The education of war: How covering war impacts journalists' understanding of their mission

مرکز و کتابخانه مطالعات اسلامی به زبان های اروپایی

منو

" The education of war: How covering war impacts journalists' understanding of their mission "
Marilyn Thomsen D. G. Smith

Document Type	:	Latin Dissertation
Language of Document	:	English
Record Number	:	55179
Doc. No	:	TL25133
Call number	:	‭3254344‬
Main Entry	:	Marilyn Thomsen
Title & Author	:	The education of war: How covering war impacts journalists' understanding of their mission\ Marilyn Thomsen
College	:	The Claremont Graduate University
Date	:	2007
Degree	:	Ph.D.
student score	:	2007
Page No	:	231
Abstract	:	This qualitative study examined the experience of journalists who had covered the war in Iraq since March 2003, and how it influenced their understanding of the mission and roles of the journalist. It explored what journalists saw as their mission before and after going into the war zone and how experiencing the reality of war impacted their desire to continue pursuing the mission of journalism and their sense of alignment with the field. Data came primarily from semi-structured interviews complemented by a questionnaire that drew from some of the American Journalist Study questions on journalistic roles and from the Good Work in Journalism project. Participants were 17 journalists who were employed full-time by U.S. media while in Iraq. The sample included subgroups identified as "word people" and "picture people," men and women, those who had earned a degree in journalism and those who had not, and those who had previously experienced a conflict zone and those who had not. Responses were compared by subgroup. Participants as a whole did not feel that covering war had caused a significant change in their views of the journalistic mission. They spoke instead about lessons learned, such as the importance of editors in war coverage, because they can see the bigger picture; the responsibility of the audience to seek multiple perspectives; and the need for moderation so that the journalist can live to tell another story. Interviews probed participants' views on subjects such as objectivity, the value of having teammates with them, challenges of being embedded, and how they coped with fear and emotionally difficult experiences. One of the more significant findings was the number of ethical issues with which they were confronted while covering war. All of the participants expressed a desire to continue a career in journalism. However, after covering war, three took academic fellowships, and one decided to move into a different type of media. Four of the participants experienced upward career mobility after their war experience.
Subject	:	Communication and the arts; Education; Language, literature and linguistics; Iraq War; Journalists; Mission; War; Journalism; Rhetoric; Composition; 0515:Education; 0681:Composition; 0681:Rhetoric; 0391:Journalism
Added Entry	:	D. G. Smith
Added Entry	:	The Claremont Graduate University