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Journalist Impact Survey 2022
“If i didn’t have Media Defence’s support, I would have been condemned ”
– Journalist supported by Media Defence in 2022.

In 2022, we carried out our sixth annual Journalist Impact Survey to look at the longer-term impact of our support to journalists. The survey enables us to gain a greater understanding of the threats to journalists and the role of legal defence in ensuring journalists can continue to report. Our findings in this survey inform our future support.
Journalist Impact Survey 2022
Key findings

  • 100% of respondents would recommend our support to other journalists facing legal action.

  • 95% of respondents reported feeling satisfied or extremely satisfied with the lawyer who handled their case.

  • 95% of respondents found that our support and that of our partners enabled them to continue reporting on public interest issues.

  • 64% of respondents reported feeling satisfied with the outcome of their case.
What kind of cases did journalists receive support for in 2022?

The most common case types were civil and criminal defamation, with 20% of respondents reporting that they received support for criminal defamation cases, and a further 20% for civil defamation cases. This is parallel to the global rise in SLAPP suits being used as a means to silence journalists.
What prevented journalists from carrying out their jobs in 2022?

Respondents reported that they experienced changes in their journalistic practices due to their equipment being confiscated. Respondents also mentioned their fear for legal harassment, as well as the risk of being sued and facing lengthy court battles. One respondent answered that a the lack of advertising for their publication led to its closure. Others responded that nothing had stopped them from reporting, but that they had made changes to their way of working, inlcuding being more careful in handling information.

 
What kind of stories led to legal action in 2022?

In line with the last five years, crime, justice, and political corruption were the most frequent themes of stories leading to legal action. Journalists covering business corruption have been on the rise over the last two years - again, this is in line with the SLAPP trends that are on the rise globally.
Read more
Facing legal threats because of your journalism? We can help.
We support journalists – including citizen journalists, bloggers, broadcasters, photojournalists, cartoonists or fact-checkers – and news outlets when they are confronted with legal action as a result of their reporting.
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The global threat to journalism
When independent journalists and media outlets are threatened with legal action, financial ruin, violence and imprisonment, they need somewhere to turn for concrete support. With your donation, we can be there to support more journalists than ever, as well as challenging the unjust laws through which they are silenced.
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