prepare and submit a term paper on How can Journalists Avoid Reducing Conflict to Spectacle. Your paper should be a minimum of 3250 words in length.
You will prepare and submit a term paper on How can Journalists Avoid Reducing Conflict to Spectacle. Your paper should be a minimum of 3250 words in length. For most of the 20th century, conflicts defined global geopolitics, economic dynamics, and social development. Although the 21st century has seen fewer conflicts, there are still concerns regarding the quality of reporting on this aspect. In Afghanistan and Iraq, where the United States and other western countries are involved in a seemingly never-ending conflict, there have been many instances where journalists have molded their stories based on norms rather than the actual scenarios on the ground. This is referred to as formulaic reporting. it offers nothing new apart from stereotypes. Journalists know that news depends on the source. Conflicts generate different stories compared to famines and epidemics. the images and situations are completely different. As a result, there is a need to tailor reporting to fit events.
News reporting is more challenging than most people think. In the last few decades, there has been an increase in the number of media outlets across the world, but the “style of reporting has remained virtually consistent” (Musa & Willis, 2014:36). Despite an increase in the number of media platforms, a majority of them are still controlled by a few individuals with links to governments and other organizations interested in regulating what is reported. As such, there are very few news outlets that are truly independent. Considering that conflicts are inevitably and always linked to politics, factual reporting during wars is becoming increasingly rare. Most journalists have, therefore, been forced to abide by the wishes of their employers when reporting. However, politics is not the only problem. Effective conflict reporting “demands adequate training and experience” (Musa & Willis, 2014:36).
Submitting credible and impactful news from conflict areas is extremely challenging, even for the most seasoned reporters. The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have shown that media houses need to train, equip, and motivate their employees more in order to improve the quality of conflict reporting. . .
