TUESDAY 31 AUGUST 2021

In this newsletter you'll find a long read on press freedom in Pakistan and a new paper from one of our Journalist Fellows on news consumption on lock-screens of Android phones. You'll also find a chart and a podcast episode from this year's Digital News Report and a call to join our next leadership programme, which will be held online.  

🕒 This newsletter is 1,464 words, a 12-minute read. If you don't receive it yet, join our mailing list here. If you want to receive our daily roundup with readings on journalism, join our Telegram channel here.
 

Explore Digital News Report 2021 here | Check out data from your country | Download a PDF version | Read our methodology

The issue. Islamabad has emerged as the most dangerous place to practice journalism in Pakistan, according to an annual report by Freedom Network, a media watchdog. 34% of the violations were recorded in the capital city and away from the rural border areas, traditionally the most dangerous zones. At least 148 cases of attacks against news outlets and journalists took place this year, an increase of 40% from the year before. 

The piece. Our contributor Raksha Kumar examines the situation in this piece by talking with experts and with some of the journalists under threat. “High profile journalists used to be untouchable. That has changed now," says Kiran Nazish, from the Coalition For Women In Journalism. "Western democracies do not take any action," says former journalist Absar Alam, who was shot by his house in Islamabad in April.

💃 Spanish media start-up Ac2ality has become the biggest European news player on TikTok, with 2.9 million followers, more than the Washington Post and the BBC combined. | 🐦 According to Muckrack’s 2021 State of Journalism report, 76% of journalists say Twitter is the most valuable social network to them. | 📰 Since 2013 the Washington Post has gone from 35,000 digital subscribers to 3 million, while its average Sunday print circulation has dropped by 46% to 335,000. | 💉 Only 6% of Americans say social media is the most important way to follow COVID-19 vaccine news. Around 33% say it’s important but not the most important way. | 🍹 Vox Media has bought Punch, a media company that covers drinks and cocktails culture, for an undisclosed amount. 

The issue. Is a mobile phone lock-screen a significant medium for news distribution? What does news consumption on lock-screens look like, and how does it benefit publishers and their audiences? These are the questions that our Indonesian Journalist Fellow Christine Franciska explores in a new paper. If you have a smartphone, research shows you are likely look at its lock-screen as often as 70 times a day. 

The paper. Christine takes a deeper look at two features. First, push notifications which have had plenty of research attention over the past few years. Second, news as wallpaper, a programme developed by Bangalore-based company Glance that is currently only available in some Asian countries such as India and Indonesia and where she currently works. 

A quote. "I like to think of the lock-screen as a porch, the space you see before you enter a home. You can use your key – or in this context, a password – to enter through the door. But if you have a particularly good porch, you probably want to spend some time there, enjoying the view of the garden or sipping a cup of coffee while relaxing in a rattan chair. How good your experience is depends heavily on what is available in that comparatively tiny space," Christine writes.

📱 Read Christine's paper here
📃 Read other papers from our Journalist Fellows here 

With press freedom under threat... we are doing all we can to help journalists fight back. Our new fund brings journalists working in difficult environments on to our signature Fellowship Programme so they can build the networks, skills and knowledge they need. Please donate any amount you can from £25 to the fund so more journalists under pressure can spend time with us.

How interest in news has evolved over the pandemic. Interest in news has risen in some countries that have been badly affected by the crisis. It is also higher in people whose lives have been directly impacted by COVID-19, but on average across countries we find that levels of interest (59%) have not risen over the last year – with young people and those with lower education still paying less attention.

Explore Digital News Report 2021

🔗 Read the executive summary of the report. | By Nic Newman
✊🏿 How people perceive news coverage. | By Richard Fletcher 
⚖️ What audiences think about impartiality. | By Craig T. Robertson
🏡 How technology has disrupted local news. | By Anne Schulz
💰 Financing commercial news media. | By R. Fletcher and R. Nielsen
🕺🏻 How and why people use social media for news. | By Simge Andı 

📈 Explore data from your country. Figures from 46 markets
🌎 Read the report in Spanish. Explore the report in this global language
📄 Download the PDF version and read it on your tablet 
📊 Check out our interactive. Explore our data and build your own charts
👩‍🔬 Learn about our methodology. How we produce the report

🎙 Listen to our podcast series on the report 
🎥 Watch a video summary. Explore the key findings in 2 minutes
👩🏾‍💻 Explore the report in 192 slides. A presentation to use in your class

"While local newspapers traditionally performed many jobs for readers, other sources are now better able to perform these jobs. So a way forward could be to double down on local politics or health issues rather than trying to cover all topics"

Anne Schulz
Co-author of the report
Audio and transcript here
Listen on: Spotify | Apple | Google

The programme. On 28-29 September we’ll host an online edition of our Future Leaders in News course for new and mid-career editors and newsroom managers. The programme is interactive and you’ll get to share learnings and experiences with peers from other news organisations in a safe, off-the-record setting, in order to help you address any practical challenge you encounter in your management work.

👩🏾‍🏫 What you'll learn. Topics covered during the course include changes in audience behaviour, best practices when communicating with your team, techniques to promote innovation, strategies to address management challenges (including remote and hybrid leadership), and mental wellbeing for managers and their team.

🙋🏿‍♀️ How to apply. If you’ve recently assumed a news leadership role or you are an editor or newsroom manager with up to 5 years' experience, email federica.cherubini@politics.ox.ac.uk

✍️ 2-4 September. Register now for the annual conference from the Society of Professional Journalists, convening journalists and academics for discussions and workshops on a range of topics including data journalism, investigative reporting, legal rights, interviewing techniques, mobile journalism and much more. | SPJ

🌍 13-17 September. Journalists and media innovators from across Africa can sign up for the inaugural Jamfest, a showcase for new content styles, audience engagement methods and approaches to sustainability. Speakers include Nigel Mugamu from 263Chat, Edwin Madu from Zizoko and Mpho Raborife from News24. | Jamlab

WE ARE READING... 

😉🕵️‍♀️ Reporting on sexual abuse. “Any woman in [sports journalism] will tell you that she has endured sexual harassment, gendered language, discrimination. I have not been immune to the kind of treatment that I’ve reported on." Investigative journalist Katie Strang from The Athletic speaks about her work. | New Yorker

🇦🇫 A foreign correspondent looks back. “Being in Afghanistan at that moment seemed an enormous privilege. But Indian TV channels who called me up only wanted blow by blow accounts of the latest bombing and the rising body count." Indian journalist Aunohita Mojumdar on her nine years reporting from Kabul. | Newslaundry

🇳🇮 A journalist under threat. Prominent Nicaraguan journalist Carlos F. Chamorro, a fierce critic of President Daniel Ortega, has been accused of money laundering. He fled to Costa Rica in June due to political pressure after his siblings were detained. Ortega has recently arrested several opponents, including some presidential candidates. | Reuters

🎨 Designing for premium. Designers at US magazine The Atlantic just launched a new story page that aims to deliver an undistracted, engaging story experience that carries readers to the next line and connects them deeply with authors. This piece explains what they learned along the process. | The Atlantic  

More information on what we do...

Today's email was written by Eduardo Suárez and Matthew Leake.