Media freedom has long been subject to government restrictions in Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries. This difficult period of political and economic transition compels rethinking of the place of the media in order to cope with the new social conditions that are bound to emerge.
This project aims to bring together promising young journalists from ASEAN countries and provide them with a forum for debate and high-quality lectures so that they can hone their skills and build personal networks for the future.
This year a workshop, "Government-Media Relationships in Southeast Asia," was held in Bangkok January 24-27, 2002. Fifteen journalists from ASEAN countries took part, discussing such topics as the status and problems of the media in each country and the digital revolution and the media. In addition to enhancing their journalistic skills and knowledge, the participants developed broad-based personal ties through discussion of the journalistic issues common to their countries.