War Reporting Not Like The Movies

Michael Hedges May 1, 2014 - Follow on Twitter

News coverage in conflict zones has always been precarious, war correspondents often celebrated. William Howard Russell’s coverage of the Crimean War in the mid-19th century for the Times (London) was widely followed for its grit and gristle. In every conflict there are stories to tell and legions ready to tell them.

Journalists, particularly freelancers, looking for the “hot story” should think again, said National Union of Journalists of Ukraine (NUJU) Donetsk regional chairman Aleksandr Brizh, noted Telekritika (April 29). A trip to Donetsk, in restive eastern Ukraine, could be life-threatening. Pro-Russian gangs attacked at least four media workers in the last week, two others have gone missing.

The gangs have “moved into a phase of aggressive actions,” said Mr. Brizh. “Not only are they armed and showing aggression towards others, they also have begun to seize hostages and use torture.” Police only watch and won’t lend aid, he added. “Journalists need to give their full attention to protecting themselves.”

Most media workers covering eastern Ukraine on the receiving end of threats, punches or worse from the pro-Russian gangs are Ukrainian. US-based Vice News reporter Simon Ostrovsky was grabbed at a checkpoint near Slaviansk (April 21), held for three days and endured regular beatings. “They wanted to stop me reporting,” he told NBC Today (April 28). “I’d really like to go back to Ukraine and continue sending stories from there because that’s what it’s all about.”

Television changed the nature of conflict zone news coverage. Horrible scenes could be shown in real-time, war correspondents elevated to stardom. Major news outlets now rely on stringers and free-lancers, some barely trained, for coverage of challenging stories.

“Many people think that by going to war you get published,” said documentary maker Hernán Zin to a symposium on conflict journalism organized by the Madrid Press Association (Asociación de la Prensa de Madrid – APM) to honor the release of El Mundo journalist Javier Espinosa and free-lance photojournalist Ricardo García Vilanova after six months captivity at the hands of Islamic militants in Syria. They were released at the end of March.

“The problem is to cover the war,” said television journalist José Antonio Guardiola, quoted by El Mundo (April 27). “War is not only about the chariots of war. The reporter is not covering parliament. There is a vision and an obligation to convey that vision.”

Media watchers note a further change in conflict zone news coverage. Media workers, very often photojournalists, are specifically targeted by the armed and angry. “Constant attacks on media and journalists throughout (eastern Ukraine) is exacerbating an intense information war,” said Reporters Sans Frontieres (April 29). “Attacks on journalists in eastern Ukraine appear to be accelerating, a direct result of the impunity with which previous attacks have taken place,” noted Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) spokesperson Nina Ognianova (April 29).

“The journalist cannot be the focus of the story,” implored El Mundo international editorial director Ana Alonso. “The war correspondent term evoking an image of Indiana Jones is counterproductive. The stories you cannot find in your neighborhood you will not find in Kabul.”

Swedish public broadcaster SR will hold a memorial May 6th for Asia correspondent Nils Horner, shot dead in Kabul in March by yet unknown assailants. “Nils was not an adventurer in any way,” said SR CEO Cilla Benkö, in a statement (April 29). “He followed our rules and was very safety conscious.”

May 3rd is World Press Freedom Day.

See also in ftm Knowledge

Press/Media Freedom - Challenges and Concerns

Press and media freedom worldwide is facing challenges from many corners. As authoritarian leaders impose strict control over traditional and new media with impunity, media watchers have concerns for democracy. This ftm Knowledge file accounts the troubles of this difficult decade. 88 pages. PDF (December 2011)

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