I liked this description by photographer Dominic Nahr (Magnum and Time magazine) of the difficult — and sometimes positive — conditions he experienced working in South Sudan as he covered the conflict over Heglig. He writes vividly about some of the challenges he faced:
A dreadlocked rebel soldier from Darfur–which lies far across the border in Sudan–became angry that I and a companion had taken his photo and chased us down in his Mad Max car, jumping out and cocking his gun with such fury I thought it was going to fly right out of his hands. He then sped off with two cameras.
It’s a brief but good insight into the often exacting conditions that photographers in war zones work under. Yet all of them, like Dominic Nahr, produce amazing images that capture the spirit, and struggles, of the people caught up on conflict. You can read more of Nahr’s comments and view his photos here.
One of the fun things about journalism (to me) is the opportunity of find out more about why or how something happens. While Google has been performing this function well most of the time, I often enjoy reading a good, well-written and well-edited backgrounder on an issue that is currently in the news.
The BBC News’ “Who, What, Why” is one such series. After rebels seized the city of Timbuktu in Mali, this article “Who, What, Why: Why do we know Timbuktu?” served as a good backgrounder on how the place Timbuktu came to represent a place far, far away in the English language.
Then there was a story about a cat that survived a 19-floor fall in the US. The question became: “Who, What, Why: How do cats survive falls from great heights?”. Some people might say such a topic is frivolous, but I say, never stop asking questions!
“I’ve never stopped loving Andy. He’s my son. He made a terrible mistake, which he will be paying for for the rest of his life, but that doesn’t make me stop loving him.” —
People often ask - why did you want to be a journalist? My answer has frequently been, “because I want to tell people’s stories. The stories of people who are rarely heard.”
I think one excellent example of how journalism can tell open us to such worlds is this Guardian feature about the parents of murderers. I found it a powerful, intense and personal read, and one that I would highly recommended to anyone …
My child, the murderer
What is it like to have a child who is a killer? Three parents tell their stories
Interviews by Christopher Goodwin and Simon Hattenstone
Read the full article here
I came across this fantastic collection of photos by Irish photographer Seamus Murphy in Afghanistan a couple of weeks ago. As we mark the 10th anniversary of the war, I thought this gallery was a good example about how life is continuing amidst the conflict and violence.
More on Seamus Murphy here and his planned documentary project here.
This statement from Article 19 about journalists in conflict zones is a good wrap on the dangers they face there, especially as we mark the 10th anniversary of the Afghan conflict.
According to the Afghan non-governmental organisation Nai, the 10-year conflict has left 22 journalists dead, 6 of whom were women, and seen 23 journalists kidnapped. Nai’s figures for violence and intimidation against journalists runs into the hundreds.
… But a particularly disturbing trend is the specific targeting of journalists, their abductions or summary executions. Over the past five years, the leading cause of death among journalists in warzones has become murder.
Especially significant is the threat faced by local journalists - just look at the figures of the number of journalists killed in, for example, the Philippines and Mexico.
Commonsense advice, but good nonetheless, and applicable across all industries, not just the media.
“Why most journalism job applications are ‘disappointingly poor’ - and how to ensure yours isn’t
There’s an awful lot written about how to apply for journalism jobs - but most of it comes from the applicants’ perspective. Instead, today we have a piece from a senior B2B editor on their recent recruitment process, and why most of the applications that came in were lacklustre at best.”
The best par is probably right at the end:
“After all, being a reporter is about being able to get a foot through the door, make an impression, collect information and present it to a reader in a concise, distinctive way. A job application is a chance to show an employer that you have these skills by telling a compelling story about yourself. Why miss it?”
Read more here.
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“Nobody will pick them from the doormat wondering how the world has changed from the day before. They will be badges, evidence of their readers’ cultural or political tastes, with an artisanal-cheese kind of price that turns them from a habit into a hobby.” —
This quote, by veteran British newspaper man Ian Jack, is, of course, about newspapers. Much has been written about the possible demise of the print medium, which has been the source of some of the best journalism in the history of the news industry.
Jack’s op-ed in The Guardian is worth a read. It’s well-written and honest, and reflects on some of the strengths of newspapers - which will be lost if and when they die.
He brings up some good points, for example about distribution:
“If one big publisher, say News International, withdrew from the pooled distribution arrangements then the increased cost for the rest could be fatal.”
And also about the possible demise of serious, especially investigative, journalism:
“Serious reporting could be the most serious casualty, because it’s expensive and present estimates of digital income won’t cover the costs of foreign correspondents and a well-staffed newsroom; philanthropic owners or a drastic reconfiguring of editorial budgets will certainly be required.”
I was watching the BBC’s coverage of the 10th anniversary of the September 11 attacks in the United States an hour ago when they replayed the start of the “10 O’Clock News” in Britain, which of course led with footage of the Twin Towers collapsing.
I realised how difficult it was (for me at least) to revisit the early horror and shock of what had just unfolded on live television at that time. But it also reminded me of this excellent online archive of some of that early news footage - “Understanding 9/11: A Television News Archive”. This site, run by a non-profit organisation, has collected 3000 hours of television from 20 channels over seven days from September 11.
There’s also some good discussion on the website about how 9/11 was and is being covered, and how that tells us more about ourselves and our cultures and politics.