Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism: Alumni News

The Impact of Censorship on the Development of the Private Press Industry in Myanmar/ Burma

Mon, 14 May 2012 12:23:00 +0100

Kyaw Thu, a journalist from Myanmar/Burma, has written a path-breaking study on how a long history of censorship of the media in his country has affected the nature and quality of the print media and the economic prospects of the industry. In his research, entitled ‘The Impact of Censorship on the Development of the Private Press Industry in Myanmar/Burma’, Kyaw draws on unprecedented access to nearly 80 journalists and several publishers to give a remarkable snap-shot of the press in his country.

Kyaw first sets out the history of the press in Myanmar/Burma, reminding the reader of the extraordinary measures the previous military government followed in its use of the Orwellian censorship board known as the Press Scrutiny and Registration Division (PSRD) in order to pre-censor a whole range of sensitive issues. The PSRD procedure requires all the weekly newspapers to submit two-thirds of the draft copy to the board two to three days in advance. Little wonder then that Reporters Without Borders in 2010 put Myanmar at 174 out of 178 countries in its annual Press Freedom Index.

Based on questionnaires and interviews, Kyaw shows the devastating impact that censorship has had on the quality of journalism in his country and on the profitability of the newspaper industry. Editors said that about 30-40 per cent of stories were rejected by the censorship board every week. A majority of the journalists said the censorship policy not only blocked the flow of information to the public, but also destroyed the impartiality of the news and articles.

But there are grounds for optimism. Since the civilian government led by President U Thein Sein came to power in March 2011, the censorship board has been relaxing its policies. Publishers and media executives said the circulation of news-focused journals jumped by 30% to 50% as a consequence of the relaxing of censorship and the permission to publish pictures of Nobel Peace prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi and her activities.

But Kyaw is cautious about the future. He writes,

Due to the flow of new investment in the media sector soon after the civilian government was sworn in, we can already see fierce competition between old and new media companies to control the market within the next few years. As in the former communist countries in Eastern Europe, liberalization of the media market could favour wealthy individuals or groups controlling the media market in Myanmar in the future.

The Death of Osama bin Laden: Global TV News and Journalistic Detachment

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 11:33:00 +0000

Richard Lawson, an editor and producer at the BBC World Service, has written a compelling and timely study, investigating the way BBC World News, Al Jazeera English and CNN International covered Osama bin Laden's death in May 2011.

He begins ‘The Death of Osama bin Laden: Global TV News and Journalistic Detachment’ by exploring the long-running debate around impartiality and objectivity.  He insists that journalistic detachment should remain a vital part of journalism in the 21st century, however paradoxical and difficult it often is.

He then uses the coverage of bin Laden's death to examine what impartiality and objectivity actually mean in practice.  He analyses the present state of BBC World News, Al Jazeera and CNN International in considerable depth, and he deploys a mixture of content analysis, close reading of the three channels’ output, and interviews with journalists to examine how journalistic detachment interacts with other factors in TV news -- funding, audiences, and each news organisation's structure and culture.

His conclusion is that all three of these channels oscillate between genuinely global perspectives, and much more national or regional ones.  His research raises vital questions about what impartiality and objectivity ought to mean in an age of globalisation, whether 21st-century audiences want localised or international forms of journalism, and the strategic challenges currently facing global TV news.

Call for applications from Lebanon, Palestine and Syria for the new Said-Asfari Fellowships for Journalists

Thu, 15 Mar 2012 12:05:00 +0000

The RISJ is pleased to announce the creation of a new Said-Asfari Fellowship jointly sponsored by the Asfari Foundation and the Said Foundation.

This gives a unique opportunity for journalists from Lebanon, Palestine and Syria (resident in the Levant region or Egypt) to benefit from a funded fellowship at the University of Oxford.

