"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
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media sector. [...] We investigated how widespread reputational attacks contribute to the risks and challenges that journalists face. While there is extensive research on efforts to delegitimize news outlets and journalism — particularly efforts by political leaders — there has been little research that investigates how reputational attacks affect individual journalists’ safety and professional autonomy. With that in mind, we focused on five key questions: 1. How frequently do journalists face attacks on their reputations? 2. What are the forms and sources of these attacks? 3. What are the personal and professional consequences of reputational attacks, including their links to violence and legal repression? 4. How do reputational attacks and their consequences vary for journalists in countries with different press freedom contexts? 5. How do they vary for journalists with different gender, ethnic, racial, or religious identities? To explore these questions, in 2022 we conducted a global survey. It was completed by 645 journalists, who resided in 87 countries, spanning a wide range of press freedom levels. The survey was available in six languages (English, Arabic, French, Hindi, Portuguese, and Spanish). 42% of survey respondents identified as women and 23.1% identified as belonging to a marginalized racial, ethnic or religious group in their respective countries. We then conducted in-depth follow-up interviews with 54 journalists." (Executive summary, pages 7-8)
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"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
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rough media monitoring projects to give a realistic picture of the status of safety of journalists in Ghana. While these have proven to be critical reference points, they fall short of giving a comprehensive picture of the scope and depth of issues relating to safety of journalists. This study used a survey and key informant interviews to elicit the views and refections of key stakeholders on the matter. Among other fndings, it was established that police, political fanatics, politicians, security operatives, government offcials, and other journalists were among the top perpetrators of safety violations against journalists. Verbal abuse was predominant among violations suffered. Males tend to suffer physical abuse more than females while females, on the other hand, are subjected to more online trolling. Many of the respondents were dissatisfed with the posture of law enforcement agencies and the Ghana Journalists Association concerning journalists’ safety. The study also found that safety provisions by media organisations (e.g., counselling support, legal aid, medical support) need to be improved. The study recommends, among others, that the state must ensure the safety and protection of journalists and that media organisations must make proactive investments to secure the safety of their employees." (Abstract)
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"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
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common infraction was verbal abuse. Colleagues, police, political fanatics, politicians, security operatives and government officials, were among the top perpetrators of safety violations against journalists. A sizeable portion (albeit fewer) were dissatisfied with their workplace safety provisions and minimal confidence in the concern of their employers for their well-being. About half of respondents indicated their media organisations did not make provisions for safety gear for covering potentially dangerous beats. Many of the respondents thought that the posture, attitude and actions of key state actors, law enforcement agencies as well as their own association (GJA) concerning their safety were unsatisfactory. The study recommends that the government ensures the security and safety of journalists and media organizations. Media organizations must ensure a safe and toxic-free work environment through codes of practice, policies, and enforcement; and journalists become familiar with the various types of safety breaches and corrective measures that can be taken." (Abstract)
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"The study used survey-style descriptive research. All of southwest Nigeria’s media outlets made up the population. 200 respondents made up the study’s sample, using a multistage sampling approach that included stratified random and simple random sampling techniques. A questionnaire titled “Le
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vel of Safety of Journalists Questionnaire” was used to gather data (LSJQ). The instrument’s reliability was assessed using the Cronbach Alpha technique, and a reliability co-efficient of 0.81 was found. The validity of the instrument was proven through the face and content validity. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used to examine the data acquired; more specifically, descriptive statistics were utilized for the research question and t-tests were employed for the research hypothesis. The study found a modest level of safety for journalists covering elections, and there is no discernible difference between male and female journalists' perceptions of this safety. Considering the results of this investigation, it was suggested that media organizations step up their efforts by offering the required protective gear to reporters during election seasons. Government and nongovernmental organizations should work together to protect journalists during election seasons. There should be public awareness campaigns and programs against election-related violence against journalists." (Abstract)
