AIPS Congress: Finding new ways for journalism

By Philip Otuo

By Sonja Nikcevic, AIPS Media Communications

PARIS, March 1, 2015 – As an association grounding its work protecting the rights of sports journalists and investing in the future of the profession, AIPS will dedicate the final day of the 78^th Congress in Paris to journalistic issues of great importance.

Breakneck speed - On Wednesday, March 4 delegates and guests will have the opportunity to engage in a debate on the ever-changing state of journalism titled “The implications for and future of the press in the 24-hour news cycle”. As France is home to L’Equipe, one of the most influential sports publications of our era, the debate will include its leading journalists, Jérôme Cazadieu, Editor-in-Chief of L'Equipe Digital and Benoît Lallement, Editor-in-Chief of L'Equipe Omnisports.

Technology and with it the media are moving forward at an incredible speed, completely altering the face of journalism. At the AIPS Congress in Paris media professionals from a range of generations, publications and from over 100 countries will discuss the current lightning pace of the press, its implications for the future and how journalists can adapt.

Freedom of the press – In recent years, the freedom to report on sporting events has come under serious threat. On October 7, 2014, AIPS Europe, headed by AIPS Europe President Yannis Daras, AIPS Europe Executive Committee Members David Naert and Jean-Paul Savart, AIPS Executive Committee Member, presented a petition to the European Parliament during the Petitions Committee Session in Brussels. The petition aims for a stronger protection, from the EU, of the freedom of the press, linking with the free and limitless access to sources and was fully accepted in Brussels. During the Congress in Paris AIPS Europe will present the petition, its success and its importance to sports media.

By trying to control the flow of information, federations and organizations pose a clear threat to any media of journalism work. This is something that all AIPS delegates and media members should be aware of and actively involved in. As AIPS Europe President Yannis Daras underlined in Brussels: “This is against the freedom of the press (affecting journalists), it is against the right of information (affecting citizens) and against the laws of free competition (affecting trade).”

AIPS President Gianni Merlo has spoken out strongly about this issue: “By trying to control the flow of information, federations and organizations pose a clear threat to any media of journalism work. This is something that all AIPS delegates and media members should be awareof and actively involved in.