The key output of the NCSJ to date has been the National Action Plan which sets out how UK journalists will be protected from threats of violence or intimidation. The Plan focuses on five key areas: 

• Increasing our understanding of the problem: It is clear that many journalists currently working in the UK do not feel safe from threats, abuse and physical harm. Journalist safety in the UK is an ever-evolving issue and we are taking steps to build a firm evidential base to ensure action is appropriately targeted;
• Enhancing the criminal justice system response in tackling crimes against journalists: Where the harm caused to a journalist amounts to a criminal offence, it is crucial that everything possible is done to bring those responsible to justice. We are taking steps to ensure there is an understanding of the nature and scale of the problem on the part of the police and prosecutors across the UK;
• Supporting journalists and their employers to build the resources they need to protect personal safety: In order for effective action to be taken when a threat is received, journalists need to understand the options available to them, and be supported by their employers in preventing and addressing threats. We are taking steps to equip journalists with the right tools and information to maintain their safety as much as possible;
• Helping online platforms to tackle the wider issue of abuse online: The government has recognised the importance of addressing this issue given the increasing consumption of digital news content and journalists’ lack of confidence in how best to resolve instances of online abuse. We are taking steps to ensure that the internet is a safe space for journalists in the UK.
• Improving public recognition of the value of journalists: It is crucial that citizens recognise that a free and independent media is of fundamental importance. We are taking steps to uphold an environment where journalists are free to carry out their work. Many of the commitments in the original National Action Plan have now been delivered.

These include:

• DCMS and the Home Office published analysis from a Call for Evidence during Journalism Matters Week 2021;
• A legal guide for journalists in England and Wales to combat online harassment and abuse was published in 2021;
• Publication of a media literacy strategy, which takes a sector-focused approach to support organisations undertaking media literacy activity to do so in a more wide-reaching and effective way;
• The introduction and Royal Assent of the Online Safety Act, which introduces new rules for firms which host user-generated content and enable user to user interaction;
• The appointment of Journalist Safety Liaison Officers by police forces across the UK;
• An online safety toolkit which covers a variety of issues such as physical and digital safety, mental health, as well as signposting a number of other helpful resources.
• A full list of delivered actions to date can be found here.

The Plan was published with the intention of being a dynamic, living document, and there is regular review of it to ensure its commitments reflected changes in the nature of safety concerns faced by journalists in the UK.