Annual Report 2016-2017 Contents Reuters Institute Annual Report 2016-2017 01 Foreword 02 Preface 04 The Year in Review 10 The Journalist Fellowship Programme 26 Research and Publication 46 Events 56 About us Opposite: A protester holds a national flag as a bank branch, housed in the magistracy of the Supreme Court of Justice, burns during a rally against Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro, in Caracas, Venezuela June 12, 2017. REUTERS/Carlos Garcia Rawlins Reuters Institute - Annual Report 2016-17 00 Foreword Preface Monique Villa Alan Rusbridger CEO - Thomson Reuters Foundation Chair of the Steering Committee ‘What is the Thomson Reuters It’s difficult not to feel a twinge And then there are the journalism Foundation doing to counter the We are navigating through of sympathy for anyone editing fellows who fly in from all quarters issue of fake news?’ I lost count uncharted waters. It is precisely at or otherwise running a media of the globe to spend months of the many times I got asked that times like these that we need an organisation these days. Someone in Oxford solving problems and question this year. My answer is institution able to guide the industry once memorably compared the thinking about diverse possibilities. simple: we fund one of the world’s with courage and competence. I know task to rebuilding a 747 in mid-flight. leading centres promoting excellence we are in good hands: Alan Rusbridger, the It’s very difficult to see where you’re These opportunities to talk, share, think, in journalism. Chair of the Steering Committee, is certainly the flying. The altitude is dizzying, the oxygen in debate, and research are key to the mission of the right person for this role. short supply. And over the crackling radio come RISJ. We’re proud of our record to date and look The Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism persistent messages of doom predicting that forward to building on it in the future. continues to go from strength to strength asserting And the management team, with David Levy as you’ll imminently come crashing down to earth. its role as a key player in the field of research and leader and Rasmus Nielsen as the director of thought leadership at a time when the media research who has just been appointed Professor Of course, it can be exhilarating too. But there industry faces challenging transformation and of Political Communications at the University, has never been more need for the practitioners in disturbing political attacks. has brought another brilliant year. The Thomson journalism to be able to escape and reflect on the Reuters Foundation is very proud to support turbulent revolution engulfing their trade. In other In both cases, the RISJ stands ready to provide the Institute. words, there’s never been more need for the haven guidance. It acts as a safe forum for industry of research, exploration, and discussion that is the leaders from around the world to share best Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism. practice and discuss candidly. It publishes what is known as the benchmark report assessing Over the past year – in addition to the books, digital news trends and consumption. But most research, and data that we have produced – some importantly, being anchored by the strength and of the most important moments have been the credibility of both Reuters and the University of gatherings of editors, CEOs, and rising stars Oxford, the RISJ is a beacon of professionalism, a of the future who have descended on Oxford constant reminder of the fundamental role free and to share their visions and thoughts about the independent media play for the prosperity future of journalism. They have told us they go of society. away bubbling with ideas – and strengthened by the knowledge that everyone is facing the same This is particularly crucial today, at a time when challenges. Editing can be a lonely business. disruptive forces try to create a world without facts, Knowing that the RISJ is there can make it where falsehood is given the status of news, and seem a little less lonely. where accurate reporting is discredited as propaganda. 001 Reuters Institute - Annual Report 2016-17 Reuters Institute - Annual Report 2016-17 2 The Year in Review Visitors walk under illuminated cherry blossoms in full bloom along the Chidorigafuchi Moat in Tokyo, Japan, April 6, 2016. REUTERS/Yuya Shino Reuters Institute - Annual Report 2016-17 4 The Year in Review David A. L. Levy has led multiple publications and the creation of shorter factsheets Foundation, the NRZ Foundation, and this year the Open Society around topical issues. Rasmus also worked with Alan Rusbridger and Foundation, who together support the important work led by Caroline Director journalist fellow Heidi Skjeseth to innovate with a crowd-sourced Lees in editing the European Journalism Observatory English-language document that generated more than 100 contributions on the topic website, which features