Issue 24 March 2006 NaturalSelections A NEWSLETTER OF THE ROCKEFELLER UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY NEWSABLE ILEANA M. CRISTEA According to the latest (October 2005) rank- Th e rwb index ranked the us as 7th in while managing quite successfully to infl u- ing of countries in terms of their freedom 2002, 3st in 2003 (with additional criticism ence us. We form subjective views about what of press, the us has dropped to 44th place, raised for us actions beyond its borders, is interesting, fashionable, acceptable and behind Benin, Namibia, South Africa, Bos- such as the us military’s responsibility for not acceptable in the world today. Th is indis- nia and Herzegovina, Mali, Costa Rica, and the death of several reporters during the war criminate absorption of information at hand Macedonia, to name just a few. First place has in Iraq), and 22nd in 2004. Th e us drop of has become a big component of our lives. It is been shared consistently for the last few years more than 20 places in the 2005 ranking is then important to have a look at the choice of by Finland, Iceland, Norway, and the Nether- partly the result of the imprisonment of Th e information that is being delivered to us. lands, with the addition last year of Ireland, New York Times reporter Judith Miller and Television has become one of the most Iceland, Denmark, and Switzerland. Th e obvious questions that arise are how these scores are being calculated and what their true worth is. Th e United Nations Uni- versal Declaration of Human Rights states “Everyone has the right to freedom of opin- ion and expression; this right includes free- dom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive, and impart informa- tion and ideas through any media regard- less of frontiers.” Freedom of the press is the the implications for the ability of journalists powerful instruments of communication, guarantee by a government of free public to protect the confi dentiality of sources. reaching approximately 0.2 million house- press for its citizens and their associations, Another organization, the Freedom holds in the us. Yet, how is this instrument extended to members of the news-gathering House2, takes a more general approach in used to inform and inspire the public? Th e organizations and their published reporting. their assessment of the freedom of the press television news is rich in trivial stories, de- Th e freedom of the press around the world by focusing on a country’s political and eco- signed to reach us merely on a sentimental is assessed annually by international non- nomical environments to determine wheth- level. Indeed, Donald Zec wittily described governmental organizations. In 2002, the er there is a relationship of dependence that the elements of popular journalism as “sex, Reporters Without Borders (rwb) organi- limits in practice the level of the freedom of heroism, drama and pet-worship”3. It sur- zation published the fi rst worldwide press the press that might exist in theory. prises me to see that many of these stories freedom index. rwb ranks countries by as- Th e freedom of the press may be limited seem to be increasingly focused on bringing sessing the number of journalists murdered, by constraints dominated by the interference out trivial negative aspects of everyday life expelled or harassed, the existence of a state of politics and governmental interests. But and faults of society, but in such a way that or tv and radio monopoly, the possible ex- how well is that freedom of press ultimately these become the normal and expected facts istence of censorship and self-censorship in used by journalists and the public? What are of living. For example, on the local television the media, the diffi culties faced by foreign the criteria for choosing the covered news, news, we are made familiar on a daily basis reporters, and other aspects of the overall in- and why does some news receive more em- with New York crimes, bad mothers, fathers, dependence of the media. Continuing their phasis than others? As journalist Andrew sons and daughters, almost advertising the fi ght for worldwide freedom of the press, the Marr states in his book My Trade, “‘news’ is awkward characters of our kind and encour- rwb representative in Washington, Lucie not ‘facts’. News is based on facts.” So, what aging a continuous state of fear. However, Morillo, testifi ed on February 5, 2006 before ‘facts’ are then chosen to be made into ‘news’? there is considerably less attention paid to the the us House of Representatives Committee Th is is an important question considering the remarkable cultural events that New York is for International Relations and Humanitar- power of the news over the public. Th rough famous for. Th ere is a scarcity of proper ad- ian Aff airs. During this hearing, the major television, radio, newspapers, and the con- vertisements for special concerts