James Nachtwey Accepts 2007 TED Award

Photojournalist James Nachtwey won this year's Technology, Entertainment, Design or TED award for his contributions to society through documenting more than 20 years of conflicts around the world.

In his acceptance speech, Nachtwey  acknowledges how "The free flow of information is absolutely vital for a free and dynamic society to function properly."

Visual journalism, Nachtwey observes, has, since the 1960s, played an increasingly important role in this flow of information.

As Nachtwey notes, "I saw that the free flow of information presented by journalists, specifically visual journalists, can bring into focus both the benefits and the costs of political policies."

In his presentation, Nachtwey is extremely eloquent and lucid about the role of visual journalism in society today. For students and professionals, this is a powerful speech and well worth the time and  attention.