Research

“Don’t Shoot the Journalists: Migrating to Stay Alive,” edited by Peter Laufer, is a searing anthology that compiles experiences, testimonies, and literary reflections from journalists who have faced threats, exile, and censorship. Launched officially in May 2025, the collection builds on the “Extra!! Refugee Journalists Become the Story” symposium held in 2024, bringing together voices displaced by conflict or repression. Instead of presenting an academic dissection, Laufer gives the floor to those who have lived the work: war correspondents, exiled reporters, and local journalists covering risky beats under authoritarian regimes or in fraying democracies.  Their...

An in-depth investigation published recently reveals that 219 journalists have been killed in Gaza since the war began in October 2023, making it the deadliest conflict in history for the press. The National piece argues that this grim milestone reflects not just battlefield collateral damage but a systematic effort to suppress independent reporting. The analysis suggests that Israel has employed increasingly lethal tactics targeting newsrooms, reporters’ tents, and medical facilities where journalists gather. One case that drew international attention occurred on August 25, when a double airstrike hit Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis, killing 20...

In a late September 2025 opinion article in The Washington Post, the case of Zhang Zhan, a Chinese citizen-journalist, is revisited as a glaring example of how Beijing continues to suppress independent reporting on COVID-19 and broader government accountability. Background & Recurrent Prosecution Zhang first gained attention in early 2020 when she traveled to Wuhan to document the human cost of the COVID-19 pandemic under lockdown conditions—reporting conditions in hospitals, constrained movement, and social hardship. In December 2020, she was convicted under the catch-all charge of “picking quarrels and provoking trouble”—a penal tool often used against...

In “Will artificial intelligence be the death of journalism?”, JP O’Malley explores how AI is reshaping newswork—both empowering journalists and threatening foundations of the profession. The article begins by recalling examples where generative AI imitated real bylines or launched fake outlets: one scandal involved a bogus health-column ostensibly written by “Adriana Acosta-Cortez”; another created a phantom version of The Bournemouth Observer. These cases underscore how AI can mimic journalism convincingly while bypassing accountability. O’Malley cites James Barrat’s prediction that AI may eliminate 30 percent of jobs—including writers—by 2030, arguing that newsrooms could phase out humans...

A study by Wiebke Loosen, Julius Reimer, Louise Oberhülsmann, and Tim van Olphen outlines eleven ideal-type relationship forms that journalists adopt with their audiences—forms that vary by communicative mode (imagining, observing, interacting) and by who the audience is (public, groups, individuals). Rather than a one-size-fits-all audience model, the research finds that most journalists draw on multiple relationship forms depending on context, medium, beat, or role. The forms are organized along two axes: the audience scale (general public → social groups → individuals) and the engagement mode (imagining, observing, interacting). The eleven forms cluster into four...

Below are 16 free or partially free sources that provide data, reports, tools, and insights into trends, practices, and challenges in journalism & media. Good for backing up stories, understanding audience metrics, or shaping newsroom strategy. Hub What It Offers Use Cases Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism (RISJ) Publishes the Digital News Report with data from ~95,000 online news consumers in ~47 countries. Also has studies on trust, newsroom leadership, etc. Compare audience behaviour across countries; find data on trust or willingness to pay. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) Their Press Freedom Index shows...

In Jonglei State, South Sudan, media freedoms were heavily restricted between May and December 2024. The government suspended broadcasting of news and limited local radio programming to entertainment content, underscoring the tenuous balance between media and government in the region. To address these restrictions, Journalists for Human Rights (JHR) partnered with the South Sudan Media Authority to implement a series of interventions aimed at restoring and strengthening free media. These included: Workshops in media relations were attended by 100 government officials from various ministries and security agencies. Training for 22 journalists focused on fact-checking and...

A new report by Human Rights Watch details widespread and ongoing violations of press freedom in Yemen, where all sides of the conflict, the Houthis, the Southern Transitional Council (STC), and the internationally recognized Yemeni government, have engaged in severe abuses against journalists and media workers. From 2014 onward, warring parties have routinely arrested, disappeared, tortured, harassed, or killed journalists simply for doing their jobs. Among the documented abuses are arbitrary detentions without charge, enforced disappearances, physical and psychological torture, and sentencing in military or specialized courts under false or vague charges. One striking account...

