Press freedom. Investigative Journalism, A Dying Profession

As we sit at our desks and express our outrage at the world, online from the comfort of our rooms or mothers basement, how often do we think about the people that brought us the leak, the news, the investigation. As we cut and paste external source information, do you stop to appreciate where it came from? Or perhaps the cost of it getting to you?

As the investigative room becomes smaller and manned by fewer and fewer reporters, doing more and more work, the entertainment room is overflowing with Versace clad fashion sub editors and screaming queen entertainment reporters sipping lattes from their office coffee machine. Pick up a paper/magazine or a respected online news source and read the story that quite possibly may have cost blood to get to you. What we read and learn about the world peels the scales from our eyes, The Fox's of the world (and no they are not alone) just want to keep you scared by spreading fear and put scale upon scale on your eyes so you do not see clearly what is in front of you. Media manipulation is one of the great conspiracies of the modern age...You'll never be rich enough, pretty enough, ripped enough or drive the best car or have the latest Monalo Blahnik 1400 dollar pair of shoes. We may blame the media for what it gives us, but who exactly made them big and powerful? They use to feed us news, but now with internet, they cater to what our demands are.....Who created this media machine...was it Rupert, or was it us the consumer? Help change the world you live in , by rememebring and reading the words that come from those who no longer live in it, thats why they need from you. Your reading their words is a price paid for their lives.

Journalists

“2009, This has been a year of unprecedented devastation for the world’s media, but the violence also confirms long-term trends,” said CPJ Executive Director Joel Simon. “Most of the victims were local reporters covering news in their own communities. The perpetrators assumed, based on precedent, that they would never be punished. Whether the killings are in Iraq or the Philippines, in Russia or Mexico, changing this assumption is the key to reducing the death toll.”

www.newstimeafrica.com...

Investigative stories reflect curiosity and a deep rooted concern for this rock we all landed on.

Working in a war zone, you know your risks, but the unacceptable deaths of journalists are not just about war zone deaths, many are simply a result of plain murder for trying to uncover corruption.

Philippines

Over 90 percent of journos killed in the Philippines were murdered for exposing corruption
53 Journalists since 2001 have been killed there.
Not including last years massacre....who heard about this?
An election-related slaughter of more than 30 media workers in the Philippine province of Maguindanao, the deadliest event for the press in CPJ history. 30 human lives taken away for wanting to report what was going on around them.

Internationally, the Philippines is no longer the “most dangerous country for journalists outside a war zone,” a negative distinction the country gained in 2005 and 2006. Russia now has at least 25 per cent more murdered journalists than the Philippines.

www.newstimeafrica.com...

Many of the them are local investigative reporters trying to keep the bastards honest.
While there is increasing international pressure, kinda lame attempt sadly, how many of you know about it? Imagine if in America this happened.... to solve extrajudicial killings in the Philippines, the reaction of government in finding real solutions to end the cycle of violence is slow in coming.
IN 2009 112 men and women were killed trying to investigate for us corruption or to report on war.

As in past years, murder was the leading cause of work-related deaths in 2009. At least 50 journalists were targeted and slain in retaliation for their work, representing about three-quarters of the deaths in 2009. Eleven journalists were killed in crossfire while in combat situations, while seven died while covering dangerous assignments such as police raids or street protests.

Africa
2009, last was the blodiest year for journalists.
In Sub-Saharan Africa, 12 journalists have been murdered in direct relation to their work this year, just one less loss of life than the heavy toll recorded in 1999, which was largely caused by Sierra Leone’s civil war. This time, Somalia’s ongoing conflict claimed the most victims, but other journalists were murdered while investigating local corruption in Nigeria and Kenya or covering the political crisis in Madagascar. CPJ is investigating the cases of two other journalists in Republic of Congo and the Democratic Republic of Congo to determine whether their deaths were related to journalism.

Two journalists were slain in both Mexico and Sri Lanka. In Durango state, Mexico, assailants abducted crime reporter Eliseo Barrón Hernández from his home as his wife and two young daughters watched. His body, a gunshot wound to the head, was found the next day in an irrigation ditch. Barrón had just broken a story about police corruption.

Two journalists died of neglect or mistreatment while imprisoned on work-related charges. Novruzali Mamedov died in an Azerbaijani prison after being denied adequate medical care, while Iranian blogger Omidreza Mirsayafi died in Evin Prison under circumstances that were never fully explained.

At least two journalists were reported missing during the year, one in Mexico and the other in Yemen.Nine freelance journalists were among the 2009 victims. The proportion of freelancers was consistent with past years.
Other places with media fatalities were: Afghanistan, Colombia, El Salvador, Indonesia, Kenya, Madagascar, Nepal, Nigeria, the Occupied Palestinian Territory, and Venezuela.

www.newstimeafrica.com...

In China or other regimes, it is unknown if journalists are imprisoned or killed, the toll is suspected to be more than double for those that are unaccounted for.

Media Ticking Clock is a register of these people killed, please click and look, as a online memorial is as poignant as a stone one in a cemetery.
www.pressemblem.ch...

