"This study explores journalism students’ responses to hazards and hostility in the profession within a Safety of Journalists course. The research uses focus group interviews, field notes, study diaries, written tasks, and Teams’ chat logs of 11 students. Students’ reactions to the hazards hig
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hlight the importance of awareness for finding solutions and developing resilience. Proposed solutions include fostering self-assurance, enhancing interpersonal communication, setting boundaries to prevent burnout, and recognizing the significance of workers’ rights. However, finding some solutions was hindered by students’ experiences of media organizations neglecting worker well-being." (Abstract)
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"During the past two decades, numerous investigative journalist networks have emerged globally, through which journalists from different places and cultures collaborate. In this article, we focus specifically on the experiences of female investigative journalists and the ways in which they navigate
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challenges of intimidation, threats, and violence and adapt to stay safe and prosper in their practice. Our research is based on interviews with experienced and renowned investigative reporters, or so-called elite interviewees (Figenschou 2010), who have worked on transnational collaborations such as the Panama Papers, the Organized Crime and Corruption Project (OCCRP), and the Forbidden Stories. We interviewed eleven female and four male investigative reporters within these networks, some of them twice, over a two-year period. The study findings show that while the cross-cultural environments of these networks can open doors and be beneficial to female journalists in cultures where women otherwise have limited professional leeway, these journalists must still manage a range of detrimental local conditions on the ground. When confronting globalized structures of crime and power through their collaborative and cross-cultural work, female journalists can face social and professional slander and physical and verbal attacks in return. The exchange of coping strategies within professional networks and collaborations will help to mitigate local challenges on the ground and sustain women's participation in professional journalism." (Abstract)
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"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)
"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
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dangerous areas, one of them is a journalist. Journalists in reporting for the sake of news that will be broadcast to the public or the audience, sometimes the coverage area is included in dangerous areas such as demonstrations or rallies. Demonstrations or rallies often end in chaos, in this case it is certain that many journalists from various media come to cover the demonstration. It is not uncommon for journalists to also get bad effects from such demonstrations such as accidents during demonstrations against journalists. In demonstrations the safety of journalists needs to be accounted for, because it is the journalists bet their lives for the sake of covering the news about the demonstration. Workers have the right to safety in their work area from the above problems in this study, the formulation of the problem can be raised, namely how is the form of occupational safety protection for journalists at the time of the demonstration? This study uses normative legal methods in which there is a lack of clarity on the regulation of occupational safety protection for journalists, especially when covering demonstrations. The purpose of this study is to know the form of occupational safety protection for journalists and of course provide full protection of Occupational Safety for journalists, especially when covering demonstrations. The solution that can be given is to clarify the regulations about who is responsible if journalists have an accident, especially when covering demonstrations." (Abstract)
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"This study appraises the mainstreaming and teaching of safety in journalism training institutions in Nigeria and interrogates the effectiveness of the safety measures available to safeguard the lives of journalists reporting from conflict areas in the North East geopolitical zone. In-depth intervie
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ws were conducted with 16 journalists representing a range of media organisations who had been reporting from the areas with the most volatile and prolonged conflicts. Mass communication curricula in universities and polytechnics across the region were also reviewed. The findings revealed that journalists in North East Nigeria are at high risk due to the absence of protective mechanisms and professional skills relating to safety. Journalists rely on their instincts and experience to manage risk, rendering them highly vulnerable in dangerous situations. These journalists endure multiple physical and psychological attacks from the security forces, insurgents and even community members that they cover. Recommendations reflective of best practice are offered regarding the mainstreaming of safety education in journalism training and the provision of safety mechanisms in order to reduce journalists’ physical harm and psychological trauma, increase their actual and perceived safety and security, boost their morale and improve the quality of their reporting." (Abstract)
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"Firstly, this chapter provides an overview of the generally dreadful state of press freedom worldwide, with online and physical attacks on journalists commonplace. In doing so, it surveys research data from leading international organisations advocating for journalism safety, which collectively ill
