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External Interference in a Hybrid Media Environment

Ilmari Hiltunen

Journalism Practice, volume 16, issue 10 (2022), pp. 2106-2124

"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 ... more

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Media Environment and Safety of Journalists During the Crisis in Georgia: Threats and Supportive Instruments

Mariam Gersamia, Maia Toradze

Environment and Society, volume 5, issue 5 (2022), 1 pp.

"Viable, free media is a crucial component of democratic progress in Georgia. Thirty years after the collapse of the Soviet Union and gaining independence, the safety of journalists while carrying out professional duties continues to be one of the critical indicators of progress in the country's med ... ia democracy. This research was triggered by the actualization of the acute and, in some ways, spontaneous media threat that arose during the pre-election period. More specifically, on July 5, 2021, two months before Georgia's local self-government municipal elections, media workers fell victim to a premeditated attack by pro-Russian radical groups during the coverage of demonstrations. As a result, 52 journalists from more than ten media outlets, camera operators, and photographers were assaulted. A TV Pirveli cameraman, Lekso Lashkarava, died a few days later due to severe injuries received during the demonstration. The research aims to distinguish the traits prevalent in the media environment during times of crisis and, even more specifically, during the pre-and post-election periods (particularly during the 2021 local government elections in Georgia). The research also responds to how political polarization and crises affect media and the macro and micro threats they reveal. The study identifies these media threats and assesses the reality of the media environment as seen through journalists' eyes. The research covers topics recommended by UNESCO (Towards a Research agenda on the safety of journalists) and examines seven of those ten recommended issues. A mixed research methodology was chosen for research design, more specifically, a sequential explanatory design. The research was conducted in two phases: the first phase involved the accumulation of quantitative data (through an online survey of 183 respondents from 56 media sources) and analysis, followed which the second phase involved qualitative research (3 focus group discussions). The research answers the questions as follows: How safe do media workers feel when performing their professional duties? What kind of threats have emerged during the 2021 pre-election media environment, and what are the expectations? What are some of the support mechanisms for improving the media environment, and what needs to be done to create a safer environment for media workers? Macro (4) and micro (6) media threats were identified during the research process. They are analyzed in sub-chapters in greater detail. These threats are interconnected and have their structure and aims. Media threats, which emerged during the discussion, contribute to self-censorship and escalation of fear, media credibility, reduction of support, and destabilizing media institutional viability. Political polarization and polarization between media organizations were identified as major macro media threats. Micro threats that were identified as a result of polarization are: Stigmatization of journalists and media (labeling them as biased towards certain political parties) and attempted smear campaigns; They are disrupting the execution of journalist duties. Among such actions are creating obstacles to providing a balanced narrative and bringing a quality media product to the public, primarily reflected in a premeditated restriction to sources and surveillance to disrupt the work process. One macro threat that emerged from the online survey and focus-group analysis was the incitement of physical and verbal violence towards journalists (this includes hate speech and the use of aggressive rhetoric by the state). These media threats reinforce self-censorship and fear, destabilize media institutions' viability and negatively affect the demonstration of solidarity and support toward media. One identified macro-threats towards journalists was the lack of investigation of crimes committed against journalists and impunity as an encouraging factor. Additionally, we could consider the malign nature of the Russian propaganda and malign influence in general as an additional factor, which serves as a leitmotif for the entire discussion on another macro threat. As a result of this study, recommendations have been put forward for various stakeholders. Implementing these recommendations will help create a supportive media environment, encourage solidarity, and improve coordination between different stakeholders during and after crises. Research conducted is by the Media and Communication Educational and Research Center (Georgia) with support of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation’s South Caucasus Office and the Federal Republic of Germany’s Federal Foreign Office." (Abstract) more

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Can Journalists Be Safe in a Violent World?

Silvio Waisbord

Journalism Practice, volume 16, issue 9 (2022), pp. 1948-1954

"The safety of journalists is one of the most formidable challenges for press freedom and democracy around the world. The problem is the result of the juxtaposition of various forms of violence that break journalists’ sense of security and autonomy – the ability to control and decide the paramet ... more

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Journalist Safety and Self-Censorship
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Ingrid Fadnes, Anna Grøndahl Larsen, Roy Krøvel (eds.)

London; New York: Routledge (2021), viii, 210 pp.

