Media Freedom Project

December 14^th, 2023

Independent, watchdog journalism has always been under threat. Such threats to media freedom can come from political, economic, and societal forces. They can also be caused by legislation. In recent years, the reported increase in legal attacks against journalists, the tightening of political control over news media in authoritarian countries, and the rising political hostility towards journalists in many parts of the world have sent a worrying signal for media freedom. With the surge of populist politics, the persistent long-term financial challenges in news media, and the potential negative influence of digital technologies, media freedom is precarious in many countries. Against this background, we are inviting academics and experts to explore threats to media freedom.

Topics include, but are not limited to:

• Legal threats to media freedom
• Media control and digital technologies
• Media ownership and independent journalism
• Political authorities and media freedom
• Freedom of Information Act (FOI) and journalism
• Freedom to access data
• Media freedom and press ethics
• Media freedom and social media
• Media freedom and political systems and cultures
• The public, audiences and media freedom.

Please send abstracts of up to 200 words, and a bio of up to 100 words, to Dr Jingrong Tong (j.tong@sheffield.ac.uk) by October 20th, 2023. Successful applicants will be notified by October 31^st, 2023. There is a possibility to develop a selection of papers presented at the symposium into an edited book. Symposium attendance and participation will be free.