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Freedom of expression is vital to a healthy democracy -- a free press can keep corruption in check by
watching over and reporting on the activities of government and business. Yet in many Latin American countries,
journalists are not always allowed to report on what they find. And sometimes by simply doing their jobs, they
find themselves in harm's way.
 That's why the International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) has launched "Covering Freedom of Expression: Resources
for Journalists," a three-year initiative to increase awareness of freedom of expression issues throughout Latin
America. ICFJ is conducting a series of workshops in the capital cities of 22 Latin American countries, giving
journalists the tools they need to better report on freedom of the press. The project is funded by the
McCormick Tribune Foundation.
Increasing public awareness of the importance of a free press can strengthen democracy, bolster freedom and help
protect human rights. A free and independent media can be directly linked to less corruption, better economic
policies and stronger financial markets as well as greater political rights and services for citizens.
Each two-and-a-half day workshop includes approximately 25 print, electronic or broadcast journalists from the
region as well as leading local editors, publishers, news directors, producers and media owners. Journalists are
taught in the local language by a team of expert U.S. or international instructors and local trainers.
P articipants learn about issues related to freedom of the press in their countries and are given the tools to
cover them in an independent, balanced and unbiased manner. In the workshops, journalists will:
- Learn how to apply international fundamentals of freedom of expression;
- Examine press freedom topics (such as licensing of journalists, manipulation of the media, terror and
intimidation, and access to information) and how they are covered;
- Receive hands-on training to identify and develop story ideas; and
- Find new stories and learn other reporting techniques on freedom of expression
Journalists learn about resources such as ICFJ's Spanish-language website, Libertad-Prensa
(www.libertad-prensa.org), which provide tools to
cover freedom of expression challenges. ICFJ also is developing additional training materials, including case
studies of quality reporting in this specialized field
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