Journalism in Exile

Across the globe, press freedoms have eroded, with Reporters Without Borders (RSF) citing a record 28 countries as having “very bad” press freedom violations in 2022, with 42 classified as “difficult,” 62 as “problematic,” and just eight as “good.” Under these conditions, many reporters have left their homes out of fear for their lives or those of their families and friends — and have continued the work they started in their home counties by founding news outlets in exile. Some report or edit from outside the country with correspondents operating clandestinely from within. Newer technologies like secure messaging apps help greatly, as does access to leaked documents, but verification becomes substantially harder across borders. Hostile governments obfuscate and deliberately feed exile outlets false information to tank their credibility. Nieman Reports’ Spring 2023 issue spotlights the media outlets that are continuing to conduct vital reporting and hold the powerful account from afar, setting up posts in France, Thailand, Costa Rica, and beyond.