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How the media can regain trust in a world of social media, forum told

Posted on: December 16, 2020 by admin

There was a need to find ways to make more people digitally literate and give a reality check on news they heard through social media, a forum of opinion makers has been told.

Other ways to tackle falling trust in the media was for the tech giant platforms not to carry material behind a shield of anonymity.

Trust and the Media was debated as part of an all-day conference on accountability and positive social impact.

An audience of more than 600 influencers across 20 countries attended an all-day online summit held by Global Thinkers Forum to discuss what effective leadership will look like in a post-pandemic world.

The Trust and the Media session was moderated by Evening Standard editor emeritus Doug Wills, who said that traditional publishers were fighting hard in the toughest of economic times to maintain quality journalism. It needed the support of Governments as well as the tech giants.

Campaigning journalist and lecturer Heather Brooke highlighted the need for the public to be shown how to give social media a reality check. Ways of doing this could be through education.

Polling doyen and commentator Peter Kellner said an important way of instilling trust among social media users would be to make all platforms not to allow anyone to hide behind anonymity on social media.

Also on the panel were Commonwealth Journalists Association president emeritus Rita Payne and Evening Standard Home Affairs Editor Martin Bentham.

The session concluded that subscription-based business models for quality web sites, Government support through one-step-removed funding, and tech giants paying traditional publishers for content were all needed to maintain standards of journalism and public trust in the media.

The summit covered themes including technology, philanthropy, education, entrepreneurship, impact investment, management and diversity.

It also focused on the role that women can play towards a paradigm shift in leadership.

Pioneering British philanthropist Dame Stephanie Shirley delivered a powerful keynote speech, speaking of her own story and life’s mission: “I tried to lead differently, to act as an advocate and role model for women in the economy. Role models provide images of real people valued for their contribution to the real, not celebrity world. I used to show off and demonstrate my competence, then learned to show my vulnerability.”

Journalist and founder of Athena40 Elizabeth Filippouli said of 2020 in her opening remarks: “We need to be resilient and we also need to be resourceful in order to survive. In order to thrive, we need each other. This is one of the greatest lessons that this pandemic has taught us.”

She chaired a panel on leadership with Lord Michael Hastings of Scarisbrick, UNESCO Special Envoy for Peace HRH Princess Sumaya bint El Hassan, Tobias Ellwood MP, The Rev Mpho Tutu Van Furth, author and LGBTQ rights activist Silvana Koch-Mehrin, President of Women Political Networks the first female President of Ecuador Rosalia Arteaga.

Other panel members included: Economist Vicky Pryce, philanthropist and entrepreneur from Saudi Arabia Muna AbuSulayman, performer and activist from Panama Erika Ender, Chinese-American fashion designer Veronica Chou, Dr Marc Ventresca Strategic Management Professor Said Business School, author and entrepreneur Chris Lewis, film director and author Shamim Sarif, H.E Mr Manoah Esipisu Kenya’s High Commissioner to the UK, social entrepreneur Dominic McVey.

For more information: info@athena40forum.com