#Tip of the day from Journalism.co.uk – guide for reporting conflict

Conflict journalism: Media Helping Media has a useful guide of what to avoid when reporting on conflict and abuse, from not writing in cliches to remembering the human face of suffering. Tipster: Laura Oliver.

To submit a tip to Journalism.co.uk, use this link – we will pay a fiver for the best ones published.

Similar posts:

• #Tip of the day from Journalism.co.uk – reporting evolutionary science
• #Tip of the day from Journalism.co.uk – online tools for reporting politics
• #Tip of the day from Journalism.co.uk – using Google Wave for liveblogging
• #Tip of the day from Journalism.co.uk – ethical guidelines for journalists
• Tip of the day from Journalism.co.uk – building a Twitter community

Reuters runs safety training course for Gaza journalists

Reuters’ Gaza bureau ran a four-day training course this week in recognition of cameraman Fadel Shana, who was killed in the region on 16 April 2008.

Twenty Palestinian journalists received tuition in TV production, with extra training on aspects of safety and ethics in conflict zones, a release from Reuters said.

Sessions on filming and editing ran alongside first aid training, including the treatment of gunshot and blast wounds.

In April 2008, Shana was killed by a shell fired by Israeli soldiers. He was the first Reuters journalist to be killed in Gaza. The cameraman was on his way to cover an incident when his vehicle stopped. On getting out of the vehicle an explosion killed Shana and two bystanders.

A soundman travelling with Shana escaped serious injury.

In August last year the news agency said it was ‘disappointed and dissatisfied’ by an investigation by the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) into Shana’s death, which said soldiers were justified in opening fire on Shana, as they believed his tripod-mounted camera might be a weapon.

Commenting on the training programme, Reuters bureau chief in Israel and Palestinian territories, Alastair Macdonald, said: “Fadel was killed doing a job to which he was dedicated and to which he brought immense talent and promise. To honour his memory and to improve opportunities for young Palestinian journalists who would wish to follow his example, we are delighted to be able to provide this training.”

Similar posts:

• Reuters cameraman killed in Gaza
• Reuters ‘dissatisfied’ by investigation into death of Fadel Shana
• Watch Al Jazeera’s Shooting the Messenger on YouTube
• Spanish judge to travel to Iraq to visit scene of cameraman’s death
• Thai authorities withold full report on death of Reuters cameraman

AP: US military backs down on photography ban on soldier casualties

US military leaders in Afghanistan have reportedly backed down on plans to ban news organisations from photographing or videoing US soldiers killed or injured in battle.

According to the Associated Press (AP), some confusion remains about what images can be captured by reporters embedded with the army in war zones.

The proposed ban came partly in response to the AP’s recent decision to publish images of a fatally wounded marine.

Full story at this link…

Similar posts:

• AP (via Captured Photos): Why the AP published images of a fatally wounded marine
• Journalism Daily: Timetric on data journalism, new book on financial journalism and Northcliffe’s hybrid model
• TheAustralian: ‘Major gap’ in whistleblower legislation
• BBC Radio 4 Today: The Drum explains decision to publish Prince Harry images online
• Manchester Evening News mojo captures Ronaldo crash

AP (via Captured Photos): Why the AP published images of a fatally wounded marine

The Associated Press (AP) has explained its decision last week to publish an image of Lance Corporal Joshua M. Bernard, a US marine fatally wounded in combat in Afghanistan.

According to reports, the soldier’s family did not want the photo in question to be published.

The AP has also confirmed it received a letter from US defence secretary Robert Gates asking the agency not to publish it.

Now the agency has explained its decision – including the following from the AP’s director of photography, Santiago Lyon:

“AP journalists document world events every day. Afghanistan is no exception. We feel it is our journalistic duty to show the reality of the war there, however unpleasant and brutal that sometimes is.”

Full story at this link…

Similar posts:

• AP: Using and verifying citizen journalist photos
• AP: US military backs down on photography ban on soldier casualties
• AFP: Journalists wounded in Aghan bomb attack
• #news2011: Russia Today on raising awareness through its FreeVideo platform
• Social and mainstream media join forces to cover Afghanistan election