Legal Protection for Investigative Reporting

Alexander Papachristou�September 20, 2023

Reporters Shield  is a membership program that defends investigative reporting around the world from legal threats meant to silence critical voices. 

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The program is predominantly for print/online media outlets and NGOs that report in the public interest.

• Media around the world face the risk of expensive and sometimes existential lawsuits for reporting the truth

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• SLAPPs — strategic lawsuits against public participation — are increasing, and often filed to threaten, intimidate, and financially burden journalists and media outlets

• Media outlets may feel they need to self-censor, avoid stories about litigious individuals or companies or remove stories from their websites upon receiving legal threats

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• This situation harms press freedom, democracy, and the free flow of information that the public has a right to receive

The Problem SLAPPs Obstruct Democracy

Our Solution

Reporters Shield

• Works in partnership with its members to prevent lawsuits, respond to legal threats, and defend them against defamation or similar lawsuits
• Helps members avoid lawsuits by providing training, resources, and pre-publication review in high-risk circumstances
• Identifies qualified lawyers to respond to legal threats
• Coordinates and covers legal representation up to a pre-agreed limit �in the event of a lawsuit

Prevent

Respond

Defend

Eligibility.

Organizations should:

• Be legally registered
• Focus primarily on news, public interest, and/or investigative reporting
• Publish reporting predominantly in print and/or online
• Have non-profit status or transparent ownership if for-profit
• Have transparent and professional financial management

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• Have editorial independence/adhere to generally accepted professional editorial standards
• Be independent from political, commercial, or other undue influence
• Distinguish clearly between opinion and news reporting

 How It Works   �Membership Costs

Reporters Shield is a membership organization. The annual membership fee typically starts at US$1,000 and depends on several factors, including:

• The number of stories published
• Location of the organization
• Reporting that requires coverage�

Contact us for more information on pricing for your organization.�

 Program  Roll-Out  

Phase 1�South America, North America, Europe, and Central Asia

Phase 2�Middle East/North Africa, sub-Saharan Africa, and the Caribbean

Phase 3�South Asia, Southeast Asia, East Asia, and the Pacific

Organization.

• Developed by investigative journalists at the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project and lawyers from the Cyrus R. Vance Center for International Justice, with assistance and support from insurance specialists

• U.S.-based nonprofit organization
• USAID provided funding for the program to support non-U.S. media
• Private donor contributions fund the program to support U.S. media

 Apply now at.

 reporters-shield.org  

Peter Noorlander

Startup Director

executive.director@reporters-shield.org

Drew Sullivan

Board Chair

drew@occrp.org

Snezana Green

Director

sgreen@nycbar.org