Staff Reporter

ITANAGAR, Aug 31: The South Asian countries journalists vowed to promote  cross border journalism and collaborative reporting and strengthening data-driven investigative reporting in the two day workshop on ‘regional security in the era of digital media” on August 29-30 last. The workshop was organised by US Consulate General Kolkata in collaboration with CUTS International and East-West Center at American Center, US Consulate General Kolkata.
The media practitioners from the South Asian countries such as Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Bhutan and India huddled in the workshop and asserted to advocate the cross border journalism, collaborative reporting, promotion of  media literacy and combating disinformation and strengthening investigative and  create strong network of informed media in the region.
Assam National Register of Citizens (NCR) and its regional and potential demographic impact took centre stage during the session.  The trafficking, drugs, environment degradation and illegal mining and cross borders trade were also discussed thoroughly concerning the regional security in the era of digital media.
The workshop also focused on reinforcing positive counter-narrative to address the regional security issues in the region for promoting an open and stable Indo-Pacific Region and create network of informed media professionals. It also highlighted the serious threat that mis and disinformation poses to democracies and domestic public across the border through social media.
Addressing the inaugural session on Thursday, US Consulate General Kolkata, Patti Hoffman said, “This is a great initiative and I applaud all of you for making this possible. US govt is committed to the freedom of the press”.
Hoffman further added “Safeguarding the freedom of press is constant struggle through the world. We know in authoritarian states lots of misinformations draw authoritarianism in several of ways”.
She said that US Consulate's aim is to achieve following goals, Increase access to credible independent  media, enhance media literacy and information, strengthen commitment to free and open digital regulatory environment  and support in-depth investigative journalism reveal and create public awareness on dangerous of corruption’ adding that  free internet is part of  US Indo-Pacific policies.   
“New digital platforms have unleashed investigative journalistic practices that a noble forms of communication and greater global reach than at any point of human history. But on other hand disinformation and fake news are affecting across the border” she added.
In order to maintain open  democratic system it is important that the government, business establishments, media outlets  and consumers work together to solve this problem, Hoffman said. 
“The government should promote news literacy and strong professionalism journalism in their society, the news industries must provide high quality journalism in order to build public trust, correct fake news and disinformation without legitimizing them and technologies companies should invest on tools  to identify fakes news and reduce financial incentives from those who profit from disinformation, she stated.
East West Centre Director Satu Limaye said that this conference allows us to work with new communities (press communities) new linkages between Myanmar, Thailand, Nepal, India Bangladesh and Sri Lanka and new opportunities to work in connectivity.
The East–West Center (EWC), or the Center for Cultural and Technical Interchange between East and West, is an education and research organization established by the U.S. Congress in 1960 to strengthen relations and understanding among the peoples and nations of Asia, the Pacific, and the United States. It is headquartered in Honolulu, Hawaii.

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Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

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