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International Press Institute (IPI)

Legendary Anchorman Dan Rather Further Enhances IPI World Congress Speaker Line-Up

Vienna (ots)

'We're in Grave Danger of Losing the News as We
Have Known It'
The International Press Institute (IPI) on Tuesday announced that 
legendary US anchorman and reporter Dan Rather is to host a town 
hall-style debate at this year's IPI World Congress in Vienna and 
Bratislava.
Rather, whose career has spanned five decades, will speak and 
moderate at the final session of the World Congress - entitled "Media
Freedom in a Time of Change."  The session, to be hosted at Cerveny 
Kamen Castle, near the Slovakian capital, will conclude the three-day
event, summing up what has changed, what questions have been answered
during the Congress, and what future steps need to be taken.
Rather reported on the assassination of JFK, Watergate, Tiananmen 
Square and the wars in Vietnam, Afghanistan and Iraq, and was an 
anchor of the CBS Evening News for 24 years. He recently called on 
the administration of US President Barack Obama to hold a commission 
on the future of journalism.
"We're in grave danger of losing the news as we have known it," 
Rather told IPI in an exclusive interview on Monday, 12 April. 
"Things are changing very rapidly and the pace of change has 
accelerated greatly in the past five to ten years. I have no idea 
where it's headed, but I am an optimist by nature and by experience 
and so I remain optimistic that we will come through this period of 
accelerated change, at the least alright and maybe for the better."
This year's IPI World Congress marks the 60th anniversary of the 
founding of IPI, and will be held in Vienna and Bratislava from 11- 
14 September 2010. Under the overall theme, "Thinking the 
Unthinkable: Are We Losing the News? (Media Freedom in the New Media 
Landscape)," the Congress will focus attention on the state of the 
news media itself, offering useful examples of how innovative media 
companies around the world are not just surviving, but actually 
thriving in the new media landscape.
At the heart of all the discussions during the Congress will be 
the issue of press freedom in this new media landscape, something 
Rather feels passionately about. "I think this is a dire time for 
journalism," he told IPI. "But ... let's not lose sight of the core, 
and the core is that freedom of the press is the red, beating heart 
of freedom and democracy. And it's absolutely essential, totally 
vital. You can't have freedom and democracy without having a free 
press."
Rather joins a growing list of prominent speakers from a host of 
different organisations who will be present at the Congress, and he 
welcomed the chance to discuss and work towards solutions for the 
future of journalism.
"There is an aching need for an independent, fiercely independent 
journalism, and it has in some ways gone out of fashion... What I 
like about the [IPI World] Congress ... is it's a gathering of 
journalists and others who recognize the problem, define the problem 
and clearly state what the problem is, and then explore some possible
solutions. These problems are not going to go away just by wishing 
them away."
The full interview with Dan Rather will appear in the next 
Congress Newsletter and online at www.ipiworldcongress.com.
To see the biographies of all the confirmed speakers, as well as 
more about the programme, visit the official Congress website: 
www.ipiworldcongress.com.  All the latest news about the Congress and
updates on the issues to be discussed in September can be found by 
following the Congress team on Twitter at IPI_WoCo2010 and by 
visiting our Facebook Page.
IPI's partners for the Congress include: Austrian Airlines; Bank 
Austria - Member of UniCredit Group; City of Vienna; Federation of 
Austrian Industries (IV); Google; OMV; Samsung Electronics Ltd; 
Telekom Austria Group; Twin City Liner; Slovak Telekom; Slovak Health
Spa Piestany and Prva stavebna sporitelna (PSS).
Media partners include: ORF - Austrian Broadcasting Corporation; 
Der Standard newspaper, and APA - Austria Presse Agentur.
For media enquiries please contact:
Louise Hallman
Tel: +43 1-512 90 11
Fax: +43 1-512 90 14
E-mail:  contact@freemedia.at
For registration and other information:
Milica Miletic
Tel: +43 1-512 90 11
Fax: +43 1-512 90 14
E-mail:  mmiletic@freemedia.at
http://www.ipiworldcongress.com
Follow us on Twitter:  http://www.twitter.com/IPI_WoCo2010

Contact:

Louise Hallman
Tel.: +43 1-512 90 11
Fax: +43 1-512 90 14
E-Mail: contact@freemedia.at

Plus de actualités: International Press Institute (IPI)
Plus de actualités: International Press Institute (IPI)
  • 05.03.2010 – 09:00

    IPI to Hold 60th Anniversary World Congress in Vienna and Bratislava

    Vienna (ots) - The International Press Institute (IPI) will hold its annual World Congress in Vienna, Austria, and Bratislava, Slovakia, from 11- 14 September 2010, the organisation today officially announced. The 2010 World Congress will mark the 60th anniversary of the founding of IPI, and the organisation will celebrate 60 years of defending press freedom in a series of events, culminating in the World ...