Planning for the risks of doing journalism | Help Desk Monthly

Events like these are not normal in the United States: Last month, FBI agents raided a Washington Post reporter’s home and two Black journalists were arrested after covering a protest in Minnesota.

Newsrooms, news guilds, journalism schools and support organizations, and press freedom groups have all condemned the federal government’s actions, calling them attacks on the free press.

Right now, the role of journalists to document and inform the public is incredibly important, and the risks and pressures of doing this work feel heavier these days. But that doesn’t mean coverage will stop. It just means news organizations need to take steps to prepare for what might happen next.

In our case study looking at how The 19th used scenario planning to prepare for different futures, LaSharah S. Bunting, The 19th’s vice president, says: “As an industry, we need to stop trying to predict the future. We need to do more to prepare for multiple futures at once.”

And preparing for the future is a crucial step that supports local news sustainability, too.

Read our getting started guide to understand how to use scenario planning to prioritize potential risks, work through scenarios and address the most immediate weaknesses in your news organization.

Scenario planning is a tool every news organization can use. It doesn’t cost money; it just takes time. In exchange, your organization will feel more prepared and confident in its planning for what could happen.

With that investment, being a journalist may feel a little less heavy.

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As part of the Help Desk’s promise to be responsive to what’s happening in the news industry, I wanted to call attention to our helpful external links section, lower in the email.

This month, we highlight resources for protecting sensitive information, for covering immigration raids and protests, and for dealing with stress and trauma.

Sincerely,

Leah Becerra, Product Director at News Media Help Desk

Now, some inspiration

Other resources worth your time

Here are some helpful resources for protecting sensitive data and yourself

Safeguarding sources and sensitive information in the event of a raid by Freedom of the Press Foundation
While there are no perfect safeguards, there are a number of concrete measures reporters can take to minimize the amount of source-compromising information a raid and accompanying device seizure can produce. (Read the tips here 🔗)

Safety resources for journalists covering protests by Committee to Protect Journalists
CPJ has compiled a set of resources to help journalists anticipate and plan for some of the risks involved with covering protests, civil unrest, and other unpredictable crowds. (Read them here 🔗)

Journalists’ rights at protests and how to avoid arrest when reporting on these events by Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press
This guide summarizes the legal landscape and provides strategies and tools to help journalists avoid incidents with police and navigate them successfully should they arise. (See the guide here 🔗)

Journalists and mental health: A resource guide by American Press Institute
This guide is an effort to point to and organize resources in ways that can be helpful to journalists looking to put words to what they’re feeling and manage their stresses. (See the guide here 🔗)

Looking ahead 👀

We’re looking into content management systems and newsletter platforms.

Let us know if there’s a tool you love that we should look into or if your newsroom would be a good case study for a tool or strategy that’s working. Use our content idea pitch form or send us an email.

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Members of the Help Desk team will be attending multiple conferences over the next few months. If you’ll be attending any of them, find us or send us a note so we can look for you.

Here’s where we’ll be:

• NICAR📍Indianapolis, Indiana
• ONA📍Chicago
• Mega Conference📍Austin, Texas

Until next time, catch us on these social channels:

• LinkedIn
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• Bluesky

• Category: Help Desk Newsletter