An Australia-first report reveals many journalists and media workers from diverse and minority backgrounds experience online abuse and harassment yet believe it to be ‘part of the job’.
The research project, led by Macquarie University and Griffith University, was commissioned by not for-profit organisation Media Diversity Australia (MDA) supported by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), Meta (Facebook), Google News Initiative, the e-Safety Commissioner and Twitter. The research is a key step toward identifying, understanding, and addressing online abuse and harassment of diverse journalists and media workers.
85% of participants who are Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, culturally and racially marginalised, LGBTQIA+ and/or living with a disability have experienced either personal or professional abuse online. 42% said the abusive messages, comments and other forms of communication were occurring on at least a monthly basis, while 11% experienced it daily.
“Currently, there is no substantial research that documents and validates the online abuse experienced by many diverse journalists and media commentators in Australia, despite the many anecdotes,” said Professor Bronwyn Carlson, Head of the Department of Indigenous Studies.
“This report demonstrates the hostility of the media industry for those who are not able bodied, white and/or cis-gender and/or heterosexual, and there is a significant need for social media platforms, employers, policymakers and regulators to provide meaningful support and resources.”
Often, this behaviour was normalised by young media workers who felt an expectation to accept the ill-treatment as a normal part of the job. There was also a sentiment that addressing the issue could impact their career progression.
The research also highlighted the troubling trend of discrimination within the newsroom.
“Some respondents shared disappointing stories of experiences in the workplace that left them feeling undervalued and unworthy in comparison to their colleagues,” said Mariam Veiszadeh, CEO of Media Diversity Australia.
“Consistent with our findings in our previous research Who Gets To Tell Australian Stories? 2.0 media professionals of intersectional backgrounds shared their internal experiences of exclusion, which no doubt compounded the online safety issues they faced externally.”
While some employers were making good efforts to assist employees experience online abuse, too often issues such as industry complacency and in-built (systemic, institutional) racism and discrimination were impacting on organisations’ ability to properly protect diverse media workers.
Many respondents indicated they found most comfort and support from friends, family and other diverse co-workers rather than formal support networks within the organisation, which were often also unknown to the journalists and media workers involved.
The report details 15 key recommendations for employers, online platforms, regulators and policymakers to support and improve conditions for workers in the industry.
To access the report, visit: https://www.mediadiversityaustralia.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/MDA-Online-Safety-Diverse-Journalists-REPORT.pdf