speaker at the conference, and her death increased the importance of focusing suppression of freedoms at this event.
So far, six speakers have been confirmed. They range from Nina Ognianova; European and Central Asia program coordinator of the Committee to Protect Journalists, which is a nonprofit organization aimed at defending journalists' rights; to Dmitry Muratov, Politkovskaya's editor at Novaya Gazeta.
The conference will take place April 2-3 and will mainly focus on the history of Russian journalism, the current and future state of journalism in the country, and main issues in Russia at this time.
Karen Dawisha, director of the Havighurst Center for Russian and Post Soviet studies, spurred the idea for the conference.
"I wanted to do something on journalism in Russia for some time," Dawisha said. "We're just getting under way with the new journalism program (at Miami) and I thought it was a good time to have a partnership. Journalism is really important. It is worth considering why it is that people in some parts of the world are willing to die for it."
Since Vladimir Putin took power in Russia in 1999, journalists have faced particular pressure from the government and some been killed for their outspoken opposition to those in power.
Patricia Gallagher Newberry, lecturer in the journalism program and chair of the conference planning committee, said the violence and obstruction of reporting in Russia would be the main theme at the conference.
"The overriding theme (of the conference) is the suppression of speech and journalism in Russia," Newberry said. "We settled on this as a worthwhile topic because 13 journalists have been killed since Putin has been in power. Aggressive journalists have found themselves in harm's way."
Anna Politkovskaya, an award-winning and "aggressive" Russian journalist, was shot to death in October 2006. Both Newberry and Dawisha said they had hoped she would be a speaker at the conference, and her death increased the importance of focusing suppression of freedoms at this event.
So far, six speakers have been confirmed. They range from Nina Ognianova; European and Central Asia program coordinator of the Committee to Protect Journalists, which is a nonprofit organization aimed at defending journalists' rights; to Dmitry Muratov, Politkovskaya's editor at Novaya Gazeta.
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