War on Words – IPI Conference on Terrorism, Media and the Law

This week  four of our new Multimedia Journalism post-graduate students (Cristiana Theodoli, Martin Graham, Alaster Phillips and Kenny McKay) enjoyed the opportunity of conducting a radio interview with reknowned journalist Hamid Mir.  The executive editor at Geo TV in Pakistan, who was in Vienna at the War on Words conference hosted by the International Press Institute, told the students how he became the first journalist to interview Osama bin Laden post 9/11.  He also spoke of the importance of press freedom in the fight against terrorism and, poignantly, of the number of journalists who’ve been killed pursuing the truth in difficult parts of the world.

The link up with the conference follows a visit to the university in May when the IPI held a mock press conference for students and a reception at BBC Scotland’s HQ in Glasgow.  One of last year’s MAMJ students, Louise Hallman, then gained valuable experience working at the IPI’s World Congress in Helsinki in June.  Highlights for Louise included Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta being honoured for its defense of press freedom and a talk by BBC World Service Correspondent Alan Johnston, on “Talking to Terrorists”.