Video excitement in 2022; Looking ahead to 2023
I’ve been fortunate to be interviewed twice recently. The first video was recorded in Kosovo several months ago, and is an interesting discussion about journalism’s role in dealing with the past. The second video, posted just before Christmas, is with the Varna Institute for Peace Research in Austria, and more generally discusses peace journalism. 

As for 2023, I’m looking forward to another exciting year. Of course, I’ll be producing two
Peace Journalist magazines. The first, in April, will be a special edition dealing with climate change and peace journalism.

I can’t really discuss yet my most exciting ‘iron in the fire’ until its official. A hint: it involves a long term program that would combine PJ with media literacy (especially combating Russian war disinformation) in Eastern Europe.

I will be in Greece next summer at the Thessaloniki Summer School. I’ve been there before, and it’s nothing short of fabulous. I also have several other potential projects, and will let you know about those soon, too.

Happy New Year to all. Here’s hoping for a more peaceful year.

Fox hypes immigration before midterms, then forgets "crisis"
A new study shows that Fox News hyped a so-called immigration “crisis” before the 2022 midterms, then significantly reduced its coverage of immigration after the midterm elections. The results confirm Fox’s long-established pattern of fear-mongering before elections.

Using a Google news search for foxnews.com, the study compared Fox immigration reporting and commentary on Nov. 1-2 (before the Nov. 8 midterms) to reporting Nov. 22-23. The total number of hits for “immigration” (found in both opinion shows and news programs) on Nov. 1-2 before the midterms was 1,600. After, it dropped 30% to 1,120 on Nov. 22-23. Fox stories and commentary featured the words “immigration and drugs” 283 times before the midterms, and only 10 times afterwards. Other noteworthy results: “immigration crisis” had 315 hits before and 240 after; and “illegal immigrants” had 226 hits before and 135 after. The only finding that showed essentially no change was the search for “open borders” (689 before and 686 after). See the accompanying chart (light color=before midterms, dark color=after) for details.

Headlines from foxnews.com from stories produced Nov. 1 and 2, before the midterms, illustrate Fox’s political agenda. These include “California border officers seize more than 2 tons of drugs…”; “Arizona detectives seize rainbow fentanyl, firearms, other drugs during major bust”; and “Blake Masters torched Dem senate opponent (saying that) drug cartels would vote for Mark Kelly.” One story that checks all the Fox fear-mongering boxes was, “Tim Ryan (Democrat) pledged to support taxpayer funded reassignment surgery for illegal immigrants.”

Immigration coverage after the election dropped off significantly, as the study notes. Fox’s stories after the election seem less fear-oriented and take on an angrier, more partisan tone, attacking Democrats for their alleged “open border” policies. The headlines from Nov. 22-23 include “(Republican) Texas Rep. Gonzales blasts Myorkas (Biden homeland security secretary) for border chaos in his district”; “Coalition of states push to keep Trump-era rule barring migrants to prevent spread of COVID”; and “Biden admin torched by Republicans for preposterous border policies…” To be fair, there were a few neutral reports such as “Border needs bipartisan solution now…”and “Mexican authorities urge U.S. to tweak travel alerts warning.”

These off year midterms reflected partisan conservative media’s propensity to gin up the fear about immigration. In 2018 before the midterms, the bogeyman was a migrant caravan that was supposedly ready to crash the gates at the southern border. CNN reported that the caravan was mentioned on Fox 733 times in the seven days preceding the election, and only 126 times in the seven days after (through Nov. 15, 2018). ( https://tinyurl.com/ycek87o6)

Fox’s pre-election fear mongering isn’t confined to immigration. A study by the liberal news watchdog Media Matters came up with predictable results when they examined Fox News’ crime coverage before and after the 2022 midterms. “Fox News significantly decreased its volume of violent crime coverage in the week of the midterms, down 63% from the week prior. The network averaged 141 weekday violent crime segments per week from Labor Day through the Friday before the election; in the week of the midterms, Fox aired 71 weekday violent crime segments — a decrease of 50% compared to the prior average. (https://www.mediamatters.org/fox-news/foxs-coverage-violent-crime-has-dropped-after-midterms)

A look at the before and after statistics clearly demonstrates that Fox’s narratives on crime and immigration are engineered to politically manipulate a malleable public. Fox’s sensationalism, xenophobia, and fear mongering stir the conservative base, and scare moderates into believing that crime and immigration are much worse than they actually are.

Of course, this is the antithesis of peace journalism, which rejects partisanship and seeks balance that accurately reflects reality.

Before the congressional and presidential elections in 2024, don’t be surprised to see a surge in the number of stories about immigration, crime, LGBTQ rights, and other conservative red-meat issues on Fox News.

