Media freedom and public perception
Day of Action highlights jailed Al Jazeera journalists.
A global day of action is drawing attention to the dangers faced by journalists.
Dozens are killed and imprisoned each year, simply for doing their jobs and reporting on stories some States do not want the public to see.
Events have been taking place around the world promoting the message: ‘Journalism is not a Crime’.
Al Jazeera journalists Mohamed Fahmy, Baher Mohamed and Peter Greste have now spent more than two months in prison.
Another Al Jazeera journalist, Abdullah El Shamy from the network’s Arabic channel, has been held since August.
Egypt is among the worst countries for jailing journalists, according to Reporters Without Borders.
It is also considered the third most dangerous country for journalists to operate in, behind Iraq and Syria.
In all 75 journalists were killed worldwide in 2013, and 211 jailed.
But what is the public’s perception of journalists, and what support do they have?
Presenter: Folly Bah Thibault
Guests: Ernest Sagaga – human rights and communications officer for the International Federation of Journalists
Tom Fenton – former senior correspondent for CBS News
Nicholas Tsagourias – co-director of the Centre for Freedom of the Media at Sheffield University