This morning, watching the BBC correspondent in Afghanistan reporting, I thought to myself, who is this guy? What qualifies him to tell me what's happening there? It brought back to mind the stories of reporters flooding in Pakistan in the early 90s, all staying in the Hilton, desparate for a story but without access to any real people, without any depth of knowledge on the situation (3 Cups of Tea, Greg Mortenson). I thought, wouldn't it be better if our news came to us via experts on that area. We can foresake the journalist 'quality' of language for some real insight in my opinion.
Then I came across this article: http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/booksblog/2009/jun/15/fiction-poetry
Perhaps it is not the end of newspapers but the beginning of a new era.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Monday, June 8, 2009
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Turn away now
"Internally displaced people, fleeing a military offensive in the Swat valley, reach for bread ration at the UNHCR (United Nations High Commission for Refugees) Jalozai camp, about 140 km (87 miles) north west of Pakistan's capital Islamabad May 26, 2009.
REUTERS/Ali Imam"
The photo together with the words do little to explain the stories of these people. It is only from reading a recent book about rural pakistani villages that I get a feeling for where these people have come from and how traumatic and devastating this scene is.
Reporters may scribble down notes about their true human stories but I don't think that they fully feel and understand these people. And I think it shows in the photography. In turn, generic images make readers turn away rather than feel drawn to help.
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