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"Female journalists often face a dual challenge when reporting on elections, grappling with routine attacks both as women and as professionals. This study aims to explore the safety concerns of female journalists covering elections in Lagos state, Nigeria, and investigate their attitudes towards the
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se concerns, their awareness, and utilization of available safety measures. Using an explanatory sequential method, we conducted a questionnaire survey with 40 female journalists and followed up with in-depth interviews of two senior female journalists. Findings revealed that sexual harassment emerged as a common offline threat (87.5%), while libelous comments (75%) and stalking (75%) posed significant online concerns. Despite these alarming safety statistics, female journalists agreed that safety is a concern (x*= 3.72); while expressing that safety concerns would not significantly affect their election coverage (mean = 2.70). Furthermore, there is a disparity between high awareness (mean = 4.00) and low adoption (mean = 3.12) of available safety measures among female journalists. In addition, the interviews underscored the absence of substantial support from media organizations during election coverage, exacerbating the vulnerabilities faced by female journalists. This lack of institutional backing warrants immediate attention to foster a safer reporting environment." (Abstract)
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"[...] esta investigación, en lugar de analizar las determinaciones propias de los sistemas religiosos, se pregunta por las prácticas culturales que se articulan en la gestión de los medios de comunicación católicos según las apropiaciones del catolicismo que las instituciones religiosas reali
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zan. Para concretizar esta propuesta, se construye una base de medios católicos latinoamericanos fundados antes de 1965 y vigentes a 2015, uno de los aportes más relevantes de este trabajo. No existen registros de este tipo, que identifica setenta y siete medios con estas características, desde México hasta Argentina. La información ofrecida emerge de respuestas a un cuestionario a los directores de estos medios, junto al análisis de los discursos institucionales presentes en sus propios sitios web. La investigación concluye con la elaboración de perfiles de medios católicos. Si bien se trabaja con medios católicos, la propuesta se abre a ofrecer una metodología de análisis para medios religiosos en general." (Casa editorial)
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"Due to the increasing number of journalists being killed, kidnapped, and imprisoned across the globe, the safety of journalists seems to be deteriorating. The level of violence against journalists varies over time and from area to area, even within the same country. This article analyzes the violen
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ce faced by journalists in the conflict areas of Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan. The collected data were analyzed thematically using the research question themes, namely threats and challenges affecting journalists; gender-specific risk; the number of affected journalists; types of risk factors involved in conflict reporting; and the recommendations for promoting conflict reporting and peace journalism education. Semi-structured questionnaires were designed, which entailed questions that were best suited in terms of the objectives of the study. Responses from the selected respondents (80) were recorded and then data from 1992 to 2020 were statistically analyzed. In conflict areas (Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan), the highest number of deaths were recorded due to crossfire (45.8%). The findings illustrate that among three countries Iraq had the highest number of male (48.4%) and female (4.2%) journalists in terms of gender-specific risk. Further results show that military officials and political groups are the deepest risk factors causing threats to the lives of journalists. In conclusion, a journalist's geographic location, workplace environment, religion, and culture can influence their moral behavior, sense of judgment, general mindset, and psychological disposition, all of which influence journalists’ overall behavior and attitude. However, adopting safety measures by journalists does not always reduce the challenges of conflict areas." (Abstract)
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"This study aims to investigate media intervention in the extractive sector, like media training for journalists, and investigative reporting in the sector, to improve innovations designed to drive transparency and accountability. It also aims to understand the experiences of journalists and media o
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rganisations in the overall mission to ensure a more transparent extractive sector. The research employed a combination of methods - key informant interviews with 10 media organisations and CSO stakeholders, an online survey for journalists, and focus group discussions with newsroom managers selected from the media institutions identified by respondents to the survey. Findings revealed that Nigerian journalists had attended media training in the extractive sector, and this training has impacted their delivery and reportage, improved wide-range and sophisticated viewpoints that can direct their reporting methods and choices. Their capacity is built in utilising critical thinking to assess news sources, information, and the motivations of individuals and advancement in journalism. Journalists and media organisations continue to demand more collaborative and action-oriented processes to advance their reportage and generate more impactful stories, especially in the extractive sector." (Executive summary)
