Ahead of World Press Freedom Day, a Reflection on Courage in Reporting

Dear FRONTLINE community,

Earlier this month, I had the chance to sit down with Nobel Peace Prize-winning journalist Maria Ressa. We were at the Overseas Press Club’s annual awards dinner, where I was so proud to be presented with the organization’s President’s Award for lifetime achievement in journalism.

Maria — who with her independent news outlet, Rappler, became a top target of former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s press crackdown — asked me about courage in reporting.

I want to share with you the core message that I also shared with her.

I have courage because of the reporters and filmmakers I work with every day as FRONTLINE’s editor-in-chief and executive producer.

Across the world, they are literally risking their lives to gather the stories that others don’t want to be told, and telling them with depth, fairness and rigor.

It is a privilege from my perspective to be able to do the best I can to protect them, to be smart, and to be a thoughtful, responsible editor.

This privilege, and the responsibility that comes with it, is top-of-mind for me each and every day — but especially as World Press Freedom Day approaches on Sunday, May 3.

This day comes at a time when so many journalists across the globe are facing threats, harassment and intimidation. But we are determined to keep rolling up our sleeves, asking tough questions, and providing rigorously vetted and reliable reporting — building a record of history that ensures everyone has access to the same set of facts.

In honor of World Press Freedom Day, will you make a donation to help us continue this work?

Thank you for supporting FRONTLINE and press freedom.

RANEY ARONSON-RATH

Editor-in-Chief & Executive Producer, FRONTLINE