The Centre for Freedom of the Media (CFOM) at the University of Sheffield (UK) is an interdisciplinary research centre with global outreach on issues of media freedom, journalism safety, editorial standards and impunity. During the 2022 Academic Consultation on the UN Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity, CFOM conducted a literature stocktake to scope out academic literature published in the area of media freedom, journalism safety and impunity. CFOM collated this information and produced a literature database organised by themes or countries for accessibility.  The collection is especially strong on country- and region-specific safety issues and on surveys of emotional wellbeing of journalists. This special collection is curated by gemma.horton@sheffield.ac.uk.

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Topics
Safety of Journalists, Safety Risks of Media Workers
281
Harassment & Intimidation of Journalists
172
Journalists Dealing with Risks & Threats, Resilience & Wellbeing of Media Workers
147
Female Journalists & Media Workers
108
Media Freedom, Press Freedom
89
Safety of Journalists: Law & Public Policies
58
Conflict Reporting, Armed Conflict Reporting
57
Self-Censorship
51
Working Conditions of Journalists & Media Personnel
42
Killings of Journalists & Media Personnel
32
Violence Against Journalists & Media Personnel
27
COVID-19 Pandemic: Effects on Journalism, Media & Communication
27
Journalism Education & Training
25
War Reporting
24
Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists & Media Personnel
23
Press Freedom & Communication Rights Violations
22
Surveillance, Surveillance Technologies, Spyware
17
Investigative Journalism
15
Foreign Correspondents
14
Cybersecurity, Digital Safety, Privacy, Right to Privacy
13
Censorship
12
Journalists: Professional Identity & Values
12
Crime & Violence Reporting
10
Humanitarian Law
10
COVID-19 Communication
10
Media Law & Regulation
10
Gender-Based Online Harassment & Sexual Threats
9
Media Law & Regulation: International Standards & Practices
9
Journalism
9
Freelance Journalists & Media Workers
9
Digital Activism, Cyber Advocacy
8
Gender-Based Harassment, Intimidation & Violence
8
Protests, Protest Movements, Protest Reporting & Media Representation
8
Media Landscapes, Media Systems, Media Situation in General
8
Authoritarian Regimes: Government Communication Strategies
7
United Nations Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity
7
Media Assistance: Freedom of Expression & Safety of Journalists
6
Citizen Journalism, Community Journalism
6
Digital Journalism, Online Journalism
6
Social Media in Political Communication
6
Media Capture, Vested Political & Other Interests in the Media
6
Authoritarian Regimes: Media Systems & Landscapes
5
Foreign Conflict Reporting, International War Reporting
5
Journalistic Social Media Use
5
Local Journalism
5
Photojournalism
5
Election Reporting
5
Human Rights Protection
5
Research in Media & Communication
5
Editorial Independence
4
Military: Communication Strategies & Practices
4
Conflict-Sensitive & Peace Journalism
4
Trauma: Media Representation & Reporting
4
Cyberbullying, Cyberharassment
4
Countering Hate Speech, Disinformation & Propaganda
4
Countering Defamation & Harassment
4
Feminism & Communication
4
Russia: Foreign Information Operations, International Broadcasting, Public Diplomacy
4
Transnational Journalism Cooperation & News Exchange
4
UNESCO
4
Journalism Education Curricula
4
Stringers & Fixers (Journalism)
4
Media Assistance
4
Populism
4
Open Data
3
Authoritarian Regimes, Dictatorships
3
Exile Journalism, Exile Media
3
Indirect Censorship, Soft Censorship
3
Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPP)
3
Government Communication Strategies
3
Iraq War (2003)
3
Conflict Areas: Media Systems, Media Landscapes, Role of Media
3
Extremism & Terrorism Reporting
3
Disaster & Humanitarian Crisis Reporting
3
Disinformation, Misinformation, Fake News
3
Accountability & Transparency of the Media
3
Council of Europe
3
United Nations (UN)
3
Associations & Networks of Journalists
3
Journalists
3
Media Reporting, Reporting on Journalism & Communication Issues
3
Television Journalism
3
Post-Socialist Media Systems & Landscapes
3
Human Rights Violations
3
Caruana Galizia, Daphne (1964-2017)
3
Right-Wing Extremism
3
Democracy / Democratization and Media
3
Corruption & Combating Corruption
