Friday, February 10, 2012

Experts Discuss New Media & Press Freedom

April 30, 2008

"Securing and Expanding Press Freedom Through New Media" was the topic du jour at a morning briefing on Wednesday hosted by the National Endowment for Democracy. The event preceded World Press Freedom Day, which is observed annually on May 3. This year's theme is "Freedom of Expression, Access, and Empowerment."

Participants included Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif.; John Palfrey, executive director of the Berkman Center on Internet and Society at Harvard Law School; Shanthi Kalathil, a consultant at the World Bank's Communication for Governance and Accountability Program; Aboubakr Jamai, a fellow at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government; and Xiao Qiang of the China Internet Project at the University of California, Berkeley.

By engaging in the new information society, "netizens" are contributing to the free flow of information and participating in the democratic process, which is a vital prerequisite to an open society, the foundation said in a description of the event posted on its Web site. The group pointed out that authoritarian governments are increasing efforts censor content and citizens’ access to information while investing in greater surveillance efforts.

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Juliana Gruenwald

Tech Writer

E-Mail: jgruenwald@nationaljournal.com.


Juliana Gruenwald has been covering tech and telecom issues for more than a decade for National Journal, Interactive Week, BNA and Congressional Quarterly. This is her second stint with National Journal. She was recruited by NJ in 1998 to help launch its first tech policy publication, Technology Daily. She left in 2000 to cover international tech and telecom issues for Ziff Davis Media's Interactive Week magazine. She started her career at United Press International as the wire service's first Helen Thomas Intern. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Minnesota. A Minneapolis native, she misses the lakes but not the cold.


Josh Smith

Tech Reporter

E-Mail: joshsmith@nationaljournal.com.


Josh Smith covers technology policy as a staff reporter for National Journal. He previously interned at National Journal Daily, a Senate press office, and the Deseret News in Salt Lake City where he covered the state legislature, courts, and crime. In 2009 he graduated with honors from Southern Utah University after managing an award-winning student newspaper as editor-in-chief. Josh has received state, regional and national awards for his political and policy reporting, including first place in CapitolBeat’s 2009 Best of Statehouse Reporting college competition. A native of drop-dead-gorgeous Utah, Josh lives in Virginia with his wife, Amber.