Blog Assignment #7: An “exit slip”

My own notes that I took during our meeting with Dr. Alexa Robertson:

·         Unwitting media - when something happens without purpose

·         Important to sort out the small questions, such as: who did what? Who said what? Who is who?

Making sense of media

·         Value quality and quantity - find the balance

·         http://www.ushahidi.com/

·         Economic threats to quality journalism

·         Tension between politicisation & professionalism

·         Crowdsourcing -

·         The problem with "old media" and "new media"

·         Egypt's Jon Stewart-

·         Dumbing down - celebrity politics

·         Power without responsibility?

o    Journalists have such political power but without any obligations and responsibility

o    No one votes for them but they have the strength and power to spread political beliefs

o    They are making and spreading the message without responsibilities

·         Relationship between media and democracy more complicated in globalized world

·         Everything is a competition - in media and on television

o    Glen Hysén in the new TV-show

·         What kind of problem is it?

o    Theoretical

o    Empirical

o    Normative

·         What is new? And what is a new twist on an old situation?

·         What is the general pattern? What are the cultural exceptions?

·         Who does it matter to - who are the stakeholders?

·         How can these ideas be tested empirically?

Reflection:

Alexa Robertson truly knew what she was talking about. Without notes she went through the basics of media; new and old, quality vs. quantity, media in the globalized world and so on. The part that most caught my attention was the part about journalists and their political power they possess without any responsibility. The journalists spread political messages and beliefs and they have the power to “tell those” in ways that might not always be the correct objective one, which makes us the readers form an opinion by reading in media. This is so important to know and I did not think of this at all before Dr. Robertson told us about it in class. The question of responsibility in media is one of the questions we have to ask ourselves. We have to be aware about all of this when we actively use media in our daily life. 

Blog Assignment #6 - Covering Conflict

Listen to the following podcast from CBC radio’s The Current:

http://podcast.cbc.ca/mp3/podcasts/current_20130207_85614.mp3

1.      What happened when Rick Findler, freelance photographer, tried to submit photographs to the Sunday Times? Why would the Sunday Times take this position? How does Findler feel about it?

First of all, before Mr. Findler went into Syria the newspaper said that it was an idiotic mission. The Sunday Times did not take the pictures and copy due to that they do not want to encourage freelancers taking exceptional risks. Findler felt a bit sad when the paper did not take his partners and his work since they had published their work earlier. However, he can see where they are coming from with this and he knows that they have a moral concern to take into consideration when working with freelancers work. If the reporter as well gets killed then there are some legal attachments that the paper has to deal with.

2.      Who insures photographers like Findler? Do a little research about this organization and write down what you find out.

He holds himself solely responsible for whatever happens to him and would only blame himself in the case of an accident or something else. “Reporters without Borders” (RWB) insure men and women like Findler. RWB is a France-based international non-profit, non-governmental organization that has consultant status at the United Nations. They promote and defend freedom of the press and freedom of information.

Here is the link to “Reporters without Borders” website: http://en.rsf.org/

3.      What is at stake for those who consume the news reported by freelancers like Findler? What does he say about this? What do you think? Is the work of freelancers important? Why?

It diminishes their audience. The readers have to be aware of the truth since the freelancers’ mission is to tell the world about what is actually going on. The audience is relatively small since there are not many newspapers that want to publish freelancers´ work (as seen in one of the questions here above).

I feel that freelancers are doing a great job. They are risking their lives to tell the world about places and conflicts around the world and for me I do not see anything negative in that if the person himself/herself has decided that he/she honestly wants to risk their life during their job. I only think this if they are truly objective about the situation and conflict so that we the readers can create our own opinion.

4.      Who was Marie Colvin? Find out more about her, what conflicts she was engaged in covering and how/why she was killed.

Marie Colvin was a war correspondent and she has been located in for example Syria and Afghanistan. She has spent more than 20 years for the Sunday Times newspaper and she was fearless in the on ground conflict zones. Miss Colvin was killed in her job last year (22 February 2012) during an attack in the city Homs in Syria. It was the Syrian Army who killed both her and her French photographer. In the year of 2001 she lost an eye in Sri Lanka and was known for wearing a black eye patch ever since. Her funeral was held in New York on the 12^th March 2012.

