Thomas Kent (BBG.gov)
(28 January 2017) Thomas Kent, president of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, will lead a discussion of the future of these broadcasting services at the February First Monday Forum. Mr. Kent is expected to examine media freedom issues facing RFE and RL, including the safety of journalists, to provide news for its audiences. The event takes place on Monday, 6 February 2017 at American Foreign Service Association (AFSA) in Washington, D.C.
Thomas Kent joined Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty in June 2016 after a career of more than 40 years at Associated Press. Most recently, he was AP’s standards editor, responsible for the fairness and accuracy of the news agency’s content in text, photos, video, audio, interactives, and on social networks. He also served with AP as international editor, World Services editor, Moscow bureau chief, Brussels-based correspondent for European institutions and NATO, chief of operations in Tehran during the Iranian revolution, correspondent in Sydney, Australia, and Hartford, Connecticut, and foreign desk editor in New York.
He has written and spoken worldwide on journalistic ethics, including ethical issues for such new journalistic platforms as virtual reality and automated news writing. An advisor to the Ethical Journalism Network, Kent has been a board member of the Organization of News Ombudsmen, a Pulitzer Prize juror in international reporting and an advisor to the Society of Professional Journalists on revisions to its ethics code.
Monday forums are a joint project of the USC Center on Public Diplomacy, USC Annenberg Center on Communication Leadership and Policy, and Public Diplomacy Council. The event takes place on Monday, 6 February 2017, and begins at 12:00 pm at AFSA headquarters, 2101 E Street NW, Washington DC (Foggy Bottom metro). Sandwiches and refreshments will be served.
The event is free, but advance registrations by e-mail are required: FirstMondayForum.RSVP@gmail.com.
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