The risks they take - war reporting

Journalism can be a despised profession and the recent ‘phone hacking’ from the News of the World reflects why journalists are often deemed as likeable as politicians and lawyers. Yet, the death on Thursday of the British journalist Tim Hetherington in Misrata, Libya reflects a perspective and approach that many people neglect and take advantage of. Journalists, particularly those embedded with troops or reporting in war zones are often seen as adrenaline junkies and taking gambits to seize a story or a career opportunity, but most of the time this is not the case. Reporting in war zones to make ‘the first draft of history’ is enterprising but harrowing as its content can show people at a nadir in their lives. Violence, mortars and perpetual gunfire are all hazards of the job and it entails specialist survival training to deal with unexpected events like kidnapping or roadblocks.

There are some unhealthy aspects of journalism that have crept in of late. Sensationalism, pervasive press releases and dry stories. I remember dispatches from a journalist in Afghanistan reporting with the Parachute Regiment in the deathly heat of Helmand. The immense fire power from the Taliban and the near annihilation of a platoon not only showed the courage of the soldiers but the eloquence and intrepid reporting showed the risks the troops faced. Without journalism how would we know this? Tim Hetherington’s death is a tragedy and brings to the world’s attention what is happening to ordinary Libyans. His death has grabbed the headlines, which I’m sure he would never have wished, but it doesn’t highlight journalists being gagged, imprisoned or murdered for their profession.