5.           5. Why is the media’s position on this issue hypocritical?

Sadly, many freelancers are “naked”, they do not have any insurance, they have not been trained for different situations and they should be able to know exactly what to do or go when the time or other aspects tell them to do so. Freelancers risk their own lives every minute when reporting live from conflict zones and they should get money and insurances for that. They are there to report on world news, not to be denied when trying to tell them to the rest of the world.

6.                 6. What are the pros and cons of hiring freelancers “on the ground” to cover conflict?

The pros are that they report on the real and true conflict being on place close to the area in question. There are chances that these on ground freelancers can be bias, since they often origin from the area of the conflict and therefor might already have an opinion and this can be seen as a con. 

Blog #5 - Medialized: Your place or mine? - Activity

Activity: Write your own news story

1. Choose a short current news story about a conflict somewhere in the world. You can use any Swedish or English source, but your re-written story should be in English.

2. Choose a specific angle that you can use to re-write the news story with a clear bias.

3. Re-write the news story, selecting language as well as specific images you can use to illustrate it so that it supports the specific bias/angle you have chosen. Post this to your blog.

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Over 20 dead in another suicide bombing

22 people have been killed outside of Iraq’s capital when a suicide bomber attacked a group of government supported militia. Approximately 40 people have been claimed to be injured according to sources inside the hospital and police.

The militia was collecting their pay checks in an office in al-Taji outside of Bagdad when the terrorist struck. Security and hospital sources have confirmed that most of the victims were members in the police anti-terrorist squad called Sahwa. Many heroic soldiers are also reported dead.

This is the seventh terrorist suicide bombing in Iraq in less than a month.

Here is the link to the real article: http://www.svd.se/nyheter/utrikes/over-20-doda-i-sjalvmordsattentat_7886140.svd

Blog Assignment #5 - Your Place or Mine

Comprehension questions:

What is the difference between the words “terrorist” and “suicide bomber”?
The word “terrorist” is charged with very much negativity and is often used when correspondents have taken a side in a conflict. The word choice of “suicide bomber” only gives away that a person have blown himself or herself up with the goal to hurt other people. This term does not state that all suicide bombers are terrorists which is important to be clear about.

Discuss the different facts revealed about the firing of rockets from Gaza. What is shown about the “facts” here?
There are two very different stories told about these rockets. The Israelis state that the Palestinians and the Hamas have fired over 400 rockets during the last years, even during ceasefire. The Hamas have filled the rockets with chunks of rebar to make them even more deadly. The Israelis have now put up a blockade around Gaza to try to prevent being hit more times with the rockets.
According to a military leader of Hamas there has been no firing of rockets at all. He says that there is no point in firing them if they do not hit anybody or any buildings.
In this case the Hamas clearly is lying since there if proof of rockets being fired from them. However, there are probably so many more facts that you should consider before judging or choosing a side that are not stated in this video.

Different perspectives are presented about underground tunnels. What are these? Is it possible to verify any of this information?
Once again there are two different sides to this story. The Israelis claims that the Palestinians use the tunnels to import iron, cement and rebar to make the rockets even more lethal than they already are. The Palestinians on the other hand says that they only use the tunnels to import food and items used for rebuilding houses and places that were destroyed during the war in 2009, and other necessaries that are crucial for the people´s survival.
There is some video footage of the tunnels but with only this information there is not anything verifying that the Palestinians only use them for the purposes they are talking about. There has to be more clear evidence of what actually is transported, imported and smuggled through the tunnels before any of this information can be verified.

What are the problems with using words like occupation or settlements? What do they mean in this context?
These two words are biased and when using them you “take a specific side” depending on how, when and about who you are referring to. Both of the words are strong and can be seen as negative words depending on the perspective. All journalists and correspondents have to be very careful when using either of these words.

What advice is given to the average person who wants to understand the Israel-Palestinian conflict?

