The Impact of the War on News Media: What Journalists Expect

Many journalists expect a fall in advertising revenue, the closure of media outlets and increasing government control over the media as a consequence of the war in Ukraine, a new CMDS report finds.

The report is based on responses from 212 journalists living in 82 countries in a survey conducted online in early March 2022. It looks at journalists’ first reactions to the war. The vast majority of respondents said they had expected Russia’s invasion, and most of them expect the war to escalate.

As a result, the majority expects significant changes in their work. They foresee dramatic declines in advertising spending and the closure of some media organizations. They also expect the government’s role to grow in the media, with many saying propaganda media will grow. A significant portion of respondents said the war would prompt many governments to target critical journalists.

Asked about measures to support independent journalism during the war, many said governments or private entities should create special funding. Many also view the safety of journalists through government-led support programs as a priority.

The report finds a wide divide in war coverage between Europe and the U.S, where the war in Ukraine is the most covered topic, and the rest of the world where news pieces are rarely devoted to it.

Image: Mstyslav Chernov/Unframe/http://www.unframe.com/, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons