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Just Journalism Newsletter 21 August 2009

This Week · Our latest briefing is published: 'Viewpoints: Media access to conflict zones and citizen journalism' addresses how changes in the methods of disseminating information might affect the future of Middle East reporting · Just Journalism convenes a group of experts to discuss how the complexities of international law are addressed by the media   New Briefing Published This week, Just Journalism published 'Viewpoints: Media access to conflict zones and citizen journalism' which looks at the future of conflict reporting in light of events in Iran following the disputed election in June. Everyday citizens utilised their mobile phones and internet connections to convey their message across the globe, resulting in a powerful example of citizen journalism. But what implications do these methods of reporting have for balanced and authentic journalism on the Middle East? We took the views of the following experts:   Tala Dowlatshahi, Senior Advisor for Reporters Without Borders USA Saul Zadka, former London correspondent for Haaretz Denis MacEoin, Chief Editor of Middle East Quarterly and Islamic studies expert Milica Pesic, Executive Director of the London-based Media Diversity Institute Jean Seaton, Professor of Media History at Westminster University and official BBC historian Yaacov Lozowick, Israeli historian and archivist Sanjana Hattotuwa, Senior Researcher at the Sri Lanka-based Centre for Policy Alternatives   Key findings include: · Recent events in Iran do not represent anything new in terms of the behaviour of parties attempting to limit the access of journalists. Other conflict areas raised in this context include Afghanistan, Georgia, Gaza and Sri Lanka · The rise of new technologies is likely to further catalyse existing tensions between journalists and the parties they report on in foreign news · Upholding standards of news reporting when dealing with reports based on Twitter feeds and mobile phone footage is viewed as a challenge. Citizen journalism reports need 'situating' · Concerns are expressed about the reliability of conflict reporting, and explicit connections are drawn between the decision by parties to limit media access, and the perceived hostility of the subsequent reporting Please click here to read the full briefing.   Westminster Roundtable Discussion On Wednesday, Just Journalism convened international law experts, specialists in conflict reporting and relevant correspondents in Westminster for a lunchtime roundtable discussion on how the complexities of international law are addressed in the media. Guest speaker Elizabeth Samson of the Washington-based Hudson Institute gave an introductory address about how the media can affect international law, as well as public perceptions of it. Chaired by Daniel Johnson, Editor of Standpoint, the subsequent discussion examined issues such as how journalists do and should deal with complex legal terms in their output and whether journalists should be focusing on international law at all when reporting conflicts. Participants at the roundtable event included: Jonathan Marcus, Diplomatic Correspondent at the BBC World Service Anthony Borden, Executive Director of Institute for War and Peace Reporting Nick Donovan, Head of Campaigns, Policy and Research at the Aegis Trust Robert McCorquodale, Director of the British Institute of Comparative and International Law Douglas Murray, Director of the Centre for Social Cohesion Jean Seaton, Professor of Media History at Westminster University Jon Silverman, Professor of Media & Criminal Justice at the University of Bedfordshire Ralph Wilde, Reader and Vice Dean for Research at the Faculty of Law at UCL Suzanne Franks, Director of Research, Centre for Journalism, University of Kent Just Journalism looks forward to publishing a full report detailing the findings of the discussion. Click here for a short interim summary of this event.   For more information or to contact us, please visit www.justjournalism.com Just Journalism does not endorse the views and opinions presented in the articles, documentaries and programmes referred to above.