On June 13, the House of Representatives unanimously passed a resolution calling for Russia to immediately release wrongfully detained journalist Evan Gershkovich. Gershkovich, a reporter for The Wall Street Journal, was arrested by Russian authorities in March 2023 over false allegations made by Russian authorities. The resolution, led by House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul (R-TX-10), marks the first time either chamber has officially called for Gershkovich’s release and demonstrates bipartisan unity in fighting for his release and keeping this issue a priority for the Biden administration.

The Alliance previously joined a letter with 25 other organizations calling on the administration to prioritize Gershkovich’s release and published a statement following his arrest. Read more.

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On May 18, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) reported that the Russian legislature is considering a law that would allow Russian law enforcement to revoke the registration and accreditation of media outlets, with no judicial order. CPJ urged the Russian legislature to “withdraw a draft law that would facilitate the arbitrary shutdown of media outlets and increase the number of journalists prosecuted for sharing information.” This law comes after a March enactment by President Vladimir Putin that created prison terms for spreading “fake” information about Russian military operations. Russia continues to shut down any independent press.

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Guest: Carlos Martinez de la Serna, Program Director, Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ)

“For journalists outside of Ukraine, regardless of where they are from, they still play a critical role because the world needs to pay attention to that, and they’re explaining that to their audiences in way that is easier for them to understand the nuances and the problems of the conflict. They’re bearing witness, and we need as many witnesses as possible for something like this. For today, and for the record, for generations to come.”
– Carlos Martinez de la Serna, Committee to Protect Journalists

Typically, News Take is where we talk about the latest innovation and get into the weeds about trends taking place in the news media industry. But in this episode, we turned to a more serious topic, which is how journalists are covering the war Russia is waging against the Ukraine.

Since Russia’s first attacks on Ukraine in late February, dozens of journalists have been injured or killed while reporting on the war. Journalists are literally risking their lives to bring the latest news and information about the war to people around the world. So while we could talk about the latest news products, the dire situation in the Ukraine is really the biggest thing happening in the world right now, and what we do as news publishers literally impacts what people know and how people perceive the war, so we felt it needed and deserved our attention here.

On this special edition of News Take, News Media Alliance President & CEO David Chavern talks with Carlos Martinez de la Serna, Program Director, Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), who shares details about the situation on the ground in the Ukraine, including the environment for journalists; the threats to press freedom in the Ukraine and Russia (as well as around the world); the role of journalists from other countries reporting on the war; how journalists are navigating and combating misinformation and propaganda about the war; how they are staying safe; and what we can do to help.

This episode was recorded on April 21, 2022.

Listen or download the audio file to listen offline:

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Speaker bio

Carlos Martinez de la Serna has been with CPJ since 2018. Prior to CPJ, he worked as a reporter and digital journalist in the U.S., Spain, and Japan, covering issues including current affairs, biomedical research, and North Korea’s nuclear program. He is a founding member of the mapping startup Carto, co-founder of the nonprofit organization porCausa, and a former director of digital innovation at Univision News. Martinez de la Serna is a research fellow at the Tow Center for Digital Journalism at Columbia University and a former John S. Knight fellow at Stanford University.

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The free flow of information is vital, and Chairwoman Maloney prioritized the heroic efforts by journalists around the globe who are risking their lives to ensure the continued dissemination of accurate information. The Alliance supports the journalism exemption in H.R. 7185 and looks forward to working with Congress and the Administration to protect the free and independent press.

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Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) introduced a Resolution thanking the journalists who are risking their lives to report on the war and humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, and memorializing the dozens of journalists who have been injured or killed while reporting on the war since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The Resolution reiterates the United States’ support of a free press and condemns attempts by the Russian government to use propaganda and lies to mislead the public about its invasion of Ukraine, recognizing the important role of journalists reporting on the ground in Ukraine to combat false propaganda and bring the truth to Americans and the global public.

The Resolution states, “the Senate— (1) declares its gratitude on behalf of the people of the United States to the journalists and news staff who continue to put themselves in harm’s way to report on the humanitarian crisis and ongoing war on the ground in Ukraine following the Russian Federation’s invasion; (2) remembers the journalists and news staff who have lost their lives or have been severely injured reporting from Ukraine and conveys the sympathies and appreciation of the people of the United
States to their families for their sacrifice; (3) condemns President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin, President of the Republic of Belarus Aleksander Lukashenko, and their officials for authorizing and executing attacks on innocent Ukrainian civilians, residential areas, and humanitarian corridors, resulting in the loss of life of civilians, including journalists and news staff; and (4) honors the contributions of journalists and news staff reporting from the war in Ukraine as essential in the ongoing struggle for the rights of a free press and free speech internationally, pivotal in pushing back against false propaganda by tyrants, and crucial to informing the people of the United States and the world of the horrors being wrought against the Ukrainian people.”

