Mass communication

• Both Ms. Hernandez-Blades and Mr. Fischer are expected to join various board committees in the future.
• "We are pleased to have Catherine and Alex join our Board of Directors," said Damon Hininger, CoreCivic's President and Chief Executive Officer.
• "Catherine brings decades of executive leadership experience in government relations, communications, and marketing in both the private and the public sectors.
• Catherine also provides community support as a board member at several non-profits.

• WASHINGTON, Feb. 8, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Press Club Journalism Institute is pleased to announce its 2024-25 Board of Directors.
• Five new directors join the 15-member body, which provides the strategic direction and oversight of the nonprofit affiliate of the National Press Club.
• "Their collective expertise will help guide the Institute in fulfilling its vital role in supporting and strengthening the journalism profession."
• The five new members join existing board directors:
  Mizell Stewart III , President and CEO of Emerging Leaders, LLC; Professional-in-Residence, School of Media and Journalism at Kent State University; and Institute Secretary
  For more information about the National Press Club Journalism Institute and its programs, please visit pressclubinstitute.org .

• GRAPEVINE, Texas, Jan. 16, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Prominently featured in The Inner Circle, Ann Papayoti is acknowledged as a Pinnacle Lifetime Member for her contributions as a Leading Coach, Author, and Speaker.
• Additionally, she works with small business owners, corporate executives, and their teams to develop leadership skills and create their desired culture.
• Prior to her coaching career, Ann spent 17 years in the corporate world working for a major airline.
• With her unwavering commitment to empowering individuals and fostering personal growth, Ann Papayoti is set to make a significant impact with SkyView Coaching, enriching the lives of clients globally.

• But high rates of abuse and threats directed at journalists put us at risk of “mob censorship” – citizen vigilantism that seeks to discipline journalism.
• Our recently published study documents newsworkers’ experiences of abuse and violence at New Zealand’s largest news organisation, Stuff.

A ‘festering heap of toxicity’

• One respondent described her inbox as a “festering heap of toxicity”.
• Overall, men tended to experience more “offline” threats (44% compared to 23% of women) and actual physical violence (16% men compared to 12% women).
• These journalists represented the intersection of both gender and ethnicity – increasing their likelihood of being a target of abuse.

Targets for writing about race

• Simply writing stories about race or racism triggered abuse for the writer, whatever their actual or perceived identity.
• A self-described “white-passing Māori” explained how, after reporting on the dawn raid apology, she received messages calling her things like “white apologist bitch”.
• Several Pākeha women were abused as racists or traitors for using te reo Māori in stories or writing about racism.
• As one person said, “there are [controversial or divisive] stories I’d be less likely to pursue”, including to protect vulnerable sources.

Accepting abuse is not the answer

• More than three-quarters of our respondents considered abuse and threats to be just part of the job.
• There was, though, concern this feeds a “dangerous” and “outdated” professional culture that shuts down frank discussion and causes anxiety.
• Furthermore, some participants were sceptical about the extent of employer commitment to addressing the problem, given the adoption of branding practices such as publishing photo bylines and email addresses, which tended to ramp up online abuse.

Muted watchdogs

• Research from the United States suggests that receiving regular abuse entrenches journalists’ “us versus them” mentality.
• Clearly, democracy itself is undermined by any intimidation or disincentive that stops journalists from performing their watchdog duties.
• Supporting journalists to do their jobs as safely and free from abuse as possible needs to be the industry’s top priority for 2024.

Susan Fountaine does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.