 

 

Event showcases journalist safety, press freedom
The phrase “hard act to follow” kept popping into my head last night as I listened to my fellow panelist Lucy Westcott talk about journalist safety and press freedom.

Westcott’s presentation, and mine, were part of an online forum, “Press Freedom in Crisis,” sponsored by the Indiana Council on World Affairs.

About 50 attendees heard Westcott, the Emergencies Director for the Committee to Protect Journalists, discuss the challenges facing journalists, including those who are jailed, killed, or forced into exile. She highlighted Iran, Afghanistan, Ukraine, Myanmar, and Russia as placed where journalists are most under threat. She noted that attacks on journalists’ physical and mental well being are more than volleys against individuals, but are moreover broadsides that erode press freedom. Westcott also talked about the particular risks faced by freelance journalists, who operate without the support of news organizations.

Lucy Westcott, CPJ

I chimed in and gave the example of the threats faced by journalists in India and Pakistan. I’ve been working with these journalists for the last three years on a cross-border reporting project. The journalists in this region are all concerned about their safety, some to the point where self-censorship becomes a real issue. I mentioned that that threats and intimidation are especially acute for female journalists, who suffer a deluge of harassment both in person and online. I cited a new report, The Chilling, produced by the International Center for Journalists, that shows a disturbing pattern of abuse directed against women journalists. “Nearly three quarters (73%) of our survey respondents identifying as women said they had experienced online violence. Threats of physical violence (identified by 25% of survey respondents) including death threats, and sexual violence (identified by 18%) also plagued the women journalists we interviewed. And these threats radiated: 13% of survey respondents and many interviewees said they had received threats of violence against those close to them, including children and infants.” 

I also made a brief presentation about peace journalism, and included a discussion about if journalists believe practicing PJ makes them safer than if they practiced traditional (and sometimes sensational and inflammatory) journalism. According to a small study I did a few years ago in Cameroon, the answer is yes, PJ does help to insulate journalists from harm. (See The Peace Journalist magazine, October 2018, pg. 8).

During the Q and A, I jumped the line and asked Westcott about notorious press-hater Donald Trump’s presidential announcement. Her answer was reassuring, that we’ve been there before and managed to weather the anti-media rhetoric, and that if need be, we can do it again. I hope she’s right.

Thanks to the Indiana Council on World Affairs for organizing such an important, stimulating event. I hope to work with them again in the future.

 

Laker nominated for peacebuilder award
I'm thrilled to announce that my peace journalism partner in Uganda Gloria Laker has been nominated for the US Institute of Peace Women Building Peace Award. The nomination is an honor, and recognizes her contributions to peace journalism and her mentorship of female journalists in Uganda and elsewhere in East Africa. The winner will be announced Nov. 30. Either way, Gloria is a winner in my book.

Dealing with the past: Kosovo and Northern Ireland
(Pristina, Kosovo)—While I was physically in the Balkans last week teaching a peace journalism workshop, my mind was frequently elsewhere, specifically Northern Ireland.

While there are certainly differences between the “Troubles” and the violent conflict here in the 90’s and early 2000’s, I was stuck by the similar challenges faced by journalists in both places. In Kosovo and Northern Ireland, for example, the societies are struggling as they come to grips with the past and deal with thorny, highly contested issues like atrocities, crimes against humanity, collective and individual guilt and blame, forgiveness, trauma, healing, and reconciliation, which seems far off in both places. All of these issues were discussed honestly last week, just as they were in 2019-2020 in workshops I held in Belfast and Derry. 

Dealing with the past seminar, Pristina

Though solutions seem distant in both places, I am nonetheless encouraged by the journalists I’ve met who are committed to practicing responsible peace journalism that can help support reconciliation and healing processes. This includes, at minimum, not further inflaming passions and not giving voice to those who would hate and divide. The kinds of stories (see previous blog) being reported by our Kosovan and North Macedonian colleagues build bridges and seek common ground, a vital first step to rapprochement.

It is my intention to work with my colleagues here and in Belfast to facilitate a project to bring together journalists from both locales. They have so much to learn from one another.

The workshop I taught centered on the theme, Dealing with the Past. It was sponsored by the German-government funded development agency forumZFD.

 

Journalists dive into story ideas, how to report memorialization
(Pristina, Kosovo)-Day three of our peace journalism/dealing with the past seminar was another enlightening journey into the post-conflict world of the Balkans. 

