The Commercial Value of Press Freedom
The shock of the terrorist attacks on Charlie Hebdo in January was felt in every news room around the world; press freedom was brought into focus for publishers from Paris to Phnom Penh. While much of the Western media came out in a show of solidarity for the French satirical magazine and its right to offend, in countries such as China, publishers warned of the consequences of pushing the boundaries of provocation. The Economist’s printers in Singapore left a page in the magazine blank, because they refused to re-publish one of the offending Charlie Hebdo cartoons that lampooned Islam.
Asian countries, with the exception of Japan and Korea, rank poorly in the Reporters without Borders press freedom index, while recent events in Hong Kong – which has Asia’s third freest press – are likely to see the territory plummet in the rankings this year. But does having a relatively unfree press matter to publishers commercially? Does pushing the boundaries of free speech help or hinder their businesses?
The panel will tackle the question of whether freedom of the press is – or should be – a serious consideration for publishers and their advertisers in Asia, and how their views are likely to change in light of local and international events.
Panelists
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Moderator
Robin Hicks
Editor
Mumbrella Asia
Date: Wednesday, March 25, 2015
Time: 8:00am-10:00am
8:00- 8:30 for networking, registration and coffee/tea and pastries will be available.
Program to begin promptly at 8:30am.
Please allow additional time for photo ID security check in at the lobby of the Cheung Kong building.
Venue: Bloomberg Auditorium, 27/F, Cheung Kong Centre, 2 Queen’s Road, Central, HK
Fee: SOPA Members @ HK$250, Non Members @ HK$290
For enquiry, please call SOPA Secretariat at (852) 3589-9778 or email to [email protected]
Limited seats available for this event.
Bookings will only be confirmed with payment on a first-come-first served basis.
NO CANCELLATIONS / NO REFUNDS