Poverty and the press: how should journalists report on the subject ethically?
The dignity, agency, and knowledge of people living in poverty was emphasised at a recent webinar organised by the NUJ Ethics and Disabled Members’ councils.
The webinar was chaired by Professor Chris Frost, NUJ Ethics council chair and emeritus professor of Journalism at Liverpool John Moores University. The panel included: Naomi Southwell, media officer at the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF); Megan Thomas, co-ordinator of the Coalition Against Benefit Cuts; and Rachel Broady, lecturer in media, culture, and communication at Liverpool John Moores University.
Southwell started by highlighting the implications of asking people to disclose their personal experiences of poverty. Online abuse is prevalent while documenting these experiences in the written press can act as a permanent reminder of some of the most distressing times in a person’s life. The more sensible and sensitive the coverage, the more people will feel able to give interviews. Southwell said:
“People experiencing poverty want to do media interviews and get a lot out of them. I would encourage people to think about the person you are interviewing, their perspective, and what’s at stake for them.”
Thomas summarised the impact of welfare cuts on disabled people and poverty levels, pointing out that employment is no guarantee of prosperity given the high levels of in-work poverty in the UK. Thomas called on journalists to amplify disabled people’s organisations:
“Working collectively is our main strength to advocate for disabled people and against the upcoming cuts to our welfare system.”
Broady explained how journalists can end up mimicking, objectifying, and othering people living in poverty. The NUJ’s guide on reporting poverty – developed by Broady with ATD Fourth World UK, Church Action on Poverty, JRF, Oxford University, and others – contains comprehensive practical advice for journalists. Broady encouraged journalists to stop patronising people and start trusting their expertise:
“You need to create a space where it’s safe for people to speak about their experience – not just their emotional experience but their contribution to anti-poverty activism or their communities.”
The presentations prompted a rich discussion with attendees raising the need to commission journalists who have experienced poverty, and devote time to developing trust with people when writing stories.