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The TLDR: Journalists Maria Ressa and Dmitry Muratov were awarded the Nobel peace prize—in a surprising move that has delighted democracy-watchers around the world. But unlike a Dalai Lama or even Barack Obama, most of us haven’t heard of either of these people—or what makes their work so invaluable. Here’s a quick introduction to the winners and why this peace prize matters.
First, some background
A rare honour: While at least six journalists have received the peace prize before, only two of them have been honoured specifically for their journalism: Italian journalist Ernesto Teodoro Moneta in 1907 and Carl von Ossietzky in 1935—for his fierce opposition to Nazism, and exposés on German militarisation. FYI, Ossietzky was being held in a concentration camp when the award was announced. Also this: Ressa is only the 18th woman to win the Peace Prize in its 120-year history.
Point to note: Since then, journalists have been top contenders but never made the cut. In 2020, for example, the Committee to Protect Journalists was at the top of the list, but ultimately lost out to the World Food Programme.
But why journalists?
Ressa and Muratov were chosen from a pool of 329 candidates—the largest ever for the prize—and beat out many. The Nobel committee noted that a free press is a necessary condition of peace—praising “their efforts to safeguard freedom of expression, which is a precondition for democracy and lasting peace.” But the timing is hardly a coincidence.
A global siege: In 2020, 21 reporters were killed around the world in retaliation for their work—and 274 were thrown in jail. The number of deaths was around double from the year before. The state of press freedom is “very bad,” “bad” or “problematic” in 73% of the 180 countries listed on the World Press Freedom Index—and is “favourable” in only 7% of them. Ressa and Muratov both work in countries that rank woefully low—The Philippines is #138 and Russia is even lower at #150. FYI: India comes in at #142. Yes, we are even lower than the Philippines.
Point to note: And it’s getting worse. According to the V-Dem Institute, “32 countries are declining substantially, compared to only 19 just three years ago” with respect to media freedom.
A social media plague: Many view the decision to honour Ressa and Muratov as a pointed slap in the face for Facebook—which has been tied to the spread of misinformation, hate speech and violence in multiple countries. And Ressa especially has been a fierce critic long before any of us heard of ‘fake news’. The decision to honour her also underlines her critique:
“Facebook is now the world’s largest distributor of news and yet it has refused to be the gatekeeper, and when it does that, when you allow lies to actually get on the same playing field as facts, it taints the entire public sphere.”
Anecdote to note: In the Philippines, Facebook successfully rolled out the ‘Free Basics’ program—which offers free internet access to promote its platforms (an initiative rejected by India). As a result, most of the country is on Facebook—which was critical to the rise of a strongman like President Duterte. But when Ressa tried to flag the problem for Mark Zuckerberg, this happened:
“Ressa told Zuckerberg that 97% of Filipinos used Facebook, and she invited him to the Philippines to get a better understanding of the problems that result. Zuckerberg seemed to ignore the invitation, concentrating instead on how Facebook could increase its domination in the country. ‘What are the other 3 percent doing, Maria?’ he allegedly asked.”
Ok, tell me about these journalists
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