Women in radio and television around the globe have been urged to celebrate this year's World Press Freedom Day by combining honesty with compassion.
"Neither is sufficient on its own," says Olya Booyar, President of the International Association of Women in Radio and Television (IAWRT). "Without honesty people will receive lies and half-truths, without compassion even the truth can kill."
Her call to women broadcasters, journalists and program makers around the world follows UNESCO's decision to theme this year's World Press Freedom Day around the role of media in intercultural dialogue.
Critics have said that in the wake of controversies such as the Danish cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed in 2005, UNESCO wants dissent silenced where it might give offence to different cultures and religions, but Ms Booyar says this view is simplistic and wrong.
"As journalists, we should be fearless in telling the truth, even when it causes distress," she said. "But we must be compassionate in understanding when people are hurt and we must work to explain controversial issues properly to all sides."
Ms Booyar says she is proud of the work of her members, spread across more than 50 countries.
"Many of them work in dangerous or oppressive situations but still manage to tell important stories with truth and care," she says.
"With journalists and program makers under attack in so many places and media freedoms being curtailed in both advanced and developing nations, it is more important than ever that citizens understand their media and support practitioners when they work honestly and fairly."
World Press Freedom Day is celebrated over 2-3 May this year.
For more information contact Olya Booyar, at olyabooyar@hotmail.com
President:Olya Booyar ,Australia olyabooyar@hotmail.com Vice President: Bandana Rana, Nepal bandanarana@gmail.comTreasurer: Elizabeth C Roxas, Philippines, ebc@ebc.org.ph Secretary & Information; Gunilla Ivarsson, Sweden igmivarsson@hotmail.com Board Members: Madeleine Memb, Cameroon, membmadeleine@yahoo.fr , Racheal Nakitare, Kenya, Liz Miller, Canada. Co-opted:Kirsten Bråthen, Norway kirsten.brathen@nrk.no Awards Coordinator Gerd Inger Polden, Norway gerd.inger.polden@nrk.no
Web-address: http://www.iawrt.org/
IAWRT HAS CONSULTATIVE STATUS WITH ECOSOC (UN Economic and Social Council)
