Safety of Journalists

“When journalists are targeted, societies as a whole pay a price. And I am deeply troubled by the growing number of attacks and the culture of impunity.”

António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations

Journalists at home and overseas are subject to myriad threats and abuses, all aimed at silencing legitimate reporting. Many of these abuses are listed in the Reporters Without Borders’ World Press Freedom Index which graphically spells out the threats to journalists across the globe.

UNESCO warned that there had been a sharp escalation in violence against journalists during the first half of 2020 which saw police and security forces violate media freedoms during protests around the world.

The Secretary-General of the United Nations has described attacks on journalists as “outrageous” and has called for Governments across the world to take action to protect media workers.

In the UK, surveys of journalists have laid bare the abuse and intimidation experienced by journalists on a daily basis on social media, and reporters have also experienced physical violence and harassment while covering protests.

In 2022, the NUJ and Society of Editors launched a new online safety toolkit, which offers advice to help journalists protect themselves and their sources. It covers physical safety, mental health care, information security, health and safety at work and advice on how to take action against abuse on social media platforms.

The NMA is working with policy-makers, media organisations and other stakeholders to promote a safer environment for journalists to work in both at home and overseas. It represents the industry on the National Committee for the Safety of Journalists, which in 2021 produced the National Action Plan for the Safety of Journalists and also launched the SLAPPs taskforce in September 2023, of which the NMA is also a member.

In October, all UK police forces, including British Transport Police and Counter Terror Policing, now have a designated Journalist Safety Liaison Officer to support reporters facing threats or abuse. These officers act as direct contacts for journalists, offering guidance before high-risk assignments and ensuring crimes against the press are properly recorded and addressed. The move forms part of the Government’s National Action Plan for the Safety of Journalists, developed with the National Police Chiefs Council and industry stakeholders. Ministers and the News Media Association have welcomed the initiative as a vital step in protecting press freedom.

The NMA also supported proposals to introduce a new emergency visa for journalists at risk, as reporters covering the escalating Ukraine war face increasing threats to their safety.

The NMA has also worked with the Media Freedom Coalition, which aims to protect the rights and safety of journalists across the world.