a guide for professional journalism in conflict zones

7/29/2019 A Guide for Professional Journalism in Conflict Zones

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3A GUIDE FOR PROFESSIONAL JOURNALISM IN CONFLICT ZONES

CONTENTS

Acknowledgements

Introduction

Chapter 1: STRUCTURE OF THE MEDIA

The news, the media and the publicThe publicThe journalist

Chapter 2: THE JOURNALIST AND HIS WORK

I, the journalistBut I just report the news, dont I???

First there was me then there were othersMy eect as a journalistThe cost o journalism to the journalist or how ar do

you want to go?Beore we go urther.

Chapter 3: JOURNALISM IN TIMES OF CONFLICT CONCRETE STEPS TOWARDS PROFESSIONAL REPORTING

Choosing a story

Choosing how to present societyChoosing to allow space or others in your reportHuman beings rst and oremostChoosing your terminology

Proessional Journalism

Conclusion

Appendix: About Search or Common Ground

5

8

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111517

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1921

253133

36

37

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40424445

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52

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This manual and practical guide or journalists working

in conict situations has been developed and produced,

based on a two year intensive project run by the Jerusalem

ofce o Search or Common Ground (SFCG), a veteran in-

ternational non-governmental organization with expertise

in the eld o conict transormation. The project engaged

Palestinian and Israeli senior and mid-level media proes-

sionals in a process o enrichment, skill development, in-

teraction, networking and dialogue or the purpose o in-creasing the awareness o the role they play in reporting

on the Arab/Israeli conict and on how that reporting inu-

ences the public.

First and oremost we would like to acknowledge the

passionate engagement o the participants in the project,

Israelis and Palestinians alike, who shared their experiences

with honesty, and dedicated scarce time resources to learn-

ing new possibilities. Most o the examples and quotations

in this guide stem rom their readiness to take risks and

their openness to new horizons.

Special thanks goes to our senior advisory board com-

prising leading Palestinian and Israeli media personalities

and business people, who guided us on strategies and tac-

tics or recruiting and working with journalists in the region

and, in particular, Mohamad Daraghmeh or his assistance

during the rst year.

We would also like to thank USAID or the nancial oppor-

tunity to implement the project and write this manual, and

in particular we want to acknowledge the help and guid-


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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

6 A GUIDE FOR PROFESSIONAL JOURNALISM IN CONFLICT ZONES

ance o the Conict Management and Mitigation (CMM)

specialists who worked closely with us - Elizabeth Ramirezin the rst year, and Joubran Joubran in the second.

This manual would not have come to ruition without the

dedication o the Jerusalem ofce sta directly involved in

the project; Suheir Rasul, Chie o Party and Sharon Rosen,

Senior Editor - co-directors o the ofce; Carol Daniel Kas-

bari and Ziad Khalil Abu Zayyad, managers in the rst and

second years respectively; Elisha Baskin and Dana Moss, as-

sistants to the project in the rst and second years respec-

tively, Rami Assali, nancial director and Fadi Rabieh, our

acilitator and coach during the second year.

We would also like to acknowledge the wisdom and

expert acilitation o Shelley Ostro and Danny Gal in the

rst and second years o the project respectively, and the

superb acilitation and partnership o the sta o the Irish

Peace Centres during the visit o the journalist participants

to Northern Ireland in 2011. Thanks also to Associate Pro-essor, Tamir Sheaer, and Alpha International, or their eval-

uations o the project.

Special gratitude goes to John Marks, President o Search

or Common Ground, and Susan Collin Marks, Senior Vice

President, or their acilitation and continuing support

throughout the project and to Leena El-Ali, publisher o the

Common Ground News Service and MENA director, who

assisted with this manual. Thanks also goes to the sta o

Search or Common Ground in our Washington Headquar-

ters and other eld ofces or sharing their knowledge and

experiences o working with media in conict zones as wellas to the nancial department or its assistance.

Finally we would like to thank Dana Moss or her inspira-

tional writing o this manual, Sharon Rosen or her quality


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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS


editing, Azmi Tubbeh and Shira Marom or the Arabic and

Hebrew translations respectively, Ziad Khalil Abu Zayyador the design, and Samar Dissi and Vera Kreidlin or their

copy editing.

Our hope is that journalists, particularly in conict zones

around the world, will nd it useul.


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INTRODUCTION

Mass communication has heralded a new era where the

presence o the media pervades public lie as never be-

ore. Reading articles online in the morning, checking cell-phone updates whilst waiting in queues, viewing twitters

and watching television in the evening we are constantly

updated on events taking place around the world.

We at Search or Common Ground1 believe that journal-

ism as a proession has the capacity to inuence the publicand leave its mark on society and on history. A story may

not only reect what is happening on the ground it can also

engender a wide range o eelings and views among the

public which might then react in a variety o ways. In other

words, journalists are in a position to make a dierence. As

a result o this belie Search or Common Ground has beenworking with journalists operating in conict zones rom

Burundi to Lebanon- or nearly thirty years in order to inu-

ence attitudes on the ground towards a more constructive

approach to dealing with discord2.

