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Journalists face crises on multiple fronts due to COVID-19 pandemic, survey finds
“These results show a worrying trend of declining media freedom and cuts to journalism at the very time when access to information and quality journalism is so crucial. Journalism is a public good and it deserves public support and an end to political obstruction and interference," International Federation of Journalists general secretary Anthony Bellanger said.
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Journalists practice social distancing outside a meeting to wrap up work on coronavirus economic aid legislation to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in Washington, US, March 21, 2020. REUTERS/Mary F. Calvert TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY (Reuters/Mary F. Calvert)
T
he COVID-19 pandemic has left journalists worldwide facing multiple crises - including pay cuts, job losses, obstructions, worsening working conditions and worsening mental health conditions - a recent survey from the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) found.
The survey, which was conducted between April 26 and 28 involving 1,308 staff and freelance journalists from 77 countries, showed that 65.4 percent of respondents had suffered pay cuts, job losses or worsening job conditions during the pandemic.
“I work more but earn less money, and the newspaper owner I work for owes me and my colleague over 7 months' pay but the government does nothing about this,” a Greek journalist said as quoted in the IFJ report.
More than a third of respondents have shifted their focus to COVID-19 coverage and some expressed their concern that other issues might be ignored. At the same time, around a quarter of respondents said they had faced growing difficulties in accessing information from officials as questions at press conferences were limited and press cards were withdrawn.
Around 73.9 percent of respondents also said they had suffered more restrictions since the pandemic started.
A Portuguese journalist who took part in the survey described it as a “bad situation”.
“More press releases, less real reporting, press conferences without questions, we work more hours, a lot more hours, cell phones don’t stop, we are confined, always working, it’s bad for our health,” the journalist said.
“These results show a worrying trend of declining media freedom and cuts to journalism at the very time when access to information and quality journalism is so crucial. Journalism is a public good and it deserves public support and an end to political obstruction and interference," IFJ general secretary Anthony Bellanger said in a written statement on the IFJ’s official website.
Meanwhile in Indonesia, the Legal Aid Institute for the Press (LBH Pers) and the Alliance of Independent Journalists (AJI) received 61 reports of employment violations between April 3 and May 2. The reports included 26 journalists who have been laid off, 21 journalists who were furloughed and 11 journalists who have received pay cuts or delays.
The report also showed that at least three cases of violence against journalists had occurred since the large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) were implemented last month.
