GB-London: 102663 - Journalist Safety Study

NOTE: This notice was updated on 30 November 2021 for the following reason: Corrected the title to Journalist Safety Survey(In March 2021 it launched the National Action Plan for the Safety of Journalists which aims to protect journalists from abuse and harassment. The plan will increase awareness of the safety challenges faced by journalists operating in the UK and introduce measures to tackle them in a joint effort by law enforcement, broadcasters, publishers, industry bodies, unions and the government. The plan has been endorsed by the National Committee for the Safety of Journalists, membership of which comprises industry stakeholders including the National Union of Journalists and Society of Editors.

The aim is to ensure that journalists operating in the UK are as safe as possible, reducing the number of attacks on and threats to journalists and ensuring those that are responsible for such are brought to justice.

Key objectives include:

• Increase government's and other stakeholders' understanding of the problem.
• Enhance the criminal justice system response in tackling crimes against journalists.
• Support journalists and their employers to build the resources they need to protect personal safety.
• Help online platforms to tackle the wider issue of abuse online.
• Improve public recognition of the value of journalists.

To address the first objective, DCMS seeks to conduct a high-quality survey with journalists operating in the UK which builds on previous work on this area, including a survey of members of the National Union of Journalists in 2020 and a Call for Evidence conducted by DCMS in 2021, the results of which are to be published. Whilst projects have increased our understanding of the problem and how to address it, DCMS now requires a more substantial research project with emphasis on the representativeness and quality of the sample in order to derive robust quantitative insights.)

Additional information: The contracting authority considers that this contract may be suitable for economic operators that are small or medium enterprises (SMEs). However, any selection of tenderers will be based solely on the criteria set out for the procurement.