This manual is an output o a two year project, unded byUSAID, involving Israeli and Palestinian senior and mid-lev-

el journalists in Israeli and the Occupied Palestinian Territo-

ry.3 Our goal is to share the learnings rom the participating

journalists, and the project as a whole, in the hope that it

1 Search or Common Ground is an international not- or- prot organization workingin the eld o Conict Transormation with 37 ofces in 25 countries including Jerusalem.

2 For more inormation on programmes please see:www.sfcg.org

3 USAID unded Conict, Management and Mitigation (CMM) project administered and

run by Search or Common Grounds Jerusalem ofce entitledPromoting Common Ground

Print and Broadcast Journalism in Israel, the West Bank and Gaza; 2009-2011


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INTRODUCTION


will benet others in the region and around the world who

are grappling with the crucial job o reporting news, partic-ularly in times o conict. Whilst our journalists came rom

broadcast (T.V. and radio) and print media we believe that

journalists involved with new media, including the blogo-

sphere, grapple with similar issues. In addition, whilst every

conict has its own unique conditions, questions raised

about the role o journalists and their reporting are univer-sal and have broad implication.

We do not have denitive answers to the many questions

we pose in this manual but we hope that they will spur

on your own thinking as journalists and encourage you to

reect urther on your proessional roles. The manual hasthereore been created as a time out or journalists and

students o journalism - to reect on your role as investi-

gators and deliverers o inormation to society. Journalists

deal with extraordinary levels o pressure in their daily lives,

racing rom deadline to deadline and ever-mindul o the

competition or a scoop. As a result, they have little time

and opportunity to examine their role as journalists and

what it means to themselves and those around them.

But time or sel-reection is absolutely essential i a

person is to grow in his or her proession. This manual is

designed to create space or journalists to do exactly that,with room or readers to write down their own eelings and

thoughts to the issues raised in these pages in order to en-

courage the ree ow o reaction and response to the ideas

discussed.

Both budding journalists and long-term proessionals inthe eld are invited to take a pause so to speak; to reect

on their work, their time in the eld, and their proessional-

ism. In short, we are asking journalists to answer or them-


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INTRODUCTION


selves the question: How can I, using my unique skills and

abilities, be the most proessional journalist I can possiblybe?


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CHAPTER 1:

THE NEWS,

THE MEDIA AND THE PUBLIC

The amount o attention paid to an event is not neces-

sarily a result o the importance o that event itsel. Ater

all, signicant events take place across the world on a daily

basis. Generally, the media only report on a small numbero the stories that are potentially o interest to the public

realm, with a critical impact on these events themselves, as

well as on those not reported. Descartes might well say

today I am in the news thereore I am.

Arguably, even when a specic event is reported, its im-port may dier according to the source and style o the re-

port and the outlet o delivery to the public. Two dierent

newspapers or television channels, or example, can bestow


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CHAPTER 1: THE NEWS, THE MEDIA AND THE PUBLIC


dierent signicance to the same event.

Can you, as journalists, think o examples o when thishas happened? Please write down your examples here:

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Various elements impact the media and the work o

journalists within this rame. The two most important are

economics the need to reach high ratings and politics,

those o the media outlet itsel and the political landscapeo which it is a part. This is complicated even urther in so-

cieties that have experienced entrenched conict with an

adversary in what is oten seen as an existential, win-lose

struggle. In these situations, the enemy Other is oten

presented in specic ways, Moreover, there is a dynamic in

both local and international news outlets to spotlight con-ict stories in any given society or country believing that

i it bleeds it leads, with the result that people, both near

and ar, oten receive a skewed picture o what is happen-

ing on the ground.

Using the Israeli-Palestinian example, the media o bothnations, more oten than not, ocus on the violent con-

rontations between the two peoples. They provide little

inormation about the daily lives o the other side whilst


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emphasizing the responsibility or political, military or so-

cio-economic crises on the enemy population. Choosinga certain narrative or raming oten results in only specic

stories reaching the headlines. These are more likely to

highlight their own people as victims and lay the blame or

the violence on the other side. In times o high-level con-

ict these patterns oten become even more rigid.

Are you, as journalists, aware o situations like these?

Have you sometimes ound that you yourselves can be

caught up in the emotions o your own society in times

o crisis?

What happens in times o war or heightened hostilities? Are your main sources o inormation the military or the

political leaders rom your own side?

Do you sometimes nd that ater the event, your opin-

ions might change as a result o new inormation or re-

duced tension? Can you think o a time when the media reported an out-

break o hostilities one way and changed its perspective

ollowing the event? Can you think o a personal exam-

ple?

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Given the prevalent paradigms o conict reporting and

the ocus on negating the Other, the media tends to ignorethose stories that oer a dierent reality. In the Middle East

region, there are many stories o goodwill between Israe-

lis and Palestinians that demonstrate positive interactions

and human relations. These stories can be just as dramatic

and exciting as those that ocus on the negative or ex-

ample o the story o Palestinian Authority reghters thatcame to assist Israelis battling the ames raging in the Car-

mel orests in 2010.

What eect do you think reporting negative stories

about the Other has on the public?

