EVANSTON, Ill. — The Medill School of Journalism, Media, Integrated Marketing Communications is the latest journalism organization to sign on to the Global Safety Principles and Practices, a set of international protection standards for reporters, especially those in conflict areas. More than 80 newspapers, wire services, TV networks and journalism organizations from around the world have signed the standards, developed by the ACOS (A Culture of Safety) Alliance.
Medill Professor Ellen Shearer, who is a member of the ACOS executive committee and is also co-director of the Medill National Security Journalism Initative, said the standards represent a crucial move to ensure that journalists, especially freelancers, do not go into dangerous reporting situations without protections under the impression that editors and news directors expect the exclusive stories that lead to unnecessary risks.
The murders of American journalists last year by the Islamic State, notably the beheading of Medill alum and GlobalPost reporter James Foley, were the catalyst for the creation of the principles.