The seminar of 20 journalists from Kosovo and North Macedonia began with the participants discussing their ideas for peace journalism-style stories they plan to produce about issues related to dealing with the past. These topics are:

1. Former people involved in conflict…co-existence is possible
 2. How different generations deal with memories
 3. Women actively participate in conflict—not just as victims, but involved in protecting communities/peacebuilding and reconciliation process
 4. Analytical article about how North Macedonian and Kosovan media reported past violence
5. State of minorities in post conflict societies in both places
6. The interconnected lives of Macedonian and Kosovan youth—good cultural connections 

Later, we discussed memorialization, which is how societies preserve historical memories with things like events, exhibits, marches, rallies, speeches, monuments, and so on. So often, these items are reported in a sectarian, ‘us vs. them’ fashion that reopens old wounds, and incites anger. I discussed several examples from Northern Ireland, including seasonal marches and murals honoring so-called martyrs. I shared with the journalists ideas on how to more responsibly report on memorialization. These are:
1. Examine role of memorialization event in terms of reconciliation, reconstruction, transitional justice 2. Report on memorialization event through inclusivity lens—are minority, marginalized groups involved, interviewed?
3. Report on artistic/cultural aspects of memorialization
4. Challenge majority narratives, and include minority and female perspectives
5. Report using competing and contested narratives—more than just balance
6. Use expert sources—historians, academics, museums
7. Treat all sides, sources equally
 8. Recognize your own biases
9. Expose and report about decisions about and motivations for memorialization activities/events (forumZFD handbook). 

The seminar was sponsored by the German NGO forumZFD, as part of their comprehensive “Dealing with the Past” initiative. 

Next week, I’ll give my final thoughts on my experience in Kosovo.

Balkan journalists hear passion from Ukrainian colleague
(Pristina, Kosovo)-A powerful presentation by a Ukrainian journalist highlighted the “Reporting the Past” peace journalism seminar being held this week in Kosovo. 20 Kosovan and North Macedonian journalists are in attendance at the event, sponsored by the German NGO forumZFD.

Daria Meshcheriakova

Daria Meshcheriakova has been in Kosovo for five months on a program sponsored in part by the Association of Journalists of Kosovo. Her presentation focused on Russian war propaganda which actually began before the illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014. She said this propaganda has had a powerful effect in Russian-occupied areas of Eastern Ukraine as well as in Russia itself. In fact, Daria was told by Russian relatives that there was no bombing in Kiev, even though she experienced it firsthand, and that Ukraine had committed genocide in the Donbas region, which is demonstrably false. She talked about the horrors of living under Russian occupation, and zero tolerance in occupied Ukraine for even the mildest pro-Ukraine sentiment.

Daria applauded Kosovo’s approach to Russian propaganda, which was to block pro-Putin TV channels like Sputnik and Russia Today earlier this year. “They (Kosovo) knew when they should stop trusting this information,” she said.

She gave several pieces of advice to the journalists on reporting the war, including always getting a Ukrainian viewpoint, and never “equalizing” (what we might call giving a false equivalency) to the actions of Russia and Ukraine. She observed, “You can not be guilty for protecting your house (country).”

Her passionate presentation led to a fascinating discussion about journalists’ proper role during conflict. I opined that a journalists’ first responsibility is to the public, and not to wave the flag for a country, military, or ethnic group. I realize how hard this is in the heat of conflict, when, like Daria, your country and your people face extinction.

Participants discuss peace journalism

On the first day of the seminar yesterday, we got an overview of media in the region from Xhemajl Rexha, president of the local journalist’s association. In his opinion, journalists in the region don’t practice peace journalism since they often use inflammatory language, engage in racial slurs, and offer competing narratives to incidents in the region. 

In an article Rexha co-wrote for the forumZFD website, he concluded, “Over the years little has been done to bring together Kosovo and Serbia journalists to talk to one another. Moreover, what is needed is an internal dialogue between local journalists from both communities in Kosovo. Facing each other and talking about the hurtful language to the other community would be a good start.”

I also presented an overview of peace journalism on day one, and led a discussion with the journalists about how media in the region can build bridges between “us and them” and contribute to reconciliation. These excellent ideas included:

--Report on things in common..impact of conflict on women; how rebuild lives; EU integration; economic cooperation; culture; politics; corruption;

--Journalist cooperation/joint trainings; media literacy—schools, etc; learning languages; positive stories about ‘them’—counternarratives

--Stories about how people in one city live—how people coexist

--Report about Civil society—how they bring groups together; promoting cultural events

--Reach the unreachable—show different people with new stories—reach for the voice of the voiceless, interesting stories

--Establish new media outlets that are not ethnically based—mixed background reporters

 

Journalists convene in Pristina, Kosovo
(Pristina, Kosovo)--When it comes to remembering and reporting about the past, the Balkans provide a valuable case study, and one hopes a laboratory for change.

