In many countries across the globe, freedom of the press and freedom of expression are celebrated as fundamental human rights. But following the most deadly year for journalists to date, governments — and society at large — must acknowledge how these rights are being chipped away, and what their responsibilities are to uphold the civil liberties of those who report the news.
The Dart Center is involved in a variety of press freedom-related activities, including helping to spearhead the Global Safety Principles and Practices campaign on behalf of freelance journalists, supporting news organizations in developing countries, implementing initiatives to address psychological safety and spotlighting the cases of individual journalists targeted with violence.
Your mental wellbeing is going to be important when you are faced with reporting a tense, politically charged story for an extended time duration. Prepare yourself for the long haul and a situation whose great intensity is unlikely to subside anytime soon.
You are reporting on an important story with wide ranging personal and national impacts. It is important you understand and prepare for what are likely to be testing circumstances. Do not underestimate these multi-faceted challenges.
Following the attack on the U.S. Capitol, more than 25,000 National Guard were deployed ahead of Joe Biden’s inauguration on January 20th. In anticipation of hostility or unrest, the Dart Center has compiled a host of resources that can help journalists and newsrooms as they take steps to prepare for what could be a volatile day, or period.
Dr. Anna Feigenbaum, author of the book Tear Gas: From the Battlefields of World War I to the Streets of Today, shares a riot control primer for journalists covering protests across the United States.