When you investigate and/or read positive stories o co-

operation between peoples in conict, what eect does

it have on you?

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Recognize the importance o how the media as a

whole rame and portray an issue and how raming

inuences both your reporting and how the public

understands the conict.

Be aware o your responsibility as a journalist andrecognize the power that your reports may have to in-

uence individuals and governments.

See yoursel as a conduit that provides inormation

to the public and recognize that you have a great deal

o responsibility in what inormation is presented to

the public and in how the public receives it.4

THE PUBLIC

Ultimately, whatever we write or prepare or broadcast as

journalists, is intended or reader and viewer consumption.

Some publications do try to cater to a certain sector o so-

ciety while other outlets, though widely available, are oten

seen to be more afliated with one section o society than

another.

4 These bullet points were compiled jointly by Palestinian and Israeli senior media advisors

and Search or Common Ground sta or the enhancement o Proessional Journalism

in Confict Situations, during the project, Promoting Common Ground Print and Broadcast

Journalism in Israel, the West Bank and Gaza. The full text can be found at the end of Chapter 3.


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Do you believe you write or a specic public or do you

write or society at large?

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Even when investigating a story or reporting on a certain

event, journalists are oten overtaken by the necessities o

daily lie the constant deadline, the computer whose battery

needs charging, the editor on the phone. As a result, thoughtso the public may not be uppermost in journalists minds.

Which o your articles do you think the public most en-

joys reading?

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Whilst taking into account the aphorism there is no ac-

counting or taste it is clear that the content o some jour-nalism seems to have more mass appeal than others. For

example in recent years we have seen a rise in publications

that ocus on celebrity gossip. Do you think there is a dier-

ence between what interests the public and what is in the

public interest?

How would you dene the public interest?

What is your role as a journalist in relation to the public

interest?

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THE JOURNALIST

Journalism is a unique career path, both or the opportu-

nities it aords and the hardships it entails. Yet beore we

are career proessionals, we are human beings, impacted

by nurture and nature; dual orces which exert their own

unique pressures. We are all products o our amily - our re-

lationship with our parents, the way we compete with andprotect our siblings. Yet as important as the role o our am-

ily is in creating our identities, they are also strongly inu-

enced by the society, religion, nation, and socio-economic


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status into which we are born. Inevitably, we look at the

world through subjective spectacles. And much like thephysical spectacles many o us wear, our internal ones need

to be checked every once in a while.

Moving on, our next chapter ocuses on sel-awareness as

an integral component o proessional journalism.


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CHAPTER TWO:

THE JOURNALIST

AND HIS WORK

I, THE JOURNALIST

Who are journalists? Dedicated, proessional journalists

are curious, enquiring people, passionate about providing

inormation that enables the public to understand that in-

ormation - oten in a new light. Investigative journalists aremany a time in the oreront o exposing scandals and shin-

ing a light on corruption and injustice. First and oremost,

however, journalists are human beings and, like all o us, are

products o their environment.

Although journalism is a unique proession, it is muchlike other career paths in that motivating actors or choos-

ing the proession inuence the way people see and do

their jobs. A person that embarks upon a teaching career


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CHAPTER TWO THE JOURNALIST AND HIS WORK


out o an inability to decide on other options, or example,

will perorm dierently rom a teacher who is motivatedby a love o reaching out and contributing to the optimal

growth o children.

People become journalists or a wide variety o reasons.

In our media project we held discussions with Israeli and

Palestinian journalists about their motivations or embark-

ing upon such a career. These ranged rom wanting to

change the world to a more concrete, I started in sports

journalism because I loved sport. Many o the journalists

began their careers partly as a result o political events,

such as the Israeli journalist who revealed I began working

as a journalist during the Intiada; during the time o sui-cide bombings. A Palestinian journalist, ater much delib-

eration, realized that although he was initially ambivalent

about journalism as a proession, he embraced his career

path ollowing an aternoon where he experienced a par-

ticularly long wait and interrogation at a checkpoint.

How did you reach your choice to be a journalist?

In what ways do you think dierent motivations aect

journalistic styles?

How do you think the political motivations or the career

choices o the two journalists quoted above might aecthow they report the same event?

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BUT I JUST REPORT THE NEWS, DONT I????

We all hold assumptions as human beings. These are

ormed as a result o our experiences which in turn are

based on our amily context, age, socio-economic back-

ground, religion, education nationality and environment.

The way we see daily lie and how we dene what is reality

is ltered through these lenses. It is well nigh impossible

not to let our personal assumptions trickle down into our

proessional work.

In the Israeli and Palestinian context, there is oten a ten-

dency to include stereotypical assumptions in the report-

ing rame.