at Carnegie us Internet companies, such as Yahoo, Mi- tinuously growing Internet, journalism has Hall or Lincoln Center, of museum exhibi- crosoft , Google, and Cisco Systems were re- clearly become an important part our ev- tions, or other events that we should be happy quired to explain their collaborations with eryday education about the world. Th e news, to embrace, support, and advertise. the Chinese authorities on Web censorship. however, frequently passes by us unassessed, continued on next page ‘Newsable’ from previous page Why are some news stories more em- norance, intolerance and indifference,” and NaturalSelections phasized than others? A look at the news pointed out that television is a powerful in- Editorial Board coverage of international stories shows we strument to teach and inspire, but “only to frequently miss important events, tragedies the extent that humans are determined to Mary Abraham or successes, giving a feeling of purposely use it to those ends”7. delivered isolation. For example, the con- Similarly, we are also to be made account- Jessica Baucom troversies related to the eu Constitution, able for our own choices. We seem to be eas- Rudy Bellani which at least indirectly affect all of us, were ily influenced into being interested into what Allan Coop hardly covered, while we were brainwashed others are curious about, and news does in- all summer with the story of the runaway deed succeed very well in creating trends Paula Duque bride. The inexcusable disregard shown to and fashions. Just consider the boom of the Ileana Cristea the genocide in Darfur follows on the still reality shows. The Nielsen Ratings8, which warm traces of the disaster in Rwanda. As ranks the popularity of American television Barbara Juncosa we hide in our happy isolation, history seems shows, is used by networks as a determining Adria Le Boeuf so easily forgotten, but isn’t history a portrait factor for setting advertising rates, schedules, Aileen Marshall of us and our choices? According to the Tyn- and program content. It looks like we are be- dall report4, which monitors the American ing served what we like, together with com- Bertrand Mollereau television networks’ newscasts, the airtime mercials that appear for three minutes every Georgia Patikoglou devoted to the genocide in Sudan all last eight minutes for the popular shows. There year was only 8 minutes on abc, five on seems to be a vicious circle: the more journal- Maurizio Pellegrino nbc, and three on cbs, “about a minute of ists feed into the need for shallow truths, the Lucine Petit coverage for every 00,000 deaths” as point- more we lose our individuality and fall into Sriram ed out by journalist Nicholas Kristof5. In the a generalized current trend of what is inter- month of June 2005, Michael Jackson re- esting in the world. The responsibility can Tari Suprapto ceived over 50 times more coverage on abc, be therefore applied to both providers and Matthew Swift cbs, nbc, cnn, Fox News, and msnbc, receivers. There is no need to be ‘helped’ by with an overwhelming total of 6,248 aired spinners to understand what was witnessed Esther Wu segments compared with the 26 segments during a debate and what message should dedicated to Darfur. Nicholas Kristof ironi- be taken from it. One should always be able cally remarked: “If only Michael Jackson’s to keep an open mind when presented with trial had been held in Darfur”5. The attention some information, public statements, pub- one thinks is right even in the face of univer- grabbing opening sentence of one of the lat- lished articles, or the daily news. I think that sal opposition. est articles by Nicholas Kristof, “Disposable the most truthful opinion is that formed by In a speech given at The Rockefeller Uni- cameras for disposable people”6, emphasized perceiving and judging information through versity at the second annual Pearl Meister this issue: “meet some of the disposable peo- one’s own prism, and research for fact when- Greengard Prize festivity, Helen Thomas ple of Darfur, the heirs of the disposable Ar- ever necessary. The search for truth might underlined in beautiful words the main menians, Jews, Cambodians, Rwandans and be really considered part of one’s duty if our common aspect between journalists and Bosnians of past genocides.” conscience tells us not to become puppets in scientists saying that “press and science are What factors decide which news and schemes that we do not know about. Can we similar, as they both search, or should search, people are ‘disposable’? Is it the restrictions prove Aristotle right that “All men by nature for the truth, and truth is hard to come by.” or interests from higher levels, the views desire knowledge” and agree with Socrates’ Although hard to come by, truth is definitely of journalists, the ease of obtaining some belief that “The highest form of human excel- worth fighting for.