Influence of the Mainstream Practice of Journalism on How Conflict is Covered - Essay Example

?How Mainstream Practice of Journalism Influences How Conflict Covered Before mid to late 1990s, conflict sensitive journalism did not exist; its predecessor had been the concept of hate media and propaganda that resulted in genocides and civil wars. In the late 1990s, however, stakeholders realised the power of the media and the role it had played in fuelling numerous conflicts. Consequently, stakeholders started looking into the prospect of media as a tool in conflict prevention, conflict resolution as well as keeping the masses informed on the progresses made in either conflict resolution or escalation. From this approach, conflict sensitive media were brought to being. This was as a solution to previous excesses of the media that had either negative or no effects on conflict formation, escalation, solution and termination. However, like all new concepts, the newly born conflict sensitive media did not have a user manual and journalists and media houses had with them a new tool that they had no idea how to use. Government sponsored print and electronic media were the most common in those early days and, therefore, the public always heard what the governments wanted them to hear; mainly due to media control by their main sponsor, who was at the time the government. Governments used the media to downplay conflicts and conceal facts that they did not want their citizens to know, resulting in selective dissemination of crucial information. With the advent of strong civil society movements and the spread of capitalism, individuals and corporation got the rights to own and run media houses that were free from control by governments. However, this did not solve the problem with conflict sensitive journalism, as journalists in these media houses did not know how to implement the strategy (Lynch and McGoldrick 2005, p. 197). According to Lynch (2008, p. 186), conflict sensitive journalism is truly much evolved, and many media houses are using the tool to prevent or stop conflicts. However, the major force in how conflicts are reported is mainstream media houses, which pick on an approach to the reportage of a crime and other media houses follow suit. Approaches by mainstream media to reporting conflict falls into four principal categories; conflict-oriented coverage, truth-oriented coverage, people-oriented coverage, and solution-oriented coverage. If any the mainstream media decides to take any of these approaches, then other media houses have to follow suit for their coverage to have any relevance (Seow and Crispin 2005, p. 311). Conflict Oriented Coverage In this approach, media houses focus on the ignition of the conflict, factors that fuel it, factors that diminish it, and other factors that may sway the direction of the conflict without caring which direction the conflict takes. Media houses give the conflict airtime since they know that people are concerned about the happenings in the world, but instead of using this chance to alter the direction of the conflict in any way, the media prefer to watch in inaction. First, media focus on the conflict genesis, reporting about all the factors that resulted in the conflict. These factors include the parties on both ends of the conflict, and the disputed issue or issues, all in the name of keeping the public informed. This strategy exposes the commercial nature of mainstream media because despite which direction the conflict takes, media houses will reap the benefit from it since they do not take a stand against or for the conflict (Seow and Crispin 2005, p. 311). Another part of conflict oriented media coverage is that media houses offer real and imagined outcomes of conflicts, mostly with a bias to outcomes that are grim in nature. The media predicts and speculates about the conflicts, drawing parallels and creating links between these conflicts and historical events, and predicting the future based on the possible outcomes. This speculation and mixing of facts with opinions makes news material for both electronic broadcasting and printing, as reporters are never short of something to say whenever there is a conflict. Consequently, business is high in times of conflict as people search frantically for any source of illumination on an on-going issue. Effectively, the media end up focussing on both the visible and invisible effects of violence including material destruction and trauma respectively (Elworthy and Rogers 2002, pp. 21-24). Conflict oriented coverage involves ensuring that the conflict goes on transparently, in the full view of the public with nothing hidden. It does this by ensuring that all the grievances are aired, focussing on the conflict instead of focusing on the conflicting parties. Finally, conflict oriented reporting is humanitarian as it considers all parties involved in the conflict as people who are out to express their grievances, and the media are proactive in the conflict by exposing all contentious issues. However, doing so may escalate the conflict especially if media coverage encourages the conflicting groups to proceed with their activities (Elworthy and Rogers 2002, pp. 18-20). Truth Oriented Coverage This approach to conflict sensitive journalism is essential especially when the public is in the dark as concerns the conflict, or when the conflicting parties hide the truth or tell lies about the various causes. Consequently, conflicts like these would not end amicably since one conflicting party knows that the other is lying, but nothing can be done about it. This is where the truth oriented media coverage comes to the rescue to ensure that everything about the conflict is put out in the open so that everyone can know what is going on. To attain an edge against their opponents or to protect their public image, conflicting parties tell lies about themselves and their opponents. The work of truth oriented media coverage is to expose these untruths and offer to the public the truth about matters that the conflicting parties have