Media freedom conference in Bogotá

DW Akademie is cosponsoring an international conference on the challenges to independent media in Latin America, to take place this week in Bogotá, Colombia, under the auspices of the Office of the Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and UNESCO. Other sponsoring organizations include the National Television Authority of Colombia and CIMA. Earlier this year, CIMA and DW Akademie have been discussing the nexus between governance and free media with thought leaders in Washington and Bonn. The meeting in Bogotá will serve as an opportunity to discuss what the international community can do to better assist media development in the region.

The conference, “Medios libres e Independientes en sistemas mediáticos plurales y diversos” will aim to foster dialogue between civil society, government actors, the media, and academic experts about how these groups can work together to overcome the difficulties that countries in the region have faced in building free and independent media systems. Discussion will focus on standards of freedom of expression and regulation of broadcast medial; investigative reporting and accountability; indicators for sustainability of the media; the impact of the digital age on the media and journalism; regulatory standards and best practices to prevent and reduce media concentration; and the role of international cooperation in the development of independent media.

The conference program is available here (in Spanish).

The event takes place on November 18th and 19th in Bogotá. A live stream with selected conference panels can be followed here and here, beginning on November 18th at 8:30 a.m. local time (14:30 p.m. CET).