The Humanitarian Journalism project is seeking to better understand how the news media report on humanitarian crises and what shapes their coverage.

Foundation Funded Journalism

As part of the Humanitarian Journalism research project we have been investigating the significance of foundation funding for international journalism and the ethical and political issues associated with it.

Other

What should journalists at Voice of America do? (Blog)
June 29, 2020
Can journalistic independence be reconciled with a diplomatic role?Read More »
State-funding of international news (Article)
June 17, 2020
How do journalists working for state-funded international news organizations legitimize their relationship to the governments which support them?Read More »
Journalism and philanthropy during Covid-19 (Q&A)
June 16, 2020
Journalism's economic crisis is now compounded by COVID-19, at a time when we need it even more.Read More »
Why did Epstein fund non-profit news? (Blog)
August 23, 2019
As more researchers resign from MIT Media Lab, we ask, 'when should journalists cut ties with a donor'?Read More »
Overview of philanthro-journalism research
April 2, 2019
An overview of the state of research into foundation-funded journalism highlighting best practice.Read More »
What is humanitarian journalism? (Book chapter)
March 27, 2019
In this chapter, we define humanitarian journalism and give an overview of previous research on this subject.Read More »
Humanitarian journalism research in the news
February 20, 2019
A summary of recent news coverage of our humanitarian journalism research.Read More »
Why are humanitarian crises under-reported? (Blog)
February 11, 2019
Article original published by Inter Press Service.Read More »
What’s Wrong with Philanthro-Journalism?
February 8, 2019
We discuss the unintended consequences of foundation funding of international news.Read More »
Foundation funding and the boundaries of journalism (Article)
January 11, 2019
We show that foundation funding has a significant effect on how journalists understand, value and practice their work.Read More »
REPORT: The state of humanitarian journalism
October 16, 2018
In this report we present some of the findings of our four year research project into the state of humanitarian …Read More »
REPORT: The state of humanitarian journalism
October 15, 2018
By Martin Scott, Kate Wright and Mel Bunce. In this report we present some of the findings of our four …Read More »
Foundation support for international news
September 5, 2018
The key features of private foundation support for international non-profit journalism.Read More »
Who’s reporting Africa now? NGOs, journalism and multimedia (Book)
June 6, 2018
What effects has NGOs' shift into news production had on journalism and NGO-work?Read More »
‘Doing good’ and ‘looking good’ in humanitarian news (Book chapter)
June 6, 2018
We investigate how a private donor's motivation to 'look good' shapes journalists' ability to 'do good'.Read More »
Attitudes towards humanitarian news within the aid sector: Survey results
May 1, 2018
How do those involved with or interested in the aid sector view media coverage of humanitarian issues globally?Read More »
Who are the intermediaries for international news? (Blog)
March 2, 2018
This explainer answers five key questions about the role of intermediaries for international journalism.Read More »
Combining humanitarian and solutions journalism: Q&A with BRIGHT Magazine’s founder
February 2, 2018
By Tom Murphy (@viewfromthecave) A humanitarian-focused online magazine launched in late 2017 and may prove that there is a model …Read More »
Does the Daily Mail’s criticism of aid matter?
January 26, 2018
By Martin Scott (@martinscott2010). Originally published on: the Guardian. In the wake of the UK General election result, the assumption …Read More »
The BBC World Service’s coverage of humanitarian crises
January 25, 2018
By Max Slaughter (@maxslaughter). Mainstream news organisations are regularly criticised for either under-reporting or completely omitting humanitarian crises from their …Read More »
Caring in Crisis? Humanitarianism, the Public and NGOs (Book review)
January 24, 2018
This book makes an important and well-evidenced contributionRead More »
Slack, virtual newsrooms and journalistic practice (Article)
January 10, 2018
This article discusses a year-long study of a digital news outlet, whose journalists collaborate, almost exclusively, via Slack.Read More »
Journalism, philanthropy and tainted donors (Article)
January 9, 2018
The ethical dilemmas for journalists when donors are alleged to have been involved in unethical activities.Read More »
The influence of foundation funding on international journalism (Article)
September 18, 2017
How does donor funding affect the independence, role perceptions, and ideology of the journalism it supports?Read More »
NGOs as News Organisations (Book Chapter)
September 14, 2017
By Kate Wright (@newsprof1) What does it mean to talk about NGOs as news organisations? Non-Governmental Organisations have long sought …Read More »
The politics of humanitarian journalism (Book chapter)
September 14, 2017
In this chapter, we draw attention to the considerable gaps in our knowledge about humanitarian journalism.Read More »
Why Humanosphere’s hibernation matters (Blog)
July 2, 2017
Humanosphere is one of a desperately small number of outlets regularly covering humanitarian affairsRead More »
How does donor funding influence humanitarian journalism?
May 18, 2017
This study strongly suggests that it is not just a simple case of the donor playing the tune that news …Read More »
What makes news humanitarian?
April 21, 2017
Answering such questions is important for disentangling some of the various dilemmas and tensions journalists faceRead More »
How do we decide which humanitarian crises are under-reported?
February 17, 2017
According to the World Food Program, more than 20 million people risk dying from starvation within six months, in four …Read More »
Foundation funding of international news: The drive for solutions and impact (Article)
December 7, 2016
This paper examines the private foundations stepping in to finance journalism and questions their growing influence.Read More »
Is humanitarian journalism in crisis?
October 29, 2016
News organisations committed to reporting on humanitarian issues and crises face a double-bind.Read More »

Popular Articles

REPORT: The state of humanitarian journalism by Martin Scott | posted on October 16, 2018
Attitudes towards humanitarian news within the aid sector: Survey results by Martin Scott | posted on May 1, 2018
Foundation support for international news by Martin Scott | posted on September 5, 2018
Is humanitarian journalism in crisis? by Martin Scott | posted on October 29, 2016
Why Humanosphere’s hibernation matters (Blog) by Martin Scott | posted on July 2, 2017

Twitter

Martin ScottFollow

Martin Scott @martinscott2010·

January 17, 2021

‘Social Media and International Development’ (Week 3) is the focus this week, of our free online @FutureLearn course on ‘why media matters for development’. Join now https://www.futurelearn.com/courses/media-and-international-development @developmentuea @PublicMediaPMA @uniofeastanglia

Mel BunceFollow

Ḥanukkah Solo @Pale_0ntologist·

January 14, 2021

Excuse me while I write 150,000 words on these two images 2

Dr. Kate WrightFollow

Dr. Kate Wright @newsprof1·

January 18, 2021

Really interesting stuff- tagging @clarellewellyn

Jonathan Corpus Ong@jonathan_c_ong

For new friends on here, here’s a recent piece that explains how the disinformation debate plays out as political circus in Southeast Asia, and how academics in our region have to lobby for social media regulation differently from US/UK colleagues https://twitter.com/ssrc_items/status/1350148384565420033