In this discussion, panelists Alessandra Galloni (Editor-in-Chief, Reuters), Jodie Ginsberg (CEO, Committee to Protect Journalists), Zanny Minton Beddoes (Editor-in-Chief, The Economist), Maria Ressa (CEO, Rappler and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate) and Amal Clooney (Visiting Professor of Practice in International Law, Blavatnik School of Government) will discuss how “lawfare” is affecting their newsrooms and their work as journalists.

Journalists around the world are being imprisoned at record rates– with many serving long prison terms for crimes like criminal defamation, spreading “fake news” or violating national security laws. Panelists will share experiences of how legal threats and assaults have impacted their ability to report freely and maintain editorial independence. They will then discuss how the law can be leveraged to defend journalists’ rights and protect press freedom around the world.
 
Panelists include:

• Alessandra Galloni is Editor-in-Chief of Reuters, the first woman to lead the news agency in its 170-year history. She first joined Reuters in 1996 and left for the Wall Street Journal, where she worked for 13 years as a reporter and editor in London, Paris and Rome. In 2013 she rejoined Reuters first as editor of the Southern Europe bureau, then as global managing editor, overseeing news planning. In April 2021 she was named editor-in-chief.
• Jodie Ginsberg is Chief Executive Officer of the Committee to Protect Journalists. A journalist by profession, Ginsberg joined CPJ in 2022 from Internews Europe, where she was chief executive officer. Ginsberg began her career as a graduate trainee with Reuters news agency and worked as a commodities reporter in London before taking up a posting as a foreign correspondent in Johannesburg, South Africa. She subsequently worked as Reuters’ chief correspondent in Ireland, and then bureau chief for the U.K. and Ireland. In 2014, Ginsberg was appointed chief executive of London-based freedom of expression group Index on Censorship, which she led until 2020. An internationally respected campaigner on issues of media freedom and freedom of expression, Ginsberg is a regular speaker on journalist safety and issues involving access to information. 
• Zanny Minton Beddoes is Editor-in-Chief of The Economist. She is a renowned global economics expert, sought-after for her authoritative perspectives on the world economy. She previously worked at the IMF, and as an adviser to the Minister of Finance in Poland. She actively supports The Economist Educational Foundation, which teaches children around the world to think critically about the news—and encourages them to “disagree agreeably”.
• Maria Ressa co-founded Rappler, the top digital-only news site that is leading the fight for press freedom in the Philippines. Rappler’s battle for truth and democracy is the subject of the 2020 Sundance Film Festival documentary, A Thousand Cuts. In October 2021, Maria was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in recognition of her “efforts to safeguard freedom of expression, which is a precondition for democracy and lasting peace.” She is a Professor of Practice at Columbia University and co-leads its Technology Initiative.
• Amal Clooney, Visiting Professor of Practice in International Law, Blavatnik School of Government.

This event will be followed by a drinks reception. 

Please note that this event is for University of Oxford members only and you will be asked to show your University ID. Please use your University email address to register.