Pope Leo XIII demanded the release of journalists imprisoned in the first speech of the Vatican’s media.
“To find and report the truth,” he said, “I expressed solidarity with journalists in prison, and their suffering is” challenging the conscience of the state and the international community. ”
The freedom of the media should be defended, he said. The media should be protected by the “precious gift” of the media.
The committee to protect journalists said in 2024 that 361 journalists were in jail.
Pope Leo, who was selected as a new leader of the Catholic Church on Thursday, also emphasized the role of journalists paying attention to the injustice and poverty of the world.
He focused on reporting the truth instead of participating in the party division and urging him not to give a space for “fanatics and hatred.”
In the Vatican Paul VI audience hall, he said, “The way we communicate is fundamentally important. We must say ‘no’ in the war of words and images. We must reject the paradigm of the war.”
“We do not need loud and powerful communication, but rather, we can listen to and collect voices of weak people who do not have voices.”
The new Pope also said that AI should be used with “responsibility and discernment” in the assembled media with concerns about artificial intelligence.
Reporters should make AI use in “benefit of all humanity”, he said.
Leo XIV usually spoke in Italian, but opened a quip in English for the big applause he received when he entered the room.
“Thank you for this wonderful reception.”
“They say they don’t matter when they applaud them at first. If you are still awake and still want to applaud, thank you very much.”
