Westminsterresearch Revamping Journalism in the Midst of a Conflict
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WestminsterResearch http://www.westminster.ac.uk/westminsterresearch Revamping journalism in the midst of a conflict? Mapping the world of local war journalists Zarate-Valderrama, Y. This is an electronic version of a PhD thesis awarded by the University of Westminster. © Yennue Zarate-Valderrama, 2016. The WestminsterResearch online digital archive at the University of Westminster aims to make the research output of the University available to a wider audience. Copyright and Moral Rights remain with the authors and/or copyright owners. Whilst further distribution of specific materials from within this archive is forbidden, you may freely distribute the URL of WestminsterResearch: ((http://westminsterresearch.wmin.ac.uk/). In case of abuse or copyright appearing without permission e-mail [email protected] REVAMPING JOURNALISM IN THE MIDST OF A CONFLICT? MAPPING THE WORLD OF LOCAL WAR JOURNALISTS Y. ZÁRATE VALDERRAMA PhD 2016 1 REVAMPING JOURNALISM IN THE MIDST OF A CONFLICT? MAPPING THE WORLD OF LOCAL WAR JOURNALISTS YENNUÉ ZÁRATE VALDERRAMA A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the University of Westminster for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy May 2016 Communication and Media Research Institute (CAMRI) School of Media, Arts and Design (MAD) University of Westminster Director of Studies: Dr. Anthony McNicholas IV ABSTRACT Revamping journalism in the midst of a conflict is a research into the world of conflict local journalists’ praxis and rationale reporting on ‘their’ war. By using Colombia as a case study—the oldest conflict in Latin America, interwoven with drug trafficking, guerrillas and paramilitary groups—this project examines six dimensions of journalism: historical context, censorship as a barrier to providing balanced news, war journalist education, professional ethos, the hierarchy of reporters, and the construction of a concept of ‘responsible’ journalism that answers their informational, societal and professional needs. Academic discussions of journalism and war have centred on international correspondents—from the ‘West’—and international wars; however, there is little ethnographic research on professional practices of local journalists covering war or conflict, particularly from the Global South. Therein lies one of the challenges of this study: to observe and closely examine these dynamics and to offer a new analysis of unseen reporters from the periphery, helping to decentralise journalism studies. In a country with political unrest and a violent conflict, such as Colombia, reporting on the conflict is a difficult task, above all for local reporters and journalists. The importance of this case study is that it allows us to analyse a phenomenon with unique characteristics that questions traditional concepts of war reporting, thus allowing us to understand journalists’ professionalism as they work to improve their practise, as agreed upon in their ‘interpretative communities’ and professional conflict-specialised guilds. This understanding sheds light onto the important role they play in society in the midst of war. The research concludes with a broader discussion of the role of the journalist in conflicts, focusing on the Global South and countries with weak democratic states and particularly on journalists covering conflict in their own countries. By addressing the flaws, limitations and successful constructions of journalism in conflict, we can develop tools to be used in any context of intricate war and weak democracy. I TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT............................................................................................................I TABLE OF CONTENTS......................................................................................II LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES...................................................................VI LIST OF ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATION.............................................VII ACKNOWLEDGMENTS...................................................................................IX DECLARATION OF AUTHORSHIP.................................................................XI MAP OF COLOMBIA.......................................................................................XII INTRODUCTION: WHY DOES RESEARCHING LOCAL WAR JOURNALISTS MATTER?............................................................................1 CHAPTER I JOURNALISM STUDIES IN WAR: REPORTING FROM THE DANGER ZONES....................................................................6 1.1 News from the Frontline: the rise of War Reporting.......................................8 1.2 Journalists in War: Habitus, Fact-centred, Heroes, Whistle-blowers or Watchdogs?...............................................................................................10 1.3 Theories and Wartime News..........................................................................15 1.4 Bourdieu’s Field Theory and the Journalistic (Sub)field...............................18 1.5 Journalistic Professionalism in War...............................................................21 1.6 Reporting War and Peace...............................................................................24 1.7 Information Warfare.......................................................................................25 1.8 Journalists as Activists: Can Non-Governmental Organizations do Journalism?.....................................................................................................27 1.9 Accuracy: Telling the Truth about War?.......................................................29 1.10 Objectivity, Ethics and News Values during Wartime................................31 1.11 The Evolution of Journalism and the Return to its Origins.........................35 1.12 Dissatisfaction of Journalism in Conflict: Journalism of Attachment.........36 1.13 War and Peace Journalism...........................................................................38 1.14 The Peace Journalism Paradigm..................................................................39 1.15 Peace Journalism Controversy: Critiques and Beyond................................41 1.16 Studying Local Journalists: De-Westernizing Journalism Studies..............47 1.17 Discussion....................................................................................................51 CHAPTER II LITERATURE REVIEW CASE STUDY: MAPPING COLOMBIA AND ITS INTERNAL CONFLICT..................................53 2.1 Understanding the Violence and Conflict in Colombia.................................53 2.2 Why is Colombia Important? Understanding the Violence and Conflict......55 2.3 Untangling the current Colombian conflict: four interwoven actors.............58 2.3.1 The Guerrillas.......................................................................................59 2.3.2 Paramilitaries........................................................................................62 2.3.3 Drug Traffic..........................................................................................66 2.3.4 Government and Peace Negotiations....................................................67 2.4 Mapping Colombian Violence.......................................................................70 2.4.1 Violence as a Cultural and Historical Phenomenon..............................70 2.4.2 Consequences of the Pervasiveness of Violence in Everyday Life.......73 2.4.3 The Colombian Violentología...............................................................74 2.5 Violence, Journalism and Conflict in Colombia............................................77 2.5.1 Perspectives from Outside: Colombia is a Distant Country in the Global News Agenda..................................................................79 II 2.5.2 Conceptualising Press in Violence........................................................81 2.6 Mapping the History of Colombian Journalism and Politics........................84 2.6.1 El Espectador........................................................................................87 2.6.2 El Tiempo..............................................................................................90 2.6.3 El Colombiano......................................................................................92 2.6.4 Information and Journalism: Reporting on their Conflict.....................93 2.7 Genesis and Development of Colombian ‘Responsible Journalism’............95 2.7.1 Early Debates and Reflections..............................................................95 CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY AND RESEARCH DESIGN.......98 3.1 Research Design: The Qualitative Approach to Journalism..........................98 3.2 Selecting the Study Objects and Context: Discovering the World of Local Conflict Journalists........................................................................101 3.3 Qualitative Research: Ethnography of Local Journalists.............................102 3.4 Characteristics of the Sample.......................................................................103 3.5 Qualitative In-depth Interviews and Analysis..............................................104 3.6 Mapping and Entering the Field...................................................................106 3.7 Ethical Considerations.................................................................................108 3.7.1 The Researcher as Sojourner...............................................................109 3.8 Research Sample: The Snowball Technique................................................112