WASHINGTON – The Foley Foundation today announced an update to its James W. Foley Journalism Safety Modules, which are designed to help university journalism and communications instructors prepare aspiring journalists to assess risk, prevent harm, and report safely. New resources and discussion questions have been added to address specific risks faced by journalists and photojournalists, including protest coverage, reporting abroad, and journalists’ legal rights. In addition, the Foley Foundation has introduced a new module on the physical, emotional, and legal risks associated with covering immigration issues on campus or in the community.
The safety modules emphasize the importance of risk assessments, responsibilities of newsroom managers, safety of female and minority journalists, covering civil unrest both domestically and abroad, emotional self-care, journalists’ legal rights, digital security, and online harassment. Each module is designed to help instructors easily integrate safety content into existing journalism and communications courses. To explore and download the modules, visit jamesfoleyfoundation.org/journalist-safety.
“The Foley Foundation aims to equip instructors with resources that help students build a culture of safety and understand how to mitigate the risks they may face,” said Foley Foundation Director of Safety Education Tom Durkin.
Over 25 universities—including Marquette University, Northwestern University, New York University, University of Missouri, University of Oklahoma, University of Florida, University of Texas at Austin, University of North Texas, American University, Arizona State University, West Virginia University, University of New Hampshire, Weber State University, Quinnipiac University, and the University of Central Missouri—have implemented resources from the safety modules into existing courses.
The Safety Modules were developed in collaboration with Marquette University’s Diederich College of Communication, the alma mater of freelance journalist James Foley, who was killed by ISIS in 2014 while reporting on the Syrian civil war.
“I can’t think of something more critical to journalism education than training present and future journalists to navigate complex, traumatic, and difficult situations—professionally and personally,” said Dr. Patrick Johnson, Assistant Professor of Journalism and Media Studies at Marquette University. “As our industry expands, our world becomes more volatile and unknown, and our experiences become increasingly mediated, we need to equip our students with a toolkit to know who, what, when, where, why, and how to stay safe. That’s what the Foley Safety Modules provide.”
ABOUT THE JAMES W. FOLEY LEGACY FOUNDATION
Conflict journalist James W. Foley was taken hostage by ISIS terrorists in 2012 while covering the Syrian civil war. His captors tortured and ultimately brutally murdered him in 2014. The Foundation was established less than three weeks after his death. Inspired by the moral courage of James Foley, the Foundation advocates for American hostages and wrongful detainees held abroad and promotes journalist safety.
For more information or to learn how you can make an impact, please visit jamesfoleyfoundation.org or contact us here. Charitable donations to support the Foundation’s work may be made here.