Tuesday, December 13, 2016
Good storytelling isnt limited to simplified representations of reality more ideas from a Polis2016 session on Reporting Refugees
Good storytelling isnt limited to simplified representations of reality more ideas from a Polis2016 session on Reporting Refugees
Last Thursday I attended the #Polis2016 conference at LSE, London UK. This post is about some of the ideas that came out from a session on Reporting Refugees.
1) Victims or heroes - There was quite a lot of discussion about how sometimes the stories journalists present about refugees frame them as being helpless and needy victims. But a cursory reflection on the determination needed for a refugee to start and continue on their journey indicates the exact opposite.
Cristina Matamoros ?@cr07cristina 1 day ago
"We need to write about the heroes" .@kshaheen on the refugee crisis #Polis2016
Saanya Gulati ?@BombayDelhiGirl
1 day ago
1 day ago
#Polis2016: @RossalynWarren says we need to move beyond the paradigm of victims & portray refugees as survivors. #RefugeeCrisis
2) Shying away from topics society is uncomfortable with Several of the panellists pointed out the following
2) Shying away from topics society is uncomfortable with Several of the panellists pointed out the following
Suna Yokes ?@sunathanlater 1 day ago
After @jonsnowC4s intro the panel discuss how mental health issues are unrepresented in refugee reports #Polis2016
3) Do the public only want the simplified 3 minute summary? Some of the panels discussion was about how the roots of the refugee situation went back a fair way in time and were complicated. Similarly trying to simplify descriptions of what is happening now to fit "3 minute" slots for TV could present a cartoon like depiction of reality.
Saanya Gulati ?@BombayDelhiGirl
"We [the media] tend to compartmentalise issues such as ISIS, #Syria & the #RefugeeCrisis." - @clarissaward at #Polis2016
Hesham Zakai ?@HeshamZakai
La Stampas @annamasera says need to focus on high explanations (data, context, examination) not just high resolutions (photos) #Polis2016
Polis@LSE ?@PolisLSE
.@ClarissaWard: Good storytelling is good storytelling. It doesnt matter what language is spoken or God is prayed to. #Polis2016
Charlotte Beale ?@CharlotteAGB
.@clarissaward calls out journalists hubris "Im going to make the world a better place" just keep your head down, do good work #Polis2016
silviou ?@Silviou
There is a hunger for good neutral nuanced reporting @clarissaward #Polis2016
4) Some other ideas and background to reporting on refugees
tomhannen ?@tomhannen
@RossalynWarrens terrific piece using WhatsApp to explain the refugee crisis #Polis2016
A Syrian Refugee Shared His Struggle To Reach Europe In Real-Time On WhatsApp
IndexCensorshipMag ?@Index_Magazine
Interesting debates this morning at #Polis2016 about reporting the refugee crisis. See our special report on this: PS In an earlier post I summarised the key ideas and quotes from Jon Snows opening address on whether journalists can win back the publics trust. Since then Charlie Becket has tweeted a graphic of what Jon talked about. Its a great summary - you may want to read my earlier post to understand some of the headlines in it.
Charlie Beckett ?@CharlieBeckett 1 hour ago
Alienation & Crisis: @jonsnowC4s speech to #Polis2016 made into a fab graphic by @silvia_alba
Available link for download