The Said-Asfari journalist fellow will spend two terms (six months) in Oxford based at the Reuters Institute, where they join a diverse group of journalists from other parts of the world. The fellows attend regular seminars each week and occasional special lectures relating to journalism, and they are encouraged to attend other academic and social events at Oxford University. During their stay in the UK arrangements are also made for the fellows to visit several major media organisations such as Thomson Reuters and the BBC.

In addition, the fellows undertake a study project on a topic of their choice, leading to the completion of a 5,000-8,000 word paper at the end of their stay. Each fellow is assigned an academic advisor; usually an Oxford academic specialising in the Said-Asfari Fellow’s chosen area, for the purpose of this project. There is a minimum requirement of 5 years’ professional journalistic experience, but exceptional applicants who do not meet this requirement may be considered. All Institute and University/College fees will be paid by the Fellowship, and the fellows will also receive their travel costs and a modest stipend to cover housing and living expenses. The Journalism Fellowship Programme at the Reuters Institute supports talented mid-career journalists from around the world whose professional work would be enhanced by a period of reflection, research and intellectual exchange with other journalists in Oxford. The Fellowship Programme has run for 28 years and has a network of 500 alumni from 89 countries. Closing date for applications: 25th April 2012 at noon Click here for more information on how to apply for fellowships commencing October 2012.

The Nine Commandments for Newspapers on Tablet Devices

Mon, 05 Mar 2012 09:30:00 +0000

Jussi Ahlroth, a social and digital media producer at the Finnish Helsingin Sanomat newspaper, has written one of the most comprehensive analyses yet published on the much-discussed iPad, and its potential to help the ailing newspaper industry.

In his paper called, ‘The Nine Commandments for Newspapers on Tablet Devices’, Jussi gives the fascinating results of his extensive interviews with editors, developers, designers, programmers, academics, CEOs of technology start-ups, and particularly representatives of the tablet editions at The Washington Post, The Times, the Financial Times and Helsingin Sanomat. Jussi is optimistic that tablet devices are the best bet on a digital future for newspapers , as they are ‘the most likely interface to supplant print from the highest throne of newspaper distribution methods’. And if they become ‘post-pc-devices’, as Apple has branded its iPad, and replace laptop and desktop computers for the non-professional middle class audience, he argues that the potential for tablet penetration to explode massively in the next few years could definitely become a reality. However, Jussi focuses most of his analysis on the User Interface (UI) and design-related issues rather than the economics of tablet devices, largely because he believes ‘UI and design are the key areas where we need strong innovation and openness to learn’. Amongst his many conclusions are that ‘the interface can, and should, become a part of the brand. As we learn about digital interfaces we can build applications that are their own breed of creature, not a version of print or a website, but ones that naturally support and make use of rich media when necessary'. And above all he stresses, ‘the great unbundling of news products means that there should not be only one application for one newspaper, but several. What is needed first is a lean news-driven real-time updated and truly mobile application. The second stream of development should involve newspapers putting resources into designing ‘arthouse’ special editions with rich media. This is vitally important for purposes of better understanding what these devices are, how to build UI and design for tablets and to give tablet users the wow-effect they want from their new devices.’

Former fellow wins prestigious Ramnath Goenka Award for Excellence in Journalism

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 10:53:00 +0000

Arijit Sen, a former Reuters fellow 2010-11 and a broadcast journalist with CNN-IBN has been awarded India's prestigious Ramnath Goenka Award for Excellence in Journalism for the second successive year. Arijit won the Best Broadcast Reporter in the category Reporting from J&K and Northeast. The prize was given by India's vice-President Honb'le Hamid Ansari. Arijit was given the award for his report on fake/extrajudicial killings in Manipur, a state in Northeastern India and the plight of people caught between rebels and the state.

