War Journalism Should Be Rooted in Empathy — Not Violence | Bel Trew | TED

Summary

Journalist Bel Trew reflects on the starkly different realities portrayed on social media and the breakdown in communication. She discusses her experiences covering wars in the Middle East and Ukraine, emphasizing the need for compassionate storytelling that goes beyond the violence to show the human impact of war. Trew calls for a shift in journalism to heal societal divisions and restore discourse, advocating for truth and compassion in reporting.

Takeaways

• 🌐 The perception of reality varies drastically among individuals due to the multitude of communication channels.
• 🗣️ Despite numerous ways to communicate, effective dialogue has been lost, leading to a fragmented understanding of events.
• 🎯 As a journalist, the speaker feels a responsibility to engage with diverse perspectives and act as a bridge.
• 🔍 The speaker's accidental journey into war correspondence has been marked by fear and a struggle with the realities of war.
• 🏺 The Middle East, particularly post-2011, has been a focal point of conflict, expanding the speaker's journalistic scope.
• 📺 The 24-hour news cycle, born from war coverage, often prioritizes violence, potentially desensitizing viewers to its impact.
• 📽️ The documentary 'The Body in the Woods' illustrates the profound impact of war on civilians, beyond the battlefield.
• 🚫 The fetishization of violence in media may overshadow the human cost and complexities of war.
• 👥 Patriarchal structures within journalism might contribute to a macho approach to war coverage, overshadowing the need for empathy.
• 🔑 The speaker advocates for 'Truth and Compassion' in journalism as a means to better understand and communicate the human side of conflict.
• 🌟 Journalists have the potential to shift the narrative towards a more compassionate portrayal of war and its consequences.

Q & A

What is the main concern the speaker expresses about social media and news consumption?

The speaker expresses concern about the alarming differences in people's perceptions of reality due to the way social media and news outlets present information, leading to a collapse of discourse and increased division among people.

How does the speaker describe their role as a journalist?

The speaker describes themselves as an accidental war correspondent who can and should communicate with all sides. They mention their ability to talk to fighters on the frontlines and demand answers from authorities, highlighting their dedication to reporting the truth.

What is the significance of the documentary 'The Body in the Woods' mentioned in the script?

The documentary 'The Body in the Woods' is significant because it focuses on the human impact of war, specifically the search for the missing and dead, rather than the traditional focus on frontline violence. It illustrates a more profound and personal aspect of war's devastation.

Why does the speaker feel that the term 'war correspondent' might be dehumanizing?

The speaker feels that the term 'war correspondent' might be dehumanizing because it reduces the complexity of their work to a label that focuses on the conflict rather than the human stories and experiences they aim to convey.

What is the main message the speaker wants to convey about the role of journalists in society?

The speaker emphasizes the importance of journalists adopting a more compassionate and truth-driven approach to reporting, moving away from the glorification of violence and towards a narrative that acknowledges the full human impact of conflicts.

What is the impact of the 24-hour news cycle on the way war is reported, according to the speaker?

The speaker suggests that the 24-hour news cycle has led to a focus on immediate and often violent aspects of war, potentially overshadowing the broader and more devastating impacts on civilians and leading to a fetishization of violence.

How does the speaker reflect on the historical patriarchal structures within the news industry?

The speaker reflects on the historical patriarchal structures by pointing out that despite the presence of female war correspondents and editors, the industry has often favored a macho, 'bang bang' style of reporting that reduces the complexity of conflicts to sensationalized violence.

What is the significance of the sticker 'Truth and Compassion' on the speaker's laptop?

The sticker 'Truth and Compassion' signifies the speaker's commitment to a more empathetic and balanced form of journalism. It serves as a daily reminder of the need to report not just the facts but also the human experience behind those facts.

What is the speaker's view on the current state of societal communication?

The speaker views the current state of societal communication as being in a state of collapse, with people unable to engage in constructive discourse due to extreme polarization and the spread of disinformation.

How does the speaker suggest journalists can help fix the broken discourse?

The speaker suggests that journalists can help fix the broken discourse by practicing journalism that emphasizes the true impact of war, both on and off the battlefield, and by promoting a narrative of compassion and understanding that acknowledges the humanity in all sides of a conflict.

What is the story of Vladislav mentioned in the script, and why is it significant?

Vladislav is a Ukrainian teenager who lost his mother to violence and was given the wrong body to cremate. His story is significant because it illustrates the personal tragedies that often go unreported amidst the focus on war's frontlines, highlighting the need for a more compassionate approach to war reporting.