Journalism: What Are The Risks?

If I were to ask you to consider what it is to be a journalist, what would you think of? Would you immediately consider the perks; the ‘pros’ of a lifestyle associated with freelance hours, worldwide travel and access all areas? Or would you think of the deadlines, the supposed lack of security and the dog eat dog mentality of the media? Whilst it’s fair to say these are considerable drawbacks of the trade, by no means are these the worst things a budding journalist can expect to endure.

One primary example is journalists who venture into areas of conflict as war reporters, done so in what writer for The Globe and Mail Anthony Feinstein regards as a bid to “open our eyes to a contemporary history we can no longer ignore.” These journalists are risking it all by choosing to work in some of the most dangerous situations, at times to devastating effect. James Foley, a 40 year old journalist kidnapped by Islamic State militants in 2012 whilst covering the civil war in Syria, was killed. James, or more fondly referred to by those who knew him well as Jim, was beheaded. His death, videoed and posted on YouTube for the world to see, was no doubt a warning to journalists attempting to overstep their mark on a territory which no longer withstands the code of conduct that once allowed journalists to work in conflicted areas - without the fear of confrontation from its inhabitants. 

In 2013, Reporters Without Borders claimed there had been “a significant increase in the abductions of journalists” in addition to “a slight bump in threats and physical attack,” making modern journalism the most dangerous it has been to date. In the last year alone, 71 journalists were killed, with 39% of those within zones of conflict such as Syria and Somalia. 87 journalists were kidnapped, with 2,160 threatened or physically attacked. The stats horrify me; and I can only hope that these will serve as a reminder that safety precautions are vital for our war reporters visiting zones of conflict in the future.

Mentality is a factor at risk as a journalist also. Distressing environments and war trauma can result in PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder), “a syndrome that can arise after an individual is exposed to a life-threatening stressor” (Feinstein, 2014), revealing that the damage is not always so obvious from the outset. 

Whilst it can be said that these are consequences of war journalism, are the risks so prevalent in day to day news reporting? Of course, journalists who place themselves willingly into the scene of a crime, incident or confrontation are at risk of harm. But, to me, the risk is minimal in comparison. Whilst war reporting is not something I personally envisage myself pursuing (but hey, never say never, right?) I have a huge respect for those who do, and have, risked it all to benefit their audience. 

News Curation and Storify.

News curation. The discovery and gathering of newsworthy content, sources and data that allow a journalist to piece together a story. Put simply, it’s something all journalists do. Take, for example, collecting information on an incident of interest to the general public. Reporting back would require research into the time, the date and the place. Throw into the mix quotes from witnesses, opinions of those concerned or viewpoints from local experts or academics and suddenly you’re curating a variety of content that will create a clear picture for your audience.

In recent years, news curation has evolved more significantly into digital curation, due to the increasingly technological advancement that makes social media at the forefront of journalistic tools. A prime example of this is Storify. Launched in 2010 by co-founder Xavier Damman, Storify allows its users to create both stories and timelines by incorporating articles with social media from a search engine sidebar, from anything along the likes of Twitter posts, Facebook and even YouTube videos. 

From personal experience, using Storify is both an engaging and interesting device in expanding the credibility and interest of my stories. By allowing me to incorporate a diverse range of media, readers can dictate which aspects of the article they wish to pursue further, if any, meaning the story I create is quite literally beyond my own. Enabling the inclusion of Tweets and statuses means I have been able convey opinions from members of the public, in turn portraying how digital curation has changed journalism with an active platform where journalists and users alike can participate in joint reference and discussion. Digital publishing director for Trinity Mirror blogged about the way in which journalists can use Storify and outlined his top 12 tips for using it effectively, a guide I found beneficial when using the platform myself.

Social media aspects aside, it has also prompted me into considering the validity and reliability of each source I use before implementing it within my own work. As easy as it is to simply drag and drop an article that “sounds about right” from the seemingly endless content, it’s essential to check before publishing what you're actually linking to, meaning my use of Storify has been both entertaining and informative in pursuing digital curation for use within my journalistic ventures.