One example where stereotypical assumptions dramati-

cally changed was in the media reportage on the deaths o

the Abuelaish daughters whose home was bombed by the

Israeli army during the 2009 Israeli invasion o Gaza1. News

o these deaths broke live on air, when their distraught a-ther Dr. Izzeldin Abuelaish, a physician with a home in Gaza

and who, or most o his lie, treated patients in both Pales-

tinian and Israeli hospitals, phoned his riend, Israeli Chan-

nel 10 news reporter, Shlomi Eldar, as he was sitting in the

studio during the eight oclock prime time evening news

programme. This most probably was the rst time that a

substantial number o the Israeli public saw human tragedy

in the ace o an innocent Palestinian as well as empathy

given to him by his Israeli riend. Israelis suddenly realized

that not all Gazans were guilty. This had a proound eect

on Israeli attitudes towards the bombing o Gaza with many

Israelis doubling their eorts to bring about a cease re.

1 For more inormation, see, I Shall Not Hate by Izzeldin Abuelaish 2011, published by

Bloomsbury Publishing Plc, London


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It is possible to view an event in diverse ways because o

the innite experiences o our lives. A journalist who haspersonally experienced an assault and now has to cover

a crime scene is likely to look at and report it dierently

rom a journalist who has not undergone a similar expe-

rience. Similarly, journalists who have been soldiers, have

experienced a suicide bombing, have had a amily member

killed, lived through an Intiada or suered hardships atcheckpoints, are likely to react dierently when writing a

story about these issues than those who have not. O these

journalists, some will have more whilst others will have less,

personal awareness o how their experiences might aect

their output.

Think o an example where an event has been reported

by dierent journalists in dierent ways. Can you imag-

ine how their personal experiences might have aected

the way they reported the event?

In what dierent ways do you think your own experi-ences may inuence your work?

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Beyond personal experiences, or journalists that work in

conict zones, their communal and national identities arealso relevant. We are an integral part o a wider grouping

as are our amilies and riends. And as part o that group

be it community and/or nation we and our loved ones are

aected by the events happening around us. As a result,

when hostilities break out, journalists can become swept

up in the nationalistic eelings o a society as a whole.

Examples rom our project clearly reected these pat-

terns. As one Israeli journalist reported I was very happy

when We Con the World (a video mocking the Turkish ac-

tivists on the Mavi Marmara otilla against the blockade o

Gaza in 2010) was sent around. I enjoyed writing about it.Meanwhile, a Palestinian journalist who reported on a pris-

oner release admitted, Like most Palestinians, I identied

with the prisoners. The whole story made me angry. An-

other Israeli journalist related, in times o war I am an Israeli

rst whilst a Palestinian journalist insisted o course I am

going to present our national cause to the world.

Consider whether you sometimes nd yoursel becom-

ing emotionally invested in a story you report?

In what particular issues have you noticed your own

emotional reactions?

In what ways have you noticed your being happy, sad,

rustrated, or any other emotion about a subject, aect

your style o reporting?

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Even during quieter periods when conict is not raging,

the way we write continues to be aected by our identities.A Palestinian participant mentioned that I always report

the views o the Palestinian Authority. I dont include the

statements o other parties I think they are less impor-

tant Another Israeli journalist argued, I present the views

o the Israeli government and I include a statement rom

the Palestinian Authority. My readers can then decide or

themselves.

What messages do you think have been conveyed in

each o these examples?

Reecting on your own work, how do you think it con-veys messages?

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Understand your own views and biases.

Be aware that in addition to being a journalist,

you are also a human being, and, beore you report

during a time o conict, take a careul look at your

emotions.2

2 These bullet points and all that follow in this chapter were compiled jointly by Palestinian

and Israeli senior media advisors and Search for Common Ground staff for the enhancement

ofProfessional Journalism in Conict Situations, during the project, Promoting Common

Ground Print and Broadcast Journalism in Israel, the West Bank and Gaza. The full text can

be found at the end of Chapter 3.


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FIRST THERE WAS ME

THEN THERE WERE OTHERS

Oten, it is only as we become more aware o ourselves

and our surroundings that we develop an awareness o the

complexity o others. On an individual level, as we become

more aware o the various infuences that shape us such asour relationship with our parents, amilies, riends and com-

munities, we are more able to see such patterns in the way

other people interact with their environments. Without an

in-depth understanding o the motivations and viewpoints

o the other person, we oten build assumptions that may

not be accurate. Journalists know that the most proessionalway to discover inormation is to be curious, investigate, ask,

listen, and observe beore deducing. This works when turn-

ing the process inwards and nding out about our own moti-

vations, thoughts and emotions. It also works well when try-

ing to discover the motivations o others. At the same time

it reduces the risk o stereotyping and making assumptions

that are not based on thorough investigative reporting.

Can you think o an example when youve made an as-

sumption about someone else in your reporting that was

later proved incorrect? Examine what led you to the as-

sumption and what you might have done dierently i pre-paring the report now.

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Incorrect assumptions about others also happen when

reporting takes place within societies. A Palestinian journal-ist participant mentioned an incident in his town whereby

a man was accused and presumed guilty o harassing a

child in an incident that made headlines. It was only ollow-

ing a thorough investigation that the man was ound to be

innocent o the charge.

This phenomenon replicates itsel on an international

basis. In situations where there are physical obstacles pre-

venting two conicting sides rom meeting, as is the case

between Israelis and Palestinians, assumptions are even

more likely. Kept apart by checkpoints, ences and walls,

Israelis and Palestinians hardly enter each others territories and lives. Few know each others languages which adds to

the ignorance and results in a tendency to assume a certain

image and homogeneity in each others societies and cul-

tures which does not exist in reality.