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ustrate a range of clear and present dangers to reporters such as murders with impunity, imprisonment and – disproportionately for women – online violence that could easily spill offline. Secondly, in order to assist journalism educators internationally to better prepare their students for the realities of this extremely dangerous world, it provides a platform for some of the foremost experts in the field of journalism safety to share their advice and recommended resources. The international mix of these experts is reflected in the combination of institutional or organisational affiliations: the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO); the Global Investigative Journalism Network (GIJN); iWatch Africa and Reach plc in the UK. Finally, in the context of their knowledgeable input, it turns its attention to recent developments in journalism education in the UK. It suggests that new opportunities to formulate and deliver safety and resilience training on courses accredited by the NCTJ could help to inspire and spread such training internationally." (Abstract)
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"Journalists are increasingly reporting that online harassment has become a common feature of their working lives, contributing to experiences of fatigue, anxiety and disconnection from social media as well as their profession. Drawing on interviews with American newsworkers, this study finds at lea
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st three distinct forms of harassment: acute harassment such as generalized verbal abuse, chronic harassment occurring over time and often from the same social media users and escalatory harassment that is more personalized and directly threatening. Women journalists said they especially are experiencing chronic and escalatory forms of harassment. Journalists also discussed a perceived lack of systemic efforts on the part of news organizations to address such harassment, leaving journalists to search for preventative and palliative coping mechanisms on their own. Such labor may be driving journalists’ disconnection from social media as well as the profession of journalism and highlights a growing need for news organizations to address harassment as a systemic, rather than individual, issue. The mental health and well-being of journalists may depend on such action, especially at a time when more journalists are reporting fatigue, burnout, and a desire to exit the profession." (Abstract)
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"Contemporary journalists face a multitude of external pressures and threats, ranging from political and commercial interference to online harassment and increasing anti-press hostility. This empirical article examines how the hybridization of the media environment is reflected in journalists’ exp
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eriences of external interference. The article also explores the factors in journalists’ working environment that support their ability to maintain their external autonomy against interference. The article is based on an applied thematic analysis of 31 semi-structured interviews with Finnish journalists supplemented by 4 background interviews with organizational stakeholders. Four major developments were identified in the analysis: (1) a proliferation of publicity control, (2) an increasingly contested public sphere, (3) societal and political polarization, and (4) the personalization of journalism. The autonomy of journalism was supported by a combination of (1) journalistic professionalism, (2) internal confidence within journalistic organizations, and (3) communication and support measures. The findings suggest that the hybridization of the media environment has intensified the external interference and pressure journalists encounter in their work. These, in turn, increase the workload and mental strain related to journalistic work, having the potential to cause fatigue, chilling effects, and self-censorship in the long run." (Abstract)
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"A number of studies have demonstrated that journalists will experience traumatic events during the course of their careers. Yet a gap in the research exists regarding newsroom organizational leaders and the impact of trauma on their work and emotional health. This study used a grounded theory appro
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ach to learn how newsroom leaders experience trauma and how they learn from events such as disasters and terror attacks to translate that knowledge into the work of management. The study also analyzes peer-reviewed research on journalism, trauma, and PTSD to understand how the newsroom organizational leaders in the study can contribute and amplify the recommended trauma responses for newsroom leaders. The data reveal that news organizational leaders can experience symptoms of PTSD and other negative emotional impacts and that news organizational leaders experience an emotional double bind, where staff is encouraged to openly show emotion and be supported, but the organizational leaders believe they will be perceived as weak if they show emotion. Findings from the study are valuable, because they lead to practical guidelines regarding counseling, supervisor support, and training and extend our understanding of how trauma can impact the entire newsroom ecosystem." (Abstract)
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"In journalism, there are still growing concerns about the ratio of men to women, even though women's presence in the newsroom have increased progressively. The issues of gender stereotyping and discrimination against women have emerged over time and still remain an issue of great concern. In view o
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f this, using the gender theory, this chapter aims to interrogate the issues of female representation in the practice of journalism in Ghana, in terms of numbers, portrayals, and discriminations. To achieve the aim, the study employs a qualitative approach through in-depth interviews. The study reveal that men still dominate the journalism profession in Ghana. Also women in the newsroom are portrayed on one hand as capable and hardworking and on the other hand as emotional and immoral. Furthermore, women in journalism in Ghana are discriminated against in terms of salary structure and job roles. It was also revealed that female journalists in Ghana are employing strategies like apathy and rebelliousness to deal with the negative portrayals and discrimination against them." (Abstract)
