Biden’s Democracy Summit: US announces new initiatives to protect media, journalists

Before the first day of the Summit for Democracy, US President Joe Biden's administration revealed a new initiative to protect media especially, independent journalists, ANI reported citing Radio Free Asia. According to the media reports, the announcement was made after holding rounds of discussions with other senior leaders. The report said the United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who had also attended the discussion has appreciated the extraordinary work of the media organisations during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Radio Free Asia, a United States government-funded private non-profit news service that broadcasts radio programs and publishes online news, the topic of the discussion was "Media Freedom and Sustainability."

During the discussion, the panellists also highlighted the misuse of technology and the role of the oppressive government in blocking journalists to perform their duties. Interestingly, the panellists were pointing fingers at China's Communist government. Meanwhile, while announcing a pack of initiatives, Blinken said that the US government will work to bring news outlets, business advisory groups, and the private sector together in order to make independent journalism more sustainable. "United States Agency For International Development will announce the launch of a Media Viability Accelerator, which will bring together media outlets, business advisory groups, and the private sector to make independent press outlets more sustainable," Radio Free Asia quoted Blinken as saying.

"And yet, as we all know, for too many journalists, doing this work means having to endure threats, harassment, attacks, "Blinken added. 

Besides Blinkin, Bay Fang, the president of Radio Free Asia, also shared his experience and said, "Have used different means to try to silence us over the years, going beyond traditional physical threats, and jailing, but also weaponizing legal systems, using cyber intimidation, and extending their influence beyond their borders by targeting families and loved ones."  Further, the President also highlighted how the Chinese government are using the journalists as a tool to spread their propaganda against the Western countries including the United States. Fang also quoted some of the known journalists of China who are currently under detention by the government.

China 'world’s Biggest Captor Of Scribes' 

It is worth mentioning that the Reporters Without Borders (RWB) has recently released a report on China's government role in suppressing the voice of established as well as independent media. The report further highlights how the President Xi Jinping-led government tried to persuade the media to speak in favour of the "oppressive regime", adding that at least 127 journalists are currently detained in Beijing for raising concerns over the policies and working style. It revealed that the Chinese journalists have had to pass a test of loyalty to the doctrine of the Chinese Communist Party and President Jinping in order to renew their press cards.

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