The killings of journalists and the level of impunity for such crimes is a persistent problem. Between 2006-2013 593 journalists were killed and the current level of impunity, based on states’ responses to UNESCO, is 93.3% (UNESCO’s DG’s report to IPDC, November 2014). This problem is widely recognised amongst IGOs, NGOs and the media community and has become a priority agenda item for the UN. The UN has developed a ‘Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity’ in 2012 in an attempt to combat, crimes against journalists and impunity and ultimately to ensure greater freedom of expression and media freedom. However, such action plans can only be successful if news organisations (and the public) are aware of them, engage with the safety of their own journalists and issues of impunity and are willing to take measures in line with action plans specific to the countries they operate in.
 
In this project CFOM will interview news editors/senior journalists of news organisations (see C Additional Information below) in six countries where press freedom is constrained and where editors could therefore be expected to have a greater interest in combating threats to journalists and ensuring safe reporting than in countries where the press is relatively free and journalists generally operate in a safe environment. These countries are Pakistan, Mexico, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Turkey, India and Bulgaria. The interviews will focus on editors/senior journalists’ news values and practices and their attitudes and opinions with regard to the kind of measures that are required to combat the threat to journalists, increase their safety, enable the systematic reporting of attacks on journalists and to report about the problem of impunity. CFOM will analyse these findings to identify barriers to the editors’ engagement with journalism safety and impunity and to outline the potential for the development of bespoke country-specific approaches with regard to the kind of assistance in terms of, journalism training, stimulating policy debate and initiatives and information campaigns that will be of direct benefit to aiding the development of the news media in each country, with the long-term aim of increasing media freedom.