Committee to Protect Journalists Opens Bell on Nasdaq in Honor of World Press Freedom Day
Today, on the 30th anniversary of World Press Freedom Day, Nasdaq joins with the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) to raise awareness for press independence worldwide and call for the release of Evan Gershkovich, a Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reporter currently in Russian detention. Nasdaq believes in an independent press as the institution which provides accurate news for people around the world. The duty to relay the truth is imperative across industries and democracies, and we at Nasdaq believe journalists should be protected in their pursuit of relaying this truth to their readers.
“Press freedom is a foundational pillar of our society. A free and independent press plays a critical role in our society, democracy and markets: to inform, to educate and to help shape important debates,” said Brian Buckley, CMO at Nasdaq. “As we celebrate the 30th anniversary of World Press Freedom Day, we continue to be reminded that press freedom is a right we can never take for granted, and the fight for which we must never back down from,” he added.
World Press Freedom Day began 30 years ago to protect the independence of the press, the safety of journalists and access to information. The United Nations coined the day in 1993 as an opportunity to:
- Celebrate the fundamental principles of press freedom.
- Assess the state of press freedom throughout the world.
- Defend the media from attacks on their independence.
- Pay tribute to journalists who have lost their lives in the line of duty.
Unfortunately, threats to press freedom are on the rise. The CPJ reports that 363 journalists were in jail at the end of 2022, the highest ever recorded in CPJ’s history. When WSJ reporter Evan Gershkovich was detained by Russian authorities while reporting from the country in March, his incarceration garnered international outrage and attention. Accused of espionage, he is the first American journalist detained for the charge in Russia since the Cold War.
Nasdaq sees the independent press as a partner in our duty to market participants and retail investors to bolster the integrity of the capital markets. A free and independent press helps maintain this integrity by providing accountability across industries and delivering accurate information on the markets to investors and stakeholders.
“...We turn to journalists for the information we need for our daily lives. For economies big and small, it is the free flow of information that keeps markets running,” said Jodie Ginsberg, President of CPJ.
We stand with Evan Gershkovich, the Wall Street Journal and the U.S. Government in proclaiming his innocence, his right to press freedom and the rights of all journalists to continue their reporting without fear of harassment, violence or detention.
“Evan is a reporter for the Wall Street Journal currently detained in Russia on baseless charges – someone who cares deeply about his craft, a reporter with a deep commitment to ‘getting the story right.’” said Buckley. “Nasdaq wholeheartedly supports the Journal and the CPJ’s campaign to free Evan – and all journalists that are in prison right now simply for doing their job, and for wanting to ‘get the story right.’”
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
MarketInsite
Nasdaq’s Marketinsite offers actionable insights on a variety of market-moving topics. Learn from our thought leaders who are driving the capital markets of tomorrow.
Read MarketInsite's Bio