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Image of a breaking chain The Centre for Freedom of the Media (CFOM) is an interdisciplinary research centre based at the Department of Journalism Studies (University of Sheffield) that studies issues of media freedom and standards.  The founding principle of CFOM is to illuminate where news media freedom is undermined or abused and to examine news media standards of independence and truthfulness. CFOM is a unique university-based body which will for the first time form a research network
by bringing together journalists, experts and scholars of the media, with public figures and the newsmakers themselves to research and evaluate the role of free and independent news media in building and maintaining political and civil freedom.

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Aims and Objectives
To endorse journalism of the highest standards around the world. To be an interdisciplinary centre of knowledge and research into media freedom and standards across all media through the study of:
  • the contested nature of the terms ‘media freedom’ and ‘freedom of expression’
  • areas of global conceptual commonality with regard to media freedom, standards and governance
  • the behaviour of governments
  • the effects of laws and regulation/deregulation
  • the new media landscape opened up by fast-changing and newtechnologies
  • the effects of increasing commercialisation of the media sector on news media
  • the effectiveness of the media as civil journalism
  • the links between media freedom and other parts of civil society and democracy
   Major Projects and Research Areas
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Freedom of Expression and the Impact of Anti-Terrorism Laws READ MORE  
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The EU and journalism practices READ MORE European Union Logo
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The News Environment in Africa READ MORE Zimbabwe Demonstration
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Extending the Civil and Social Role of Public Service Media READ MORE
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Blog

Reporting barriers in East and West -- subtle, obvious, sometimes fatal. How media freedom shapes politics everywhere
By William Horsley, International Director of CFOM William Horsley

Spending ten days in East Asia prompts me to these thoughts about the variety of methods that governments and other powerful forces employ to stop journalists from reporting things they are determined to suppress. It's the same the whole world over.
READ MORE (opens in new window)
Think pieces by leading commentators
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CFOM Alerts: (BBC, CNN and Google News)
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CFOM Research on violations of Media Freedom goes to Europe's parliamentarians

A detailed CFOM research report on severe violations of media freedom across the Council of Europe area since 2007 was presented to the media sub-committee of the Parliamentary Assembly on 26 October.

The report by CFOM's International Director William Horsley will inform steps being taken by the Assembly to set up a stronger mechanism for monitoring and preventing assaults on journalists and infringements of freedom of expression in the media across the whole European area.
The Council of Europe has launched Europe's first talk show about human rights

The Council of Europe's new webcast programme Viewpoint focused on the goal
of ensuring freedom of expression on the Internet while fighting cybercrime.
CFOM's international director is one of the participants in the studio
debate.
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CFOM launch conference

November 10th 2009 Research seminar at the University of Sheffield Department of Journalism Studies on Political communication in new democracies. See the screencasts of this event

October 6 2009 William Horsley chairs a debate at the ODIHR annual conference in Warsaw, Poland at 18.15 on "UK perspectives on holding governments to their Freedom of Expression commitments". Speakers include OSCE Representative on Media Freedom Miklos Haraszti.

October 5-6th 2009 Vienna, Austria: international conference"The War on Words - Terrorism, Media and the Law." Speakers include Philip Zelikow, U.S. Department of State Counsellor under George W. Bush and former Executive Director of the 9/11 Commission.Click here for more.

1st May 2009 World Press Freedom Day, Frontline Club, London.
Journalists voted by more than two to one in favour of a motion that "Governments at war are winning the battle of controlling the international media.
Click here for video and further reports.
Click here to read a statement by the Council of Europe on World Press Freedom Day on 3 May (PDF, opens in new window)
Click here to visit the World Press Freedom page of the website of the International Freedom of Expression Exchange.
Click here for reflections on
the WPF Day event at the Frontline Club, by Melanie Gouby


 
 
 
 

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Last Update 02/02/09