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Gert Ysebaert CEO Mediahuis groep |
Photo Lars van den Brink
Press security and press freedom are inextricably linked
The core of independent journalism: journalists who don't allow themselves to be intimidated and are determined to report without censorship.
There are certain moments in your life that you never forget. Moments where you recall exactly where you were and how you felt when you got the message. I remember the attack on De Telegraaf in 2018 like it was yesterday. It was the first time in my career that I’d experienced an attack on the media up close. We’d seen what happened to Charlie Hebdo in Paris and Jyllands Posten in Copenhagen. It made an impression, but it happened far away. This time it was close to home, and it involved our own people. But what made an even deeper impression on me than the sense of danger was the reaction by De Telegraaf. The following day, the splash read: We’ll never be silenced! For me, that’s at the core of what our journalism stands for. It shows how journalists don’t allow themselves to be intimidated and are determined to report without censorship.
In recent years, safety has become even more important to our company. We’ve stepped up security in all our buildings. Some of our colleagues are under permanent protection. And while this has become a new reality, you never really get used to it. It remains unreal that journalist Willem Groeneveld had Molotov cocktails put through the letterbox of his home one summer night in 2021, or that our Irish colleagues have been informed by the police about death threats.
Free press can only thrive in a safe environment
The threat to our journalism continues unabated and has spread over the years to online platforms. Where abusers are anonymous, hiding behind their screens, and where, at times it seems that all respect and humanity have disappeared. Because online, too, our journalists are suffering and the feeling of threat is growing. It’s our responsibility as a group to take this seriously and support our people. In the contributions from our editors-in-chief in this report, you can read how we deal with this in our newsrooms. Because it is in no way acceptable for our people and thus our journalism to come under such pressure.
Press security and press freedom are inextricably linked. After all, a free press can only thrive in a safe environment. And a free press is crucial for a healthy democracy and a functioning society. But it’s clear that this cannot be taken for granted. That’s why I’m glad we’re shining the spotlight on this issue with the Journalistic Annual Report. The three essays on press freedom, press safety and trust address various topical issues and perspectives. These reflect once again why we all do it every day: ensuring a sustainable future for our independent journalism.
I wish you an enjoyable read.
Gert Ysebaert
CEO Mediahuis groep
