A Deutsche Welle (DW) representative yesterday called for cooperation among news outlets to counter the growing propaganda and censorship challenges posed by authoritarian regimes.
In a keynote speech at a forum in Taipei, Christoph Jumpelt, head of international relations at the German public broadcaster, called for cooperation among all news organizations that uphold democratic values, as independent journalism is under growing pressure worldwide.
“More countries are lacking free media, and journalism is being criminalized by [authoritarian] regimes who fear being held accountable,” Jumpelt said at the forum hosted by the Central News Agency as part of its centennial celebrations.
Photo: CNA
The dangers of such censorship were apparent during the COVID-19 pandemic, when people faced harassment and mistreatment by authorities for challenging government narratives and warning the public of the health crisis, he said.
It is imperative to “restore fact-based reporting by independent media organizations and sustain the ability to reach all audiences around the world with reliable information,” he said.
Authoritarian governments have not only targeted independent media in their own countries, but have also sought to influence public opinion beyond their national borders, through increasingly more sophisticated propaganda, Jumpelt said.
That type of global outreach by countries such as China and Russia has expanded the “threat to free speech, objective information and democratic values” to “a new dimension,” he said.
As Taiwan continues to be targeted by Beijing through the media, the free press in Taiwan must work to keep its audience abreast of China’s intentions and “intimidating” mind games, he said.
“What [authoritarian] regimes have in common is their fear of a well-informed public,” he said. “This goes to show the power behind free media.”
Media outlets in democratic societies should not have to fight that battle alone, Jumpelt said, adding that they should join forces to counter propaganda and censorship, and improve access to objective information.
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