WASHINGTON—Between the election and its aftermath and the protests that took place throughout 2020, the safety of journalists has become an increasingly important issue to the point that the Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA) added specific questions on safety for the first time in new research.

The 2021 RTDNA/Newhouse School at Syracuse University Survey is an annual report conducted among thousands of TV and radio stations across the country. When asked whether there had been any attacks on their newsroom employees in 2020, one in five (20.5%) TV news directors said there had been.

Attacks against journalists were more common in bigger TV markets. In the top 25 markets, 39% said that a newsroom employee was attacked. That number was 29.4% for markets 26-50 and 24.4% for markets 51-100; after that incidents dipped below 10%.

RTDNA found that attacks were more common in the West, as well as among large newsrooms—38.3% of newsrooms with 51 or more staffers said a journalist experienced an attack. Network affiliation made no difference, according to RTDNA.

Almost half of all attacks were against crews covering what news directors described as “riots, protests and civil unrest.”

The survey was conducted in the fourth quarter of 2020, meaning that the Jan. 6 riots at the Capitol, where a number of attacks against the media were documented, are not included in this report.

Some of the responses included details on how crew were surrounded and threatened during civil unrest last May; crew being hit with pepper spray; verbal harassment; vehicles damaged; journalists attacked on-air; reporters being shoved by police ; and more.

A majority of stations (86%) have said they have altered procedures to try and better protect journalists. Such measures include adding professional security for high-risk situations; limiting live shots; requiring more people in the field; giving instructions to bail if threatened; not wearing identifying logos; safety briefings; mandatory 10-minute check-ins; as well as other measures.

NAB President and CEO Gordon Smith, who has been a proponent of greater protection for journalists, gave this statement in response to the RTDNA survey:

“Broadcast journalists play an essential role in documenting pivotal moments in American history from the front lines. That has never been more important than during the past year. NAB is gravely troubled by this study reporting the unprecedented level of harassment, intimidation and violence directed at journalists covering the historical events of 2020. These unacceptable attacks on our nation’s free press undermine our very democracy by preventing journalists’ ability to report the facts and keep the public informed. We are grateful to the dedicated broadcast journalists bringing the truth to Americans during these dangerous times.”

For more information on the survey, visit RTDNA’s website.

WASHINGTON—Congresswoman Cheri Bustos (D-Ill.), along with 42 other House members, have introduced a resolution that honors the journalists and news staff who, while covering the Capitol riots on Jan. 6, risked injury and threats of violence to continue covering the events of the attempted insurrection.

On Jan. 6, rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol while a joint session of the House of Representatives and Senate were confirming the electoral college victory of Joe Biden as the 46th president, which had been falsely claimed as fraudulent by President Donald Trump and others. In addition, rioters intimidated and attacked members of the media and their equipment. The words “Murder the Media” were also carved on a door of the Capitol.

“It was our nation’s forefathers who first recognized that the foundation of a successful democracy must include a free press. On January 6th, journalists and members of the media faced imminent danger from rioters as our nation’s Capitol was attacked. Despite threats to their own lives, they continued to document history,” said Congresswoman Bustos. “Their work helped ensure the safety of others and continues to help federal agencies seek justice. Their actions were nothing short of heroic. As a former journalist, I want to thank them. And as a member of a grateful nation, it is my honor to recognize the significance of their contributions on that fateful day.”

In addition to officially sharing the gratitude, the resolution encourages congressional support “for the mental and physical well-being of journalists and news staff affected by the insurrection,” the condemnation of the harassment and violent attacks against the media and to honor the contributions of journalists on Jan. 6 as an act of protecting free speech under the First Amendment.

