The Backstory: A media freedom podcast

In this special episode of The Backstory, WAN-IFRA Golden Pen of Freedom laureate Carlos Chamorro speaks to Mexican journalist Javier Garza about his journey from political activist to the top of Latin American journalism. Nicaragua is facing a deep crisis as its populist leader, Daniel Ortega, seeks to consolidate nearly two decades in power at the expense of civil liberties, human rights, and pr...

Journalists working in the the Middle East and North Africa face some of the biggest challenges to the profession anywhere in the world. The area has seen great upheaval in recent years, with revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt, and conflicts that have engulfed the region, like the current war in Gaza. But journalists remain dedicated to promoting the truth, working both pragmatically and creatively...

The October 2023 elections in Poland marked a turning point for its media freedom, when the far-right Law and Justice party were pushed out of power after nearly a decade of rule and media control. But in other Eastern European countries, governments still exert power over the news industry, and throughout Europe, the rise of populism and the far-right is posing significant challenges to press fre...

Asia is a vast region with extensive news markets and huge audiences, providing a plethora of opportunities for media production and consumption. But the continent is also home to a range of governing styles, from democracies to authoritarian dictatorships, some of which regularly crack down on press freedom. In this episode we hear from media professionals in Indonesia, India and Thailand on the...

The United States has long been held up as a model for press freedom worldwide. But increasing polarisation and the rise in populist politics are challenging this assumption. Instances of government officials undermining the media and the country’s democratic institutions make it increasingly difficult for journalists to do their jobs. Farther south, governments have been using laws to arrest and...

Africa has made strides towards more press freedom, with countries like Zimbabwe and Malawi recently passing laws to protect free speech or access to information. But while this is a positive development for journalism, there have also been "clawbacks” – a reversal in access. In addition, journalists on the continent continue to self-censor their work in the face of government pressure and interve...

News organisations around the world are facing a new digital reality. In order to survive, they must not only hold onto their audiences, but also build new ones. How are African news media using innovation to address these issues? While innovative ideas tend to be tech-focused, the fundamental issue for many African media organisations is not just about technology, it’s also about how the news its...

What are the threats and challenges facing reporters who cover Africa’s biggest stories? How have threats evolved over the years, and what support do journalists have? Three journalists talk about their experiences of covering three very different, uniquely challenging beats (environment, elections, LGBTQ+ issues), and how they get to the story while keeping themselves and their sources safe. In t...

Capturing the attention of young people means understanding what news and information they want and how they want to get it. Traditional media across Africa are reassessing their offer, while innovative platforms featuring images and video are growing in popularity. What can media companies do to attract – and keep – this booming demographic that cares deeply about the issues that affect our world...

In a time of exceptional crisis for newsrooms and media companies everywhere, African media is facing huge financial challenges. But this time of uncertainty is also forcing media companies to find innovative ways of coping. Where is the money coming from, and how is the digital transition helping – or hindering – a future economic model? In this episode, we look at the struggles that African medi...

It’s been thirty years since the Windhoek Declaration for the Development of a Free, Independent and Pluralistic Press was born on May 3, 1991 in Namibia. The declaration was not only a proud moment for African journalism, it also inspired others to do the same, and the United Nations launched World Press Freedom Day on May 3 two years later. Though some countries across the African continent have...

The Covid-19 pandemic has focused attention on issues that have been taboo in many newsrooms for a long time: mental wellbeing, stress management, technological burnout and limits between personal and professional life. For women journalists in particular, where there is an expectation to remain productive under demanding circumstances, these challenges have been compounded. What can journalists t...

Sexual harassment happens everywhere, and media organisations are not immune. Addressing it is good for journalists, and for the media business in general. How can organisations create a work culture where sexual harassment does not happen? How can they identify it, and address it when it does happen? In this episode: - Carin Andersson, Human Resources consultant and former HR Director at MittMedi...

Journalists should be committed to reporting facts and presenting the news in an honest way. But when they use their reporting to give a voice to those who are under-represented - to victims instead of perpetrators - they have the power to create social change. In this episode, four journalists from Latin America, the Middle East and Africa talk about the unique opportunities they have as women to...

Technology has revolutionised how we get our news. Data visualisation and multimedia are increasingly used to tell stories, and coding is no longer just for computer scientists. But when it comes to working with digital technology, in most newsrooms men outnumber women. Why are men still dominating this field? And what does it take for women to get ahead? In this episode, four women from the Middl...

Women in leadership, diversity in the workplace - these are catchphrases that media organisations are talking about, but what do they mean? Why is it important to have women in top positions? And who are the women who are already there? In this episode, three women who have made it to the top echelons of their media organisations in Africa, the Middle East and Europe talk about what it took to get...

Often, without even realising it, much of the media we consume is dominated by men. Men’s voices and men’s perspectives account for roughly 75% of the news. Yet, women make up half the population. Research has shown that stories that feature women are more widely read by women. So, why does this imbalance persist and how can news organisations shift how they represent women? Listen to how some hav...

Protests have become more frequent, and more violent, around the world. Covering them has become increasingly dangerous for journalists, and has required new ways of thinking and acting. This episode puts safety issues into the context of covering protests. What are journalists and editors’ experiences? What should they be thinking about? In this episode: - Sergi Vicente, director, Betevé, public...

A contract may seem like an afterthought for a freelancer, and it’s not obvious how it is linked to safety. But contracts should be a part of every journalist’s conversation with an editor, especially when the assignment involves risk. What should journalists be asking for? And what should editors and news organisations be thinking about? In this episode: - Anna Day, freelance journalist, co-found...

What is the cost of keeping yourself safe when you’re a journalist? Journalists, editors and security managers help us start to understand how money can be a safety concern in itself, especially for freelancers who are often left on their own to negotiate budgets and insurance coverage. In this episode: - Safa Al Ahmad (https://twitter.com/ghariba33), freelance journalist/filmmaker, working on Yem...

Journalists are increasingly the target of insults or threats from individuals or groups online, which can have physical impacts and should no longer be seen as separate from the offline world. The goal of the harassment? Censorship. And women bear the brunt of the abuse, which is usually gendered and sexualised. Journalists have developed ways to deal with online harassment, from shutting down so...

Many journalists see and even experience some kind of trauma, whether they're covering a conflict zone, protests or violent crime, and they can experience anxiety, depression or even PTSD. One of the best ways of coping is to talk about the experiences and the feelings they evoke, but few people do - journalists or their editors. Trauma is considered part of the job; but ignoring it only makes it...

If journalism protects democracy, then who is protecting journalists? The important role editors and managers play in keeping their reporters safe. In this episode, we hear from editors and safety trainers about starting the safety conversation in newsrooms, to make safety a priority rather than an afterthought. Learn about actual situations that journalists and editors have found themselves facin...

It is increasingly rare to find instances of direct censorship of media in the world today. But indirect censorship, called soft censorship, is thriving. It manifests itself through government pressure on media groups through advertising decisions and restrictive legislation. Less violent than kidnapping and murdering journalists, it is as existential a threat to journalism. In this episode: - Adr...

Journalists and news organisations today are seeing a shift in the use of social media, from engagement to propaganda and the spreading of misinformation, or so-called fake news. Facebook and other tech platforms are increasingly under pressure to change how they present information and sort truth from lies. But journalists themselves are also coming up with solutions. This episode looks at their...