Press freedom and democracy: USI hosts a debate on the challenges of contemporary journalism

On Monday, 4 May, the Auditorium at USI in Lugano hosted a public evening dedicated to press freedom, organised by NGOs, trade unions, and civil society associations active in Ticino to mark World Press Freedom Day. The encounter provided a space to reflect on the state of journalism at both global and national levels.

The evening opened with the screening of three short films presented at the latest edition of the DIG Festival, focusing on the state of press freedom in Hong Kong, Gaza, and Iran. These accounts highlighted the growing exposure of journalists to violence, imprisonment, and repression in contexts of conflict and authoritarianism. Philip Di Salvo, a journalism expert, journalist, and member of the DIG Festival steering committee, pointed out that more journalists have been killed in Gaza than in all the wars of the last century.

During the debate, Professor Colin Porlezza, Director of the Institute of Media and Journalism (IMeG) at USI, emphasised how journalism today is increasingly "suffocated by hostile political discourse" and subjected to growing regulatory and economic pressures. Recalling the central role of information in democratic societies, he noted that "protecting journalism means protecting the very possibility of knowing, debating, and deciding together."

Despite ranking eighth in Reporters Without Borders' World Press Freedom Index, Switzerland also faces significant challenges. Key issues raised during the discussion included the lack of a genuine media policy, the sector's progressive economic weakening, and worsening working conditions for media professionals. The debate also highlighted the recent industry agreement approved by Syndicom and Impressum for Italian- and German-speaking Switzerland, which is seen as a first step towards greater protection for those working in private media.

The event also featured the case of Guatemalan journalist José Rubén Zamora Marroquín, who has been supported by Amnesty International's Ticino Group after more than three years of pre-trial detention linked to his investigations into corruption.

The evening was organised by Dr Laura Amigo Weinberger and Professor Colin Porlezza of IMeG, in collaboration with Amnesty International, the Ticino Journalists' Association (Associazione Ticinese dei Giornalisti), Corso di Giornalismo della Svizzera italiana, DIACOMET Project, DIG Festival, Fondazione Diritti Umani ETS, Reporters Without Borders Switzerland, SSM, and syndicom.