lied about. In addition, these parties conceal facts wholly without offering any alternative information, and it is the work of a truth-oriented journalist to investigate and uncover cover-ups. By exposing lies and uncovering what was hidden, truth oriented media reportage creates room for conflict resolution and the process of healing to begin, usually with the media acting as the mediator between the two opposing sides (Lynch and McGoldrick 2005, p. 211). People Oriented Coverage This approach is different from the above mentioned two because of another element that the other two approaches do not cover; this approach shows that the media cares about the welfare of the people and will protect them from perpetrators of violence. In addition, in this approach media houses expose perpetrators to the public by naming them and providing graphical evidence where possible. People oriented coverage aims at showing the conflicting groups and their victims the grim consequences of conflict, highlighting suffering and death, among other consequences of the conflict (Lynch and McGoldrick 2005, p. 211). In addition, this approach focuses on vulnerable groups including women, children and the aged among others, by showing to the world the effects of the conflict on these groups in the population. The main aim of focussing on vulnerable groups is to catch the attention of the conflicting groups among other stakeholders in order for them to sympathise and end the conflict. Interviews with victims and sympathisers act as the media’s way of offering voice to the voiceless and ensuring that both the world and the perpetrators hear their grievances. Consequently, the media inform the world of a situation that needs intervention while at the same time requesting the conflicting parties to end the suffering of innocent civilians (Francis 2002, p. 128). Finally, people oriented media coverage focuses on individuals and groups that standout in times of conflicts, the peacemakers. These people request the conflicting groups to end the disputes, or assist the victims in any way they can, inviting media support to offer hope to victims despite the grim nature of their predicaments (Francis 2002, p. 128). Solution Oriented Coverage This approach does not focus on the conflict; the media prefer the less newsworthy alternatives of focussing on individuals, groups and activities that promote the finding of a solution to the problems. For instance, instead of focussing coverage in areas where the conflict is at its worst, the media focus on areas where solutions have already been found and residents are enjoying peace again. In addition, the media focus on the possibility of having a conflict-free society with stable social structures and cultures. After the conflict, solution oriented media coverage instead of moving on to other conflict hit areas stays in the society that has just come out of conflict. The major reasons for this stay are to play a part in reconstruction of the society and reconciliation of people who were in different camps (Lynch and Galtung 2010, pp. 12-14). Limitations to Effective Conflict Sensitive Journalism After the mainstream media have shown the way for other media houses to follow, many factors may prevent society from reaping the benefits of effective conflict sensitive journalism. First, the area in conflict may be inaccessible by the media due to natural or manmade reasons, with the latter being more disabling as it involves endangering the lives of journalists. Secondly, there is the danger that journalists face when they venture into conflict torn areas as there is increased suspicion everywhere, and the journalists may be mistaken for spies thereby risking their lives. Third, unlike the mainstream media that have abundant resources to support their journalists in their duties, many media houses cannot cover the cost of transporting and sustaining their journalists in the conflict torn areas. Finally, though media houses may want to expose cover-ups and untruths, they may lack the evidence to give their reportage the much needed credibility (Lynch 2008, p. 7). Conclusions Mainstream media houses act as the guide to conflict sensitive journalism for other media houses to follow. It is, therefore, important that the former act with caution when choosing an approach, since the way the media report a conflict has a significant role in escalation or bringing about a solution to the conflict. In addition, the mainstream media should be impartial in reporting to avoid bias toward one side or against the other side of the conflict. In this regard, journalists should be trained on effective conflict sensitive journalism reporting such that their utterances do not fuel the conflict. For inaccessible areas, the mainstream media that have resources make their coverage available to other media houses, but this should be intensified to increase harmony in conflict sensitive journalism. In addition, the media should have open channels where the public can help to solve a conflict by participating in open discussions, or to provide information that may be of public interest. This helps the public to come up with solutions to problems that they face, promoting a sense of belonging and responsibility. Finally, the media should not be biased towards grim news such that they only report a conflict when it starts and never say what happened after this. References Elworthy, C and Rogers, D 2002, Peace journalism case study: US media coverage of the war in Iraq, Transcend Research Institute. Francis, D 2002, People, peace and power: Conflict transformation in action, London, Pluto Press. Lynch, J 2008, Debates in Peace Journalism, Sydney, Sydney University Press. Lynch, J and Galtung, J 2010, Reporting conflict: New directions in peace journalism, St. Lucia, University of Queensland Press. Lynch, J and McGoldrick, A 2005, Peace journalism. Gloucestershire, Hawthorn Press. Seow TL and Crispin CM 2005 ‘War or peace journalism? Asian newspaper coverage of conflicts’, Journal of Communication vol. 55, p. 311. Read More