International Press Institute (IPI) is a global organisation dedicated to the promotion and protection of press freedom and the improvement of journalism practices. The institution was founded by 34 editors from 15 countries at Columbia University in October, 1950, and has members in over 120 countries . IPI's membership is made up of editors and media executives. IPI has a membership category: "IPI Leading Journalists", which is open to heads of media departments, bureau chiefs and media correspondents. In several countries, including Nepal and Azerbaijan, IPI members established national-level committees aiming to support IPI in its work to improve the situation for media. IPI has a consultative status with the UN, UNESCO and the Council of Europe. IPI is a member of the International Freedom of Expression Exchange, a global network of non-governmental organisations that monitors press freedom and free expression violations worldwide. It is a member of the Tunisia Monitoring Group, a coalition of 16 free expression organisations that lobbies the Tunisian government to improve its human rights record. In October 2006, the US National Television Academy (NTA) honoured IPI with an International Emmy Award for its press freedom work. Activities Protest letters IPI monitors press freedom around the world and responds to threats and attacks on journalists and media outlets by sending protest letters to governments and inter-governmental organisations. These threats are often brought to IPI's attention by its members, many of whom experience such difficulties first-hand while carrying out their profession. Press freedom missions IPI leads missions to countries where press freedom is under threat, meeting with government officials, diplomats, journalists and non-governmental organisations, and providing legal representation and support in court cases. Research IPI undertakes extensive research on issues relevant to the media and circulates several publications on press freedom, including the quarterly magazine IPI Global Journalist. IPI regularly scrutinises new media laws and provides governments with recommendations on how to bring their legislation in line with internationally accepted standards on freedom of expression. IPI also monitors journalists killed worldwide. Since 1997, it has kept a Death Watch of media casualties. World Press Freedom Review Each year, IPI publishes an authoritative report on media violations around the world: The World Press Freedom Review. World Press Freedom Heroes In 2000, on the occasion of its 50th anniversary, IPI named 50 journalists "World Press Freedom Heroes". Since then, , ten more have been so named, including, posthumously, the