The EBU media lunchtime talk on 20 October was about the role, responsibility and challenges faced by media and journalists when covering the highly sensitive refugee and migrant crisis. It brought together Committee for the Protection of Journalists EU correspondent Jean-Paul Marthoz, Editor in Chief of Polka Magazine Alain Genestar, BBC Europe news producer Bruno Boelpaep and former Vice-president of the European Parliament Isabelle Durant.

“Journalists have a mission to counter hate speech” said Jean-Paul Marthoz to open the panel discussion, highlighting the importance of ethical reporting. A lifelong press freedom and human rights activist, moderator Jean-Paul Marthoz stressed that it is the mainstream media’s responsibility to provide thorough evidence and professional reporting when hate speech is proliferating on social networks.

Alain Genestar noted how social media has changed the landscape for the professional press: “10 years ago, freedom of the press belonged to those who owned a printing press. Today, it belongs to anyone with a smartphone.“

“Ambient populism is nourished by strong images which will be part of the landscape in any case. We have the civic role to set the record straight”, he added. “Readers like to be treated for what they are: intelligent people.”

Bruno Boelpaep described how the size, scale and reporting about “people like us” in the refugee crisis had struck him, describing the events as “the greatest story I have ever covered.” He said: “Every refugee has an incredible story to tell. No need to seek the sensational.” He elaborated on how the BBC has tried to cover the many sides of the story, covering Syrians escaping the warzone as well as the plights of Afghan or African migrants.

Belgian politician Isabelle Durant said: “Big media did well with storytelling and pictures, but you should also cover what will happen in the coming months and show that it (the influx of refugees) has not changed everything.”

Yesterday's event was the third EBU media lunchtime talk event this year about the challenges faced by journalists when using and presenting sensitive information. Previous events in 2015, organised in collaboration with the European Federation of Journalists, covered the aftermath of the Charlie Hebdo tragedy and investigative journalism in the digital age.