In a meeting between our Israeli and Palestinian journal-ists in February 2011 we discussed recent political events,

including the U.S. veto in the U.N. Security Council con-

demning Israeli settlement building. One Palestinian jour-

nalist was stunned to learn that there were sections o Is-

raeli society that had disagreed with the U.S. use o the veto

and believed it to be harmul to Israels security in the longterm. As this journalist exclaimed sometimes we orget

that there is diversity within each o our societies.

When we start breaking down our assumptions we are

more open to acquiring a better understanding o the Oth-

er and the values and presuppositions that guide their ac-tions. The journalist mentioned above would have learnt o

the range o opinions held by Israelis and adapted her views

accordingly had she made an eort to ollow the news in


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Israeli media outlets. Oten, all it takes to break down as-

sumptions is a pro-active stance in investigating them - inother words making use o the basic tools o journalism.

Can you think o an example when youve made an as-

sumption about a society or country as a whole in your

reporting?

Examine what led you to the assumption and what youmight have done dierently i preparing the report now?

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Among the most eective ways to check that our assump-tions are based on a comprehensive analysis o the situa-

tion is to create contacts with those about whom we are

reporting. Such contacts would allow or varied perspec-

tives on a specic event. The most valuable and enriching

way to do this is to physically meet people rom the other

side when possible. Seeing and hearing the range and di-

versity o human lie on the other side o a divide enables

us to greater understand complexities and diverse views in

a society.

Part o our two year journalism project involved bringing

Israeli and Palestinian journalists together on eld visits toeach others side in order to deepen their understanding o

the intricacies o each society. On one eld visit, the jour-

nalists visited the Israeli Channel 10 Television Studios in


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Tel-Aviv. Palestinian journalists noticed a large photograph

o (ormer Palestinian President) Yasser Araat hanging onone o the walls. The picture caused much conusion, with

Palestinian journalists exclaiming, This would be like hav-

ing a photo o (ormer Israeli Prime Minister) Ariel Sharon

hanging in our headquarters. This is unimaginable!!! One

Palestinian journalist assumed it was out o a desire to

mock the ormer Palestinian President. Yet the Israeli jour-nalists explained that or them, President Araat was a sym-

bol o the Palestinian nation and, as the newsroom in which

his photo hanged covered the Israeli-Palestinian conict, it

seemed to them completely appropriate.

Another eld visit entailed bringing Palestinian and Israelijournalists to the Old City o Jerusalem a place at the ore-

ront o conicting claims concerning sovereignty between

the two sides. Christians, Jews and Muslims tend to only vis-

it the Holy Sites that hold religious meaning or them, and

stay clear o the sacred places o other aiths. On this eld

visit the journalists toured a wide variety o historical and

religious sites that are o signicance to all the peoples in

the region. Touring together, seeing the concrete reality o

lie in the Old City, and discussing their assumptions, Israeli

and Palestinian participants themselves awoke to a new

reality. As one Palestinian journalist said, ater visiting theWestern Wall, the holiest site or Jews and seeing people

engrossed in prayer, I now know how deep, how rooted

the eeling about this place truly is. Meanwhile, an Israeli

journalist, when visiting a church, exclaimed I didnt even

know hal these places existed.

On another occasion, when the Israeli journalists visited

their Palestinian colleagues in Bethlehem, one journalist

commented I was surprised. I thought the place would


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be more religious, but there were all types o people there,

both religious and less religious, conservative and more lib-eral. Meanwhile another highly experienced Israeli journal-

ist, who had spent much o his proessional career report-

ing on Israeli settlements in the West Bank said, I always

thought that settlements naturally belonged there. I now

realize theres another narrative. Do you reect the diverse

views o people in your reporting? I so, how?

When writing about a conict situation, how do you re-

ect the complexities o views and approach?

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At various times during our media project the gap in

views and attitudes between the Israeli and Palestinianjournalists was proound. During one discussion that took

place on an overseas trip the Palestinian journalists were

inuriated when Israeli journalists called a Palestinian riend

who had come to visit, a terrorist. The disagreement be-

came very heated, with accusations ying across the room.

The Palestinian journalists elt oended by the use o the

word, while the Israelis elt it was justied. In arguing, the

Palestinians ocused on the painul cost o the occupation,

the Israeli army and checkpoints to their lives, while the Is-

raelis ocused on the dire threats to Israels security. Both

sides reerred to the death o loved ones in justiying theirstance and both ocused on the question o who suered

the most, and who was right. Emotions ran deep but it

was rom that proound place o common eelings and


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31/60



MY EFFECT AS A JOURNALIST

What eect do the media actually have? Does it really

matter what you write?