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"This book provides novel insights into the perspectives of journalists in Sierra Leone and on their work by examining their perceived journalistic values and the influences that shape them. It treats journalism as an occupational identity and as a community that works on the foundation of the sub-S
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aharan African philosophies that exalts communal values in every sphere of life. When journalists speak about their social function in society and values, they are sharing both their individual knowledge and experiences on their work. Therefore, journalistic values are never isolated ideologies, but exist within the contexts in which they practice. In this book, Sarah Bomkapre Koroma examines the perceptions of journalists on the societal influences that impact their work, ranging from individual, procedural, organizational, political, economic, and many more." (Publisher description)
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"The Center for Journalism Studies (Ghent University, Belgium) has a long tradition in profiling studies of journalists based on survey research in collaboration with the Belgian associations of professional journalists (VVJ and AJP). Every five years (since 2003, last wave in 2018), a representativ
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e sample of Belgian journalists answer a series of questions about their background, work conditions and role conceptions. Following the start of the corona pandemic, we have launched an intermediary survey in April 2020 to collect data on how the crisis impacts important aspects of the journalistic profession, including news gathering, autonomy and income. 628 completed questionnaires were returned, i.e. a response rate of 20% of the total population of professional journalists. The findings of this representative survey reveal, first, that the consequences of the crisis are felt most strongly by freelance journalists, who reported a substantial decrease of assignments and income. It is remarkable that this was also the case for freelance journalists who work for the public broadcaster, which has a rather stable source of income not directly impacted by the corona pandemic. In contrast, commercial news media are more susceptible to sudden market changes and are therefore more associated with fluctuating employment of freelancers. Seen that the last profiling study in 2018 revealed a substantial increase of freelance employment in Belgian newsrooms from 18 to 25%, our findings point to increasing precarity in the journalistic workforce. A second important finding is that more journalists (both freelance and staff reporters) report problems with access to news sources and news gathering locations, indicating that safety measures are also used strategically by unwilling news sources. This raises concerns about the quality and independence of Belgian journalism during the corona pandemic. We end with a critical reflection about our collaboration with the professional associations to gather data on journalistic profiles and work conditions, and we show how our research can be useful in negotiations with news media groups and policy makers." (Abstract)
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"The purpose of this study is to investigate the extent of digital surveillance by Arab authorities, which face risks and threats of surveillance, and how journalists seek to press freedom by using tools and techniques to communicate securely. Design/methodology/approach: The study used focus group
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discussions with 14 journalists from Syria, Saudi Arabia, Libya, Yemen, Oman, Jordan and Egypt. While in Egypt, questionnaires were distributed to 199 journalists from both independent and semi-governmental outlets to investigate how Egyptian journalists interpret the new data protection law and its implications for press freedom. Findings: The study indicated that journalists from these countries revealed severe censorship by their respective governments, an element inconsistent with the Arab Constitution. The recommendation of the study encourages media organisations to play a more active role in setting policies that make it easier for journalists to adopt and use digital security tools, while Egyptian journalists see the law as a barrier to media independence because it allows the government to exercise greater information control through digital policy and imposes regulatory rules on journalists. Practical implications: The study identifies practical and theoretical issues in Arab legislation and may reveal practices of interest to scientists researching the balance between data protection, the right of access to information and media research as an example of contemporary government indirect or ‘‘soft’’ censorship methods. Originality/value: To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper is one of the first research contributions to analyse the relationships between Arab authoritarians who used surveillance to restrict freedom of the press after the Arab Spring revolutions of 2011 to keep themselves in power as long as they could. In addition, Egypt’s use of surveillance under new laws allowed the regimes to install software on the journalists’ phones that enabled them to read the files and emails and track their locations; accordingly, journalists can be targeted by the cyberattack and can be arrested." (Abstract)
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"This study aimed to determine the impact of safety challenges on professional journalistic reporting of IPOB protests in Nigeria. A total of 400 Nigerian journalists who were covering IPOB activities were surveyed. Data were analysed using multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA), multivariate an