Beats Covered by Victims *

30% Corruption
10% Crime
20% Culture
50% Politics
10% Sports
10% War

So hate the large media houses that that shove Paris Hiltons chihuahua down your throat, or the ridiculous circus of the royals, or the rambling faux pas of a ex president, but don't hate those that go out and literally put their lives on the line, in possibly a more dangerous way than our service men and women, as all they have to protect them is their pen, not billions of dollars of weaponry. Just a story, a story to let you know what is going on in this world, in the hopes that you help try change it.

Visit The CPJ. Committee to Protect journalists
www.cpj.org...


[edit on 6-5-2010 by zazzafrazz]

1950's style media manipulation is still being applied to nations without the luxury of first world interactive media...and subsequent behaviour is resultant.

Not good news for us.

Edit for typo.

[edit on Thu, 06 May 2010 22:25:34 -0500 by MemoryShock]

Journalists are documentarians, nay historians.

Not the interpreters of times long past but the recorders of what just happened.

Academic historians depend on the recorder of the present to compile their work.

As such, he who controls the journalist controls the observation and recording thereof ... ergo, controls the future history.

A paradoxical notion indeed, and one which isn't lost by those in charge of big pictures.

Hence the highly perilous existence of the honest journalist, for he will not be controlled, and will often suffer great injury as a result.

Great information. Thank you for reminding us of the cost of so much of the information that we take for granted.

Braver souls than I. They at least deserve some respect and not be forgotten for putting their neck out to be our eyes and ears on the world.

S&F

reply to post by schrodingers dog


They may be recording, but they are also uncovering, their investigations are to expose not a record keeping motive... I understand what you are saying, however the only thing controlling most of these victims, isn't a puppet master, rather a need to express a democratic freedom, or granted a partisan belief....most of these deaths are small news office local reporters, working to uncover corruption, acting as police without legal democratic protection, batons or bullets.

[edit on 6-5-2010 by zazzafrazz]

reply to post by zazzafrazz


Outstanding threadwork Zazz, star and flag...

Still, a rather depressing read.

People keep screaming about Orwell's '84, when it is Huxley's brave new world that is the real threat to our liberties...but that is in itself a self fullfulling prophecy; we are not supposed to be aware of the change into that brave new world (order).
As long as we are entertained, we remain happy.

"Am I hard enough?
Am I tough enough?
I don't give a f***
I just wanna live life
and be dumb and happy,
like an American"

I am glad to live in a country where journalism still is concidered an honest and respected profession with high status.
For example I use to give the story about how one of our public service investigative documentary programs managed to make an uncovering and highly critical issue on the management of the very channel it was broadcasted on.
I think that defines free press.
Other than that, we are literally bombarded with documentaries on the injustice in the world...

Yet, does it make any change?

The high scores on viewers choice are still the "Idol" finale or some lottery show... People don't like to worry or bother because of natural resons. "Fun" is much more interesting than "sad".

Maybe it is all counter-productive?
With all these kinds of media outlets, we are fed with so much information that our minds says "enough!".
We know the world is a screwed up place. We know that people suffer for all kinds of unnecessary reasons. We know that our days are numbered...we just don't care anymore.
We've read about it...seen it...heard of it...it's enough.

What have we learned the last 50 or so years?
That it just keep getting worse.
Better turn on Comedy Central and forget about it.

You bring up Russia as an example...
I can hardly imagine a place where investigative journalism would be a more dangerous occupation...except maybe from some former Soivet republics (mainly in Central Asia), but they hardly have journalism as we know it.
Since I've lived in (and often visit) Russia, I know just how bad the situation is there.
The problem is that people don't care. There is actually a rather large part of the population that are pro media censorship.
I'm sorry I have no source to link to, but I read this about a year ago. One woman that was asked about it said that it's better if the media is censored because "there are some things we don't want to know.
Very much the Russian mentality; mind your own business (be it of historical reasons or something else, but that's the way they are in general).

What to do then?
I say let the sheeple watch their Tyra Bank's Show while the rest of us sneak out the back door and into the night...gathering in our underground bars where we share the "real" news.

Subscribe to an alternative newspaper today.

/rambling

Great post, but I don't think journalists themselves are at fault. The editors themselves, however...

Unfortunately in this world when ur trying to get away with something there are these idealists who keep trying to blow your cover. Equally unfortunate is the fact that nothing says "shut up" more effectively than good old fashioned homicide. Freedom of speech/the press? you must be joking. Not even here in the States does that exist for real. There are those in very careful control of information and if theres something theyd rather not be known, they'll plug that leak. much respect to those who bravely take on these evil forces tho. The Truth is an extremely hazzardous occupation.

Unfortunately in this world when ur trying to get away with something there are these idealists who keep trying to blow your cover. Equally unfortunate is the fact that nothing says "shut up" more effectively than good old fashioned homicide. Freedom of speech/the press? you must be joking. Not even here in the States does that exist for real. There are those in very careful control of information and if theres something theyd rather not be known, they'll plug that leak. much respect to those who bravely take on these evil forces tho. The Truth is an extremely hazzardous occupation.