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"As a consequence of the endemic anti-press violence, Mexican journalists work under dangerous conditions. The constant assaults have eroded the practice of free journalism and thus, the people's right to know. Drawing on a set of semi-structured interviews with news workers from the most violent st
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ates across the country, this study emphasises that this phenomenon has a threefold impact at the individual, organisational, and societal levels. That is, those attacks affect the victims, the newsrooms they work for, and society. The findings also point that journalists throughout the nation share similar perceptions regarding these implications, because there is a generalised risk that they have to constantly face." (Abstract)
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"This research analyzes the media landscape in Georgia from a gender equality perspective to identify the existing stereotypes dominant in Georgian media organizations. Georgia (country) faces the challenges related to femicide, domestic violence, employment of women, early or forced marriages, sexu
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al harassment, blackmailing of female journalists, and there is a lack of awareness regarding gender equality. The study answers research questions: What sociocultural context and basic psychological motivators drive females to choose journalism as a profession? Is there any gender inequality regarding the workplace and positions in Georgian media (TV, print, radio, and online media) and if ‘yes' how does it present? Are there any predefined topics/themes covered specifically by the male or female journalists? What gender-related stereotypes (if any) dominate/take over in Georgian media?" (Abstract)
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"There is a growing recognition that journalists are exposed to dangerous or hazardous working conditions in many places worldwide. These conditions are suggested to be linked to greater macro-related structural risks, including changes to the political economy of news that increase labor precarity,
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cultural and identity-based risks from oppressive normative systems, aggressive partisans and extremists, and risks originating from weak or changing enforcement of the rule of law that increases journalists' vulnerability to corrupt officials, security forces and criminal groups. While previous research has linked these structural risks to acts of workplace victimization of journalists, it has not considered how structural risks are connected to the subjective experience of victimization, which includes emotional upheaval and varying coping strategies. Anchoring this study in the sociology of risk literature with general strain theory, this study considers how greater, macro-level structures are tied to journalist’s victimization, emotions and coping using open and closed survey response data from 21 Mexican and 33 Brazilian journalists. Survey data was collected through matched subnational context designs and snowball sampling strategies. Findings show that journalists recalled victimization experiences that were linked to labor market and workplace risks, risks associated with the rule of law, culturally based risks, and identity-based risks. As a result, journalists engaged in short and long-term coping strategies. Coping strategies were also either individualistic or collectivist in nature, with coping strategies ultimately being influenced by country and regional contexts." (Abstract)
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"In the Philippines, sexual harassment is among the threats and attacks women in media face. While Filipino women journalists experience being sexually harassed by colleagues and sources, several have opted not to report such incidents for fear of being blamed and fear of retaliation from the accuse
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d. This case study research documents six Filipino women journalists' experiences. Findings were analyzed using thematic analysis, guided by the framework of the spiral of silence theory by Elisabeth Noelle-Neumann. The findings show that interviewees did not report sexual harassment and related issues because they perceived these cases as part of the reality of working in the news industry. Other factors for staying silent were uncertainties about how their employer will respond, the fear of losing sources, and the fear of being isolated from colleagues. The interviewees proposed strategies, however, on how cases of sexual harassment against women journalists should be addressed in the future. Suggested practices and policy recommendations are presented." (Abstract)
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"As members of the media, TV news workers were considered essential employees during the COVID-19 pandemic. Many employees went into the field to cover stories related to the pandemic, which included anti-mask and lock-down protests. This mixed-methods study explored the extent to which TV news work
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ers perceived organizational support from their news organizations during the crisis. Findings of a national survey of TV news employees (N = 173) show market size (larger), membership in professional organizations, access to counseling services, and resources on best practices of covering COVID-19 correlated with positive perceptions of employers during the pandemic. In turn, these positive perceptions, as well as manageable job demands and high decision authority each correlated with overall job satisfaction. Qualitative findings further illustrated the varying steps TV news managers took to support and protect their employees’ health and safety during the crisis." (Abstract)
