Media Summit of the Americas — Department of State, United States, ASU Walter Cronkite School and Equis

Media Summit of the Americas

June 7, 2022 | In coordination with the Ninth Summit of the Americas

Media professionals, Civil Society Leaders work toward media sustainability at first-ever International Media Summit of the Americas

The multilingual event tackled media sustainability, information integrity issues and solutions for countering a growing crisis of trust.

Journalists and civil society leaders from across the Americas gathered at the ASU California Center at the historic Los Angeles Herald Examiner Building on June 7 to participate in the first-ever Media Summit of the Americas, a multilingual conference designed to address a growing information crisis in the hemisphere.

The event, which was part of the larger Ninth Summit of the Americas, was organized by the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University; the U.S. Department of State; and Equis Institute, a hub for leaders in the Latino community working to increase civic participation in American democracy.

From the rising threat of disinformation, censorship and mistrust, to the importance of protecting press freedom and promoting media literacy education, media professionals and keynote speakers from Latin America and the U.S., including U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken, took the stage at the Media Summit to share their own experiences in tackling these issues.

Throughout the half-day event, attendees heard from Colombian, Salvadorian and Venezuelan journalists who shared stories from the field; learned about social media transparency with Facebook Whistleblower Frances Haugen; and engaged in four highly interactive workshops that focused on reporting under high stakes, fact-checking, platform accountability and media literacy. Read more

Multimedia Highlights:

Sessions Video Recordings

Standing for Truth: Journalist Stories from the Field

Hugo Mario Cárdenas Lopez, Director, Investigative Unit, Diario El País (Colombia); Claudia Ramirez, Editor in Chief, La Prensa Gráfica (El Salvador); Luz Mely Reyes, Director and Co-Founder, Efecto Cocuyo (Venezuela); Moderator: Vanessa Ruiz, Deputy Vice President for Educational Outreach and Student Services, Arizona State University; Anchor and Host, Arizona PBS

A Conversation with Facebook Whistleblower Frances Haugen

Frances Haugen, Advocate, Social Media Transparency and Accountability; Moderator: Enrique Acevedo, Correspondent, CBS News

The Role and Responsibility of Governments in Supporting Media Integrity

Luis Almagro, OAS Secretary General; Moderator: Susan Goldberg, Vice Dean, Walter Cronkite School; Former Editor-in-Chief, National Geographic; Editorial Director, National Geographic Partners

A Commitment to Journalistic Freedom

Antony J. Blinken, Secretary of State; Student panelists: Andrea Villalobos, Madison Thomas, and Cronkite alumna Marcella Baietto

Media Summit of the Americas — Department of State, United States, ASU Walter Cronkite School and Equis