Some media reports change the path o countries as a

whole. One notable example is the 1969 report o a young

U.S. journalist called Seymour Hirsch. His story unearthedthe killing and rape o Vietnamese civilians by U.S. soldiers

in Mai Lai. The story gained traction and within a week it

appeared in all o the U.S.s most important media outlets,

sparking national outrage. As a result, anti-war sentiment

moved rom the ringes o U.S. society to its mainstream,

strengthening protests against the war and eventually lead-

ing to U.S. military withdrawal rom Vietnam and the end o

the war. Meanwhile, Seymour Hirsch was awarded a Pulitzer

Prize or his work. One o basic roles o a journalist is to be the

link between an event and public awareness o that event. .

This relationship can also be reected on a smaller scale.Sometimes we clearly see a public reaction to our work. In

act it has become highly popular to install a talkback sec-

tion in many newspapers and outlets that is dedicated to

publishing the reaction o readers to certain stories where,

on a daily basis, the public expresses its support, surprise or

outrage in relation to a certain piece.

Have you experienced reactions to your stories?

What are your reactions to the dierent types o reac-

tions?

Do they aect your style o reporting?

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. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

But what happens when the news we write aects us

directly? Ater all, as was mentioned beore, journalists arecitizens o a specic country and members o a certain so-

ciety. As a result, they inevitably report on developments

that also aect them rom dramatic pieces on decisions

to go to war to a story about a teachers strike that concerns

their childs schooling.

In what ways might you think about the way in which

your reporting may actually aect you as part o the

community about which you are reporting?

Can you provide an example o when that might have

happened in the past and how it may have been reect-ed in your writing?

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

See yoursel a conduit that links inormation to the

public and recognize that you have a great deal o re-sponsibility in what inormation is presented to the

public and in how the public receives it.


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THE COST OF JOURNALISM TO THE JOURNALIST OR

- HOW FAR DO YOU WANT TO GO???

The work o journalists in exposing stories and reporting

the unpalatable oten comes at a great cost to journalists

themselves. Journalists are among the rst victims in a war

zone, with the Committee to Protect Journalists reporting

that 79 journalists were killed in 20103. Aside rom the vio-lence inicted on journalists, they can also become targets

o anger and rustration or the public.

Beyond this, the long hours and ever-present stress takes

its own emotional toll. As one journalist noted during our

discussions, I sometimes get tired and angry rom my job,and need to let o steam. I think this aects my relationship

with my amily.

Do you sometimes sense you are paying a mental, physi-

cal and/or emotional cost or being a journalist? I so,

please describe.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

3 http://www.cpj.org/killed/2010/


34/60



Sometimes issues that arise during your role as a journal-

ist also have an economic cost. Economic penalties can beofcially legislated. Some countries hand out nancial pen-

alties or harming the countrys image or undermining

trust in its institutions. Journalists in newspapers owned

by governments or political parties can nd themselves out

in the cold i they write a less than positive account o that

partys actions. Deying the government can have a rangeo increasingly serious personal costs to the journalists in-

cluding the threat o prison and even death.

Even in an environment which is considered to have a

ree press, economic pressures oten reign supreme, a pris-

oner to ratings. Some journalists complain that it would bedifcult or them to write something their audience would

not approve o as people may stop reading or viewing their

stories and they would then be adversely aected.

Are you aware o economic/rating/consensus/policy

considerations aecting your reporting when carrying

out your work?

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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The relationship between journalists and their editors

is very signicant and can be particularly sensitive i theyhold dierent viewpoints. One Palestinian journalist in our

project reected that I have had to consistently argue with

my editors about certain stories that I wanted to publish.

Israeli journalists spoke o disagreements with their editors

about the use o terminology. One brought an example o

diering views on how to describe the people on board theMavi Marmara Flotilla attempting to break the Gaza block-

ade in 2010.

Have you experienced diering viewpoints with your

editor that has aected your reporting?

Over what was the disagreement?

How ar did you push back?

Did it have an eect on your relationship with your edi-

tor?

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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It is up to each one o you to decide how ar you are pre-

pared to go in order to become the most proessional youcan be in our role as journalists. Sometimes you may need

to take steps that will be outside you comort zone.

BEFORE WE GO FURTHER..

Being a proessional journalist may have its costs and we

have laid out some o them above. At the same time this is

your chosen proession.

What do you see are the benets or you o being a jour-

nalist? List some o them below:

How do you stay true to yoursel and your proession as

a journalist?

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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CHAPTER THREE:

JOURNALISM

IN TIMES OF CONFLICT

CONCRETE STEPS TOWARDSPROFESSIONAL REPORTING

Prior to preparing a journalistic piece, it is worthwhile

looking inwards and taking a spot-check. Ask yourselthe ollowing questions and reect on the answers: How

aware am I o my own thoughts, eelings and views on the

event in question? Do I identiy with a particular side? What

assumptions might I hold about the event that need veriy-

ing? Answering these questions is the rst step.

What else is needed to put proessional journalism into

practice?


38/60

CHAPTER THREE: JOURNALISM IN TIMES OF CONFLICT


1. Choosing a story

Editors and the public are always looking or a dierent

angle, a resh view, a new insight.

Reporting on conict situations generally provides plen-

ty o exciting news but how the inormation or opinion is

imparted depends a great deal on the proessional skills o

the journalist.

