Preparatory Meeting
Palais du Luxembourg, Paris
Friday 20th and Saturday 21st April 2001

DEBATE: "Can the Media Serve Peace as Well as Truth?"
Personal Opinions: 1. Paddy Sherman | 2. Annabel McGoldrick

Annabel McGoldrick

2. Personal opinion by Annabel McGoldrick (professional media trainer with http://www.reportingtheworld.org)

DIALOGUE WITH DEVIL'S ADVOCATE

Devil's Advocate: "Peace Journalism? Isn't that a bit of a dodgy label, sounds a bit hippie-ish?”

Annabel McGoldrick:: “There are plenty of alternative names: New Journalism, Post-realist Journalism, Solutions Journalism, Empowerment Journalism, Conflict Analysis Journalism, Change Journalism, Holistic Journalism, Big Picture Journalism, Journalists As Mediators, Open Society Journalism, Development Journalism, Analytical Journalism, Reflective Journalism, Constructive Journalism

Or choose not to name 'it' at all. You could just say 'oh, I used conflict analysis techniques to put this report together.'

You could also think of the methods in this manual as giving a new set of terms for the everyday work of a journalist."

FROM OLD	TO NEW
Role
Watchdog Commentator Independent of issues covered Spectator/observer	Enabler Communicator Independent yet interdependent "in the boat"
Style/Stories
Debate Difference Polemic	Dialogue Common ground and difference Discussion
Approach to journalism
Seeks simplicity Reactive to violent events Event-based reporting "I am objective" Balance = cover both sides equally (quantity)	Explores complexity Strategy to understand/uncover the conflict Process-based reporting "I am fair" Balance = represent both sides stories and perceptions (quality)
Approach to audiences
Bodily damage/gore increases circulation   Newsroom sets agenda Leaders/experts know best Right to know "This is the way journalism is done"	Public participation in problem solving builds audiences/readership Public has role in setting a agenda Ordinary people need to be consulted Right to participate in democratic processes Exploratory and flexible; rooted in values

Table by Dr Lesley Fordred, Department of Anthropology, University of Cape Town, South Africa.

Devil's Advocate: “Sounds like you are telling us not to report violence?”

Annabel McGoldrick:: “No, there is no point in concealing violence. Show it, but show also images and statements which provide an explanation for it other than the violence itself, probably by focusing on how the conflict is affecting people in every day life.”

Devil's Advocate: “Doesn't it mean just reporting 'good news'?”

Annabel McGoldrick:: “No, like all journalism, PJ seeks to report on something new. It just recognises that 'something new' may be brought about by, for instance, people working to promote understanding at the grassroots as much as by leaders negotiating. It is about seeking out change agents for peace, unburdened by the assumption that official sources always know best.”

Devil's Advocate: “At least what you call War Journalism holds leaders to account. It sounds like you are just currying favour with the authorities.”

Annabel McGoldrick:: “There is a difference between PJ and what is called 'Critical Journalism'. PJ says: 'I do not necessarily accept your claims but for the purposes of this exercise let us take them on their merits.' It then examines the demands and position of the speaking authorities to see, equipped with a sophisticated understanding of what is required to make peace, whether they appear as the best way of achieving the stated aims. It can also say 'you're supposed to be the good guys, aren't you ashamed of yourselves?'”

Devil's Advocate: “Your talk about 'equality of esteem for suffering' sounds like emotional journalism!”

Annabel McGoldrick:: “Firstly people's suffering should and does trigger an emotional response in journalists, no less than anyone else. Suppressing that with respect to one party, (even if you don't like them and think they're to blame) leads to bad and biased journalism. There are countless examples. Acknowledging the suffering of all sides is not a substitute for analysing the conflict - it is essential to establishing the real formation or map of the conflict.”

Devil's Advocate: “That must mean every story being half an hour or several thousand words in length!”

Annabel McGoldrick:: “Of course not every piece can give a full explanation of a conflict. What is at stake is the shape of the explanation either given or IMPLIED. After reading a short news report, what do I expect as the next logical step? What do I seek naturally to hear more about? An understanding of how common ground can be built upon through sustainable development – or the next escalation of violence?”

Devils Advocate: “All this talk of the 'grass roots' suggests to me that you are in danger of missing the action, which is where the leaders are.”

Annabel McGoldrick: “It is not 'either/or' but 'both, and'. We have to treat as important the experiences, hopes, fears and grievances of the reading, listening and viewing public. If we do not, who will? And after all, peace agreements cannot make people live together in harmony. As part of society we are as responsible for 'social negotiation' as anyone else, even if it takes a long time.”

Devil's Advocate: “Excuse me, but Peace is not in my job description, I just report the facts.”

Annabel McGoldrick: “Every time you report something you add another layer to the cumulative understanding among newsmakers of how you are likely to respond in future to facts presented, packaged or even created for you to report. All those future facts will therefore contain a residue of decisions you have already made. There is no 'just the facts' – PJ is about taking responsibility for the consequences of our reporting.”

Devil's Advocate: “What you are calling for is just Good Journalism, really.”

Annabel McGoldrick:: “There is plenty of good War Journalism and good critical journalism. We need both. But they offer a distorted picture by routinely missing out certain factors which an understanding of peace studies, conflict analysis and transformation sees as essential.

It is this pattern of omission which is dangerous unless counterbalanced with Peace Journalism. In particular, making peace initiatives visible, a focus on prevention and the need for therapy to overcome trauma and making the conflict transparent, something we can understand by comparing our own lives with those of people affected by it.”

Devil's Advocate: “I think journalists do a pretty good job already in very difficult circumstances. Why give them something else to worry about?”

Annabel McGoldrick: “PJ is a set of tools, not a list of extra tasks. Think of just a couple of the benefits even by the criteria journalists already use to measure their work – for example independence and being proof against manipulation.

The history of conflict coverage is replete with examples of journalists being manipulated because they believed they were 'just reporting the facts'. PJ, by setting down this burden, leads us to apply an equal scrutiny to all sides: 'who wants me to believe this and why?'

In a time of rapidly proliferating media PJ's ability to deliver unusual, different angles is therefore all the more valuable.”