East-West Center's International Media Conference - Challenges of a Free Press

Close to 400 journalists from 31 countries will gather in Yangon, Myanmar March 10-12 to discuss “Challenges of a Free Press” in Asia, the Pacific and the U.S.
 
The conference proceedings will be covered online at a special website,EastWestCenter.org/IMC 2014. Visit the site to see news reports and video of keynote addresses, session summaries, social media coverage, and more.
 
Twitter users can follow the conference – and join in the conversation – through the hashtag #EastWestMedia.
 
Coverage will also include a special pre-conference address on March 9 by Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.

Newly added speakers include Nay Phone Latt, a Myanmar blogger and political dissident imprisoned for his writing and winner of the 2010 PEN/Barbara Goldsmith Freedom to Write Award.  New programs include Regulating Hate Speech: How Not To Do It.

Other featured speakers and panelists in the conference include (in alphabetical order):

• Zaffar Abbas, Editor-in-Chief, Dawn, Karachi, Pakistan
• Bianca Bosker, Executive Tech Editor, Huffington Post, New York City, New York USA
• Umar Cheema, Special Correspondent, The News International; 2011 Committee to Protect Journalists International Press Freedom Award
• Kavi Chongkittavorn, Chairman, Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA), Bangkok, Thailand
• Melinda De Jesus, Executive Director, Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility, Manila, Philippines
• Steven Gan, Editor-in-Chief, Malaysiakini independent online news, 2000 Committee to Protect Journalists International Press Freedom Award, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
• Pana Janviroj, Publisher, The Nation, Bangkok, Thailand
• U Ko Ko, Chairman, Yangon Media Group, Limited, Yangon, Myanmar
• Jake Lynch, Director of the Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies, University of Sydney, Australia
• Nai Kasauh Mon, Chief Editor, Independent Mon News Agency, Mudon Town, Mon State, Myanmar
• Ni Siyi, Deputy Director, Editor-in-Chief’s Office, Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, China
• Alan Pearce, Journalist and Author on Cyberspying and Counter-Intelligence
• Dr. Surin Pitsuwan, Past Secretary-General, ASEAN, Bangkok, Thailand
• Roxana Saberi, Al Jazeera Reporter in New York City, USA
• U Soe Myint, Founder, Editor-in-Chief, Mizzima; Yangon, Myanmar
• Dr. Thant Myint-U, Chairman, Yangon Heritage Trust; Special Advisor to Myanmar Peace Centre
• U Thiha Saw, Chief Editor, Myanma Freedom, Yangon, Myanmar
• Aidan White, Director, Ethical Journalism Network; London
• U Win Tin, a Founder of National League for Democracy (NLD); Journalist who spent 18 years in prison, Yangon, Myanmar
• U Ye Htut, Presidential Spokesman and Union of Myanmar Deputy Minister of Information
• Jillian York, Director for International Freedom of Expression, Electronic Frontier Foundation; San Francisco, California, USA
• Ethan Zuckerman, Director, Center for Civic Media, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT); USA

Featured topics include:
 
Media Issues

• Courage in Journalism: Stories of Bravery and Determination
• Peace-building and Media: Reporting Conflict
• Civic Media’s Challenges and Opportunities
• Internet Freedom: Censorship, Cyberspying and Other Challenges
• Sustainable Media Business Models: Thriving in the Digital Age
• Ethical Challenges for Journalism in the Digital Age
• Newest Media Tools, Trends and Tactics, including Drone Journalism
• Meeting Journalism Challenges in Developing Nations and Emerging Democracies
• Investigative Journalism Goes Abroad

 
Myanmar and Regional Issues

• Covering Myanmar and China: Story Trends and Tips
• Myanmar Media Reforms in a Regional Perspective
• Ethnic Media and Myanmar’s Peace Process
• Covering ASEAN: Issues to Watch in 2014
• Ethno-Religious Strife in Southeast Asia: Media Part of the Problem or Solution?
• Future of Freedom of Information Laws in Southeast Asia
• Great-Power Relations: US, Chinese and Southeast Asian Perspectives

Conference Sponsors:
 
Co-hosts: Konrad Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS)
 
Sponsors: Pacific Century Institute, Open Society Foundations, TODAY Ogilvy & Mather, Mangosteen Public Relations, RedLink Communications, The Asia Foundation, The University of Hong Kong’s Journalism and Media Studies Centre, Missouri School of Journalism, Dart Centre Asia Pacific, Southeast Asia GLOBE
 
Conference Supporters include:
247printingasia.com; All-China Journalists Association; Charltons Law and Investment;Gender Equality Network (GEN); Global Investigative Journalism Network; Grace Swe Zin Htaik; K. Joe Shein, Golden Rock Group of Companies; Korea Press Foundation; Loi Hein Company; Myanmar Brewery Limited; Revlon; Shih Hsin University; Singapore International Foundation; Unilever; United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO); United States Embassies in Iraq, Burma and Pakistan
 
Official Business Paper: The Wall Street Journal Asia