“Asylum seekers eat our donkeys!” - Media representation of refugee and asylum issues

bristol | media and culture | press release Tuesday June 20, 2006 12:38 by Reader

-Can you believe what you read in the papers?-

“Asylum seekers eat our donkeys!” (Daily Star)
-Can you believe what you read in the papers?-

“Asylum seekers eat our donkeys!” (Daily Star)
-Can you believe what you read in the papers?-

The Exiled Journalists’ Network (EJN) is throwing down the gauntlet in a provocative public debate on Friday 23 June. A showing of the short film On the Receiving End will be followed by a discussion of media representation of refugee and asylum issues. EJN invites you to come and consider this crucial issue with a panel of powerful speakers.

The legislative agenda is increasingly influenced by populist media campaigns. Are the stories behind them true? Is the picture they present accurate? And why are they published? A working democracy needs an electorate that’s able to make informed choices. That electorate needs to do more than shelter in a comfortable cocoon of its own prejudice. It needs access to independent and responsible sources of information. In a democracy the readers of newspapers are the decision-makers. So what are they reading?

The panel will comprise Tim Lezard, former President of the National Union of Journalists; Mike Jempson, Director of the MediaWise Trust; Simon Peevers, Senior Reporter on the Bristol Evening Post; Forward Maisokwadzo, Co-ordinator of the EJN; and Mohammed Elsharief, Chair of the EJN.

The screening of On the Receiving End and the public debate will take place twice: at 3pm and 7pm on Friday 23 June at the Pierian Centre, 27 Portland Square, St Pauls. It will last about 2 hours – and entry is free (donations very welcome!). It is a part of Bristol’s National Refugee Week.

NOTES

The Exiled Journalists Network is a ground breaking organisation set up to help journalists who have fled to the UK to escape persecution because of their work. The group is the first of its kind anywhere, and is organised by and for exiled journalists. It aims to promote press freedom around the world and assist both asylum seeking and refugee journalists. http://www.exiledjournalists.net http://www.ramproject.org.uk