UK journalists face growing battle for information access

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British journalists are finding it increasingly difficult to access government information, according to new research by Jingrong Tong at the School of Journalism, Media and Communication, University of Sheffield, revealing a troubling trend of secrecy across both central and local authorities.

In a series of interviews with journalists from across the United Kingdom, Tong found that Freedom of Information (FOI) requests are facing unprecedented delays, rejections and obstruction. This growing restriction on information access threatens to undermine journalistic scrutiny of those in power.

"The amount of organisations who break the time limit is just par for the course now," said one journalist with more than 20 years of experience.

"Even 15 years ago you could put an FOI request in, put a note in your diary that says you'll get it back by 20 days on Thursday, and you could plan to do a story then. Now you cannot."

Many journalists report that around half of their FOI requests are now rejected, with government bodies increasingly using exemptions such as data protection and commercial confidentiality to withhold information. These exemptions are often applied inconsistently, with some authorities accepting requests that others reject on identical grounds.

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The research also reveals that journalists believe government departments and public bodies are actively trying to prevent them from accessing information rather than assisting them. Press officers, once helpful intermediaries, increasingly function as gatekeepers protecting their organisations' reputations.

"Unfortunately, we have seen at the very centre of government in Downing Street and the Cabinet Office, that they've taken a very proactive approach to preventing information," said a senior figure at a national newspaper.

Several key factors appear to be driving this trend. First, UK governments at both national and local levels are attempting to avoid embarrassment or public backlash in an increasingly polarised political environment. One journalist described encountering "what feels like a brick wall" when seeking potentially embarrassing information.

Second, the relationship between government and media has deteriorated, with authorities increasingly granting access only to "friendly" journalists while excluding those perceived as critical. During recent political events, some journalists reported being denied interviews or access that was granted to colleagues from publications viewed more favourably by politicians.

Third, austerity measures have severely reduced the resources available to government bodies, particularly local councils. With fewer staff handling information requests, delays and backlogs have become inevitable. "Some of the departments in the council are so overstretched that apparently when they see emails come through from the press team, they will deliberately try to ignore them or not answer them because they are too busy doing other stuff," one journalist explained.

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Finally, legal limitations and exploitations contribute to the problem. The recent passage of the National Security Bill in 2023, the rise of Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation (SLAPP) injunctions, and legal cases such as ZXC v Bloomberg have further restricted journalistic access to information.

The covid-19 pandemic exacerbated these challenges, with many public bodies arguing they should not have to spend time responding to FOI requests during a crisis. This attitude appears to have persisted beyond the emergency.

Environmental topics remain somewhat more accessible due to the stronger Environmental Information Regulations, which provide journalists greater leverage when seeking data on environmental issues.

Journalists participating in the research called for several reforms, including amendments to the Freedom of Information Act to cover large outsourcing firms, better training for government officials on media engagement, and increased resources for councils to handle information requests properly.

Without such changes, the research suggests the UK risks sliding towards a media environment where official narratives go unchallenged and government secrets remain hidden from public view, ultimately weakening democratic accountability.

Read the full research here.

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