VIENNA, 25 Jan, 2013 – In today's digital world, almost anyone with a computer or mobile phone can be a 'citizen reporter', sending pictures or stories to a news outlet, or reporting, analysing and disseminating information themselves. The rapid rise of the citizen journalist and the blogger raises the question of what it means to be a professional journalist if 'everyone is a journalist'. Do we need a broader definition of 'journalist'? Who should be called a journalist, and what should we call the people who collect and distribute information using social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, but don't necessarily work for a news organisation or have journalism training? It’s a hot topic in many regions of the world, with journalists falling passionately on one side or the other.

This will be among the many important topics discussed at the IPI World Congress 2013 in Amman, Jordan.

Jim Clancy, CNN anchor and correspondent, will moderate the debate on Sunday, 19 May. 

Other confirmed speakers for the panel are:

• Frank La Rue, UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression
• George Hawatmeh, president, AWAN, Arab Media Consultants, Jordan
• Laura Weffer Cifuentes, journalist and author, El Nacional, Venezuela
• John Yearwood, world editor, The Miami Herald, USA

Check our website for more information on our programme and a full list of speakers.

What do you think?

Join the debate in May via Twitter and Facebook.

Register before the end of January and you'll save money on your registration fee.

On 1 February, the registration fee will go up!

We encourage you to come earlier to take advantage of next year's unique joint conference opportunity:

• IPI World Congress and 62^nd General Assembly
• CDFJ's annual Forum for Media Freedom Defenders in the Arab World.

Ways to Register:

• Give us a call and we will take care of your registration for you!
  Phone:  + 431 512  90 11 
• Download the form (pdf file), fill it in and send it back to us.
  Fax: + 431-512 90 14 Email: cklint(at)freemedia.at
• Or simply click here and register online!

Questions?

Tel:  +43 1 512 90 11     Fax: + 43 1 512 90 14
Web: www.ipiworldcongress.com  & www.freemedia.at
E: mmiletic(at)freemedia.at & cklint(at)freemedia.at

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