US Consulate General holds movie screening for journalists

Over one hundred of the Punjab’s media representatives were invited on Friday evening to a special screening of the George Clooney directed movie “Good Night and Good Luck” hosted by the Public Affairs Section US Consulate General. The movie screening was part of a series of events the US Consulate General is hosting in honour of World Press Freedom Day.
“Good Night, and Good Luck,” depicts perhaps one of the most difficult times in Edward R Murrow’s career, Columbia Broadcasting System’s (CBS) leading anchorman during the 1950s, when he took on US Senator Joseph McCarthy of Wisconsin and his anti-communism campaign. McCarthyism, as its now known, used illegal tactics including making public accusations against people based on unsubstantiated charges. It was Edward R. Murrow who sparked the movement that would lead to the end of McCarthyism. He used his reputation for integrity and the respect he had gained with the American public for his reporting to stand-up against Senator McCarthy’s tyranny – at great personal expense.
“We would like to pay special tribute to all those courageous journalists, bloggers, and citizens who have sacrificed their lives, health, or freedom so that others could know the truth,” remarked Public Affairs Officer Brinille Ellis as she greeted representatives from the print, electronic, and social media to the screening.
The event started with a discussion on media freedom by Dr Mehdi Hasan, Dean, School of Media and Communication Studies, Beaconhouse University, and broadcast journalist Munizae Jehangir.
On May 3, World Press Freedom Day, US Consul General Nina Maria Fite’s op-ed honouring the role of free and independent media in creating sustainable democracies and open, healthy societies was featured in a Lahore-based daily.
Later the same day, Acting United States Consul General Lahore Ted Gehr dedicated the new resource centre at the Lahore Press Club, funded by a $10,000 (Rs 906,000) US grant.
The US Consulate General is also offering free journalism training later in May, applications are available on the USCG Lahore Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/lahore.usconsulate