Twitter has launched a video series and hashtag campaign to highlight the work of female journalists, titled #HerStory.

The monthly series will feature US journalists from “diverse backgrounds and focus areas” and several countries who will discuss their lives, the stories they have worked on and their industry idols, according to Twitter

They will also talk about how they use Twitter to report the news.

A promotional video for the campaign features Rappler boss Maria Ressa, Buzzfeed News entertainment journalist Sylvia Obell, New York Times journalist Rukmini Callimachi and ABC Nightline Anchor Juju Chang.

Speaking in the video, Chang said: “Women literally put their lives on the line in the name of truth and that is precisely why most journalists have become journalists.”

Obell added: “I think in order for more female journalists to be up front and center, we need more female journalists in leadership, in the C-suites, running the newsrooms.”

Revealing its new series, Twitter said: “Women journalists are essential to the storytelling landscape, and far too often face obstacles while doing their jobs that their male counterparts do not.

“We need to highlight this gender inequality as often as possible, but especially on World Press Freedom Day, when so many are celebrating journalism and the indispensable work that reporters do for society.”

The tech platform added: “Informing the world and holding the powerful to account is too important to be silenced or hindered.

“We know Twitter plays an important role in this public discourse, and we have work to do to make it a healthier discourse.”

Female journalists are often subject to abuse on the platform, according to Amnesty International and Element AI research published last year.

The research, which examined more than 1m messages on the site from 2017, found that one in every 14 tweets directed at female journalists was abusive or “problematic”.

A total of 1.1m abusive or problematic tweets were sent to female journalists and politicians from the UK and US in 2017, the research said.

Tweeting about the new campaign, Vice News reporter Tess Owen said: “One really great way to celebrate women journalists on Twitter would be to actually do something about the relentless harassment they face on this website.”

Press Gazette has asked Twitter if any female journalists from the UK will be interviewed for the series.

Picture: Twitter

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