United Kingdom: A Pandemic Hasn’t Slowed Down Exploitative Behavior Towards Women Photojournalists

Location: United Kingdom, London
Date: April 7, 2020

CFWIJ has been keeping a check on women journalists and the risks and threats they face because of Covid-19. The pandemic has made reportage a complicated affair and visual journalists face enormous risk because unlike other forms of reporting their work cannot be handled remotely.

We note with concern that organizations are not doing enough to provide support during this time. Most recently, ELLE UK put out a request for a female photojournalist/documentary photographer asking for work in exchange for a “small fee” and “expenses”. At a time where freelancers are struggling to maintain their incomes while worrying about their physical and mental wellbeing, this is a very disappointing request from such a large media group. 

In her email, Diana Eastman, the Picture Editor for ELLE UK, who wrote: 

 "We're looking for a female photojournalist/documentary photographer based in the UK who is able to visit several key workers and document their experience for ELLE. 

 "Like all businesses, ours has been hit by the virus, regretfully we cannot offer much compensation for this contribution but are able to discuss a small fee + expenses for this feature. We hope this will be a way for someone to lend their talent and give back at this strange time and contribute meaningfully towards thanking our female frontline heroes." 

 Melissa Lyttle, Washington, DC based freelancer and former president of the National Press Photographers Association says that it is appalling and egregious that Elle UK would ask freelancers to risk their lives, safety and health to tell these stories and make these pictures for nothing more than  pittance and a byline. 

 “Shame on the editors and management, who are likely sitting in the comfort and safety of their own homes and dreaming up ways to take advantage of people. It shows a clear lack of compassion, empathy, understanding, and respect on their part. It’s exploitative to tug on the heart strings of contributors now by suggesting this “will be a way for someone to lend their talent and give back.” The people putting themselves at risk have the most to lose,” she said. 

 “They risk exposing themselves, their families, and their subjects. Freelance journalists are typically uninsured or underinsured. And freelance journalists are also small business owners who “like all businesses… have been hit by the virus,” so not only have assignments and commissions dwindled, but if we do get sick or have to further quarantine ourselves for 14 days at the outset of potential exposure, that cuts into work we can do for other clients,” she added. 

CFWIJ has been documenting the many ways in which women journalists, especially those working freelance, have been struggling because of Covid-19. 

Bangladesh-based journalist Fabeha Monir has been covering the story from Dhaka. She told CFWIJ that many of her freelancer friends were out of work, and several of her own assignments had also been cancelled. “The future is uncertain in terms of income. The financial stress for me and many of my colleagues worldwide is real,” she said. 

Journalist and documentary maker Ana Gonzales also spoke to CFWIJ about how she is working out of the UK as a freelance journalist. In addition to losing a lot of work, she is now pressed financially because she knows that there isn’t an organization covering any of her costs - even basic things such as accommodation.

In these uncertain times, the sad reality is that some women journalists will likely respond to ELLE UK’s request because at the end of the day they still need the work. However, Melissa notes that they should weigh the opportunity against how much of themselves they are willing to invest into a story. 

 “Like all businesses, as a freelance photographer, one thing I’ve always done is assess risk as well as return on investment for how I spend my time, energy, and money. I hope others are doing the same right now and simply saying that this isn’t worth it — now or ever. The owners and editors of Hearst UK (Elle UK’s parent company), which brings in hundreds of million dollars a year in revenue are sending a clear message about how little they value the people on the front lines, and say it’s really disappointing, but it goes beyond that… it’s infuriating,” she said.  

Press Pad UK founder and BBC World reporter Olivia Crellin noted the disruption Covid-19 has caused in the industry.  

“What we’re seeing right now with the current economic crisis that’s been created by this health emergency is just how far from desirable a lot of the working practices and treatment of workers by organizations are,” she said. 

Olivia noted that existing work structures have never worked well. “Zero hour contracts, gig-working, and freelancers are not treated well and are often very vulnerable,” she explained while adding that for a long time, freelance journalists are not treated as they should be and are more vulnerable - pandemic or not.  

“At this moment, it’s important that organizations that do have more capacity and resources maintain the bare minimum good practice for those who are more vulnerable, especially when they are being asked to carry out assignments, which are in essence on par with the risks of going into warzones,” Olivia told CFWIJ.  

“It’s important that standards are maintained because it’s not just important what we are reporting or that we can continue reporting - it is how we do it. It’s important when we consider that a lot of what will get us through the next series of months are the communities that we belong to and it would be great to see organizations step up and make sure that they acknowledge the contributions of the freelance communities, and they include them within the economic framework of the wider journalistic community,” she added.  

Women journalists and their voices are extremely important. However, with Covid-19 they have had to tackle added pressures. “A large part of the workforce is in isolation or taking care of loved ones, and the burden falls on women,” Olivia said. 

“I feel like quite a lot of the reporting has felt quite masculine to me. I think the kind of female or feminine attributes or approaches to reporting are perhaps being downplayed,” she said.

There is little to no acknowledgement of these additional pressures, however. “Any organization that’s focusing on female front line workers need to realize that the very journalists they’re sending out are themselves female front line workers and need to be given the same assurances and must not be let down. There’s no photographing somebody over zoom. It’s just important that everybody exercises empathy and compassion,” Olivia noted. 

Speaking about the current situation, CFWIJ founding director Kiran Nazish said: 

CFWIJ will continue to monitor the threats that women journalists are facing because of Covid-19. Organizations must step up and do more to protect the people that work for them. In this challenging time, it is of utmost importance that we all display empathy, especially towards journalists who are taking on immense personal risk to deliver important journalism.

The CFWIJ strongly condemns the police brutality against journalists. We demand the immediate return of the press cards seized from the security forces. Policies to intimidate journalists should be abandoned, and journalism should be practiced under the criteria of freedom of the press.

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