Nobel Laureate Muratov: "Professional Journalism Will Save the World"

Nobel Peace Prize laureate Dmitri Muratov has issued a powerful assertion: "professional journalism will save the world" from the rising tide of fascism and dictatorship. Speaking at the centenary of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) in Paris, Muratov conveyed a message of urgency, stating that journalists are needed now more than ever in an era where truth itself seems to be losing its value.

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I am convinced that professional journalism will save the world, as an antidote to dictatorship and the rise of fascism.

Muratov lamented the current global landscape, where "truth is expensive" and often requires great personal risk to uncover, while "lies are cheap" and spread with alarming speed through digital channels. He specifically called out disinformation campaigns orchestrated by "dictators" who seek to suppress fact-checking and label it as a violation of free speech. The Russian journalist stressed the imperative to reinstate data verification and ensure that professionals reclaim their rightful place in society to prevent the proliferation of falsehoods, particularly with the advent of artificial intelligence capable of generating convincing fake content.

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Truth is expensive. To obtain the truth, one must sometimes risk one's own life, while lies are cheap: their cyber-hooks and virality are a thousand times greater than the truth.

Reflecting on the evolving media environment, Muratov drew a stark analogy: "Many today ask: 'What is professional journalism for? Who needs it?' I always answer with a question: 'Would you like a blogger to operate on you in the hospital instead of a surgeon?'" This highlights his belief in the indispensable role of trained professionals in providing reliable information, just as they are essential in critical fields like medicine.

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Data verification must be reinstated and professionals must return to their rightful place to prevent artificial intelligence from engaging in any lies.

Muratov, co-founder of the independent Russian newspaper Novaya Gazeta, has a long history of confronting state pressure and violence against journalists. His message underscores the vital importance of a free and independent press as a bulwark against authoritarianism and a cornerstone of democracy and lasting peace, principles for which he was jointly awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

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Many today ask: 'What is professional journalism for? Who needs it?' I always answer with a question: 'Would you like a blogger to operate on you in the hospital instead of a surgeon?'