A contract may seem like an afterthought for a freelancer, and it’s not obvious how it is linked to safety. But contracts should be a part of every journalist’s conversation with an editor, especially when the assignment involves risk. What should journalists be asking for? And what should editors and news organisations be thinking about?

In this episode:

• Anna Day, Freelance Journalist, co-founder of the Frontline Freelance Register.
• Safa Al Ahmad, Freelance Journalist/Film-maker.
• Alexander Papachristou, Executive Director, Cyrus R Vance Center for International Justice, adviser on the 'Model Contract for Freelancers' from the ACOS Alliance.

The Backstory production team is Andrew Heslop, Mariona Sanz, Colette
Davidson and Sarah Elzas, who edited and mixed the episode.

Music in this episode by Broke for Free.

Resources:

• The ACOS Alliance Model Contract.
• Contracts are Essential for Safety: Protecting the physical safety of journalists starts well before they head out into the field. While trainings that address physical and mental safety are important, it is essential that journalists negotiate a contract that ensures their well-being in case something goes wrong. But because of the costs of doing so, some media outlets are hesitant to create consistent protocol. Read more.