"This book explores the relationship between the safety of journalists and self-censorship practices around the world, including local case studies and regional and international perspectives. Bringing together scholars and practitioners from around the globe, Journalist Safety and Self-Censorship p ... more

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Media Environment Before and After 2021 Elections: Threats and Supportive Instruments

Mariam Gersamia, Maia Toradze

Tbilisi: Media and Communication Educational and Research Center (MCERC) (2021), 65 pp.

"The study revealed the macro and micro media threats that come to light in the digital and physical media environments prior to and following elections. The media environment observed during the 2021 self-government elections was representative of the reality seen through the eyes of media workers, ... more

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Bulgarian Journalists Under Pressure: Threats, Violence, and Freedom of Speech

Ivaylo Yoshkov

In: Handbook of Research on Discrimination, Gender Disparity, and Safety Risks in Journalism

Sadia Jamil, Baris Çoban, Bora Ataman, Gifty Appiah-Adjei (eds.)

Hershey, PA: IGI Global (2021), pp. 212-231

"Bulgarian journalists are under pressure. Although the country has been a member of the EU for 13 years and the legislation on freedom of speech corresponds to Western practices, the country ranks 111th in the annual Freedom of Speech Index. While the cases of work-related physical violence against ... more

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Voices of Resilience: Colombian Journalists and Self-Censorship in the Post-Conflict Period

Marta Milena Barrios, Toby Miller

Journalism Practice, volume 15, issue 10 (2021), pp. 1423-1440

"Colombian journalists experience abundant threats and acts of violence as well as corporate and governmental obstacles to publishing the truth. In response, many reporters engage in selfcensorship, eschewing stories to protect their livelihoods—and their very lives. Our in-depth interviews with s ... more

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Media capture in Central and Eastern Europe: The corrosive impact on democracy and desecration of journalistic ethics

William Horsley

In: The Routledge Companion to Journalism Ethics

Lada Trifonova Price, Karen Sanders, Wendy N. Wyatt (eds.)

London; New York: Routledge (2021), 9 pp.

"This chapter examines the root causes, development, and corrosive effects of the progressive “capture” of influential media by populist governments and other vested interests in Central and Eastern Europe over the past 20 years. Many countries in the region have proved vulnerable to media captu ... more

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Digital Threats and Attacks on the Philippine Alternative Press: Range, Responses, and Remedies

Ramon R. Tuazon, Therese Patricia San Diego Torres

In: Handbook of Research on Combating Threats to Media Freedom and Journalist Safety

Sadia Jamil (ed.)

Hershey, PA: IGI Global (2020), pp. 1-22

"In the Philippines, the assault on the press has gone digital. While Filipino journalists continue to face physical, verbal, and legal threats and attacks, cyber-attacks and online harassment/trolling were identified in 2018 as the second worst threat against them, after low wages and poor working ... more

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Red lines of journalism. Digital surveillance, safety risks and journalists’ self-censorship in Pakistan

Sadia Jamil

In: Journalist Safety and Self-Censorship

Ingrid Fadnes, Anna Grøndahl Larsen, Roy Krøvel (eds.)

London; New York: Routledge (2020), pp. 29-46

"Drawing on Reese’s hierarchy of influences model, this study investigates the extent to which safety risks and digital surveillance result in journalists’ self-censorship in Pakistan. This study also explores the key areas of journalists’ self-censorship in the country and how it affects thei ... more

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A way to silence journalists? Estonian female journalists’ experiences with harassment and self-censorship

Signe Ivask

In: Journalist Safety and Self-Censorship

Ingrid Fadnes, Anna Grøndahl Larsen, Roy Krøvel (eds.)

London; New York: Routledge (2020), pp. 114-129

"The aim of the study is to investigate Estonian female journalists’ experiences with harassment resulting in self-censorship. We carried out three studies: one in 2015, a second in 2016 and a third one in 2018. The data were gathered by in-depth interviews (2015 and 2018), journalists’ diaries ... more

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Constructing Silence: Processes of Journalistic (Self-)Censorship during Memoranda in Greece, Cyprus, and Spain

Sofia Iordanidou, Emmanouil Takas, Leonidas Vatikiotis, Pedro García

Media and Communication, volume 8, issue 1 (2020), pp. 15-26

"What are to be considered as threats against journalism? Whereas the literature on safety of journalists mainly discusses threats as part of armed conflicts, this article studies how other kinds of conflicts such as economic strangulation and the viability threat represent threats against journalis ... more

