Webinar on freedom of information and journalism
How can journalists use their right to information while covering their stories? Why does Freedom of information matter for journalists? Together with our Turkish partner P24, we are hosting a webinar on 5 December. Join us!
P24 and FragDenStaat are co-hosting a webinar on Freedom of Information and Journalism on Saturday 5 December 15:00 CET. The webinar looks to address why freedom of information matters for journalist and how journalists can use their rights to information while covering their stories.
In an era of increasing information pollution and fake news, reporting based on information directly obtained by official institutions through freedom of information applications is becoming an even more relevant tool for journalists. Freedom of information laws offer a legal playground for journalists to straighten the facts and bring greater accountability to public institutions.
In Turkey, the law number 4982 which went into effect in 2004 enables citizens to ask public institutions to provide information on any given matter, paving the ground for FOI-based journalism. But this particular kind of journalism also brings specific challenges: It usually requires a slower, methodical and matter-of-fact reporting. Journalists can't always assume that the information they demand will be served up on a plate, especially when those dealing with national security issues. Often the methodology and even the culture of journalism have to change and media outlets are reluctant to engage their staff in such lengthy and uncertain travails. Why should the practice of journalism in a country like Turkey where the feverish news agenda shifts rapidly change when there is a huge time pressure on the shoulders of journalists? Is FOI-based journalism worth the time and effort? Does FOI-based journalism have an impact and can it get more public attention? Does insistingly demanding institutions to comply with their freedom of information obligations increase their accountability?
The speakers of our panel will discuss their experiences when they resorted to freedom of information applications in their reporting and challenges they faced:
Elif İnce (journalist)
Rengin Arslan (journalist)
Arne Semsrott (FragDenStaat)
Luisa Izuzquiza (Corporate Europe Observatory)
The event will be held in English and Turkish, simultaneous interpretation will be provided in both languages.
To attend the webinar, please register at: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_LY6ep7pJQHqvRdO6DhpiIg
