Miami Student

Issue date: 4/3/07 Section: Front Page

Experts deliberate during the first session of the Russian Journalism Under Fire conference Monday.

The culmination of a year of planning by both the Havighurst Center and journalism program was launched Monday, with the first sessions of the Russian Journalism Under Fire conference.

Six Russian journalists and members of journalism advocacy groups spoke on the dangers of journalists in Russia, and the history and current state of Russian media.

The conference began with a DVD project senior Lindsey Wagner created for an international journalism capstone class taught by assistant professor of English, Cheryl Heckler.

"I was a little nervous, but I've been working on it for months so by the time it was ready to play I was just happy that the day was here," Wagner said.

The video, which listed 13 Russian journalists who have been murdered because of their work, sparked disagreement among the panel - many of whom personally knew victims - as to the true or most accurate number of journalists killed. Totals ranged from 44 to 211, depending on the panelist, but several of them pointed out that many journalists have simply gone missing and others are persecuted in more discreet ways.

"It was interesting that at least my video started dialogue about the situation," Wagner said.

A discussion continued about the challenges and risks that reporters, and especially investigative journalists, face.

Igor Zevelev, Washington D.C. bureau chief for the Russian news agency RIA Novosti, spoke on the wide range of threats reporters around the world may receive.

"In some countries the danger is to be killed," Zevelev said. "In other countries it is not being promoted on time."

Andrei Zolotov, editor of Russia Profile magazine and Web site, recognized the importance of journalists to the foundation of society.

"Somehow we think we are privileged as journalists," Zolotov said. "Somehow our lives should be protected to a greater degree than people of other professions. We are self-elected representatives of the general public. Sometimes we submit ourselves to a greater degree of danger, but it is a self choice."

The second session in the conference focused on past media practices, rights and ownership, while the third session was a debate on the current state of Russian media.

Continued...

Page 1 of 3 next >

Article Tools