Julian Assange wins Martha Gelhorn journalism prizeWikiLeaks founder praised as 'brave, determined,

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Guardian

Julian Assange wins Martha Gelhorn journalism prizeWikiLeaks founder praised as 'brave, determined, independent' by judges
Jason Deans guardian.co.uk,
Thursday 2 June 2011 15.46 BST

Julian Assange, the WikiLeaks founder, has won the 2011 Martha Gelhorn prize for journalism.

The annual prize is awarded to a journalist "whose work has penetrated the established version of events and told an unpalatable truth that exposes establishment propaganda, or 'official drivel', as Martha Gellhorn called it".

"WikiLeaks has been portrayed as a phenomenon of the hi-tech age, which it is. But it's much more. Its goal of justice through transparency is in the oldest and finest tradition of journalism," Martha Gelhorn prize judges said in their citation.

"WikiLeaks has given the public more scoops than most journalists can imagine: a truth-telling that has empowered people all over the world. As publisher and editor, Julian Assange represents that which journalists once prided themselves in – he's brave, determined, independent: a true agent of people not of power."



Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/jun/02/julian-assange-martha-gelhorn-prize

[NorthCarolina]

1. K&R

[buckrogers1965]

2. Is he a journalist yet?

Of course the first amendment protects free speech by both people and journalists, but it is nice to see him winning prestigious prizes. Proves that what he is doing is journalism to those saying he should have no protection because he isn't "officially" a journalist, in the traditional work for a corporation sense.

[OnyxCollie]

3. K&R.

Today, out of curiosity, I asked my classmates (graduate level political science) if anyone had read the WikiLeaks' cables.

None had, including the professor.

[Demeter]

4. I doubt anyone could read ALL of them

But I've read several samples...very enlightening they were, too!

[OnyxCollie]

7. They didn't even know what they were.

Wiki what?

[Bragi]

12. Is this a madras-like bible college?

I'm not questioning your statement, but I'm really surprised that polysci grad students anywhere outside of a madras-like bible college would never have heard of Wikileaks.

You have my condolences for being in such an awful learning environment.

[OnyxCollie]

13. Nope. University of Akron.

A reminder that location and affordability should not be the most important factors in choosing a college.

Actually, I went there to get an art degree and have now finished the course work for a Master's in political science, so it wasn't like I planned this.

[Bragi]

15. You wrote:

A reminder that location and affordability should not be the most important factors in choosing a college.

Hah! Good thought!

All the best to you.

[No Elephants]

16. Congratulations on finishing the course work!

[Bragi]

5. This proves what? /nt

[OnyxCollie]

8. Nothing scientific.

I was only curious to see what those who allegedly are more politically savvy than average knew about the WikiLeaks cables.

They don't know anything.

[harmonicon]

9. Wow, that's kind of hard to believe.

What do these people do? I'll admit to being rather in the dark about most things going on in popular culture - including the political "scandals" that actually have nothing to do with politics - but I don't know how someone could just live day-to-day in any profession and not know about wikileaks.

[OnyxCollie]

14. Most professors there are pretty conservative.

The only progressive professor doesn't have tenure, so he keeps his mouth shut.

The students lack curiosity toward their own government, and that lack of curiosity is encouraged by professors who avoid anything contemporary or casts America in a bad light.

My professors-

Didn't know about the US Attorney scandal.

Didn't know about the OLC memos (even after I had sent them the links over a year before. Kinda funny, they will openly admit they do not know the constraints under which the government operates, and are debating using their beliefs and opinions, but will accuse me of arguing polemics.)

Didn't know about the Pentagon pundits.

Said PNAC had nothing to do with Iraq.

Said that "Rebuilding America's Defenses" was not a sales brochure for the defense industry as I had asserted, but was "about Israel." (?!?)

[iemitsu]

10. my students are all in high school

and i can assure you that all of them know who julian assange is and what wikileaks represents to the spread of political information.
it is sad that those studying politics can be so clueless.

edited to add: especially graduate students!

[bobthedrummer]

6. K&R n/t

[Vidar]

11. Richly deserved ...now how about that Nobel Peace Prize? Oh yeah,

I forgot: that one's reserved for war-mongering thugs these days.