A recent report by Human Rights Watch, covered in Informed Comment, documents widespread abuses against journalists and media institutions in Yemen committed by multiple parties in the ongoing conflict. Over a 59-page study entitled “We Pray to God by Torturing Journalists: Warring Parties’ Systematic Violations Against Journalists and Press Freedom in Yemen”, HRW examines actions by the Houthis, the Southern Transitional Council (STC), and the internationally recognized Yemeni government. The violations include arbitrary detention, enforced disappearance, torture, harassment, intimidation, seizure and shutdown of media outlets, and obstruction of journalistic work. Between October 2024 and May...

A growing body of evidence highlights how Turkey has expanded its restrictions on press freedom into the digital sphere. According to reporting by ANF English, journalists are increasingly facing prosecution for their social media activity, with tweets, shares, or comments being used as grounds for charges such as “terror propaganda,” “insulting the state,” or “incitement.” This development underscores a broader shift in state control. Historically, restrictions targeted traditional outlets through media closures, licensing pressures, or direct censorship. Now, online spaces once viewed as safer arenas for independent voices are being subjected to similar, if not...

The Nieman Lab reports a troubling reversal of momentum in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts within journalism, signalling that gains made after the 2020 racial reckoning are rapidly eroding. Initial promises of reform are increasingly being replaced by cutbacks, silence, or symbolic gestures. One striking indicator is the collapse of demand for DEI training. The Maynard Institute for Journalism Education, which at the height of 2020 delivered more than 20 newsroom trainings in a single month, now projects no income from such work in 2025. This drastic decline underscores how quickly institutional interest has...

A new Human Rights Watch report reveals systematic violations against journalists across Yemen, carried out by all sides of the ongoing conflict. Since 2014, media workers have endured arbitrary detention, torture, disappearances, and killings at the hands of the Houthis, the Southern Transitional Council (STC), and forces aligned with the internationally recognized Yemeni government. Among the most harrowing cases are those of Abdelkhaleq Emran, Tawfiq al-Mansouri, Hareth Hamid, and Akram al-Walidi, journalists detained by the Houthis for eight years. They suffered torture, denial of medical care, and even death sentences before being freed in prisoner...

In its 2024 Openness Index, the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) found that 22 out of Nigeria’s 36 states act as inhibitors of freedom of expression, with 13 of them showing overt hostility toward journalists. The Index was built on over 1,100 professional perceptions and incident reports (via the Press Attack Tracker), and assessed states based on political tolerance for dissent, rule of law, treatment of journalists, media health, and gender inclusion. Notably, even Lagos—Nigeria's media and commercial hub—ranked 22nd overall, yet recorded highly negative scores for the violent treatment of journalists. The...

In Paraguay’s Guairá Department, environmental defenders in Paso Yobái are facing growing criminalisation amid conflicts with mining companies accused of severe ecological harm. On March 26, 2025, three yerba mate producers, including Vidal Brítez Alcaraz, president of the Asociación de Yerbateros de Paso Yobái, were prosecuted on charges of “grave coercion.” Brítez Alcaraz was detained despite evidence placing him elsewhere at the time of the alleged confrontation. Although later released to house arrest due to his asthma and strong community ties, his case highlights how judicial harassment is being used to weaken local resistance to...

The report “Killing Sri Lankan Journalists: The Case of Nimalarajan Mylvaganam”, co-authored by the International Truth and Justice Project (ITJP) and REDRESS, exposes a grave miscarriage of justice in the assassination of Jaffna-based journalist Mylvaganam Nimalarajan. He was fatally shot on October 19, 2000, in his home within a high-security zone under curfew—a setting that should have simplified, not hindered, the investigation. The report decries a “text-book case of investigative failure” by Sri Lankan authorities. Instead of securing the crime scene, documenting it photographically, or collecting forensic evidence, the police allowed the site to remain...

Prism’s months-long investigation, in collaboration with Visualizing Palestine, reveals systemic suppression of Palestinian voices in U.S. newsrooms, intensified since October 7, 2023. Through testimonies from nearly a dozen journalists—Palestinian, Arab, or Muslim—the report documents editorial pushback, harassment campaigns, and structural bias that prevent fair coverage of Israel’s genocide in Gaza. One central voice is “Nadia,” a pseudonym for a reporter who quit her newsroom after years of double standards. She described her editors killing stories on Palestinian culture and activism, or demanding quotes be softened to avoid offending pro-Israel audiences. After October 7, her newsroom...

In October 2023, the Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (“MADA”) documented an unprecedented wave of violations against press freedoms amid Israel’s intensified military operations in Gaza and the West Bank. According to MADA, at least 39 journalists and media professionals were killed, many while performing their duties in the field, marking the deadliest month for Palestinian media to date. Alongside these tragic deaths, MADA recorded extensive destruction: the homes of 44 journalists were bombed or heavily damaged, and 21 media institutions’ headquarters were either destroyed or severely impacted. Broadcasts were halted, and the...

