Access to reliable information can be matter of life and death: UN chief

UNITED NATIONS, April 28 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Wednesday stressed the importance of access to reliable information and called for support for the survival of public interest media organizations.

"The events of the past year have reminded us that access to reliable information is more than just a basic human right, it can also be a matter of life and death," said Guterres in a video message for a virtual event on how to prevent COVID-19 from becoming a "media extinction event."

The pandemic has been accompanied by an enormous concurrent "infodemic." Misinformation and hate speech have proliferated, jeopardizing the health of millions of people worldwide, undermining confidence in vaccines and science, and dividing communities and countries, he said.

The pandemic has had another very dangerous side effect: it has accelerated the financial decline of many public interest media organizations. With estimated losses of 30 billion U.S. dollars over the last year for newspapers alone, some fear that the pandemic could become a "media extinction event," he said.

"We cannot afford to let this happen. Maintaining independent, fact-based reporting is an essential global public good, critical to building a safer, healthier and greener future. Without urgent action by the international community, we could be left with irrevocable damage to our societies and irreparable threats to the Sustainable Development Goals."

Guterres welcomed efforts by donors, the private sector and civil society to create the International Fund for Public Interest Media.

"Ensuring sufficient funding and support is crucial to securing the long-term future of independent media organizations, especially in low- and middle-income countries. Through these efforts, the international community can chart a path toward a new era of sustainable, public interest journalism, while helping to restore trust across societies. I urge member states, donors and other stakeholders to support this vital new endeavor."

Wednesday's virtual event was organized by the UN Department of Global Communications in cooperation with the philanthropic organization Luminate in the lead-up to World Press Freedom Day on May 3.