Being both a journalist and a researcher, I would call journalism studies one of the most relevant and useful fields of communication research. As part of my masters program, my fellow researchers and I have put a lot of effort and passion into this project and now I am excited to announce the publication of our study:
Is the Pen Mightier Than the Sword? A Qualitative Survey of German and American Journalists on the Professional and Personal Effects of Violence.
This topic is very dear to us personally and deserves more attention, seeing how violence against journalists is in no way a dystopian side effect of terror, it is a very real threat to free press and personal safety all over the world. We had the pleasure of talking to working journalists in the United States and Germany, who shared their experiences, tactics and emotions with us and gave a voice to all of those experiencing this threat to one of the most essential professions we have.
Abstract
In recent years, reported violence, both physical and psychological, against journalists in Germany and the United States has increased threateningly. This development needs to be reviewed in more detail, since freedom of speech and freedom of the press in journalism particularly serve the public interest by fulfilling fundamental democratic tasks. The so-called chilling effect describes how pressure and threats of violence can influence journalists’ work and cause changes in content and style of reporting. This development is especially problematic, as it interferes with the most basic societal functions of journalism. To explore these developments, a qualitative study of the situation in Germany and the United States was conducted to determine whether editorial work in news reporting is already influenced by violence against journalists. Data for this study was collected in guided qualitative interviews with 22 journalists from Germany and the United States. The study reveals that the most common consequence of increasing violence is the implementation of a wide range of security measures by journalists and news organizations. Nevertheless, effects on reporting are mostly denied. The research unfolds that there is a wide range of individual experiences with violence and consequences for journalistic work. This demonstrates the relevance of further research in this area in order not to endanger the press and freedom of expression in democracies.
Read it here: https://www.ssoar.info/ssoar/handle/document/81815
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