It's personal: female journalists facing harassment, and what to do about it (The Backstory S1E4)

It's personal: female journalists facing harassment, and what to do about it (The Backstory S1E4)

Author: WAN-IFRA, World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers May 2, 2018 Duration: 23:34
Journalism can be a dangerous job and for female journalists, there is the added layer of sexual violence. Even when they are not working on stories that put them in physical danger, they face harassment and threats online. This episode looks at the specific threats that female journalists face -- in the field, online and in the workplace -- and what they, and the profession, can do about it. WAN-IFRA Press Freedom Director, Andrew Heslop, and the production team, speak with: - Stella Paul, a freelance journalist from India, about how she deals with threats and attacks as she covers covering climate change and its effect on vulnerable women. Find her work for the Inter Press Service here: http://www.ipsnews.net/author/stella-paul/ - Elisa Lees Muñoz, Executive Director of the International Women’s Media Foundation (https://www.iwmf.org/), which is conducting research on online harassment of women journalists in the US, with TrollBusters (http://www.troll-busters.com/) - Stina Hofgaard Røsjø, Head of administration of VG Media (https://www.vg.no/) which publishes Norway’s most-read newspaper online, and which completely rethought its sexual harassment policy following the stories coming out of the MeToo movement The Backstory production team includes Mariona Sanz, Colette Davidson and Sarah Elzas, who edited and mixed the episode. Music in this episode by Broke for Free (http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Broke_For_Free/Directionless_EP/Broke_For_Free_-_Directionless_EP_-_01_Night_Owl)

Ever wonder what really happens before a story hits the front page or goes live online? The Backstory: A media freedom podcast, from the World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers, pulls back the curtain on the entire process. It’s not just for journalists and editors, but for anyone curious about the mechanics and the human effort behind the news we consume. Each episode digs into the real-world conditions that shape reporting, moving from abstract ideals to the gritty, daily realities faced by media professionals across the globe. In its current season, the conversation focuses sharply on the pressing state of press freedom, with voices from the Americas, Europe, Asia, Africa, and the MENA region providing firsthand accounts. These aren’t theoretical discussions; they are grounded in the challenges of operating in restrictive environments, fighting misinformation, and maintaining integrity under pressure. The dialogue also turns toward constructive paths forward, examining how the industry is adapting and what solutions are emerging. A significant thread running through these talks is the impact of new technologies, including artificial intelligence, and how they are fundamentally altering the future landscape of journalism. By tuning into this podcast, you’ll hear unvarnished perspectives on both the threats to a free press and the innovative resilience defining its next chapter.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 30

The Backstory: A media freedom podcast
Podcast Episodes
Dying to be a journalist (The Backstory S1E1) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:30
We start with the basics: the threats facing journalists worldwide. Too often, journalists put safety aside to “get” the story; editors don’t anticipate the problems that their reporters or their newsrooms can face. How…