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Below are some of the organizations that have established funds to support journalist safety in the Ukraine and in Russia, as well as in and other neighboring countries, that are accepting donations and/or offering grants to assist news organizations and journalists in need. For more information and to donate, click the links below.

24.02 fund: This fund, run by a local Ukrainian media outlet, is helping with a wide range of needs on the ground from media equipment to first aid kits. Donate here.

Committee to Protect Journalists: Provides emergency support grants to journalists in crisis and in need of relocation. Donate here.

International Center for Journalists (ICFJ)

• The Joyce Barnathan Emergency Fund for Journalists:  This initiative gives ICFJ resources to help our colleagues in distress stay free and safe as they continue their important work. Recipients will be ICFJ’s close partners who stand out for their excellent journalism. To learn more and to donate, click here. In the box where it says “This donation is being made in honor or support of,” please insert ‘Joyce Barnathan Emergency Fund – Ukraine.’
• ICFJ Reporting Fund for Ukraine:  The ICFJ links a global community of more than 10,000 journalists through our Pamela Howard Forum on Global Crisis Reporting to address crises around the world such as the unfolding tragedy of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. As ICFJ has done to help journalists and media respond to other urgent crises, we will use our Forum to provide direct support for reporting the truth of the Russian invasion, widely characterized as the greatest threat that the world’s democracies have faced since World War II. To donate, click here. At the bottom of the donation page, in the box indicated, please add the notation “ICFJ Ukraine” to ensure that your donation is credited properly. 

The Rory Peck Trust: Serving freelancers specifically, the Rory Peck Trust is providing grants to freelance journalists to procure helmets and flak jackets through their Crisis Fund. Apply for a grant here.

World Association of News Publishers (WAN-IFRA)

• Keep journalism alive – support free, independent media worldwide: Contributions will help us continue our work defending and promoting press freedom advocacy, journalist safety, diversity, quality journalism, media viability and independence wherever it is threatened. To learn more and to donate, click here.

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Horne stated, “The Russian government’s efforts to propagate lies and obscure the truth have been rejected by the international community:  governments, the private sector, and civil society have taken independent action in an unprecedented manner to reject efforts to sell Putin’s war as justified.”

According to the statement, the White House has imposed sanctions on individuals in Russia and the Ukraine found to be knowingly sowing doubt among the public through spreading disinformation about the war, and is providing assistance to increase digital safety for the media.

The Alliance applauds the White House, as well as U.S. businesses and organizations – including the news media – that are calling out the Russian government for attempting to mislead and divide its people through spreading disinformation and lies about their attacks in the Ukraine.

“The critical role of the press in communicating accurate and truthful information about Russia’s attacks on the Ukraine must be protected,” said Alliance President & CEO David Chavern. “News publishers are committed to reporting the facts and not allowing disinformation and government corruption to obscure the realities of Russia’s unthinkable and inhumane war. We must do whatever we can to support their continued brave efforts to report the truth, which is the best solution to combating disinformation and lies spreading online and on social media.”

The Alliance stands in solidarity with the people of Ukraine and supports the hard-working journalists reporting on the war – especially those on the ground in the Ukraine – who are risking their lives to deliver the news when we need it the most.

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Journalists Maria Ressa, CEO of Philippine digital media outlet Rappler, and Dmitry Muratov, founder and head of the independent Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta, have been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for their investigative journalism and ongoing battles to protect freedom of expression and the press in their home countries, the Philippines and Russia, respectively.

According to the Norwegian Nobel Committee announcement this morning, “Ms Ressa and Mr Muratov are receiving the Peace Prize for their courageous fight for freedom of expression in the Philippines and Russia. At the same time, they are representatives of all journalists who stand up for this ideal in a world in which democracy and freedom of the press face increasingly adverse conditions.”

Ressa has previously been arrested and imprisoned for reporting news exposing government corruption and violence in the Philippines. Muratov’s newspaper has endured threats and several of its journalists have been killed for their reporting on corruption and illegal acts by those in power in Russia.

News Media Alliance President & CEO, David Chavern, stated, “I can think of no two more deserving recipients of this year’s Nobel Peace Prize than Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov. We should all recognize and applaud the sacrifices that these journalists have made and the bravery they’ve shown while fighting to protect the freedom of expression and the press – our freedoms, which preserve our rights to know the truth and for journalists to report the news, expose corruption at the highest levels, and hold those in power accountable.”

The Committee further stated, “The Norwegian Nobel Committee is convinced that freedom of expression and freedom of information help to ensure an informed public. These rights are crucial prerequisites for democracy and protect against war and conflict. The award of the Nobel Peace Prize to Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov is intended to underscore the importance of protecting and defending these fundamental rights.”

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