In every conict, the public can nd daily reports on the

enemy by reporters that highlight a narrow, militarized,

portrayal o a homogeneous adversary. But is that the

whole picture?

When you prepare a story, how do you convey the range

o daily lie in the society o the other side? Do you tend to

ocus on its militarized nature?

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .


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A couple o Israeli journalists rom our project decided to

write a story on Qalqilya, a town in the West Bank that hasseen much violence and bloodshed. Yet they looked at it

rom a resh angle, choosing to write about its zoo, and the

enthusiastic response o Palestinian society to its expan-

sion. Israelis reading this story were thus able to see anoth-

er side o the Palestinian public than is usually portrayed;

one that they could identiy with as parents and children.

It is true that some stories choose us, such as an inter-

national political summit or an outbreak in hostilities. But

even within these rameworks we can include an angle that

broadens the brushstroke o the story to include relation-

ships that are not only adversarial. One example could behighlighting behind the scenes cooperation between as-

sistants o opposing parties to reach agreement. Another

could be the highlighting o diverse voices in societies in

conict, not only ocusing on those who blame the other

side and support violence but also those who condemn it

and recognize their role in aggravating it.

How do you choose the angle o your story?

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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2. Choosing how to present society

We are aware o the diversity in our own society because

we know it so well. Yet we tend to view other societies as

largely homogenous. This is partly the result o national

narratives in conict situations which encourage a zero-

sum approach towards the opposing side which is viewed

as inherently aggressive and intrinsically hostile.

When you report on the reaction o the other side to an

outbreak o hostilities, are you presupposing a specic

response?

Moreover, do you nd yoursel portraying that response

as universal or the whole society?

Do you allow or the same variety o voices that exist in

your society to be heard rom the other side?

In reality, people within every society may act and react

in dierent ways depending on their background and envi-

ronment, as was discussed previously.

In your coverage o the news how do you go about inter-

viewing and/or quoting a variety o perspectives?

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .


41/60



Covering all bases requires a solid understanding o the

variety o positions on a conict. This may be as simple asscouring a range o newspapers and websites rom both

sides or developing a local set o contacts that you can call

upon to provide an understanding o the wider picture.

For example a piece can detail:

Last night, Islamic Jihad launched 13 rockets rom

Gaza into Beer Sheba. The rockets caused widespread

damage, with residents o Beer Sheba calling or retali-

ation against this threat rom Hamas-controlled Gaza.

OR

Last night, Islamic Jihad launched 13 rockets rom

Gaza into Beer Sheba. The rockets caused widespread

damage, with residents o Beer Sheba calling or retali-ation against this threat rom Hamas-controlled Gaza.

Hamas, meanwhile, is divided on how to respond to

this action rom Islamic Jihad with the moderate wing

o Hamas urging a clampdown o the group which it

says is threatening their authority.

Fact checking and background research should include

instances even when various gures proclaim outright an

adversarial position. We are usually aware o the divergence

between word and deed in our own society, and oten astatement by one o our own politicians may be scoed at

and dismissed as rubbish However we tend to take the ut-

terings o the other sides political representatives with ut-


42/60



most seriousness. Providing a ull picture contributes to a

more multi-aceted and accurate view o the realities o theregion and the confict.

3. Choosing to allow space or others in yourreport

As we have explored in a previous chapter, being simul-taneously both a journalist and a member o society aects

your output, particularly in times o heightened conict. I

a journalist is writing about a union strike, she is likely to

present the views and justications o both union members

and employers, as well as their dierent take on what con-

stitutes what really happened. However, when reporting

on a conict, too many reporters, in identiying with their

own national narrative, tend to ignore the alternative real-

ity that is seen by the other side.

I journalists are aware that as members o a society they

are aected, even inuenced, by their national narrative asproessionals it is all the more important that they allow

space or the narrative o the other in their reporting.

Unlike news reports where the journalist does not insert

his/her own opinion, editorials that do oer a specic opin-

ion can still allow space or the narrative o the other in or-der to provide a uller picture. Take a look at the ollowing

examples o an opinion on a prospective unarmed demon-

stration in the West Bank and note the dierences:

In a move that is sure to heat matters urther, Palestin-

ian Authority President , Mahmoud Abbas encourageddemonstrators to march non-violently towards Israeli

settlements, calling or collected action against the

Occupation.


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OR

In a move that is sure to heat matters further, Palestin-

ian Authority President, Mahmoud Abbas encouraged

demonstrators to march non-violently towards Israeli

settlements, calling for collected action against the Oc-

cupation. The Palestinian Authority believes that negoti-

ations with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahusgovernment will not yield results and that such a step

will create pressure on the Israeli government to agree

to the independence the Palestinian Authority seeks.

Introducing the narrative o the opposing side does

not mean that you are betraying the legitimacy o your

own national narrative. Rather, it means that you are able

to observe the various truths that exist and convey this

complicated picture o daily lie and historical events

the essence o a journalists role. As one Palestinian jour-

nalist noted during our project ater a joint Israeli/Pales-tinian trip overseas, Beore this trip I never would have

written the other sides viewpoint. Now I understand that

it is part o my job and my responsibility as a journalist

to do so.