Does the watchdog bark? The European Union, the Greek debt crisis, and the press

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 10:07:00 +0000

Cristina Marconi, an Italian print journalist who has worked out of Brussels since 2006, has turned her forensic attention to the role that the press in Europe has played, or has failed to play, in holding EU institutions to account. In her study, ‘Does the watchdog bark? The European Union, the Greek debt crisis, and the press’, Cristina takes as her starting point the view that two ‘elephants in the room’ – the fault lines in the Greek economy and the lack of credible economic governance of the single EU currency - had not been noticed for many years, despite the huge amount of press coverage that the EU receives. She also argues that since the beginning of the Greek debt crisis, ‘for the first time, the communitarian ideal has been eclipsed by a race to appease the markets, focusing on the need for an urgent response to the crisis, and not on the quality of EU intervention. And, surprisingly, what has been lacking is a call for more accountability on the part of the European institutions themselves.’Cristina first tries to ‘psychoanalyse’ the attitudes of three countries during the crisis by discussing what was written in their newspapers from the end of 2009 to May 2010. She describes Italy as ‘epitomising the traditional continental pro-European point of view’, France where the coverage has been particularly good although now it often 'focuses on competition with Germany'; and the UK which has a ‘less dogmatic point of view on European affairs’. She interviews a range of Brussels-based correspondents writing for prominent newspapers, including La Repubblica, Il Sole-24 Ore, Le Monde, Libération, the Financial Times, Daily Telegraph and The Economist. The context is that ‘the debt crisis is forcing the press to express an infinite series of extremely technical and often byzantine policies that directly affect to an unprecedented scale the lives of EU citizens’.Cristina has a bold conclusion. She writes that

if the EU is going to survive, it has to change its shape and become much more transparent and closer to its citizens <….> through a genuine demonstration of its willingness to act in a transparent way.

She argues that this can only happen ‘if the press gets rid of its prejudices – first of all the uncritical ones – and starts questioning in a tougher way the behaviour of the EU institutions. EU reporting has to enter a new phase <…> where some more fundamental questions are raised irrespective of the received wisdom on Europe, both on the Eurosceptic and on the Europhile side. The national bias <…> has to leave some space to the scrutiny of the EU itself.

A reporting disaster? The interdependence of media and aid agencies in a competitive compassion market

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 11:18:00 +0000

Monika Kalcsics, a freelance radio journalist and producer for the Austrian broadcaster ORF who has also worked as an emergency aid worker for the Caritas network, has chosen to examine the often fraught relationship between the NGO world and the media. In her paper, A reporting disaster? The interdependence of media and aid agencies in a competitive compassion market, Monika aims to address several key questions about the changing nature of the relationship, including whether the public is getting ethical information when reporters and aid workers are so dependent on each other in a disaster zone. Monika bases her research on her own experience in the field and the available literature, but also on a series of illuminating interviews with journalists and communication managers working for aid agencies. She shows how the relationship feeds a content-hungry disaster news market, with the role of NGOs increasingly that of citizen journalists. She also examines how journalists are increasingly immersed in the field with the help of an NGO – a practice known as “beneficent embedding”. She then discusses the consequences of the relationship between media and NGOs for ethical reporting. Are we getting ethical content from aid agencies and the media? Can the whole story be told? If not, why not? What are the concerns of reporters and aid workers?

Monika believes that disaster reporting will be more essential than ever in the future, because disasters have consequences in an interconnected world. ‘The internet has shrunk the world’, she writes.

We now see pictures of despair instantly, through diverse communication technologies, and hear unmediated voices from chaotic situations. People travel more these days and may well have experience of countries in which disasters unfold. And there will in future be more disputes over vital resources we all share, such as water, food, oil and habitable land.

She concludes that with the changing nature of reporting these disasters, and the changing relationship between NGOs and the media, complex issues arise. She argues that aid agencies and the media can fulfil their role as a source of information and deliverer of content, but only if they incorporate into their work the concepts of accuracy, sincerity and hospitality. ‘These three standards can serve as a base to transport ethical information from a disaster area.’