3
Networks & Networking
3
Civic Engagement, Citizen Participation, Civil Society & Media
2
Gender Advocacy & Empowerment, Gender Mainstreaming
2
Media Advocacy, Media Activism
2
Audience Feedback, Interaction & Participation
2
Independent & Oppositional Media in Authoritarian Regimes
2
Data Protection: Law & Regulation
2
Freedom of Expression
2
Freedom of Expression Lobbying & Communication Rights Campaigning
2
Freedom of Expression Principles
2
Internet Censorship Circumvention Tools & Strategies
2
Crisis Communication
2
Genocides
2
Russia-Ukraine War <2014-
2
Transitional Justice Reporting
2
Media Criticism
2
Media Viability & Financial Sustainability
2
Climate Change Communication, Climate Journalism
2
Journalism Ethics
2
Bribery & Corruption in Journalism
2
Objectivity & Veracity of Reporting
2
Fact-Checking & Verification of Sources
2
Gender Discrimination, Gender Inequalities
2
Indigenous Journalists & Communicators
2
Transnational & Comparative Communication Research
2
Journalism Concepts & Cultures
2
Journalism Studies & Research
2
Journalistic Quality
2
Political Reporting
2
Media & Communication Policies
2
Confidential Sources, Whistleblowing, Protection of Journalists' Sources
2
Migration & Refugees Reporting & (Social) Media Representation
2
Conflict & War Photography
2
Military
2
Opinion Leaders, Politicians, Decision Makers, Elites
2
Kompas (Newspaper, Indonesia)
2
Public Media, State Media
2
Islamist Communications & Media
2
Resilience
2
User-Generated Contents
2
Access to Media & Information
1
Access to Media & Information: Migrants, Refugees, Diasporas
1
Access to Public Information, Freedom of Information, Right to Information
1
Access to Information Laws, Right to Information Regulation
1
Editorial Independence: Influence of Advertisers
1
Advocacy
1
Civic Engagement, Citizen Participation, Civil Society & Digital Communication
1
Audiences & Users
1
Audience Expectations & Satisfaction
1
Audience Orientation
1
Social Media Analytics, Web Metrics, User Data Analytics
1
Election Campaigns
1
Catholic Media
1
Film Actors, Directors & Producers, Filmmakers
1
Digital Media Censorship, Control & Filtering, Internet & Social Media Censorship
1
Media / Communication Control
1
Censorship Circumvention Tools & Strategies
1
State Influence on the Media
1
OSCE Representative of Freedom of the Media
1
Government / State Advertising: Allocation Policies & Regulation
1
Alternative Communication & Media
1
Community Radios
1
Conflicts: Victims' Perspectives
1
Perpetrators
1
Terrorism
1
Boko Haram
1
Gaza War (2023-)
1
Humanitarian Interventions
1
Iraq-Kuwait Gulf War (1990-1991)
1
War Crimes
1
Conflict-Sensitive / Peace Communication
1
Dealing With the Past
1
Media Assistance in Conflict Regions & Fragile Countries
1
Trauma, Coping with Trauma, Trauma Therapy
1
Violence in the Media
1
Discourse & Discourse Analysis
1
Theatre
1
Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)
1
Algorithms & Big Data
1
Digital Media Startups
1
Digital Platform & Intermediaries Regulation
1
Digital Political Communication
1
Online Magazines & Newspapers
1
Social Media
1
Content Moderation & Regulation: Social Media
1
Democratization & Digital Media / Social Media
1
Facebook
1
Twitter & Microblogs
1
Trolling (Social Media)
1
AI in Journalism & Media
1
Generative AI, including ChatGPT et al.
1
Digitalisation, Online Communication & Democracy / Democratization
1
Diaspora Media
1
Minority Journalists
1
Prisoners & Communication / Media
1
Racism
1
Religious Minorities & Media
1
Earthquakes, Floods, Tsunamis, Natural Disasters
1
Conspiracy Narratives, Conspiracy Theories
1
Disinformation & Misinformation Law & Regulation
1
Foreign Disinformation, Foreign Information Manipulation Operations, Foreign Propaganda
1
Health Disinformation & Misinformation
1
Media Literacy: Disinformation, Fake News, Hate Speech
1
Documenting Human Rights Violations
1
Media Commercialisation
1
Media Concentration
1
Media Ownership
1
Political Economy of Media
1
Infotainment, Politainment
1
Sports Reporting
1
Environmental & Land Conflicts Reporting & Media Representation
1
Defamation: Effects on Victims
1
Bias in News Media
1
Evaluation Criteria, Evaluation Indicators
1
Female Opinion Leaders, Politicians, Decision Makers
1
Gender Representation & Stereotypes in the Media
1
Emergency Medical Aid
1
Health Journalism
1
Mental Health (General)
1