AJ 25th Book is a commemorative anthology marking Al Jazeera’s 25th anniversary, composed of over 100 personal narratives penned by the very people who shaped the network. The book traces the broadcaster’s evolution—from its inception as an Arabic news channel to a multifaceted global media network across various languages and platforms. Through candid reflections, contributors—including field correspondents, decision-makers, and media professionals—offer both behind-the-scenes anecdotes and milestones that highlight Al Jazeera's core values: telling human stories, embracing cultural diversity, and advancing professional and technical innovation. The anthology does more than chronicle institutional history. Contributors, ranging from...

Al Jazeera Tells Its Story: In-Depth Studies is a richly detailed compendium authored by media scholars and Al Jazeera insiders, capturing the network's institutional development over its first 25 years. The volume chronicles the transformation from a fledgling Arabic news channel—launched in 1996—into a globally recognized media entity spanning digital platforms, multiple language services, and broadcast channels. Key themes include Al Jazeera’s institutional expansion, marked by administrative, operational, legal, and financial innovations, especially in managing a growing global presence. Another chapter spotlights the strategic importance of cultivating robust news sources and networks of correspondents, enabling...

The compilation Al Jazeera in 1000 Academic Studies presents a sweeping catalog of research—spanning PhDs, master’s theses, books, and journal articles—that underline Al Jazeera’s profound impact on global media discourse. This volume, edited and released in 2022, encapsulates studies conducted over the last 25 years, tracing the trajectory of one of the most influential broadcasters in the Arab and international journalism landscape. At its core, the work highlights how Al Jazeera has become a focal point of academic interest due to its “distinctive journalism” and the narrative it forged as a countercurrent media platform. Scholars...

In an age where journalism increasingly engages directly with its audience, researchers Wiebke Loosen, Julius Reimer, Louise Oberhülsmann, and Tim van Olphen offer a refined view—not of a single bond between journalists and the public, but eleven distinct ideal-typical relationship forms. These were identified through in-depth interviews with 52 German journalists—from legacy newsrooms to digital startups—across a spectrum of roles. These eleven relationship forms act as “building blocks” that journalists combine depending on context—audience type, journalistic role, and purpose. The researchers visualize these forms along two axes: audience type (from the general public through social...

The collapse of the United States’ mainstream media in confronting power is not an isolated event but a reflection of deeper systemic flaws, argues Mohamad Elmasry in his recent Al Jazeera opinion piece. He contends that the erosion of press independence under the Trump administration exemplifies how American democracy has long relied on media institutions that are structurally tied to corporate and state power, making their current submission less a shock than an inevitability. At the centre of the analysis is the Trump administration’s aggressive handling of information. Officials have released only partial or heavily...

In August 2025, violence against journalists in Bangladesh surged dramatically, doubling from previous months. According to a report by the Human Rights Support Society (HRSS), 39 separate incidents were impacting 72 journalists. Of these, one journalist was murdered, 33 were injured, five were assaulted, 11 received threats, and one was arrested. Additionally, two journalists faced legal charges, and 19 were dismissed from their positions. The month was marked by several high-profile tragedies. On August 7, Md Asaduzzaman Tuhin, a 38-year-old reporter with Protidiner Kagoj, was hacked to death in Gazipur. Later, on August 22, the body of senior journalist...

The Costs of War Project at Brown University reveals alarming risks faced by journalists in conflict zones, portraying these areas—especially Syria and Gaza—as "news graveyards." Since the early 2000s, a range of actors—from state regimes like Syria’s Assad and the U.S., to terrorist groups and Israel—have systematically suppressed conflict reporting through violence, arrests, and repressive policies, fueling a troubling culture of impunity. The war in Gaza, particularly since October 7, 2023, stands out as the deadliest in modern history for reporters: more journalists have died there than in the U.S. Civil War, both World Wars, the Korean...

A recent editorial by The Public Source warns of the grave ethical dangers of journalists embedding with military forces accused of genocide. It argues that so-called “propaganda tours” of Gaza orchestrated by the Israeli military are designed not to inform, but to control the narrative, distort facts, and normalise the killing of Palestinian journalists. By agreeing to embed, the piece contends, media outlets accept the trade-off of limited, sanitised access while abandoning independent reporting. The editorial highlights how embedded coverage often reproduces misinformation, dehumanising language, and factual errors, aligning more with state propaganda than journalistic...