Montana Journalism Review Volume 1 Issue 40 Issue 40, 2011 Article 1 2011 Beyond Our Borders: The future of foreign reporting University of Montana--Missoula. School of Journalism Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarworks.umt.edu/mjr Part of the Journalism Studies Commons Let us know how access to this document benefits ou.y Recommended Citation School of Journalism, University of Montana--Missoula. (2011) "Beyond Our Borders: The future of foreign reporting," Montana Journalism Review: Vol. 1 : Iss. 40 , Article 1. Available at: https://scholarworks.umt.edu/mjr/vol1/iss40/1 This Full Issue is brought to you for free and open access by ScholarWorks at University of Montana. It has been accepted for inclusion in Montana Journalism Review by an authorized editor of ScholarWorks at University of Montana. For more information, please contact [email protected]. School of Journalism: Beyond Our Borders: The future of foreign reporting MONTANA M JOURNALISM RJ REVIEW BEYOND OUR BORDERS The future of foreign reporting THE UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM VOL. 40, SUMMER 2011 Published by ScholarWorks at University of Montana, 2015 1 Montana Journalism Review, Vol. 1 [2015], Iss. 40, Art. 1 https://scholarworks.umt.edu/mjr/vol1/iss40/1 2 School of Journalism: Beyond Our Borders: The future of foreign reporting EDITOR’S NOTE In tribute to American photo- freelancing for Getty Images, and to two an unforgettable series detailing the journalist Chris Hondros, 41, who other extraordinary photojournalists, shooting of an Iraqi family by U.S. died in Misrata, Libya, on April 20 both British citizens, who ventured to troops. Hetherington was a creative after being struck by shrapnel from a the back of the cave. Only one of them genius straining at the bounds of still rocket-propelled grenade, South African returned. Freelancer Tim Hetherington, photography. Two months earlier he photojournalist Nic Bothma wrote on 41, was mortally wounded in the same attended the Academy Awards as a the Committee to Protect Journalists’ attack in Libya that killed Hondros. nominated director of the Afghanistan website: “It is said that photographers Giles Duley, 39, lost three limbs to war documentary “Restrepo.” are the ones that go to the back of a cave an explosive device on Feb. 7, while Duley, who started out as a fashion with a torch and return to tell the rest embedded with the U.S. Army in photographer, followed his heart to of the tribe what is there. If not for your Afghanistan. humanitarian photography for Doctors bravery, your willingness to venture All three were at the top of their Without Borders and the United Nations to the depths of these caves, and your game. All had, as one commenter to and had been widely published. relentless pursuit of the truth and reality the New York Times’ Lens blog said, Hondo and Hetherington were of war, so many would never see its “the eye of an artist, the responsibility among 16 journalists killed so far in wretched face. In bringing these images of a journalist, and the raw courage of 2011, 12 in their home countries, 10 in to the minds of people around the an infantryman.” Hondros was a 2004 North Africa and the Middle East. All world you made a difference, expanded Pulitzer Prize finalist for “his powerful gave their lives to illustrate, as one man awareness, and brought about change.” and courageous coverage of the bloody on Duley’s blog said, “the unity, tragedy The staff of Montana Journalism upheaval in Liberia” and won the 2005 and potential of the human condition.” Review 2011 dedicates this issue on Robert Capa Gold Medal from the We at MJR stand in awe of their foreign reporting to Hondros, who was Overseas Press Club of America for courage and sacrifice. –Clem Work www.mjrmag.com Published by ScholarWorks at University of Montana, 2015 3 Montana Journalism Review, Vol. 1 [2015], Iss. 40, Art. 1 contents 4 8 16 features 4 Freelancing: the bottom line by Karen J. Coates 8 In Cairo by Andrew Burton 11 Mehrdad Kia on foreign reporting by Lindsey Galipeau 12 Advantages of being a female foreign correspondent by Gwen Florio 15 The risks of being a female foreign correspondent by Ann Fleischli 16 Embedded reporting: asset or liability? by Daniel West 20 A drowning rice bowl by Kevin Radley 22 The world of Al-Jazeera English by Roman Stubbs 24 Anonymous in Burma by Timothy Chase 27 Risky business by Neil Livingstone Cover photo by Andrew Burton Montana Journalism Review | Beyond Our Borders https://scholarworks.umt.edu/mjr/vol1/iss40/1 4 School of Journalism: Beyond Our Borders: The future of foreign reporting 20 24 36 features 