Deadline For Journalists Safety Survey Today

The deadline for a new survey to capture information needed to improve protection for UK-based journalists against online abuse and physical threats or danger is midnight tonight.

The survey is part of government plans to create a safer working environment for journalists in the UK, who face intimidation and abuse on social media platforms, through the National Action Plan for the Safety of Journalists.

The News Media Association sits on the National Committee for the Safety of Journalists, which is made up of representatives from government, journalism, policing, civil society and prosecution services.

A survey of the news media sector published in November found that more than four out of five respondents had experienced incidents, such as ‘abuse’, ‘intimidation’ and ‘threats of violence’, both online and offline, at varying frequency.

More recently, NMA chief executive Owen Meredith has warned of the threats to journalists reporting on the war in Ukraine and called for journalists to be afforded their rightful protections so they can do their work.

The NMA has 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 proposals were first put forward by the High Level Panel of Legal Experts on Media Freedom which provides advice and recommendations to governments around the world on how to prevent media freedom abuses.