news linking journalism research and of ‘How to Deal with Powerful People Who Lie’, which added a new practice across Central, Eastern, and Western Europe. That bridge dimension to the debate on relations between journalists and political between research, evidence, and journalism practice is central to leaders in the wake of the election of Donald Trump. We were really our purpose. As noted at the beginning, we believe our ability to link pleased that Rasmus was honoured by being awarded the title of rigorous research, robust evidence, and the exchange of experience Oxford’s first Professor of Political Communication in Summer 2017, and insight from our journalist fellows and others about the ways in thereby recognising the quality of his own pioneering research, his which journalism is practised around the world, is key to our mission, service to the profession, and the work he does with industry to help and more important than ever given the multiple challenges facing them understand and respond to the current challenges in the journalism today. media sector. This report covers the academic Against this turbulent backdrop the past year at the Institute has been one of change, expansion, and year 2016–17, a period when the Everything we have accomplished in the past year, which has seen new developments. Our new Chair, Alan Rusbridger, role of journalism in holding a record number of publications, has only been possible because of has engaged with and inspired our journalist fellows, the support of our many sponsors. We are really grateful to them all. power to account and providing and been a great source of ideas about our role in First to Monique Villa and the Thomson Reuters Foundation whose trustworthy information appeared tough times for journalism. In the Department of continued support for the RISJ underpins everything we do. To Google ever more important. At the same Politics and International Relations (DPIR), we had and the Digital News Initiative whose support – along with 11 other been fortunate to have the support of Liz Frazer as Head of time the forms, independence, influence, sponsors (see p. 30) – has meant that 2017 saw the biggest Digital Department until the end of 2016 and have been delighted that her and sustainability of journalism have been News Report ever, again expertly led by Nic Newman, involving polling successor, Louise Fawcett, has been equally supportive and engaged. under increased challenge. In some cases, 70,000 people across 36 countries. To the many different sponsors And Denise Lievesley, Principal of Green Templeton College (GTC), has who support our Fellowship Programme. Finally, to the Robert Bosch what is required is greater protection, both for made a great contribution to our Steering Committee and worked hard journalists and news organisations. For others to make our staff and fellows feel really welcome at our Oxford college it is new insights, ideas, and approaches, to home. The fact that our fellows return to their countries with such reinvigorate and secure the future of news. We a strong affection for Oxford is largely because of the warmth of the at the Reuters Institute (RISJ) are well placed reception and contacts they find at GTC. to witness these pressures at first hand and Above: Meera Selva, Director, Journalism Fellowship One big change in the Institute was in summer 2017 when James Programme from September 2017 try to understand and provide solutions to Painter stepped down after eight very successful years as Director of Left: Alexandra Borchardt, them, whether through the work conducted the Fellowship Programme, to focus more on his research on Media Director of Strategic Development from July 2017 by our journalist fellows and researchers, or and Climate Change. James has been a great ambassador for the through the many people we meet each year, Institute and wonderful colleague, much liked by journalist fellows and Below: Green Templeton College in the snow, 2009. Author: Craig Webber CC – Wikipedia as visiting scholars, seminar speakers, and staff, and we are really pleased that he will retain an association with RISJ. We are delighted that Meera Selva, herself a former journalist our engagement with leading journalists and fellow, started as the new Director of the Fellowship Programme industry leaders. in September 2017. She is an accomplished journalist with recent experience of working in Africa, Germany, and the Far East, and we know she will consolidate and expand on the success of the fellowship programme. Another major change and expansion has been the creation of the role of Director of Strategic Development, designed to strengthen our external visibility and diversify our industry links and funding through new research, engagement, and launching some short courses. We were fortunate to attract Alexandra Borchardt to Oxford to start this role in July 2017, direct from her previous post as Managing Editor of Süddeutsche Zeitung.