Courageous Reporters Honored at
Internews Media Leadership Awards

Journalism ‘a service industry, and we are the servants,’
photojournalist James Nachtwey tells audience

Washington, D.C.— To applause from a standing-room-only crowd, four media leaders from around the world were honored this week for their courage and commitment to journalism at the Internews Media Leadership Awards in Washington, D.C.

Honorees for the third annual awards of Internews, an international media development nonprofit, were: TIME magazine photojournalist James Nachtwey; Tasneem Ahmar, an activist and journalist promoting the positive image of women in Pakistan’s media; Thepchai Yong, managing director of Thailand’s first independent public service broadcaster; and RAMAK, a network of 41 community radio stations in Haiti.

In opening remarks at the ceremony, Internews board member Carlos Pascual read from the section of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that asserts peoples’ rights to freedom of expression and the dissemination of ideas.

“We believe in a celebration of these values at a time when there is conflict and struggle in the world, and where the rights of people to express themselves really does make a difference,” Pascual said.

Accepting his award, James Nachtwey, whose photos for TIME magazine provide a window into some of the world’s most difficult and dangerous situations, said: “Journalism is more than a business. It’s a service industry, and we are the servants. The service we provide is awareness.”

Nachtwey continued by thanking those who have helped him in his work, especially those who have allowed him to take their photographs: “Their stories and their faces hold policy makers accountable, and we are the messengers.”

Nachtwey, a contract photographer with TIME Magazine since 1984, was honored for engaging global audiences through his poignant photography of some of the most important issues of our time. His work takes the public to the front lines of the most gripping social issues of the day, from the horrors of war to the devastating impact of HIV/AIDS. Through his lens, Nachtwey sheds light on human suffering, influencing public opinion and relief efforts.

Internews also honored outstanding media leaders from Pakistan, Thailand and Haiti, including:

-- Tasneem Ahmar, Director of the Uks Research Center, a resource and publication center focused on women and media in Pakistan. Ahmar launched Uks in 1997 to sensitize the media on how to better report on women and human rights issues;

-- Thepchai Yong, Managing Director of the Thai Public Broadcasting Service, Thailand’s first independent public service broadcaster.  Under his leadership, Thai PBS has been recognized for its thought-provoking and knowledgeable programs;

-- RAMAK, a network of 41 community radio stations in Haiti. RAMAK’s programming is community-oriented, with the aim of raising awareness of issues such as gender-based violence, migration, children’s rights, HIV prevention, environmental protection and civic education. 

The evening also featured veteran radio journalist Bob Edwards, host of “The Bob Edwards Show” on Sirius XM radio and former host of NPR’s “Morning Edition,” as the master of ceremonies. Business leader and documentary filmmaker Ted Leonsis, who was a recipient of last year’s award from Internews, was also among the guests honoring this year’s media leaders.

The 2009 Internews Media Leadership Awards have been made possible by its major sponsors, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the Open Society Institute and DLA Piper, among other champions for local, independent media worldwide.

Internews, a nonprofit based in California with an office in Washington, D.C., has worked in 70 countries worldwide to empower people with the news and information they need and the means to make their voices heard.