Global effort to defend journalism needs a reset – here’s how to do better 以全球之力捍衛新聞業之良策
朱弘川｜特約記者編譯
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英國東安格里亞大學（University of East Anglia）媒體與國際發展系資深講師Martin Scott與倫敦大學城市學院 （City, University of London）新聞系主任Mel Bunce在非營利媒體平台《The Conversation》聯合撰文，以Global effort to defend journalism needs a reset – here’s how to do better為題，針砭全球新聞產業面臨的困境。
《卓越新聞電子報》取得兩位作者首肯，全文翻譯此文。原文採用創用CC授權（CC BY-ND 4.0），在不更動、改作原文前提下，於每段原文下方附上中文翻譯。
Global effort to defend journalism needs a reset – here’s how to do better 以全球之力捍衛新聞業之良策
Authors: Martin Scott, University of East Anglia and Mel Bunce, City, University of London
Media freedom is increasingly under threat around the world from a combination of economic and political factors. For some years now, digital technology has undermined the business model that has traditionally sustained journalism. That – and an increasing concentration of media ownership in many countries – means there are less jobs and less outlets available for journalists to work in.
世界各地的媒體自由越來越受到經濟和政治因素的威脅。多年來，數位科技的發展已侵蝕過往新聞業的商業模式，在多重因素影響下，許多國家媒體所有權的日益集中，意味著記者的出路也越來越少。
Then there is the very real danger in which many journalists are forced to work. In December 2021, a record 488 journalists and media workers were in prison globally. And 46 journalists were killed while doing their jobs in 2021 – nearly one a week. Although this represents a 20-year low, it highlights the continuing challenge facing media freedom.
隨之而來的，記者的工作環境也變得更危險。光是在2021年12月，全球有創紀錄的488名記者和媒體工作者入獄；而2021年共有46名記者在工作時遇害，平均一週一人，雖然這數目是20年來新低，但突顯了媒體自由所面臨的挑戰。
This week, 50 foreign ministers are meeting at the third Global Media Freedom Conference in Estonia to renew and strengthen their commitments to advocating for media freedom. These 50 states comprise the Media Freedom Coalition (MFC) – an intergovernmental partnership established in 2019 by the UK and Canada.
本周，共50位國家外交官員齊聚在愛沙尼亞召開第三屆全球媒體自由會議（ Global Media Freedom Conference），重申他們支持媒體自由的承諾。這50國組成的媒體自由聯盟（MFC），為英國和加拿大於2019年建立的跨政府夥伴關係。（編按：第三屆全球媒體自由會議於2022年2月9日至2月10日，在愛沙尼亞首都塔林舉行。）
Alliance: the 50 states that make up the Media Freedom Coalition.
Media Freedom Coalition
媒體自由聯盟由50個國家組成。媒體自由聯盟提供
But what impact, if any, is the coalition having on the physical, legal, and economic threats that journalists face? Our two-year evaluation of the Media Freedom Coalition – published this week – shows that the MFC still has a long way to go before it can claim to be helping to reverse the global decline in media freedom.
但是，MFC對記者所面臨的身體上、法律和經濟威脅有什麼實質助力？從我們本周發表對MFC兩年期評估報告顯示，該聯盟對於當初扭轉全球媒體自由下滑趨勢的承諾，仍有很長的路要走。
Naming and shaming 淪為口號式的宣傳
The Media Freedom Coalition has so far published 24 joint statements publicly condemning those who violate media freedom, such as the authorities in Belarus, China, Egypt, Myanmar, the Philippines, Russia, Uganda and Yemen.
MFC迄今已發表24份聯合聲明，公開譴責白俄羅斯、中國、埃及、緬甸、菲律賓、俄羅斯、烏干達和葉門等國違反媒體自由的行為。
For example, the coalition recently published a statement expressing “deep concern at the Hong Kong and mainland Chinese authorities’ attacks on freedom of the press and their suppression of independent local media in Hong Kong”. These statements are designed to impose a ‘diplomatic price’ on those who violate media freedom by publicly condemning and stigmatising their actions.
例如，聯盟近期的聲明表達對「香港和中國當局攻擊新聞自由和壓制香港獨立媒體的深切關注」，企圖透過公開譴責的方式，讓那些侵犯媒體自由的政權付出「外交代價」。
But these public statements have often been very poorly publicised. Until very recently, the coalition did not even have its own dedicated website or social media accounts. As one media freedom activist told us, “a statement that nobody sees has no impact”.
但這些公開聲明宣傳效果奇差。直到最近，MFC甚至還沒有專屬的網站或社群媒體帳號。正如某位媒體自由倡議者告訴我們：「沒人看到的聲明就沒有影響力。」
Joint statements relating to abuses of media freedom in specific countries were signed, on average, by just 57% of member countries. Some members have been particularly quiet.
平均而言，僅有57%的成員國簽署了與特定國家濫用媒體自由有關的聯合聲明，更別提某些成員國還默不吭聲。
Spain (27%) and Belize (27%) are the worst offenders, having both signed fewer joint statements than even Afghanistan (31%) – which surprisingly has not been publicly suspended or expelled from the coalition, despite what Reporters Without Borders (RSF) describes as an “extremely fraught” environment for journalists in Afghanistan, since the Taliban takeover.
