Worldwide, journalism is recognized as a profession that plays an important role in the society. Although the way we read our news has changed greatly over the years, what has not changed is the importance of having a free press and the right to have access to a neutral press that focuses on educating, informing and entertaining the community. It’s not an easy job and today, on September 1st, we dedicate a little time to celebrate our local press, on Press Day.
In Aruba, the celebration of Press Day is relatively young. According to our historical records, the first newspaper in Aruba was published in 1935. In 1948, the world press was recognized and celebrated for the first time, but this did not come without the hard work of some journalists. Undoubtedly, many would ask, what is the importance of the media? And the answer to that question is simple, a free press is a crucial way to gauge the health of a democratic society. But amidst the attacks on journalists and sensations like “fake news”, the work of the press, the “watch dog” of our society, is not taken as seriously as it once was.
Reflecting on the work and impact of the press on an international level, we share some facts about the situation of journalists around the world:
– Every year the number of journalists killed is getting higher. Since 1992, a total of 1,340 journalists have lost their lives either covering a topic in a dangerous area or due to murder.
– The number of journalists currently imprisoned is historically high. In recent years, we’ve seen more than 250 journalists imprisoned every year, and more than half of that number are incarcerations in Turkey, China, Egypt.
– Less than a quarter of the world is considered a good place for media. According to the World Press Freedom Index report by Reporters Without Borders (RWB), the state of journalism in more than three-quarters of the 180 countries surveyed is problematic, difficult or very serious. Only 24% of countries are rated good or very good by the media.
– Journalists face fear and threats on a scale never seen before. According to the RWB, countries where media can carry out their work safely, without fear and without violence are becoming less and less necessary.
– Scandinavia is the country with the freest press.
– Some changes have begun to take place. More than 100 steps have been taken to adopt freedom of information laws, giving the public access to the knowledge that government and political bodies have.
As with other major countries, in Aruba we also had pioneers in the journalism profession, such as Jos van der Schoot, Toko Winklaar, Anthony Carlo and Djiespi Franken. Over the years the roads have changed a lot, but the essence of our local press has always remained authentic to our Aruba community. Therefore, on a day like today, we celebrate the freedom of the press of Aruba to carry out its work without danger, and extraordinary challenges. We applaud the time that journalists devote to researching, producing, and reporting reliable news. Thanks to our local press, we can count on a well-informed community, and this supports good governance.
Happy press day!
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