History of Journalism
1
History of the Press
1
China: Transnational Information Operations, International Broadcasting, Public Diplomacy
1
Foreign Countries: Reporting & Media Representation
1
Foreign News, International News
1
European Union (EU)
1
OSCE
1
Reporters Sans Frontièrs
1
Collaborative Journalism, Journalism Cooperation
1
Constructive Journalism, Solution-Oriented Journalism
1
Journalism Studies: Research Projects
1
Vox Pop Interviews
1
Journalists: Trust in Public Institutions
1
Labour Market for Journalists
1
Newsroom Management
1
Business & Economics Journalism
1
Corruption Reporting & Role of Media in Curbing Corruption
1
Court Reporting & Media Representation of Judicial System
1
Death & Grief: Reporting & Media Representation
1
Service Journalism, Consumer Information, Lifestyle Journalism
1
Metaphors
1
Translations & Translating
1
Local Television
1
Media Assistance: Financial Sustainability & Management
1
Diversity & Pluralism in Media / Communication
1
Media & Information Literacy
1
Law, Legislation, Judiciary (General)
1
Law & Regulation: Protection of Confidential Sources & Whistleblowers
1
Transitional Justice
1
Contracts, Labour Agreements, Service Contracts
1
Forced Migration, Forced Displacement
1
Cadwalladr, Carole (British Investigative Journalist)
1
Khashoggi, Jamal (1958-2018)
1
Ressa, Maria
1
Photographers
1
Hindu Nationalism
1
Political Extremism
1
Fragile / Post-Conflict States
1
Parliaments
1
Police
1
Politics and Media
1
Election Campaigns: Social Media
1
Independent & Oppositional Media
1
Influence of Media on Politics
1
Political Transition and Media
1
Public Spheres
1
Memory, Memorizing
1
Fundamentalisms (Religious)
1
Communication & Media Indicators
1
Communication & Media Research Associations & Networks
1
Research Methods
1
Digital Sources
1
Political Indicators
1
Interviewing (Journalistic Genre)
1
Crimes, Criminality, Organized Crime
1
Human Security
1
Sexual Violence & Abuse, Rape
1
COVID-19 Pandemic: Economic, Political and Social Effects
1
Rohingya
1
Blockchain Technologies
1
Al-Jazeera
1
Theories of Communication & Media
1
Language
Document type
Countries / Regions
Authors & Publishers
Media focus
Publication Years
Methods applied
Journals
Output Type
"Can political leaders’ anti-media rhetoric encourage violence against journalists and undermine media freedom in democracies? While there is evidence that anti-media public discourse can amplify negative attitudes and behaviors towards the media, there is still uncertainty as to whether and how p ... more
"Overall, our study found that many journalists and media workers from minority backgrounds were experiencing online harassment and abuse from members of the public, and that often, this behaviour was considered ‘part of the job’ in the modern, digital environment. While we found some employers ... more
"Australia and New Zealand have reputations as countries prone to catastrophic and frequent natural and man-made disasters. Therefore, it is no surprise that antipodean academics want trauma-informed education for their journalism students. This study presents the Australian-New Zealand results of a ... more
"Journalists confront terror and war to report and document what is happening. Covering traumatic events is dangerous for the reporters on the scene and may leave them with distress responses. The aim of this study is to investigate the coping strategies journalists use to deal with danger and traum ... more
"Background: A current need in journalistic frontline work is to understand the potential psychological and physical traumatic consequences that may result from on-duty appointments. Journalists are active in frontline zones to report on conflicts, crises, and natural disasters. In the Middle East a ... more
"Literature notes that most journalists will witness trauma and human suffering during the course of their careers, yet journalism education is lagging behind in preparing students to cope with the effects of exposure to traumatic events. This paper examines the attitudes of journalism educators/tra ... more
"Research shows that emotional management is often part of journalists’ decision-making in the news creation process and when dealing with attacks, insults, or harassment, which we describe by the umbrella term hostility. Some emotional management strategies can lead journalists to self-censorship ... more