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alysis of covariance (MANCOVA) and correlational analysis. The result of the study showed that journalists recovering IPOB activities in South East Nigeria faced safety challenges both online (verbal abuse, threat of attack, personal messages of harassment and reputational threats) and offline (physical attacks, harassment, damage to working devices) safety challenges. Additional results showed that women faced more safety challenges online than men, but men faced more offline safety challenges than women. Put together, women faced both online and offline safety challenges more than men. Also, journalists in private media outfits faced offline challenges than their counterparts in public media stations who faced more online safety challenges. Put together, journalists in private media stations faced more safety challenges than those in public media outfits. Safety challenges impact professional journalistic reporting in the area of routines, orientation and autonomy. Training was found to be an efficient way of assisting journalists to better handle risky assignments." (Abstract)
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"Fact-checking journalism has become a common practice to counteract misinformation. This research analyzes the perceptions of fact-checkers in Ibero-America on the purposes, principles, and challenges of fact-checking. Specifically, we studied if there are differences in perception based on adheren
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ce to the International Fact-Checking Network’s (IFCN) Code of Principles, how frequently fact-checkers perform factchecks, as well as their experience and age. Data were collected through a questionnaire that received 122 responses from factcheckers in 17 countries. Results indicate that journalists’ experience appears to be a variable that can help understand the boundaries between fact-checking and political and social activism in Ibero-America. Less-experienced fact-checkers were more likely to consider activism to be a purpose of fact-checking. Age was a predictive factor for explaining reformist perceptions of the essence of fact-checking in Ibero-America, with younger fact-checkers more likely to state that the purpose of fact-checking is to uphold the ideals of journalism and serve as a commitment to information transparency. Pledging to adhere to IFCN’s Code of Principles was found to facilitate the use and analysis of fact-checking tools. The implications of these findings are discussed." (Abstract)
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"Despite the political, economic and linguistic differences that characterise the 40+ countries where we conducted this research, the 540 digital native media organisations featured in our Project Oasis directory face many common challenges and opportunities. Among our key findings:
They use social
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media to target younger audiences, send news updates via Telegram to evade censorship, and train citizen journalists to reach underserved communities.
More than 85% said society and human rights issues are key areas of their coverage, including topics related to migration, refugees, gender and feminism.
More than 50% dedicate resources to investigative journalism, and many form alliances to cover stories across borders.
More than 58% of the media founders featured in this report are women. They are highly collaborative, and most have two or more co-founders.œMedia founded by teams that include both men and women reported the highest revenues, with an average of €509,740 per year.
Those that invest in business development build more sustainable organisations. Media outlets that have at least one employee dedicated to revenue generation reported average annual revenue six times higher than those without people in these roles: €598,539 compared to .95,629.
More than half the media in this study are non-profit organisations, and many of the for-profit ventures invest more in journalism than building profits.
Among non-profit media, the primary revenue sources are grants, individual donations and membership (in that order). Among for-profits, the top sources are: advertising, website subscriptions and grants.
Revenue diversity is key, but more sources do not correlate to greater success. Developing two to six sources of revenue appears to be optimal for sustainability and independence.
Digital native media outlets range from small start-ups run by volunteers dedicated to their communities, to highly profitable multi-platform operations that attract millions of page views every month and earn millions of euros a year." (Executive summary, page 4-5)
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"Limited studies exist on the safety challenges that journalists face in reporting conflict related issues within their localities. This study extends literature in this direction by providing a model that explains the safety challenges that journalists faced in reporting the 2020 END SARS protests
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in Nigeria. The study is a survey of 470 journalists with questionnaire as the instrument for data collection. Results were analysed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). It was found that legal limitations, lack of training on safety and absence of safety motivational measures constitute the safety challenges that journalists faced in reporting the ENDS SARS protests. This information could be beneficial for policy formulation and advocacy within the context of safety of journalists." (Abstract)
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