In modern journalism, freedom of reporting and the unhindered performance of journalistic work face increasing challenges.

Pressures on journalists, especially of a political nature, are becoming more frequent and intense, which negatively affects the professional autonomy and safety of journalists.

According to recent UZOR research, more than half of journalists experience various types of pressure – with political pressures dominating, most often exerted through phone calls, which reduces the possibility of documenting them.

In addition, journalists often report pressures of medium to high intensity, especially during the pre-election period.

These challenges multiply due to the lack of institutional support, as many media houses do not have formal procedures for reporting pressures. Also, journalists face limited opportunities when it comes to training on coping with stress and external influences.

In current circumstances, media employees unfortunately most often choose to ignore threats or rely on the support of colleagues, while rarely deciding to seek legal assistance.

This set of problems indicates an urgent need to strengthen the protection of journalists and establish more efficient support mechanisms for this profession.