War journalist Phillip Knightley to speak in London

Renowned war and espionage reporter Phillip Knightley, twice named Journalist of the Year at the British Press Awards, gives the keynote speech at the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists’ (ICIJ) conference.

Renowned war and espionage reporter Phillip Knightley, twice named Journalist of the Year at the British Press Awards, will be giving a keynote speech on Saturday 6 August, at 7.30pm at the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists’ (ICIJ) conference, which is being held at City University, London.


The $20,000 Award for Outstanding International Investigative Reporting will be presented the same evening to Russell Carrollo and Mei-Ling Hopgood from the Dayton Daily News for their investigations into the widespread violence directed at US Peace Corps volunteers.

 

Phillip’s speech ‘Fifty Years in Fleet Street: How Journalism Has Changed and What Happens Next’ will mark his 50th year working in Fleet Street. Phillip’s main journalistic interest is war reporting and propaganda and espionage. In over 30 years of writing about espionage, he has met the majority of spy chiefs of most of the key intelligence services in the world.

 

In his speech, Phillip, who played a key role in the Sunday Times’ exposure of the Thalidomide scandal, will attack governments and corporations for attempting to manipulate the media and suppress investigative journalism. He will also condemn the media’s willingness to downgrade serious, enquiring reporting. (Please see attached speech from Phillip Knightley.)

 

Rosie Waterhouse, investigative journalist and journalism lecturer, brought the event to City University. She comments:

 

“It is a real coup to be hosting such an important international event which brings together so many talented investigative journalists. Investigative journalism is key to keeping the world informed of current affairs, and often issues which have been hushed up. So many of these journalists deserve recognition for their courage and perseverance in uncovering so many shocking issues.”

 

The ICIJ is a project of the Center for Public Integrity, a nonprofit, nonpartisan, tax-exempt organisation that conducts investigative research and reporting on public policy issues in the United States and around the world. Created in 1997, the ICIJ network extends the Center's style of watchdog journalism in the public interest by marshalling the talents of the world's leading investigative reporters.

 

The ICIJ membership consists of 94 investigative journalists from all over the world who collaborate on long-term cross-border investigations to shed light on global issues.

 

This fourth annual membership meeting, being held at City University’s Cass Business School from 4-7 August, is the first one to be held outside of the USA. During the conference, members will plan for future projects as well as discuss methods and techniques to enhance their investigative reporting skills.

 

Issues which will be discussed include:

  • Finding sources and leaks
  • Establishing critical and investigative press in the developing world
  • Terrorism and the war on terror
  • Torture

One of the key sessions will discuss the use of ‘extraordinary renditions’ in the war on terror, whereby one country transfers suspects to another country where torture is regularly used to extract information. The session will take place in the morning of Friday, the 5th of August and one of the panelists is Steve Crawshaw, London Director of Human Rights Watch and former Independent journalist.

 

The conference is being hosted by City University, London, which has one of the foremost Journalism departments in the UK, with famous graduates including Kirsty Lang, the BBC Presenter and Dermot Murnaghan, BBC Breakfast presenter. The newly appointed Head of Department is Adrian Monck, who came to City University from being Executive Producer of Sky News.


For media enquiries, please contact Babs Emmans, Press Officer, City University, on 020 7040 8783, 07970 271260 or b.emmans@city.ac.uk
 
Notes to editors

 

1. For extracts from Phillip Knightley’s speech, which is under embargo until 7.30pm on Saturday 6 August 2005, please contact Babs Emmans, Press Officer, City University, on 020 7040 8783, 07970 271260 or b.emmans@city.ac.uk.

 

2. For further information regarding the event please contact Andre Verloy, Acting Director of the ICIJ on 07940 854494 or averloy@icij.org or Rosie Waterhouse, City University, on 020 7040 0283, 07932 038745

 

3. City University offered to host the event as the Journalism department teaches investigative journalism, and selected students will be attending the conference.

 

4. Famous alumni of City University’s Journalism Department include Kevin Toolis (Newspaper Journalism 1983 - freelance journalist and documentary maker (inc. Guardian & Observer). Northern Ireland specialist. Author of Rebel Hearts: Journeys Within the IRA's Soul), Gary Younge (Newspaper Journalism 1993 - Guardian writer (currently their New York correspondent). Author of No Place Like Home), Ben Preston - Newspaper Journalism 1987 - Deputy Editor of The Times (also son of Peter Preston), Dermot Murnaghan (Newspaper Journalism 1984 - BBC Breakfast Presenter, previously ITN, The Big Story, Channel Four Breakfast Programme, Channel Four Business Programme) and Kirsty Lang (Periodical Journalism 1985 - BBC presenter)


Date of Article:  04/08/2005