Speaker 2: Thomas Loudon — The Protection of Journalism
Journalist and filmmaker Thomas Loudon stressed the importance of journalistic ethics and independence. He drew a distinction between the media as an infrastructure that distributes content and journalism as a democratic pillar that supports the rule of law. Loudon highlighted the rise of alternative media that ignore journalistic norms and spread disinformation.
Journalism is often seen as a nuisance by those in power because it forces them to be transparent and accountable. Autocratic leaders therefore often try to stifle journalism. It calls on governments and politicians to play an active role in protecting independent journalism by holding media platforms accountable and supporting quality journalism.
Loudon points out that good journalism adheres to ethical principles, as set out in the Code of Bordeaux (1954) and the Global Charter of Ethics for Journalists (2019). These standards stand for:
1. Adversarial; 2. Protect sources; 3. Reporting based on facts; 4. Respect privacy; 5. Avoid conflicts of interest; 6. Do not promote hate speech or discrimination.
Loudon calls for these ethical principles to be revisited from time to time, rather than being reinvented over and over again.
A worrying trend is the growth of alternative media, which present themselves as independent but often ignore journalistic standards. By making the most of modern media infrastructures, they can have a major impact on public debate. The consequences are serious:
- Facts are becoming less important in political decision-making.
- Feelings and emotions take precedence over objective reporting.
- The term 'mainstream media' is used to discredit traditional journalism, while alternative media present themselves as the only true truth.
Loudon emphasised that governments and politicians have a crucial role to play in protecting journalism. He makes four recommendations:
- Recognise the importance of journalism: Democratic parties such as the VVD should explicitly defend journalistic freedom, both nationally and internationally, and include this in their election programmes.
- Improve the media ecosystem: Journalistic content must be distinguished from other forms of media use so that citizens can recognise reliable information.
- Embrace international regulations: The recommendations of the EU High-Level Expert Group on Fake News (2018) must be implemented to combat disinformation.
- Hold platforms accountable: Major social media companies such as Facebook and Twitter should be held accountable for spreading misinformation and misleading content.
Loudon ends with the words of the poet Lucebert: "Everything of value is defenceless". This is also true of journalism: it is both vulnerable and powerful. That's why it needs a conscious commitment and active protection from society and politics.
Speaker 3: Aniek Moonen — Journalism in Transition
Former Chairman of the Young Climate Movement Aniek Moonen discussed journalism from a transitional perspective. She compared the current media shift to cathedral construction: a process in which you work on something that will only be completed generations later. According to Moonen, the media landscape must be constantly adapted to remain relevant and reliable.
She identified three major challenges: the rise of artificial intelligence (1), the dominance of social media platforms (2) and the change in news consumption among young people (3).
These developments are forcing us to rethink: optimising the existing system will only provide temporary solutions, while deep structural changes are needed to make journalism fit for the future.
Moonen teaches three lessons from the theory of journalistic transition:
- Zoom in on the core of the system: Rather than tearing down the entire media system, retain, modify or phase out specific parts.
- Individual choices affect systems: The media landscape is not an established fact, but a collection of choices made by journalists, policy makers and consumers.
- Innovation rarely comes from within: Large media parties such as DPG Media and Mediahuis have an interest in the status quo and will not easily make changes in the public interest on their own. Innovation often comes from smaller, independent initiatives. Give these parties the (financial) space.
- Think about governance and decision-making: Not only the content of journalism, but also the way in which media decision-making is organised deserves attention. The influence of media tycoons needs to be reduced in favour of more democratic structures.
An important focus is how young people consume information. Many of them only get news through social media, where the line between fact and fiction is increasingly blurred. Solutions need to be found:
- Digital literacy: Young people should be trained to recognise reliable sources and to distinguish disinformation.
- Active presence of journalism on social media: Rather than opposing these platforms, journalism must adapt to new ways of consuming news.
- Encouraging government action: Regional and local journalism can receive support to become more visible online.
"Journalism and the media are in transition. This offers opportunities for a stronger and more inclusive information system. Only by working together and being truly open to innovation can journalism maintain and strengthen its role in democratic society."