Great thread as always Zazz.

I have a deep rooted respect for investigative journalists. My problem is with the editors in this case.

Those as well as the owners of the publication in question who are warping stories and preventing these hard hitting truths from being printed.

It does strike a cord and I agree that we don't realize how much hard work, or blood was shed to get us the stories that actually do show up on the front page.

It's clear that there is an open and arrogant attack on freedom of press and journalism. We must be the ones to quell this attack.

As you said, be the change you want to see.

A very sobering thread Zazz, thank you.

~Keeper

Investigative journalism has always been a very dangerous profession.

Think back to your average grade school and it's schoolyard politics... nobody likes a tattle-tale. Speaking truth to power (or reporting on their activities) is the quickest way to get yourself noticed and targeted.

We do owe a great debt to all those who have brought us the real stories over the years and there are still some of those people out there.

Unfortunately they are largely marginalized and despised these days (think of people like Greg Palast as a primary example).

Our society "can't handle the truth" because it means actually taking responsibility and doing something about it.

I truly believe that the decline of investigative journalism is in direct correlation to the decline of intellectualism and rationality our society at large... at least in the "western world" of 24 hour "infotainment". Which is the cause and which is the effect? Not sure but it's a vicious circle.

There is a supreme irony in the fact that with 24 hour news channels and the internet people seem less informed today about how the world works than they were a generation ago.

Must be that whole signal to noise ratio.

In an age where everybody and anybody can be a "journalist" or "on the scene reporter" people seem less inclined to actually listen to the message which gets drowned out in the sea of information.

It's quite the paradox.
.

The decline in the quality of media coverage and investigative reportage is perhaps nowhere better shown outside of the United States than here in Australia.
Ever since--oh 2001, coincidentally enough--our media has become increasingly supine, asinine, and recently, bigoted and vacuous. We have a few prime time "news" programs called "Today Tonight" and "A Current Affair", which are nothing more than thinly veiled advertising programs and the outright proliferation of small-minded nonsense and racist screeds by two-bit "journalists" using sensationalist language. The content of these shows is staggering; how the presenters and reporters live with themselves is easily enough understood when you take a look at their pay grades. These people have no aspirations for the telling of truth or challenging of the status quo--which is at base what a free media is all about. They are morons catering to morons.

Even our actual news programs are actively biased, and many ADVERTISE themselves as being "the most technologically advanced" news program on television. I mean, what the hell does that have to do anything?

Our papers--especially The Daily Telegraph, are bastions of utter right-wing nonsense. When the printed media start using religious words like "evil" as a blanket term to avoid explaining the meaning or thinking behind a person's actions and behaviour, a thinking man knows its time to quit reading.

I could go on and on. We DO have one or two programs that maintain a fairly good level of investigative journalism (Dateline, Four Corners, SBS World News), but these are all shown on government funded channels which very few people my age ever watch.

I can trace the decline of media integrity very simply. People are growing so unimaginably selfish, so gadget hungry and fashion-mad, that they want no news of the world outside apart from which Hollywood star is screwing who, or wearing what. The media wants ratings, and so they cater to this idiocy. Promote it, fuel it.

I have given serious thought to studying journalism. Friends and family have often encouraged me in that direction...but I just cannot bring myself to do it after eyeing the scope of the machine I would be writing against. Editors are evil...and must be killed.

Then again...evil prospers when...and so on and so forth.

Terrific thread.

[edit on 9-5-2010 by Milleresque]

Originally posted by Milleresque
our media has become increasingly supine, asinine, and recently, bigoted and vacuous.

I delightfully drool at those fancy words....


What I also would like to add, and I think that the quoted poster above me agrees to full extent, is what ticks me off the most when it comes to both sensationalist media, commercial entertainment and advertisment is that the producers of such utter crap thinks that I am going to fall for it!

That is nothing short of a total INSULT!

They treat us like pure idiots!

Like what Milleresque said about "the most technologically advanced news program"... They talk to us like we're kids!

Man, at least I am glad to say that I stand above these people and their stupid ideas.

Bah!



[edit on 9-5-2010 by Raud]

I do agree, Raud. The only problem is, that while you and I can snort with disgust and hurl abuses at the television (I do everything in my power to avoid it nowadays), there is a section of our wider population that actually DO "fall for it". Otherwise these grotesque mutations passing for news programs would fall by the proverbial way side.
Somebody out there has an active interest in these rubbish stories and mindless hacks, and continue to ply themselves like human glue against the screen; soaking up the ******** with unabashed fascination.
Otherwise, well, Today Tonight is making a tidy profit from their advertisers and can continue pumping this cancerous nonsense out ceaselessly.

I think it is a grand reflection our cultural mind-set as well. This does not bode well for our future.

Originally posted by Milleresque
I think it is a grand reflection our cultural mind-set as well. This does not bode well for our future.

Wholeheartedly agreed.
I have a feeling that this is how an underground resistance is being born.

I'll U2U you as soon as I have bought my personal island.
There will be a deckchair ready for you too.


*sigh*

It's just that...well:

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