What Psychology Can Offer in Understanding Journalists' Well-Being

In: Happiness in Journalism
Valérie Bélair-Gagnon; Avery E. Holton; Mark Deuze; Claudia Mellado (eds.)
London; New York: Routledge (2023), pp. 33-46
"This chapter introduces the psychological science of well-being as applied to the work of journalists. This review links the general psychological literature on health and well-being with the emerging literature about journalists’ well-being to enhance our understanding of journalists’ experien ... more

Safer Vox Pops and Door Knocking

In: Happiness in Journalism
Valérie Bélair-Gagnon; Avery E. Holton; Mark Deuze; Claudia Mellado (eds.)
London; New York: Routledge (2023), pp. 138-146
"This chapter overviews the harmful nature of these reporting practices and provides alternative reporting strategies and solutions that can improve reporters’ safety and increase their happiness in the profession." (Abstract)

Self-Employment in the News Industry

In: Happiness in Journalism
Valérie Bélair-Gagnon; Avery E. Holton; Mark Deuze; Claudia Mellado (eds.)
London; New York: Routledge (2023), pp. 157-165
"This chapter highlights the position of freelance or self-employed journalists in the news sector from the pessimistic observation that news organizations tend to push journalists into a freelance status to cope with decreasing revenues and are inspired by neoliberal thoughts." (Abstract)

Has Journalism Forgotten the Journalists?

In: Happiness in Journalism
Valérie Bélair-Gagnon; Avery E. Holton; Mark Deuze; Claudia Mellado (eds.)
London; New York: Routledge (2023), pp. 187-189
"This essay argues that more qualitative research is needed to assess why journalists are reporting burnout, taking time off work, and in some cases leaving the profession." (Abstract)

Weaponising the Law: Attacks on Media Freedom

Thomson Reuters Foundation;Tow Center for Digital Journalism (2023), 50 pp.
"The purpose of this report is to provide the first step towards a global overview of the weaponization of the law as a prominent threat to media freedom. In doing so, we offer a resource that can be used to empower those seeking to navigate the shifting legal environment and support those working t ... more
"Killings, as the most extreme form of violence against journalists, receive considerable attention, but journalists experience a variety of threats from surveillance to gendered cyber targeting and hate speech, or even the intentional deprivation of their financial basis. This article provides a co ... more
"The protection of journalists' rights is critical for the preservation of freedom of expression, the rule of law, and democracy. International organizations play a crucial role in ensuring the safety and well-being of journalists worldwide. This article examines the international legal framework th ... more

Not just words: How reputational attacks harm journalists and undermine press freedom

Vancouver: Global Reporting Centre;University of British Columbia School of Journalism, Writing, and Media (2023), 105 pp.
"Journalists’ reputations are under assault around the world. Among journalists we surveyed, 63% reported at least monthly attacks on their individual reputations — and 19% reported facing them daily. Rates were even higher for attacks on the reputations of their news outlets or the broader news ... more

Social media and online hostility: Experiences of women in Irish journalism

Dublin: Irish Research Council;Dublin City University (2023), 60 pp.
"The public’s increased access to journalists via social networks is arguably the defining shift in audience-media relations over the past two decades. While some laud this potential for dialogue, the reality is that many journalists face targeted hostility, with women often subjected to particula ... more
"While there is an upsurge of research examining hostility toward the press from those external to the newsroom, there continues to be a lack of critical and robust theoretical foundation and agenda for such inquiry in countries considered to have a democratically free press. Therefore, the objectiv ... more
"In terms of connecting his life every human being needs a job. Human life is considered more prosperous when getting a decent job. Workers in carrying out their work in addition to getting wages, of course, need to get legal protection and work safety protection. There are many workers who work in ... more

Safety of Journalists in Ghana

In: The State of the Ghanaian Media Report
Abena Animwaa Yeboah-Banin (ed.)
Accra: University of Ghana, Department of Communication Studies;Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) (2023), pp. 60-70
"The continual threats against the lives of journalists have been blamed for Ghana’s decline in the World Press Freedom Index ranking for the past two years. Even though much of the evidence for this has primarily been anecdotal, various efforts have been undertaken to compile reports of abuses th ... more
"This study sought to use the self-reporting method of survey as well as key informant interviews to investigate the depth and spread of the problem. A total of 115 respondents took part in the survey. Additionally, eight interviews were conducted with key stakeholders. The study found that the most ... more