UNESCO is the lead UN Agency for promoting freedom of expression and safety of journalists as part of its mandate to “promote the free flow of ideas by word and image”.
Understanding Journalist Safety in Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is among the safest countries in Europe and the world (Global Peace Index, 2024), and this is also reflected in how journalists measure their safety there. Regarding physical safety, the situation was wilder in the 1990s after the regime change, but in the last two decades, there have been only sporadic cases of journalists being threatened by criminal elements. Journalists quite frequently experience online abuse, but luckily, it does not evolve into digital attacks or real-life threats. However, sexual harassment starts to be more often reported than in the past because people feel more confident to do so and believe it can be solved, not overlooked. Furthermore, also more frequently than in the past, when it was quite a taboo due to the pressure of the almost workaholic nature of the journalistic job, journalists, especially the younger generation, speak about being burnt out or at least having psychological issues. They connect it to the budget costs in the media, resulting in fewer people who should cover a tremendous amount of the events due to the never-ending demands of online media. The journalists also have low average wages that do not cover middle-class life expenses, and more precarious forms of employment. Even though we can witness the increase in salaries from the WJS 2 data collection, it is not quick enough to keep pace with steeply increasing rent and food prices.
Safety Dimensions
This radar chart displays how the country performs across all four safety dimensions, revealing areas of strength and concern.
Gender Safety Gap
This comparison highlights differences in safety experiences between male and female journalists, revealing potential gender-based disparities.
Physical Safety
The physical dimension carries 50% weight in the safety index. Read the methodology in full.
Journalist Killings (35% weight in physical dimension)
This figure represents the total number of journalist killings in Czech Republic between 2016 and 2024.
Data sourced from UNESCO Observatory of Killed Journalists.
Note: This indicator carries 35% of the weight within the physical dimension of the Safety Index, making it the most significant factor in this category.
Responses to: "I am concerned about my physical wellbeing" (20% weight in physical dimension)
Responses to: "In the last five years, how often have you experienced any of the following actions related to your work as a journalist?"
Arrests, detentions or imprisonment (15% weight in physical dimension)
Sexual assault or sexual harassment (15% weight in physical dimension)
Other physical attacks (15% weight in physical dimension)
Abductions (did not contribute to calculation)
Office raids or seizures or damage of equipment (did not contribute to calculation)
Being required to work in an environment where COVID-19 had easily spread (did not contribute to calculation)
Psychological Safety
The psychological dimension carries 25% weight in the safety index. Read the methodology in full.
Responses to: "I am concerned about my emotional wellbeing" (20% weight in psychological dimension)
Responses to: "In the last five years, how often have you experienced any of the following actions related to your work as a journalist?"
Demeaning or hateful speech directed at you (16% weight in psychological dimension)
Public discrediting of your work (16% weight in psychological dimension)
Legal actions against you because of your work (16% weight in psychological dimension)
Stalking (16% weight in psychological dimension)
Other threats or intimidation directed at you (16% weight in psychological dimension)
Coercion (did not contribute to calculation)
Questioning of your personal morality (did not contribute to calculation)
Workplace bullying (did not contribute to calculation)
Intimidation that targets your family or close associates (did not contribute to calculation)
Digital Safety
The digital dimension carries 12.5% weight in the safety index. Read the methodology in full.
Responses to: "In the last five years, how often have you experienced any of the following actions related to your work as a journalist?"
Surveillance (50% weight in digital dimension)
Hacking or blocking of social media accounts or websites (50% weight in digital dimension)
Others using your byline for fabricated or manipulated stories (did not contribute to calculation)
Others disseminating your personal information (did not contribute to calculation)
Financial Safety
The financial dimension carries 12.5% weight in the safety index. Read the methodology in full.
Responses to: "I am worried about losing my job in journalism within the next 12 months" (20% weight in financial dimension)
Responses to: "Which of the following categories best describes your current working situation as a journalist?" (20% weight in financial dimension)
Responses to "Approximately what percentage of your overall work-related income comes from your work as a journalist?" (20% weight in financial dimension)
Responses to: "How many hours a week on average do you work as a journalist?" (20% weight in financial dimension)
Responses to: "In which of the following categories does your salary as a journalist fall?" (20% weight in financial dimension)
Demographics
This section contains demographic information about survey respondents from Czech Republic.
Coming soon
Demographic information about survey respondents will be available in a future update.