Film meets journalism in Prague: 4-day conference brings future and role of journalism to attention

Press Play Prague is uniting journalists, filmmakers, and audiences to highlight and celebrate the impact of storytelling in shaping our collective understanding of the world from 8-12 October 2024. Through screenings of thought-provoking films that explore key social and political issues, the event aims to spark meaningful discussions and inspire social change.

Many envisioned the internet as a tool to democratize both information and art. To some degree, that prophecy has manifested. It's now easier than ever to create and distribute written and audiovisual content, and in authoritarian countries, to bypass state censorship. However, as we are inundated with a constant flow of content—often guided by the algorithms of tech platforms—finding high-quality and credible works can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack.

In reality, the digital age has contributed to a crisis in journalism, disrupting traditional media business models and fueling the spread of misinformation and propaganda (also called disinformation). Nearly 39 percent of people worldwide said they sometimes or often actively avoid the news, up 10 percent from 2017, according to the Oxford-based Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism.

While the world faces numerous pressing challenges today, from man-made climate change and environmental degradation to rising inequality, democratic decline, and the resurgence of authoritarianism, the crises in journalism and the film industry may seem minor in comparison. However, as the organizers argue, the lack of free, high-quality, easily accessible, and trustworthy journalism has the potential to worsen these global issues.