By Association of Caribbean MediaWorkers
This World Press Freedom Day, the Association of Caribbean MediaWorkers is taking note of the many elections throughout the region, the general atmosphere of disquiet as it relates to journalist safety and notes the impending arrival of the hurricane season. These are all things that have direct impact on journalists and the work they do and is therefore calling for vigilance.
Our work as it relates to gathering and distributing information is an important part of nation-building. Elections are particularly fraught times, when tempers can flare and media workers become easy targets to those who are fighting to retain, or grab hold of power. Unfortunately, the lives of our colleagues aren’t only threatened because of their political work, and this has become a cause for concern too many times in the recent past. Violence directed at media workers must not be allowed to go unchecked, because blocking our work through threats and intimidation deprives the public of essential information.
This year, the theme wants media colleagues to reflect on the way artificial intelligence is changing our work. It is important that regional newsrooms get familiar with the A.I. tools at their disposal so that they can provide editorial guidance to staff on their ethical usage.
The Caribbean media landscape is varied and exciting, and the ACM is happy to be a voice that supports the work of those who record who and what we are to our own communities, the wider region and the world.
The opinions presented in this content belong to the author and may not necessarily reflect the perspectives or editorial stance of iWitness News. Opinion pieces can be submitted to [email protected].