西班牙（27%）和貝里斯（27%）兩國是媒體自由度最差的國家，但簽署的聯合聲明數量，甚至不及阿富汗（31%）。值得一提的是，自塔利班接管政權以來，無國界記者組織（RSF）評比阿富汗記者處於「極其緊張」的狀態，但該國仍沒被聯盟停權或取消會員資格。
In fact, the coalition has not yet published any public statements condemning abuses of media freedom by some of its own members – despite clear violations of media freedom in countries such as Afghanistan, Croatia, Slovenia, Sudan and the US. In Sudan, one media worker recently told us:
There is no such thing as media freedom in Sudan right now. Sudan is not safe for journalists anymore. Why is the Media Freedom Coalition not talking about this?
事實上，儘管阿富汗、克羅埃西亞、斯洛維尼亞、蘇丹和美國等國發生侵犯媒體自由情事，但聯盟尚未發表任何公開聲明譴責成員國的行為。蘇丹一位媒體工作者告訴我們：
「蘇丹現在沒有媒體自由這樣的東西，這裡對記者來說已不再安全，為什麼聯盟不談論這個？」
Many coalition members are also failing to lead by example. According to RSF’s World Press Freedom Index, three times as many MFC states went down in the rankings in 2021, than improved their positions. This suggests that media freedom is in decline even within some states that support it.
許多聯盟成員國也未能以身作則。根據RSF的世界媒體自由指數，MFC成員國在2021年排名下降的總數是排名上升的三倍。這說明即使在一些支持媒體自由的國家，媒體自由度也在下降。
The amounts of funding allocated to supporting media freedom under the coalition have been relatively very small. Only 28% of MFC members have made a financial contribution to the UNESCO-administered Global Media Defence Fund which aims to bolster journalists’ legal protection and support investigative journalism.
而且，MFC成員國對支持媒體自由的捐贈也相對較少，只有28%的成員國向聯合國教科文組織（UNESCO）所管理的全球媒體防禦基金捐款。該基金旨在加強記者的法律協助並支持調查性新聞工作。
Overall, the report’s lead author, Dr Mary Myers argues that, “Partly because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the actions of the MFC have not been as rapid, bold or visible as was initially promised.”
總體而言，該報告的主要作者Mary Myers認為，MFC的行動沒有像最初承諾的那樣迅速、大膽或明顯，部分原因是新冠疫情所導致。
How to defend media freedom – better 如何更實際有效捍衛媒體自由
But despite these limitations, there is reason for optimism. The coalition has recognised many of these issues itself. It has a new secretariat, executive group members and online presence.
儘管受制這些因素，我們還是有理由保持樂觀。MFC本身已意識到其中的許多問題，近期不僅成立一個新的秘書處、還編制了決策小組以及建立對外聯絡管道。
The coalition also has some early successes it can build on. Several states have made positive improvements domestically, as a direct result of joining the MFC. For instance, in July 2020, Sierra Leone repealed its criminal libel law, removing the threat of imprisonment to suppress journalism.
MFC還能在過往基礎上看到不錯成效。作為加入聯盟的益處，一些成員國已在國內有了不錯的進展。例如西非的獅子山共和國，在2020年7月廢除了誹謗法刑事罰則，免除了新聞記者可能面臨的監禁下場。
In our report, we identify concrete ways the MFC can continue to improve its efforts to defend media freedom. These include implementing a proactive communications strategy, improving the volume, visibility and support for its public statements and strengthening the minimum requirement for membership to include contributing to the UNESCO Global Media Defence Fund.
根據我們的報告，我們提供MFC改進其捍衛媒體自由的具體作法，其中包括積極主動的傳播策略，提高公開聲明的數量、能見度和支持度，及加強對成員的最低要求，包括對UNESCO全球媒體防禦基金捐款。
Perhaps most importantly, the coalition should explain when and how it will be implementing the “toolkit” of concrete measures designed by its independent advisory body, the High-Level Panel of Legal Experts on Media Freedom. These include practical suggestions such as strengthening consular support to journalists at risk, and providing emergency entry visas for journalists needing to flee oppressive countries.
也許最重要的是，聯盟應該解釋其「媒體自由法律諮詢小組」（The High Level Panel of Legal Experts on Media Freedom）未來有何實際可行的建議和作為，例如對面臨危險記者提供外交協助，並為需要逃離壓迫國家的記者提供緊急入境簽證。
The former deputy chair of the panel, Amal Clooney, recently urged coalition members to adopt such measures, saying: “It is time for states that claim they defend democracy to start acting like it.”
該小組的前副主席Amal Clooney最近呼籲聯盟成員國採取類似措施，他說：「現在是聲稱捍衛民主的國家採取實際行動的時候了。」
We couldn’t agree more.
我們完全同意。
Martin Scott, Senior Lecturer in Media and International Development, University of East Anglia and Mel Bunce, Head of the Journalism Department, City, University of London
This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
