CMDS Hosts More than 90 Participants from 14 Countries for Regional Networking and Training Conference

December 15, 2014

A group of more than 90 journalists, media lawyers and civil society representatives from 14 countries attended “Gaining A Digital Edge” conference, hosted by the Center for Media, Data and Society (CMDS) at Central European University on 21-23 November 2014.

The aim of the event was

to discuss strategies for navigating the technological and regulatory challenges of the new digital media environments, including best practices in the fields of digital security and data protection, and digital tools and technologies that enable journalists and watchdogs to gather, process and present data and to respond to evolving cyber threats to online speech.

The opening session of the event featured a panel discussion that focused on exploring the benefits and challenges of ‘open journalism’ and its impacts for journalists and media outlets in countries in the region where journalists struggle with lower levels of independence and media freedoms. Panelists included Frane Maroević, Senior Adviser, OSCE Representative of the Freedom of the Media, Gill Phillips, Director of Editorial Legal , The Guardian News and Media, Sejal Parmar, Assistant Professor, Department of Legal Studies, CEU, Lenart J. Kučić, Technology and Media correspondent (Delo). The session was moderated by Ellen Hume, Annenberg Fellow in Civic Media at Center for Media, Data and Society (CMDS).

The conference was hosted CMDS as part of the Center’s ongoing project, Strengthening Journalism in Europe, conducted with the Centre for Media Pluralism and Freedom at the European University Institute in Florence, with co-financing provided by the European Commission under the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom pilot program.

It was co-organized by CMDS, OSCE Mission to Serbia, and the Share Foundation (Serbia), with support from the European Commission and the OSCE Representative on Freedom of Media office. Additional program support was provided by Open Society Archives (OSA) at Central European University and the Polish Institute.