An advice is to read books. Read books containing information about not only the conflict, but about the history of the conflict and the history of the people. Read the different views from both sides and compare them, try to understand the differences. By doing this you can build your own opinion of the conflict without all the bias from the different sides.

Reflection questions

Which of the two “stories” presented is most similar to what you have seen reported in the Swedish media? Why is this, do you think?
According to me and what I have seen at home on the news, the pro-Palestinian story is the most alike to my view of the conflict. However, I do not have feel that Sweden has chosen a clear side at all. For me, it feels more like Sweden and the news displayed here are more concerned with showing the unfairness and often the weaker side rather than on specific side of the conflict in question. Sweden has through time kept a quite neutral position and opinion about conflicts around the world, this including the one concerning the Gaza strip as well. 

Which of these stories is more likely to be presented in countries like, for example, the USA, Germany or Jordan? Why?
In all of these three countries (USA, Germany and Jordan), the pro-Israeli video is most likely to be presented. The USA have a lot of Jews, especially since many emigrated there from Germany after the Holocaust. Israel and the United States have a close relationship and therefor it is clear that they would show the pro-Israeli video. Jordan is in good terms with USA and their king looks up to the States. Jordan often “follows” what the super power acts on and where they stand in these conflicts and rarely take the other side. Germany has a long history concerning Jews and Israel and therefor I think the pro-Israeli version is the one displayed in Germany. With the history of the Holocaust and all concerning that period of time, Germany has a hard time showing anything other than pro-Israeli versions. Of course, Germany also has a large Jew population in the country and that does not make it more complex to understand why they would show the pro-Israeli one.

If the reality of the Gaza Strip should be presented in a news story, what elements should be included? Why?
The most important part is to be presented with the story from both sides. There has to be multiple people’s stories and facts that together make up the larger picture, since it is vital for a true understanding of the conflict. If not, the story would probably be bias towards a specific side and that is not the reality. It is also important to present the history of the conflict as well as the history of the people involved. Both positive and negative happenings/outcomes/effects should also be reported about from both sides. Otherwise the reporting would be bias, which once again does not display the truth and reality.

How can you know if a news report is biased or not?
There are a couple of points you can check when trying to find out if a news report is bias or not. First of all you can check the main source of the article. Has that source any history of being bias or preferring one special side? Does the journalist or author have any specific political position or other interests? If so, you can almost draw the conclusion that the report is biased. When you read the report and see that there are more positives than negatives you can also oftentimes draw the same conclusion since the whole story probably not is displayed. The wording in the report can also reveal if the content is biased or not, e.g. with the words “terrorist” and “suicide bomber”. 

Blog Assignment #4 - Thucydides: The first war correspondent

1. As we listen, take notes about what you hear in this documentary. After your notes are complete, structure them into a 2-3 paragraph summary, which you should post to your blog.
   
   The Peloponnesian war started in 431 BC and lasted for 27 years. This historic war was fought between Athens and Sparta. Athens was urban and the city of Sparta was rural. How today´s society has so much knowledge about this war has a simple explanation. There was a man named Thucydides who recorded everything possible about this war. He is said to be the first war correspondent ever. From Athens he reported about the war and he used the imagery of plague to describe the corpses and all the deaths of the brutal war. Thucydides was later exiled to Sparta and got the war story from Sparta´s side as well. He carefully analyzed everything and was not interested in anything else but the truth and always wanted to be as objective as possible. The news he reported about had great importance to him and he never wanted them to be seen as gossip or even a story, therefor he only used information directly from eye witnesses or himself, he did not want anything else than primary sources.
   
   Thucydides was a wealthy and well-educated man who was primarily a historian and as I stated above, lived in exile. During his lifetime he made it his mission to tell the truth about the war and he was very determined to be neutral. Many people have through the years said that Thucydides had a computer in his brains. But it is hard to remember everything that every witness says as well as everything that Thucydides himself heard or saw, so he dictated to some person who wrote it all down on papyrus rolls. Thucydides revolutionized the way that news is recorded during his time and this has had a great impact on the present day and all the current news in the world.
   
   

Answer these question and post to your blog: 

• What are the most important qualities for a war correspondent, according to this documentary?