The Ordinary Reader in the History of Business Newspapers: A misunderstanding

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:28:00 +0000

Iuliana Roibu, a Romanian business journalist working for BUSINESS Magazin in Bucharest, has written an engaging study on the role of the business print media in informing the general citizen. In her paper entitled, The Ordinary Reader in the History of Business Newspapers: A misunderstanding, Iuliana addresses the key question of how journalists can provide accessible and accurate financial information to both their general readers and a specialised audience.In a detailed examination of the Romanian and British media, Iuliana aimed to address a number of research questions, including how the business and non-specialist media in the two countries managed to cover and explain the recent financial crisis; what impact will new media, tablets or the democratization of once exclusivist information have on economic news; and what are the trends to be expected in the business press in the future.Based on interviews with leading British and international journalists and experts, Iuliana includes a list of ten rules for writing financial news, so that the general reader can understand it. They include recommendations for ‘simplicity of language’, ‘understand first, then report’, ‘Involve people. Just presenting figures is uninteresting’ and ‘Do not assume that the readers already know anything. Every story’s background can be explained in 20 words.’ She also exhorts editors to include the business news among the general news.

She also reminds journalists to talk to the new generation. She writes that ‘it is extremely important to target the youngsters, to show them the importance of economics in their everyday lives, to explain to them the phenomena and to try to transform them into those intelligent readers who are sought by worldwide editors.’

Iuliana concludes that readers and viewers are more interested in economic and business news because it is affecting their lives more. And she is hopeful that business journalists can follow their main role of providing answers to the readers’ most important questions, whether they are specialised or of general interest.

Marginal on the Map: Hidden wars and hidden media in northeast India

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 17:26:00 +0000

Arijit Sen, an Indian television journalist working for CNN-IBN, has written a provocative study on the media coverage of the various conflicts in the north-eastern region of his country which is designed to explain and challenge the lack of reporting of the area. In his research paper, '', Arijit exposes what he calls 'the veil of selective silence' by the mainstream, urban-based media.

In a powerful indictment, Arijit writes that

often, the coverage of the Northeast remains trapped in stereotypes. With its conflicts, its tribes and its underdevelopment, this is India’s area of darkness, an area of little interest to the media and to those responsible for governance and more generally in the greater cultural space of the country. In metropolitan India, the dominant image of the Northeast still remains that of a wild frontier.

To illustrate his case, Arijit points to the sharp difference in the amount of coverage given to the conflict in Kashmir (a lot) compared to the various conflicts in the North East (sporadic). This is surprising when a larger number of civilians have been killed in the North East (1,772) than in Kashmir (1,139) in the last five years (2005-January 2011).

So what explains the lack of interest? Mostly the tyranny of access under the guise of tyranny of distance, Arijit argues. He says social media may help in the long-term, but the complexities of the region mean citizen journalists are faced with a difficult task. He writes that 'In the course of my travels in the Northeast, several people, especially in Manipur, spoke against the idea of citizen reporters. Their big concern is that there are sharp ethnic and political lines that could turn it into loose-cannon journalism.'

Airjit has several years' experience reporting from the region, and his main recommendation to improve coverage is for media workshops to take place that train reporters or encourage them to travel and report the conflicts in the North East. He also argues in favour of a strong local journalists’ body that extends support to underpaid journalists, and looks into their working conditions.

The post-journalist’s toolbox – trends in digital storytelling

Wed, 04 Jan 2012 12:26:00 +0000

Beyond the much feared crisis of information, we are actually witnessing the appearance of a great number of initiatives and projects which attempt to keep last century’s journalism values alive (though with many economic contradictions). Any journalist, even in the science field, who is interested in communicating in an innovative way can rely on a set of instruments – from the timeline to live coverage, passing through fact-checking – which can change the reporter-reader relation. Read former Fellow Nico Bruno's article in the Journal of Science Communication: N. Bruno, The post-journalist’s toolbox – Trends in digital storytelling, Jcom 10(04)(2011) C03