NAB President and CEO Gordon Smith issued this statement in response to the resolution: “On January 6, America’s journalists—at great personal risk—provided vital reporting from inside and outside the Capitol to deliver a chilling picture of the unprecedented assault on our democratic process. Enduring harassment, intimidation and acts of violence from the crowd, the news media showed remarkable courage in upholding the principles of the First Amendment’s guarantee of a free press. We thank Rep. Bustos for her leadership on this resolution recognizing the bravery and duty they exhibited, and we appreciate the support of members of Congress in imploring every American to respect the right of journalists to safely conduct their important work.”

The co-sponsors of the resolution include Representatives Bonnie Watson Coleman, Earl Blumenauer, Alan Lowenthal, Grace Meng, Jackie Speier, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Sheila Jackson Lee, Donald M. Payne, Jr., Ed Perlmutter, Marcy Kaptur, Lucille Roybal-Allard, Mary Gay Scanlon, Eleanor Holmes Norton, Jan Schakowsky, Bobby Rush, Susan Wild, Marie Newman, Grace F. Napolitano, Peter Welch, Mark Takano, André Carson, Frank Pallone, Jr., James P. McGovern, Bill Foster, Nanette Diaz Barragán, Rosa DeLauro, Bradley S. Schneider, Ted Lieu, Albio Sires, Jerrold Nadler, Stephen F. Lynch, John B. Larson, Alcee L. Hastings, Debbie Dingell, Jerry McNerney, Ritchie Torres, Derek Kilmer, Alma Adams, Mark Pocan, Lauren Underwood, Robin L. Kelly and Julia Brownley.

The full resolution can be viewed online. 

WASHINGTON—The nation was shocked on Wednesday, Jan. 6, as a group of rioters incited by President Donald Trump’s false accusations of the 2020 election being “rigged” and “stolen” and vitriol against the news media stormed the U.S. Capitol as a joint session of Congress was in the process of certifying the electoral college vote for President-Elect Joe Biden.

Local broadcasters and cable networks provided full coverage of the unprecedented scene. Those on site were also targeted by parts of the mob.

William Turton of Bloomberg posted a video on Twitter that shows the rioters approaching and then attacking members of the media.

Paul McLeod from Buzzfeed News also tweeted on many of the interactions with the media, including the above charge, which he provided quotes from rioters boasting about it. He also posted a photo that showed a noose being made out of a camera cord. After the 6 p.m. curfew that was instituted for Washington D.C. by Mayor Muriel Bowser, McLeod tweeted parts of the mob that were still around the Capitol “chased out a TV crew while threatening and cursing at them.”

A pair of Washington Post video journalists covering the events were also temporarily arrested for being out after the 6 p.m. curfew.

“We are saddened and disheartened by the actions unfolding in our nation’s capital,” said NAB President and CEO Gordon Smith in a statement on the riots. “To the journalists risking their lives to bring this unprecedented scene to Americans across the nation, stay safe and vigilant.”

Four people died during the riots, as well as 14 Metropolitan Police Department Officers were injured, but no reports have indicated that those numbers include anyone from the media.

Away from the scene, many advertisers pulled commercials that were scheduled to air around news coverage, according to Business Insider. Many news broadcasts ran uninterrupted during the events.

Outside of traditional news broadcasts, late night talk shows spent extended time commenting on the tragic events, including an initially unplanned live broadcast of “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert.”

Just hours after the Capitol had been breached and Congress and staffs sheltered in place, they returned to the Congress floor and in the early hours of Thursday, Jan. 7, certified the electoral college for President-Elect Joe Biden, who will be inaugurated as the 46th president on Jan. 20.

WASHINGTON—Several news media organizations have sent an official request to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) about including journalists in early deployment plans of the COVID-19 vaccine. They cite the reporting and distributing of news critical to the communities journalists serve and the risks of exposure to coronavirus when gathering news stories as key reasons for inclusion.

The groups state in their letter that they support prioritizing vaccines for front-line healthcare workers, first responders and others providing critical support, as well as for the most at-risk populations. They do request, however, that the committee determining vaccine distribution protocols consider the essential role of journalists as it develops those plans.

