
Where do the reporters in Haiti get their food and shelter? - robg
http://www.slate.com/id/2241947/?from=rss
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ilamont
The slate piece kind of echoes the old Sam Kinison bit about TV coverage of
natural disasters, famine, etc. "Couldn't the cameraman just give the kid a
sandwich?" but there are some complex issues at play. Media coverage of
disasters enables the world at large to understand what's going on and act in
order to help those affected. How many readers have donated money in the past
week to Haiti relief? By comparison, how many donated money in the wake of
Cyclone Nargis, which killed upwards of 140,000 people in Burma in May 2008,
but received far less global media coverage, owing to press resitrctions in
the country?

One other thing to consider about the press coverage of Haiti, and other
disasters: The stress on the journalists covering death and destruction can
actually trigger PTSD. The Nieman report just had an entire issue devoted to
stress and other issues experienced by journalists covering traumatic events
or interviewing the victims of disasters and crimes. You can see it at
<http://www.nieman.harvard.edu/reportsitem.aspx?id=101958> but be forewarned,
some of the content is disturbing.

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edd
I remember thinking during the first report to come out of Haiti how did the
reporters get in there when you just showed us a video of British rescue teams
stuck at a near-by airport who have spent the day failing at getting in.

~~~
goatforce5
After the Port Arthur Massacre in Tasmania, it turned out a number of
journalists lied to airline staff, saying that they were relatives of some of
the recently deceased so that they could get a seat on some of the limited
number of flights heading from mainland Australia to Tasmania.

This was exposed by a news programme, Media Watch, and (anecdotally, at least)
led to the Australian airlines requiring official proof of death/illness
before trying to find last-minute seats for the relatives of dead or dying
people.

~~~
whatusername
Really? I never knew that. (I was in Grade 6 when Port Arthur happened I
guess). I love media watch. Great show.

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kierank
There's someone recording raw footage straight from the satellite feeds to the
news station and putting it on Youtube. Really interesting to see it raw:

<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQMjCzyZ_jw>

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sophacles
My sister is on USS Bataan -- there are many reporters who hitched a ride on
that ship. Apparently they are hogging the internet connection so I don't get
nearly as many "inside scoop" updates as I would like.

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gsmaverick
Those reporters are taking up valuable resources that could be used to save
people. Just imagine the money news organizations spend to have their
contingent down there. That money would go much farther if used to fund rescue
& recovery activities.

~~~
jrwoodruff
Just imagine if no reporters were there to inform the rest of the world of the
disaster and bring the scale of destruction home. How much aid and money would
be available to Haiti then?

~~~
InclinedPlane
Probably about the same amount. The aid and money started flowing before the
first reporter set foot on Haiti.

How many reporters do we need to tell us the same stories about Haiti? How
many reporters in Haiti right now are actually reporting legitimately
worthwhile stories and how many are taking part in filming disaster porn where
Haiti is nothing more than a stunning visual backdrop for their hackneyed
monologues?

~~~
almost
I think you underestimate the fickleness of the general public. It probably
wouldn't take more than a sex scandal to wipe all awareness of this from the
public consciousness.

~~~
InclinedPlane
I think you may be confusing the public consciousness with mainstream TV news
coverage. A lot of things, even important things, happen in the world without
being covered by the news media.

~~~
almost
And the public by and large ignores them, which was my point.

