Peter Mackler Award to Hold Ceremony Recognizing Karla Rivas October 20th, 2011

WASHINGTON, Oct. 17, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Peter Mackler Award for Courageous and Ethical Journalism will hold its annual award ceremony on October 20, 2011 at 6:00 p.m. at the National Press Club, 529 14th St. N.W., 13th Fl.; Washington, D.C. The ceremony is open to the public and will be followed by a networking hour. Tickets are $25 ($10 with student ID) and can be purchased at the door or online at www.pmaward.org. There will be a silent auction.

This year's winner is Karla Rivas, news editor for Radio Progreso (Honduras). Despite being one of the first victims of raids by the military after the 2009 coup, Radio Progreso continues to challenge censorship and to promote dialogue within Honduran society. It's leader, Father Ismael Moreno, was one of approximately ten journalists the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights instructed the new Honduran government to protect, an injunction the regime continues to ignore. Karla Rivas became a vocal opponent of the military tactics and continues to defend Radio Progreso's right to broadcast uncensored information.

The Key Note Speaker will be Dr. Catalina Botero, The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights' Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression.

About the Peter Mackler Award for Courageous and Ethical Journalism
The Peter Mackler Award for Courageous and Ethical Journalism was founded in June, 2008 to honor the memory of Peter Mackler, a Brooklyn-born thirty-five year veteran journalist who championed ethical journalism, freedom of expression. Mackler helped transform the news agency Agence France Press (AFP) into the international competitor that it is today. Mackler also founded the Global Media Forum, which has trained journalists and non-profit organizations to use the media as a tool for social change, and Project Plato, which teaches journalism as a life skill to disadvantaged teenagers.

The Peter Mackler award rewards journalists who fight courageously and ethically to report the news in countries where freedom of the press is either not guaranteed or not recognized. The Award is administered jointly by Global Media Forum and Reporters Without Borders.

SOURCE Reporters Without Borders