In addition to highlighting the role that journalists have played during the pandemic thus far, the letter emphasizes the importance they will have in sharing information about the deployment of the vaccine as well. “[E]ducating Americans about the importance of vaccination, as well as aiding in the monumental task of informing the public about the logistics of the vaccine’s dispersal around the country,” are key roles journalists can play, the groups state.

“To continue providing these critical services, however, journalists cannot simply work from home, but must interact with government officials and the public to report on the stories that matter, regardless of the risks they must assume,” the letter reads. “Despite efforts to protect themselves and the public, members of the media are necessarily exposed to the COVID-19 virus while doing their jobs and serving as ‘first informers’ in local communities across the country.”

Signees of the letter include NAB, the News Media Alliance (NMA), America’s Public Television Stations (APTS), the Asian American Journalists Association (AAJA), the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ), the National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ), the National Newspaper Association (NNA), the National Press Photographers Association (NPPA), the Native American Journalists Association (NAJA), the News Leaders Association (NLA), NLGJA: The Association of LGBTQ Journalists, the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), the Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA) and the Society for Professional Journalists (SPJ).

The letter can be read online. 

In response to increasing abuse by the public, the Dutch Broadcast Foundation (NOS) has announced that it is removing its corporate logos and slogans from its company vehicles.

NOS says that its journalists are regularly harassed while trying to perform their work. The broadcaster has already been providing bodyguards to journalists who are covering protests and other potentially dangerous events, and is now considering bodyguards for all NOS employees.

Journalistic abuse in Europe is not limited to NOS, as the European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECMPF) has recorded 34 attacks on journalists by members of the public between July and September.

The U.S. has also had similar instances of attacks against journalists this year, particularly following the protests after George Floyd’s death.

The full story is available on dw.com.  

NEW YORK—After the protests and riots that took place over the weekend in response to the killing of George Floyd, Hearst President and CEO Steve Swartz issued a statement in which he shared that three Hearst TV journalists were injured while covering the events and that all were doing fine.

Two of the journalists were injured in Louisville, Ky., and another in Des Moines, Iowa. Swartz also said that many of their journalists were verbally abused, one news vehicle had been vandalized and a few facilities suffered minor damage.

“We couldn’t be more proud of their courage and that of all our journalists serving their communities at this time,” Swartz said in his statement. “They, like all first responders to crisis situations, deserve our admiration and gratitude.”

Swartz continued:

“Clearly our nation must come to grips with a pattern of unfair and unequal treatment that has gone on far too long, and all of us must ask ourselves as citizens what we can each do to help bring about change.

“For 133 years our journalists have covered issues of vital interest to our nation and the communities they serve. We remain committed to doing so completely and fairly, and we will take all appropriate steps to keep our colleagues safe while they fulfill their mission.”

Swartz’s full statement is available online. 

The National Association of Broadcasters and its NAB Education Foundation have added a set of online "Reporting on Religion" tools to their "Awareness in Reporting" initiative, which provides practical advice for covering sensitive issues, in this case religious groups and movements.

The Awareness in Reporting initiative launched in 2015, with the first set of tools published for "Reporting on Race."

NAB tapped representatives from journalism education, training and diversity to help come up with the tools and help broadcast journalists cover "sensitive stories" on religion.

"Religion can be controversial and the beliefs and practices of faith groups–which they claim are divinely inspired–can be at odds with societal values or a journalist’s personal beliefs or worldview," the toolkit advises in its "general guidance" section. "The journalist’s role is to understand what people believe and practice and then explain those beliefs and practices to a broader audience."

For example, under Judaism, it says: "Seeking quick quotes and reaction from the most stereotypical perspectives reinforces bias and does not serve journalists well. Politically active Jewish groups can have widely differing opinions on public policy matters."

The Reporting on Religion tools were unpacked at a panel session at NAB headquarters in Washington Monday.

Television is still the most popular source of news for most Americans, with local broadcast TV news tops among TV outlets, according to Pew Research Center.