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"In 2017, following the #MeToo movement stirred by the public outing of Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein, the safety of women at the workplace became a prime agenda for international news media. Although far from being truly inclusive, the #MeToo movement rapidly spread to other parts of the worl
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d. Women of different nationalities, backgrounds, and race shared their stories of abuse and survival using the #MeToo hashtag and its variants. In 2018, women within the news media industry in India joined the movement and called out prominent editors, filmmakers, and artists on social media for perpetrating and abetting acts of sexual harassment and abuse against them. As an immediate result, several accused were made to resign from their organizations and dropped from prestigious public posts. However, a backlash to the movement followed soon after, most evidently in the form of victim-shaming and defamation lawsuits against women. Based on the theory of epistemic advantage, the study explores the perception of sexual harassment among journalists in India using in-depth interviews." (Abstract)
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"This survey-based case study explored members' motives for using a closed Facebook group specifically for women journalists. Particularly, we explored a motivation based on the feminist ethics of care and members' experiences of harassment, job satisfaction, and confidence in discussing safety issu
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es with supervisors. Results indicated that gender-specific professional support and the ethics of care were primary motives for group use, and the ethics of care motive positively predicted job satisfaction. Additionally, those who experienced in-person harassment were more likely to be motivated by ethics of care, and the gender-specific professional support motive was related to confidence in discussing safety threats." (Abstract)
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"This article examines sexual and gendered harassment among professional female editorial photographers, whose experiences have largely been under-researched. It draws on semi-structured interviews conducted between 2017–2019 with 17 female professional editorial photographers, aged 23–82, who w
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ork in a variety of beats. Sixteen of 17 interviewees encountered sexual harassment, with gendered harassment the most common. Harassers included professors, other photographers, colleagues, salespeople, subjects, and the general public, whom photographers encountered at school, work, while networking, and when using and buying gear. Largely, participants addressed the sexual and gendered harassment on an individual level, rather than reporting it to editors or other authorities. These findings add qualitative nuance to quantitative research that suggests physical risks and economic precarity may drive women from the profession." (Abstract)
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"Female journalists make up only between five to 10 percent of the total journalists in Indonesia. Consequently, this often gives women little bargaining power in the workplace. This research analyzes the prevalence and nature of sexual harassment experienced by Indonesian female journalists, as wel
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l as their coping techniques. In doing so, in-depth interviews with 10 Indonesian female journalists were conducted. Results show that the majority of respondents have encountered some type of sexual harassment, ranging from unwelcome sexual advances, sexual jokes, offensive flirtations, or actual sexual assaults. Based on the in-depth interviews, there were six main coping techniques used by the respondents: 1. Denial; 2. Ignoring the harassment; 3. Relying on the protection of male coworkers; 4. Appearing more masculine; 5. Being friendly and approachable to others; and, 6. Confronting and reporting. Data is analyzed using a feminist perspective, specifically the sociocultural theory. Though the participants in this study have learned to cope with such treatment, the overall persistence of sexual harassment may lead to such negative implications as further decrease of the number of female journalists, lack of diversity in the media, and the inability for journalists to be watchdogs." (Abstract)
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"Journalists are increasingly becoming the target of online abuse; the backlash over the death of TV presenter Caroline Flack and coverage of the Black Lives Matter protests are just two recent examples. Yorkshire Evening Post editor Laura Collins has highlighted how female journalists face the brun
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t of this abuse, describing social media as ‘a modern-day equivalent of the Wild West’. The fact that journalists are exposed to this kind of attack is becoming an increasing focus; but how are we – as educators – to prepare our journalism students for entering this world? What guidance should we be giving them – to respond or not to respond, to block or not to block? And at what point should they report their experience via more formal channels? The authors of this paper set out to identify strategies and tools for students to help protect themselves and remain resilient in the face of online abuse. Through qualitative interviews, we asked how practising journalists are coping with social media attacks, and what steps they and their employers are taking to protect and support them. The result is a set of guidelines offering practical and emotional advice from journalists to directly inform journalism educators and their students." (Abstract)
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