Addressing and Reporting on Genocide

Nicolas Kristof spoke tonight at the University of Oregon’s symposium entitled “Witnessing Genocide: Representation and Responsibility.” Amid graphic pictures and testimonies of dead infants, sexually assaulted women and young men with their eyes gouged out by bayonets, Kristof painted a moving picture of the Darfur genocide.

Kristof, who has won the Pulitzer numerous times for his work with the New York Times, said that once he began writing about and visiting the area, he found it hard to pursue other topics. Darfur was too brutal to ignore.

In particular, Kristof underscored the violent rapes and assaults that are plaguing the women of the area.

“Rape is extraordinarily stigmatized in Darfur,” Kristof said. “Well, the government realized this would be a powerful tool. It wouldn’t get the government in trouble the way piles of dead bodies would.”

He stressed that these rapes aren’t just a normal bi-product of an ongoing ethnic cleansing, but they are deliberate efforts by the government. Even worse, the state uses force to ensure that these women’s stories are never heard. Sudan recently outlawed post-exposure drugs that would prevent rape victims from harmful diseases, like AIDS. Pregnancy from a rape is taken as proof of a woman’s adultery, and many victims are punished with prison time.

Kristof said this is a problem that can get better with more exposure, not military power. I believe that’s where journalism enters. The coverage thus far of this humanitarian crisis has been despicable – an embarrassment. In 2004, CBS spent three minutes covering Darfur. The following year, it was just two minutes.

“We need to draw attention to this because governments are embarrassed about slaughtering their people,” Kristof said.

As journalists our duties are twofold. First, we are obligated to address this genocide because it is an emerging international crisis that the public knows little about. Secondly, and more importantly, we must write about it because the simple act of reporting it - drawing attention to it - could save millions.

Inspiration Courtesy of Adrian Nicole LeBlanc

Several weeks ago, I had the opportunity to hear author and journalist, Adrian Nicole LeBlanc speak at the University of Oregon. You may recognize her name from her early work at Seventeen magazine or her recent book, "Random Family: Love, Drugs, Trouble, and Coming of Age in the Bronx." She spoke to the crowd of 30 something students mostly about her book, which followed the lives of a few teens growing up in New York, among drugs, sex and violence.

It was interesting to hear the stories of a hardly intimidating woman (she was wearing a black sweat suit and tortoise shell glasses), who had immersed herself in a completely different culture. LeBlanc was still working at Seventeen, while she spent her nights engrossed in the lives of inner city teens. But, after a while, LeBlanc just couldn’t take it anymore. One day, as she was taking the elevator up to her day job at Seventeen, she took a look around her, at the interior of the elevator. It was new, clean, well-maintained – exactly the opposite of the rickety old piece-of-junk elevator she rode so often in the Bronx. LeBlanc said that by the time the doors opened to reveal the new carpet and pink walls of the Seventeen office, she just couldn’t take it anymore. From that day forward, LeBlanc threw herself into her other work, writing her book.

Once she had decided to fully giver herself to her work in the Bronx, LeBlanc was able to immerse herself even deeper into her work. And, as any journalist knows, with deeper commitment, comes better work.

LeBlanc also handed down some good tips for interviewing, especially subjects that seem intimidating. She said that subjects can often sense the judgment of their interviewer and this causes them to clam up.

LeBlanc recalled interviewing a young Bronx girl involved in a love triangle. Caesar, who LeBlanc described as a player, was living with one girl and fathering the baby of another girl, Coco. During the interview, Coco revealed to LeBlanc that when Caesar was out with his live-in girlfriend, she would clean his sneakers and iron his shirts. LeBlanc, with all her feminist, academia-centered views, reacted with shock. Coco withdrew.

“Judgment can get in the way of the most mundane interactions,” said LeBlanc, adding that it is difficult, but necessary for all journalists to separate their egos from their stories.

Ultimately, I found LeBlanc’s advice to be quite soothing, particularly for a young journalist who is not entirely sure where her career will take her. LeBlanc followed her passion and interests and, assuredly, anyone who does the same will never be disappointed.

Bloggers and Journalists: Together or Just a Fling?

Steve Outing of the Poynter institute published two articles in 2004 that discuss what journalists and bloggers can learn from each other. The unfortunate thing is, neither have bothered to listen.

Outing points out, in “What Journalists Can Learn From Bloggers,” that bloggers are working quickly to establish rules and etiquette for their postings. But, he simultaneously mentions in his parallel article, “What Bloggers Can Learn From Journalists,” that bloggers have no editor, no watchdog. So, it begs the question, if there is no one watching over bloggers, forcing them to adhere to this code they are supposedly constructing, whose to say they will abide by it? Nobody. Outing explains, “With blogging, it's up to the individual blogger. With no institution or organization watching over them and guiding their behavior, we can only hope that most bloggers adhere to a mission of accuracy and accountability.”

Usually, bloggers don’t do their own reporting. Instead, they will comment on the works of other journalists. If the blogger cites his source, then the information is more credible, but often times they don’t. Instead, they write the news more transparently, posting opinions or hunches. Outing mentions the case of Wonkette, Ana Marie Cox’s blog, which announced the victory of John Kerry before the end of the 2004 election. Obviously, this was incorrect. While, bloggers may occasionally print incorrect information, Outing says this is OK, as long as the writer is transparent about where the information came from. Bloggers, unlike journalists, are permitted to print unfounded views. To retain credibility though, it is crucial that they open up to their audience and explain that the information on their blog may or may not be legitimate.

But, don’t fret, bloggers. Outing did have some good things to say about weblogs. Whereas newspapers research, write and print the news, blogs are not so final. After a posting, readers can comment, correct and engage the writer. Blogs allow for a conversation. Often this is a space left out of most community newspapers, where discussion of issues would be crucial.

In addition, blogs permit the personality of the writer to come through the writing. It resonates with the reader more deeply than a stuffy newspaper column where personal opinions are hidden.

I am interested to watch the future of journalism and blogs collide, as I believe they will. They can’t mix entirely, though. No matter what happens, strong reporters and journalists will still be needed for newspapers and magazines. At the same time, readers will still be interested in reading the ramblings of bloggers throughout the Internet. Perhaps the future will unveil a place for bloggers and journalists to coexist.

Peacefully.


Links to Poynter Institute Articles:

What Bloggers Can Learn From Journalists


What Journalists Can Learn From Bloggers

My First Hit of Blog

Es mi dia primero!
Welcome to Ye Ol Weblog’s first posting. I’ve avoided blogs in the past because the ones I have come across (granted I haven’t read many) have been GenericEmoKid15 complaining about why nobody wants to sit next to him at lunch.
To avoid this, I would like to use my blog as a sort-of midpoint between the canned journalistic articles I write for school and work and the ramblings my poor friends are forced to listen to occasionally. In doing so, I will attempt to cite my sources (and links) as often as possible.
I’d like to discuss both the changing nature of journalism, in the face of youtube, cell phones, podcasting, and blogs. I profoundly believe that in the next 50 years journalism, as we know it, will be transferred, to a large extent, back to the people. Perhaps, something like citizen journalism.
Yes, I still believe that ordained (and employed) journalists would still have a crucial role in delivering information. Readers will always need an absolutely trusted news source that answers to editors and codes of ethics. But, bloggers will add something new: more dialogue, more opinions (some good, some bad), and more voice!
With that, I introduce my first semi-professional blog article regarding the similarities and differences between bloggers and journalists.