An Israeli journalist, ater listening to his Palestinian col-

leagues, mentioned I guess rom now on I will try and in-

clude Palestinian aspirations when reporting what their

politicians say, so that people can understand actions and

words in context.


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4. Human beings rst and oremost?

A sports journalist reporting a wrestling match where

both parties are injured will detail each sides suering and

the lasting eect o their injuries. A report on a high prole

divorce will, regardless o the reasons or the dissolution o

the marriage, acknowledge the painul eect on both par-

ties.

Yet as a result o the intense emotions released during

times o hostilities and the national tendency to view the

conict in winner takes all terms, journalists tend to ocus

only on the suering and the victims in their own society.

This exacerbates the sense o victimhood each side eelsand encourages the eeling that the other side is totally to

blame or the pain and suering.

Acknowledging that your national adversary can and

does suer is an integral part o humanizing the Other. In

entrenched conicts, a dynamic emphasizing the unique

right o one society over another is oten evident, ena-

bling and legitimizing military operations and the use o

violence. The opposing side is portrayed, not as individuals

with their own loves and losses, emotions and pains, but

as nameless, aceless enemies. The anticipated corollary o

this is that the Israeli and Palestinian media rarely mentionthe names o those Palestinians and Israelis rom the en-

emy side who have died as a result o the conict.

As one Israeli journalist mentioned during our discus-

sions One o the ways orward in the conict is giving all

the victims a name, giving them respect, and making them

human. I would like to see newspapers do that more oten.

We can push our editors to do that. A Palestinian journalist

talking about a horric murder o a Jewish amily in the set-


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tlement o Itamar, said In the past, I would have said that a

amily o settlers had been killed. I think rom now on I willcall them the Fogel amily.

The importance o seeing people as human beings and

not just adversaries extends beyond those who have died

or been injured however difcult that might be in conict

situations. A man is not just an Israeli soldier. He also has a

name and a amily who cares or him. No Palestinian is only

an extremist. He is also the son o someone who loves him.

5. Choosing your Terminology

In journalism, we tend to rely upon stock phrases or terms

in order to convey our message. This is even more prevalent

when the pressure to le a story is high. To ensure that you

are not giving your public a mistakenly homogenous view

o the societies embroiled in the conict, it is important to

careully choose the terms you use. Similarly, emotionallyloaded terms that provoke a bloodthirsty view o an entire

society, or are intended to arouse hatred or anger are likely

to only exacerbate the conict.

Heres how one Israeli journalist described her dilemma: I

was covering the tenth anniversary o the bombing at theDolphinarium (a Tel-Aviv nightclub that suered a suicide

attack in July 2001) and I wasnt sure how to reer to the

person who had carried out the attack. Do I call him simply

Palestinian? Do I say terrorist? In the end I settled or sui-

cide bomber. I elt i I merely reerred to him as Palestinian

it would seem as though I was trying to tar all Palestinians

with the same brush.

A Palestinian journalist ollowed up by stating I know


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some people think o Gilad Shalit as simply an Israeli oc-

cupying soldier who is a prisoner, much like Israel holds ourpeople prisoner. But I think o him as a young man called

Gilad Shalit who happens to be serving in the Israeli army.

Below are some terms oten used by journalists that

encourage generalizations about a society or nation as a

whole and deliver an erroneous image o inherent aggres-

sion. Although examples may be specic to the Arab/Israeli

conict, similar problems in terminology are evident in oth-

er conicts around the world

The use o Israelis or Palestinians in blanket terms. E.g.

Israelis believe that they have a religious right to the

land between the River Jordan and the Mediterranean

Sea. Instead, ensure to attribute claims or belies to

specic groupings, e.g. the settler group Gush Emunim

believes that Israelis have a religious obligation to set-

tle the land between the Jordan River and the Mediter-ranean Sea.

Reerring to the country or society in question instead

o its leadership. E.g. Israel is ocused on building settle-

ments in East Jerusalem. Instead, pinpoint the relevant

actors The current Israeli government is ocused on

building settlements in East Jerusalem.

The use o terms such as aggression instead o dening

the action. E.g. Palestinian aggression has threatened Is-

raeli civilians. Instead, describe the specic action such

as Rocket launching by Islamic Jihad has threatened Is-

raeli civilians.

The use o Nazi or Islamo-ascist to describe an entire

society.


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The use o the word entity as opposed to reerring to the

country or people by name. The use o genocide, genocidal and ethnic cleansing to

reer to an action when this does not adhere to the legal

denition o the term. Instead, one can note the number

o victims o the action and elaborate on why the action

has taken place. E.g. The memory o the Jenin genocide

killed in 2003 lives on can instead be replaced with The

memory o the 54 Palestinians killed in Jenin in 2003 in

the attack by the Israeli army continues to anger most

Palestinians.

The use o moderate when reerring to a liberal/open

point o view o a given religious person. The assump-

tion is that there is something innately extreme in ull

Muslim or Jewish observance. E.g. Moderate Muslims

in the West Bank dont want a Palestinian state gov

a guide for professional journalism in conflict zones

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