NEWS published on 12 Oct 2015

10th News Assembly to focus on reporting refugee crisis, science and post-Snowden challenges

The refugee/migrant crisis, improving the reporting of science stories and the future of journalism in a post-Snowden world are all on the agenda at the 10th News Assembly in Berlin on 26 – 27 October.

The Assembly, at the Berlin Congress Centre, will open with a Keynote speech from Twitter’s former Head of News Vivian Schiller who will discuss the seismic challenges and opportunities facing the news organisations today.

A panel discussion on journalism in the post-Snowden era, will hear from former M15 intelligence officer Annie Machon and Der Spiegel journalist Marcel Rosenbach who has co-authored books on Wikileaks and the NSA. Evan Light, the founder of the portable Snowden archives, and Dr. Vian Bakir author and guest editor of International Journal of Press/Politics will also be on the panel. They’ll discuss how Wikileaks has changed the way journalism is practised and the way journalists communicate with and protect their sources.  The debate will also focus on the changed relationship of journalists with the authorities and the risk posed to freedom of the press.

“There are all sorts of people who pose a threat to the Press and to our sources- criminal organisations, corporations, political parties, armed factions, the mega-wealthy, and law firms and the private investigators that they  hire,"  says panel moderator Alan Pearce author  of ‘Deep Web for Journalists:  Comms, Counter- Surveillance, Search’. "Most corporations have their own intelligence units. They want to know what their competitors are up to. They want to know who is asking awkward questions about them and who is leaking secrets. And they will be very happy to read your next story about them before you even publish it."

Professor Hans Rosling, from Gapminder a non-profit venture promoting sustainable global development, will put the refugee crisis into global perspective. His address will be followed by discussion with panellists including Melissa Fleming, spokesperson for the UNHCR, and from EBU Members ZDF news anchor Christian Sievers and ORF foreign correspondent Ernst Gelegs.

Astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti from the European Space Agency will address the issue of how to make the reporting of science more engaging.  Among other highlights is an address by award-winning writer, broadcaster and TED-speaker, Carl Honoré on ‘The Slow Revolution: Putting the Brakes on Work, Life and the News’, and Michael Maness, Innovator-in-Residence at Harvard Business School discussing why legacy media organisations fail to change even in the face of a large disruption.

Assembly delegates will also be presented with the new Eurovision News Strategy. As the media landscape across the world undergoes fundamental change, with both challenges and opportunities, this strategic review of the news unit seeks to pinpoint the main trends and create a roadmap for the next two to three years.   The aim is to be able to adapt to these trends and agilely meet future challenges and opportunities.

The News Assembly will also elect a new News Committee for a two-year mandate (2015-2017).

For more information, and to see the full agenda for the two-day event, click here.

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