My Major Personal Project – Critical Research Journal

I needed to clear the staircase, so I thought I’d see which photography books have settled there in the last couple of months.

James Redbanks (2016) The Shepherd’s View – Modern photographs from an ancient landscape.

As inspiration/research for a long-term project that I’m currently doing on a wool farmer and how work.

Janine Wiedel (2025) Life at the Fence – Greenham Common Women’s Peace Camp 1983/84

As inspiration/research for another long-term project, recently started, on the current nuclear threat, impending 2nd cold war, and the ritual dance between peace camps and nuclear facilities.

Simon Martin & Marco Livingstone (2008) Colin Self – Art in the Nuclear Age

For the same reasons as above. I saw some of Self’s work at an exhibition in Bath earlier this year and I was curious about more artistic applications of photography to support my project.

Sarah Meister (2013) Bill Brandt – Shadow and Light

I took a course by Sarah a few years ago, and was inspired by the depth to which she considered individual bodies of work, and Bill Brandt has always fascinated me, so when I saw that she had curated an exhibition of his work at MoMA NY, I was keen to get the accompanying book. So glad that I did.

Colin Westerbeck & Joel Meyerowitz (2017) Bystander – A history of Street Photography

It is on my stairs because I was double checking something before responding to a comment on a forum.

Adam Broomberg (2021) Glitter in my wounds

I recently attended a lecture by Broomberg, who was professor of photography in Berlin and currently teaches an MA in the Hague. Currently, he has to be the most consistently daring, long-term project, activist photographer who literally puts his life on the line for the sake of his cause. This book is a relatively straightforward exploration of the experience of trans-people. It was the only one of his books that I could afford! His recent work (“Anchor in the Landscape”) on the Israeli settlers destruction of 1000+yr old olive trees in Palestine is awe inspiring.

George Steinmetz (2024) Feed the planet – a photographic journey to the world’s food.

I met Steinmetz at the Visa Pour l’Image-Perpignan this year. His exceptionally long-term project on the world’s agriculture, from an environmental perspective, is a perfect illustration of how a photographer these days has to truly understand their subject matter.

No idea whether this will interest anyone, but it was a useful exercise looking at them again, albeit briefly.

The Threat to Press Freedom in the 21st Century

What is Press Freedom?

Press freedom refers to the ability of journalists, media organisations, and individuals to report, investigate, and publish information without undue interference, censorship, or retaliation from the state, corporations, or other powerful entities. It is a fundamental pillar of democracy, ensuring transparency, accountability, and an informed public.

True press freedom includes:

Legal protection from state interference or legal threats.
Pluralism, ensuring a diversity of media voices.
Editorial independence, allowing journalists to report without corporate or political influence.
Freedom from violence, meaning journalists can work without fear of intimidation, imprisonment, or assassination.

Why is Press Freedom Important?

A free press holds power to account. It investigates corruption, challenges abuses, and ensures that the public has access to accurate and diverse information. When the press is strong, democracy is strong. Without it, misinformation thrives, power becomes unchecked, and authoritarian tendencies grow.

The decline of press freedom is not just an issue of censorship—it affects human rights, social justice, and the very fabric of democratic governance.

Why is Press Freedom Under Threat?

There are several factors contributing to the erosion of press freedom globally:

Authoritarianism and the Rise of the Far Right
Far-right movements, often linked to nationalism, populism, and reactionary politics, tend to view the press as an enemy. Figures like Donald Trump in the US, Viktor Orbán in Hungary, and Narendra Modi in India have openly attacked the media, branding journalists as “fake news” peddlers or “enemies of the people.” This delegitimises journalism and justifies restrictions on press freedom.
State Control and Legal Suppression
Many governments now use legal mechanisms to suppress critical journalism. Laws on national security, defamation, or so-called “fake news” have been weaponised to arrest journalists or shut down independent outlets. For example, Orbán’s Hungary has brought much of the media under state control, while Russia and China imprison dissident journalists.
Corporate Influence and Media Consolidation
A handful of powerful corporations own vast sections of the global media. Rupert Murdoch’s empire, for instance, has helped shift political discourse to the right in multiple countries. When media ownership is concentrated, editorial independence weakens, and news becomes shaped by corporate and political interests.
Surveillance and Digital Censorship
Governments are increasingly using digital tools to track, intimidate, and silence journalists. Some regimes exploit spyware (e.g., Pegasus) to monitor dissenters. Social media algorithms, influenced by state pressure or corporate interests, also limit the reach of independent journalism.
Physical Attacks on Journalists
Violence against journalists is rising. From the murder of Jamal Khashoggi to the repression of investigative journalists in the Philippines and Mexico, those who expose corruption and state abuse are at risk. Impunity for such crimes emboldens further attacks.
Disinformation and the Undermining of Trust
The spread of disinformation, often amplified by far-right movements, weakens faith in journalism. When people distrust the press, they turn to conspiracy theories, state propaganda, or hyper-partisan sources that confirm their biases. This benefits authoritarian leaders, who thrive on controlling public perception.

The Far-Right and the Attack on Journalism

Far-right movements, in particular, see the press as a threat because it exposes their tactics—racism, xenophobia, corruption, and attacks on democracy. They rely on:

Discrediting journalists by calling them biased or untrustworthy.
Promoting alternative, hyper-partisan media that reinforce their worldview.
Using state power to restrict press freedom, such as closing media outlets or arresting critics.
Normalising misinformation so that truth itself becomes contested.

This has dangerous consequences. When the press is weakened, authoritarianism flourishes. When journalists are silenced, corruption grows. When information is controlled, democracy erodes.

The decline of press freedom, then, is a crisis for democracy. The rise of the far-right has played a central role in this trend, using legal, digital, and violent means to control information. Defending press freedom is not just about protecting journalists—it is about preserving truth, accountability, and democratic governance.

If you are interested in supporting press freedom in a number of imaginative ways, then visit https://rsf.org – Reporters Without Borders.