"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 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)
Context and methodology, 17
KEY FINDINGS ON REPUTATIONAL ATTACKS
1. How frequently do journalists face attacks on their reputations? 21
Profile: Michela Wrong, 27
2. What forms do reputational attacks take? 28
3. What are the sources and motives of reputational attacks? 32
Profile: Harish Pullanoor, 35
4. Do reputational attacks vary due to journalists' personal identities? 38
5. Reputational attacks thrive on social media platforms, 43
IMPACTS OF REPUTATIONAL ATTACKS
6. Reputational attacks are associated with violence and threats of violence, 46
7. Smearing journalists' reputations in courts of law and public opinion, 49
8. Reputational attacks cause professional and personal harms, 52
Profile: Irene Benito, 53
9. Journalists' personal identities and the impacts of reputational attacks, 59
Conclusion, 64
Evaluating threats from reputational attacks, 65
RECOMMENDATIONS, 67
APPENDIX: COUNTRY CASE STUDIES
Brazil, 75
Canada, 79
Colombia, 84
India, 89