Azmat Khan, Patti Cadby Birch Assistant Professor of Journalism and Director of the Simon and June Li Center for Global Journalism, discusses the rising threats facing journalists worldwide — and how her center is preparing students to meet the moment.
The biggest threats facing journalists around the world today
"One of the most alarming trends is the unprecedented number of journalists being killed or detained globally. In conflict zones especially, we’re seeing a crackdown on access — journalists aren’t being allowed in, or they’re only being permitted to embed with militaries, which limits their independence. Access is a fundamental part of press freedom, and it’s being restricted in increasingly aggressive ways."
How the Li Center approaches these challenges
"We’re focused on preparing our students to operate in hostile environments. That includes hostile environment training, risk assessments, and studying how journalists in other countries are navigating extreme conditions. We’re not just learning from them — we’re also thinking about how to support them."
The kinds of stories her students are reporting
"They’re interviewing journalists at risk in places like the Philippines, Myanmar, Gaza, and Ukraine — regions where the threats are extraordinary. These journalists are often operating without institutional support, sometimes even in isolation. Our students learn not only from their reporting but from the resilience and innovation it takes to do that work."
Going beyond conflict zones
"There are more technocratic threats — states and corporations using legal systems to silence journalists, especially freelancers who don’t have the resources to fight back. Strategic lawsuits, criminal charges, and legal harassment can be just as dangerous as physical threats."
How does technology factor into this picture?
"We’re emphasizing the use of open source intelligence (OSINT) tools — like satellite imagery — that can help journalists stay safe and report from a distance when access is denied. These tools are vital for accountability reporting, especially when traditional on-the-ground reporting isn’t possible."
Understanding the stakes
"When journalists are killed with impunity, it sets a dangerous precedent. It creates news deserts and weakens the information ecosystems that support democracy. The ripple effects are enormous — not just locally, but globally.
Journalism is a calling — a call to bear witness, to speak truth to power. None of that is possible without freedom of the press. It’s a cornerstone of what we teach and believe at the Journalism School, and at the Li Center, it’s the heart of our mission."