Laborfest: Journalism vs Police State

Freelancers, Journalism, Worker Rights, and Technology
Tens of thousands of journalists have lost their jobs in the US and most have ended up as freelancers. The use of technology has transformed our communication and media tools and this has drastically affected journalists, news and information. At the same time, there are growing threats to freelancers and journalists with repression and police attacks in San Francisco around the Mario Woods case, nationally and around the world.
This forum will hear from freelancers about the issues that they face in not only surviving but also the increasing dangers in their work.
We will look at not only what is happening to journalists but also how we can protect our livelihoods and health and safety. We will be screening Corruption and the Media in Turkey by Kibrit Film (2016). This 15 minute powerful documentary looks at how journalists, newspapers and independent media have come under attack and repression. The CWA Pacific Media Workers has called for the defense of journalist rights in Turkey and this has also been endorsed by the San Francisco Labor Council.
With: Sana Saleem writes for 48 Hill and she works on minority rights and internet freedom; Anabel Hernández is a Mexican journalist who won the Golden Pen of Freedom Award 2012; Josh Wolf, a freelance journalist and video blogger who spent 225 days in prison in 2007 to protect his sources (This was the longest jailing of a journalist in US history); Steve Zeltzer, CWA Pacifica Media Workers Guild Human Rights Chair; Joseph Thomas, an independent videographer who is covering activism in San Francisco. Sponsored by KPFA WorkWeek Radio

Sana Saleem writes for 48 Hill and she works on minority rights and internet freedom. Sana was listed in Foreign Policy's 100 Global Thinker's list in 2012, for her work on free speech in Pakistan with Bolo Bhi. She serves on the advisory board of Courage Foundation, which is Edward Snowden's Legal Defense Fund. She blogs at Global Voices, Asian Correspondent, The Guardian, and her personal blog Mystified Justice.

Anabel Hernández is a Mexican journalist who has confronted head-on – at significant personal risk to her and her family – corruption and the narcotics trade in Mexico, including the alleged collusion between the drug barons and elements within the Mexican political and administrative system. She won the Golden Pen of Freedom Award 2012, which is presented annually by the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers.

Joseph Thomas is a freelance videographer/writer with BlackHorseMedia and covers San Francisco Bay Area community and activist events including struggles around Mario Woods and police repression and violence.

Josh Wolf, freelance journalist and internet videoblogger, who was jailed by a Federal district court on August 1, 2006 for refusing to turn over a collection of videotapes he recorded during a July 2005 demonstration in San Francisco, California. Wolf served 226 days in prison at the Federal Correctional Institution, Dublin, California, longer than any other journalist in U.S. history has served for protecting source materials. "Police Tape" a video he produced received the Reva and David Logan Prize for Excellence in Investigative Reporting.

Steve Zeltzer is a videographer producer and journalist who produces KPFA WorkWeek Radio. He has produced labor documentaries including "Halffway To Hell, The Workers and Unions That Built the Golden Gate Bridge" and "Fukushima Never Again". He is also the chair of the Pacific Media Workers Guild Human Rights Chair and with LaborNet.

See also:
http://sflaborcouncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/02-08-16TurkeyJournalistsResolution-Ltrhd.doc.pdf
http://www.laborfest.net/2016/2016schedule.htm