The most important quality of a war correspondent is to be objective about the event and not bias. If the news for example involve a war there should be absolutely no ”flattering” of any side. Thoroughness and passion are also valuable qualities. 

• How does Thucydides report on the conflict he witnesses? Why is his reporting still relevant today?

Thucydides travelled across the Greek nation and his goal was to receive all facts himself or by eye witnesses. He wanted to portray the objective truth, he did not rely on the stories first encountered by and the recordings he made were available on papyrus for the public.

What Thucydides did and went through to get all facts and an honest picture of the event, is exactly what war correspondence is all about. His way of working set the grounds of today´s news corresponding. This kind of reporting is the kind that lasts. It is the kind that still remains important and accurate even after hundreds of years passing by since the actual war or event.

• How has war reporting changed in the digital age? What would Thucydides think of this?

There are many changes since Thucydides lived and worked. Travelling is for example so much easier today with airplanes, trains and buses  Then of course there also is the Internet which spread news as fast as lightening. War correspondents today can easily copy another one´s notes or facts about the event without being live at the scene. This as well makes more news bias or altered to attract as many readers or viewers as possible. It is hard to find a true, objective and neutral recording of today´s wars.

Since all the differences between today´s war correspondents and Thucydides I do not think that Thucydides would like all the changes. He might appreciate the eased travelling but I cannot see that he would be so enthusiastic about correspondents reporting from places other than the actual scene of the event. He would probably want most to be more thorough and objective when recording and reporting in their professions. 

Blog Assignment #3 - Get creative with McLuhan!

"Hot" and "Cool" Media! 

(Click on the image for larger format)

I chose to do a very simple collage with only two pictures because I want it to be easy to understand the meaning behind this kind of media. Hot and Cool Media was the sort of media that got my attention and interest the most out of McLuhan´s different concepts. I have never before thought about how many and which senses I rely on depending on what media I use. When I think about it, I realise that for example when I watch TV I am active and using many of my senses  when trying to fill in the gaps in the context. This is a classic example of "Cool Media". But when I listen to the radio I only use one, my hearing, and often I will hear all sounds, music or information from the news that I need to have complete involvement. This is the so called "Hot Media". With this collage I want to show the easiest explanation of McLuhan´s concept of "Hot" and "Cool" media. 

Working with Image Analysis

Find a provocative and interesting image to bring to class for us to work with! You can choose a famous historical image, or one from current media. Post this to your blog, so we can work with each other’s image texts. 

My chosen provocative picture: http://www.time.com/time/covers/0,16641,20120521,00.html

The images you encounter in the media are kinds of texts. They have a message and a purpose. When you analyze an image you try to establish what possible messages and purposes are being conveyed. Just like a word, a picture can have a denotative meaning (a literal, factual meaning), as well as a connotative meaning (how the picture’s meaning might be interpreted).

Denotative Description:
1. Image Type: What kind of image is it? (is it a photograph, a painting, a drawing, a still shot from a video)
2. People: What are the people doing in the image? How are they dressed? What kinds of facts can you find out about them?
3. Setting: What kind of time and place is depicted in the image? How is it depicted?
4. Composition: Does the image have perspective (can you see depth in the image)? What kind of a perspective is used (is it eye-level? bird’s eye view? from the ground looking up?) Has the image been cropped or cut in any way? What is in the centre of the image? What is in the background? What can we see along the sides?

Connotative Analysis:
Interpret the Image:
TONE: What sort of tone, mood or atmosphere does the image convey? What sort of feeling do you get when you view the image? How is this tone, atmosphere or mood created?
RELATIONSHIPS: How do the people in the image relate to each other? What can you learn from their facial expressions and body language?
SETTING: Does the time and place give any more specific information about the image?
WHAT IS NOT SEEN: What is happening outside the frames of the image? Does this have any bearing on what you see happening in the image?
TIME: When do you think this image was captured? What can we learn about this moment in time from the image?
MESSAGE: What do you think the photographer or artist is trying to tell us with this image? What is the theme or lesson this image is trying to convey?