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Freedom of Expression in Times of Covid-19: Chilling Effect in Hungary and Serbia

Kristina Cendic, Gergely Gosztonyi

Journal of Liberty and International Affairs, volume 6, issue 2 (2020), pp. 14-29

"New technologies have opened several risks to safety of journalists. More importantly, in the state of emergency caused by the Covid-19 outbreak, journalists and media actors have shifted their activities online more than ever, which also made them more prone to digital threats and attacks. In some ... more

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Journalism and self-censorship in the insecure democracies of Central America

José Luis Benítez

In: Journalist Safety and Self-Censorship

Ingrid Fadnes, Anna Grøndahl Larsen, Roy Krøvel (eds.)

London; New York: Routledge (2020), pp. 13-28

"This chapter focuses on the context of violence and political polarization in three Central American countries: Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador, and analyses how these conditions negatively affect press freedom and the practice of journalism. The author argues that the notion of “insecure dem ... more

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The “triple effect” silencing female journalists online. A theoretical exploration

Marte Høiby

In: Journalist Safety and Self-Censorship

Ingrid Fadnes, Anna Grøndahl Larsen, Roy Krøvel (eds.)

London; New York: Routledge (2020), pp. 100-113

"Online harassment of women journalists imposes self-censorship and threatens women’s participation in online journalism. This is of grave concern for the development of freedom of speech and plurality in the media (Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe [OSCE], 2019). Part of this i ... more

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Fear, trauma and local journalists: Implications for media development and peacebuilding

Michelle Betz, Paul Beighley

In: Journalist Safety and Self-Censorship

Ingrid Fadnes, Anna Grøndahl Larsen, Roy Krøvel (eds.)

London; New York: Routledge (2020), pp. 148-163

"In many transitional and conflict societies self-censorship is employed as a coping mechanism or survival strategy (Skjerdal, 2010; Tapsell, 2012). Recent research has examined self-censorship by journalists in countries in which there have been and continue to be media support and safety intervent ... more

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Conclusion. Researching self-censorship caused by inadequate safety of journalists. Causes, solutions and future research

Ingrid Fadnes, Roy Krøvel, Anna Grøndahl Larsen

In: Journalist Safety and Self-Censorship

Ingrid Fadnes, Anna Grøndahl Larsen, Roy Krøvel (eds.)

London; New York: Routledge (2020), pp. 197-203

"The chapters document a multitude of factors pushing journalists to self-censor out of fear of repercussions such as government pressures, police brutality, social violence, corruption, misogyny and gendered stereotyping, surveillance, economic factors and more. The range of causes of self-censorsh ... more

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Democracy at Stake: Self-Censorship as a Self-Defence Strategy for Journalists

Gerald Walulya, Goretti L. Nassanga

Media and Communication, volume 8, issue 1 (2020), pp. 5-14

"The media play an essential role of informing and mobilising voters as well as facilitating a two-way communication process between citizens and those vying for electoral offices during elections. This allows citizens to get information on various issues from the contenders, which largely informs t ... more

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Chilling or cosy effects? Zimbabwean journalists’ experiences and the struggle for definition of self-censorship

Nhamo Anthony Mhiripiri

In: Journalist Safety and Self-Censorship

Ingrid Fadnes, Anna Grøndahl Larsen, Roy Krøvel (eds.)

London; New York: Routledge (2020), pp. 47-64

"The definition of censorship denotes direct or overt restriction on free expression or freedom of the media. The popular understanding of self-censorship involves a person’s involuntary self-silencing. A journalist’s wilful, personal, intentional self-censorship, at times motivated by selfish m ... more

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Media Landscapes with Religious and Ethnic Conflicts in Pakistan: The Case of Security Concerns for Journalists in Balochistan

Babrak Niaz, Malik Adnan, Sadaf Irtaza

Global Political Review, volume 5, issue 1 (2020), pp. 46-56

"This paper attempts to have insight into the media landscape of Balochistan and issues too. Balochistan is considered to be a conflict zone due to many religious and ethnic issues. The safety of journalists and media workers are a prime concern for journalistic bodies and government. The violence's ... more

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Journalist Safety and Self-Censorship
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