30 From quarterbacks to quakes by Dave Kindred 31 Against the wall: reporting on China by Kathy McLaughlin 33 Lessons on foreign reporting: Marcus Brauchli by Joe Pavlish 35 Pack your bags and go by Henriette LÖwisch 36 Beyond conflict: reporting in occupied Palestine by Brendan Work 39 The Pearl Project by Colette Maddock 41 Practicing journalism in a smaller, riskier world by Frank Smyth 43 Revolutions and citizen journalism by Mark Fonseca Rendeiro 48 Kill switches threaten Internet, foreign reporting by Garrett Browne Inside back cover Table of contents for more articles online www.mjrmag.com Published by ScholarWorks at University of Montana, 2015 5 Montana Journalism Review, Vol. 1 [2015], Iss. 40, Art. 1 4 Montana Journalism Review | Beyond Our Borders https://scholarworks.umt.edu/mjr/vol1/iss40/1 6 School of Journalism: Beyond Our Borders: The future of foreign reporting | BY KAREN J. COATES | PHOTOS BY JERRY REDFERN | Freelancing: the bottom line Americans don’t like to talk money, but we journalists must I’m writing this story for so-called church-state wall has been one of travel budgets. And freelancers often of 20th-century pro journalism’s cardinal look more toward grants, foundations free. I want to get that out of flaws.” and nongovernmental organizations the way, right up front, because Normally this time of year, my (NGOs) to pay their way. When all those the bottom line these days is the photojournalist husband, Jerry Redfern fail, they quit or go commercial. (also a UM grad), and I are sweating “Today, how we divide our time top anxiety for any freelance our way through an Asian jungle, trying and do our work and get paid for it has journalist. to dredge up stories for anyone who virtually no connection to how things wants them. I am lucky to take a hiatus worked for those who started out a mericans don’t like to talk this year, on a well-paid Scripps Fellow- decade or two before us,” freelance money, but we journalists must. ship in Environmental Journalism at photographer Justin Mott writes for It’s not that we’re cheap, greedy the University of Colorado. The other Nieman Reports. He moved to Hanoi Aor pernicious. We need to eat. And we’re day, as I worked on campus, I overheard in 2007 with dreams of flying high on a slogging through a complete overhaul a conversation between two students newspaper’s dime. He snatched a few of of this industry as we know it: dying discussing fundraising ideas for a couple those gigs, shooting for The New York papers (35,000 layoffs since 2007), dead of start-up projects they and their peers Times across Asia in 2008. “By the next magazines (428 lost in 2009; including had in mind. I had a major “duh” mo- year news organizations’ budgets dried my former employer, Gourmet) and ment. I realized, clearly, how much I had up; no longer was I traveling for the blogs that ask our time and words for missed in college by missing business Times or anyone else.” nothing but exposure. Freelancers can’t entirely. He hasn’t resigned, but he’s branched afford to write for free—unless personal Let’s say you’re graduating from into bread-and-butter commercial interests compel us to tell a story that J-School soon and you want to write photography that funds the long-term must be told. from foreign lands. Everyone wants to journalistic projects he really wants to After all, that is what drives most of tie a scarf around the head, hail a tuk- do. “It was time to readjust my plans as a us into this business. But it is a business. tuk and breeze through the choked-up photographer and to market myself as a And the trouble is, most of us J-School streets of someplace exotic, right? I’ve business.” grads got here learning how to interview, done it for a dozen years, and I think The one business concept I did report the news, check our facts and anyone who wants to start doing it—and learn at an early age was “don’t put all decide between further and farther— keep doing it successfully—must begin your eggs in one basket.” For several with not a whit of business know-how to with a few key questions: years, Jerry and I survived on semi- back us up. regular checks from a few dependable, The traditional “separation of church How do I get paid? traditional sources (Gourmet at the and state” between the news side and top of that list.) But take a look at the the advertising side is responsible for It’s the toughest, most pivotal diversity in a sampling of our 2010 much of this knowledge hole, writes Dan question whose answer often drives pay stubs: Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Gillmore in his new book, “Mediactive.” freelancers away.