International Journalism Organizations

Article 19

Article 19 (London, http://www.article19.org/index.html) is a human rights organization with a mandate to promote freedom of expression and information worldwide. It takes its name from Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which states that everyone has a right to freedom of opinion and expression. Founded in 1987, it works with more than 50 national organizations in some 30 countries. Among other things, Article 19 scrutinizes threats to freedom of expression, offers legal standards to ensure free expression, and advocates for the implementation of freedom of expression. For example, following the controversy and hostility generated by the publications in Europe of cartoons depicting the Prophet Mohammed in 2006, Article 19 continues to campaign against the introduction of blasphemy laws as a justifiable answer to the problem. Moreover, as many countries implement new legislation to fight the global terrorism threats, Article 19 is continuously keeping a close watch on new occurrences and intervening, where necessary, to ensure that there is an appropriate balance between the need for security and value for freedom of expression. With its headquarters in London, Article 19 is a registered U.K. charity that is supported by contributions from individuals, foundations, and governments worldwide who are dedicated to the concept of freedom of expression.

Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union

Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU, Kuala Lumpur, http://www.abu.org.my/public/compiled/p657.htm) is a nonprofit, nongovernment, professional association of Asian broadcasting organizations. It was created in 1964 to assist in the growth of broadcasting in both Asia and the Pacific. It encourages regional and international cooperation between broadcasters and is the third largest of the world's eight regional broadcasting unions. It also exchanges information on the most recent developments in broadcasting with many international organizations and engages in activities that are geared towards enhancing the skills of its members. With 194 members in 57 countries, the ABU is funded primarily by annual subscriptions from its members.

Asian Media Information and Communication Centre

The Asian Media Information and Communication Centre (AMIC, Singapore, http://amic.org.sg) was established in 1971 with the support of the Government of Singapore and the FriedrichEbert-Stiftung foundation of Germany, to expand media and communication expertise in the Asia-Pacific region. It is a premier center for information, research, and promotion of mass communication in the region. Members include academics, practitioners, and policy makers from the Asia-Pacific region as well as other areas. AMIC's mission, according to its website, is to [Page 771]“nurture and promote media and communication research, capacity building, knowledge management and dialogue among academia, industry, government and civil society.” In June 2007, AMIC hosted a Journalism Education Congress in Singapore, attended by over 450 educators, journalists, and policy makers. AMIC houses a large collection of research materials in its Asia Communication Resource Centre, a comprehensive data communication service with over 65,000 books, journal articles, conference papers, and news clippings. AMIC also disseminates vast amounts of information on mass communication in the Asia-Pacific region through its newsletter, a quarterly magazine, and a biannual research journal, in addition to books and monographs.

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