The Wire

As Bali is preparing for a two-day forum on democracy, media representatives from the Asia-Pacific are gathering for another event examining freedom of the press. Alan Kennedy from the Press Council of Australia is moderating a panel on the role of the Asian media in nurturing free speech. He says there have been significant improvements in recent years.

The Bali Democracy Forum was established five years ago to promote the development of democracy as a key to peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region. Australia’s Foreign Minister Julie Bishop will attend the forum that starts tomorrow.