International Journalism Week 2019

Our eighth annual International Journalism Week took place from 11 to 15 November 2019, with a fascinating programme of discussion about media research and practice from a global perspective, focusing on media freedom, journalism safety, propaganda and fact.

Off

International Journalism Week is for Global Journalism MA students and first-year BA students (taking Essential Journalism).

Programme

Explore the programme of speakers and subjects that happened throughout the week:

  • Introduction: Dr Emma Heywood and Professor Jackie Harrison, University of Sheffield plus a video from Gill Phillips, Director of Editorial Legal Services, The Guardian

  • True or False? Hands-on With Social Media Verification Tools: News Verification workshops with Diana Maynard and Kalina Bontcheva, University of Sheffield

  • Guarding the Guardians? The UN’s Evolving Approach to Protecting Journalists: Sejal Parmar, Central European University

  • Keeping Journalists Safe in a Dangerous World: a BBC Perspective: BBC High Risk

  • The Landscape of Protection: PEN International’s Work to Support Writers at Risk: Cathy McCann, PEN International

  • Case study workshops

  • Media Working Across Divides in the Most Fragile Settings: Sacha Meuter, Fondation Hirondelle

  • A Growing Climate of Fear: Global Attacks on Press Freedom'? Rebecca Vincent, Reporters Without Borders

  • Film screening: Under The Wire

  • Seen and Unseen Barriers to Media Freedom: Centre for Freedom of the Media expert panel featuring Maria Ordzhonikidze, Director of Justice for Journalists Foundation, Dr Sanae Fujita, Fellow at Essex University’s Human Rights Centre and consultant of David Kaye, UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Expression and Jon Silverman, Professor of Media and Criminal Justice at the University of Bedfordshire. Moderated by William Horsley.

  • Investigative Journalism: The Rules of The Game: Richard Danbury, City, University of London

  • Prime Minister Boris Johnson: Hero for Britain’s Dominant Pro-Brexit Press: Nicholas Jones, author and journalist


Presenters

Presenters at International Journalism Week 2019 included:

  • BBC High Risk team

  • Prof Kalina Bontcheva, University of Sheffield

  • Dr Richard Danbury, City, University of London

  • Dr Sanae Fujita, University of Essex

  • Prof Jackie Harrison, Centre for Freedom of the Media, University of Sheffield

  • William Horsley, Centre for Freedom of the Media

  • Nicholas Jones, Author and journalist

  • Dr Diana Maynard, University of Sheffield

  • Cathy McCann, PEN International

  • Sacha Meuter, Fondation Hirondelle

  • Maria Ordzhonikidze, Justice for Journalists Foundation

  • Sejal Parmar, Central European University

  • Gill Phillips, Guardian News & Media

  • Prof Jon Silverman, University of Bedfordshire

  • Rebecca Vincent, Reporters Without Borders


Student competitions

We ran two amazing student competitions for International Journalism Week: an individual and a group contest. Prizes included special visits to top UK media organisations, for an inside perspective on how the news is made.

Individual competition

Our individual contest invited students to reflect on the preparation needed for journalists to enter high-risk environments.

Many congratulations to the three winners:

  • Jake Loader wins a visit to BBC 5Live

  • Rahul Warrier wins a visit to the Press Association

  • Katie Wheatley wins a visit to the Guardian

Well done to all students who entered - the standard of work was superb!

Group Student Challenge

The students were asked to form a working group, focus on a case study, discover what high-risk reporting is like around the world, and learn about the organisations campaigning for the protection of journalists and journalism.

Congratulations to the winning teams!

First prize

  • Xinyi Song

  • Yuchen Wu

  • Jingwen Yang

  • Anran Huo

  • Wenjia Hua

  • Yuemin Tang

  • Yi Tang

  • Mengzhuo Zhao

  • Xiaonan Guo

Second prize

  • Xingrong Li

  • Runlan Xiong

  • Fangsheng Xu

  • Yiming He

  • Ziyan Wu

  • Xiaoyu Zhang

  • Yumeng Zhang

  • Min Huang

Third prize

  • Chi Zhang

  • Michelle Almeida

  • Victoria Agwu

  • Uditi Singh

  • Andrea Popa

  • Rahul Warrier

  • Tarun Murali

  • Paola Restuccia

  • Oliver Morgan

Thanks and well done to everyone who entered!

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