I'm here with journalists from Kosovo and North Macedonia this week working with the German NGO forumZFD to discuss peace journalism and how its principles can be used to improve reporting in the region.

Journalists here face many challenges, chief among them breaking free of 'us vs. them' reporting patterns that marginalize and demonize 'the other.' (A good report detailing with was published by forumZFD).

I'll be updating this blog several times this week and next with details about this 'remembering the past' seminar.

The New Peace Journalist magazine has arrived!
The new Peace Journalist magazine has hit the virtual newsstands, and features insightful articles on a cross border reporting project involving Pakistani and Indian journalists; marginalizing women in the Ukraine war; and info on a special journalism summer school in Greece.

The magazine is available on Issuu at https://issuu.com/peacejournalism/docs/the_pj_oct_2022_web_-final .

A downloadable.pdf copy of the magazine can be found at https://www.park.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/peace-journalist-oct-2022.pdf .

The next edition of The Peace Journalist will be published in April, 2023. Please see page two of the magazine for submission details. The next deadline will be approx. March 1, 2023, but it’s always wise to get your articles in earlier.

Enjoy!

Steven L. Youngblood
Director, Center for Global Peace Journalism
Editor, The Peace Journalist magazine
Assoc. Professor of Communications and Peace Studies
Park University, Parkville, MO USA
@PeaceJourn

International Peace Day Special: What Peace Means to Me
From the Park University Peace Journalism class:

Peace is when everyone is living together peacefully and not caring about our differences. –Samuel White

Peace means to me when people live happily with each other together. –Elias Eichhorn

Peace is not being singled out because of the color of your skin. –Tina Campbell

Seeing many differences but accepting them as if they were family is true peace. –Matthew Mazza

Peace is living in harmony with people in a society while respecting everyone’s culture and religion. –Coem Serem

Peace means that living in equitable and anyone has the ability to be great. It is in the hands of those who have power to create change. –Makyla Artis

If peace is likened to a spark, the love of peace gathered in one place is enough to light up the night. –Yi Li

Peace is when we respect and accept the differences and put first the wellness of the people instead of our own wishes. –Diego Granados

Peace means to me when everyone respects each other’s opinions, religions, and beliefs. –Jessica Goggles

Journalists reach across borders, inspire
(Kathmandu, Nepal and Parkville, MO)—It’s hard not to be impressed by those actively working to build bridges across conflict-reinforced divides.

In this case, the bridge builders are 60 Pakistani and Indian journalists who gathered in Nepal last week as part of a cross border reporting workshop sponsored by the East West Center.

It was inspiring to see these supposed enemies working together as professional journalists while developing friendships in the process. The Indians and Pakistanis are teaming up to report stories of mutual interest on the environment, agriculture, health, and business. They’ll be publishing these jointly reported stories this fall in media across South Asia and, we hope, worldwide.

Nepali journalist Kunda Dixit

The environment group, for example, is working on such fascinating stories as transgender climate change activists, single use plastics, and the impacts of air pollution on street sweepers. Journalists will collect data and conduct interviews in India and Pakistan, then put the stories together with information from both countries. It’s gratifying to see peace journalism reflected in their story topic approaches, and in their ‘voice of the voiceless’ reporting plans.

It was an honor working with the team from the East West Center and with fellow trainers Sara Shipley Hiles, Randall Smith, Steve Rice, Erin Jordan, and Laura Unger; and with South Asian journalists Dilrukshi Handunnetti and Kunda Dixit, who taught an inspiring session on peace journalism and reconciliation.

I have been inspired to continue developing projects with a cross boundary reporting theme. There is no better way to plant the seeds of peace than through this type of people-to-people contact and collaboration.

Pakistani, Indian reporters explore climate, waste disposal
(Kathmandu, Nepal)—On day four of the Cross Border Reporting workshop with Indian and Pakistani journalists, we got to venture out into the field for interviews.

Shree Saraswoti School, impacted by flooding

I tagged along with the environmental reporting group, expertly led by Sara Shipley, a professor at the University of Missouri. We visited two sites. The first, an elementary school, exemplified urban flooding, a major problem here exacerbated by climate change. The journalists interviewed a local climate activist and teacher on how urban flooding disproportionately impacts poor and marginalized communities. The second site visit was less glamorous—a waste sorting facility, or if you prefer, dump. We took a brief, malodorous tour, and interviewed a local climate reporter and several waste management officials from the city of Kathmandu about the numerous waste disposal challenges here.

Interviewing climate change expert

It will be interesting to see how these journalists apply the information they learned on the field trip to stories they’re producing about climate change in India and Pakistan.

On this same day, three other groups took field trips to other sites around Nepal including a farm and a health care center.

Next week, I’ll wrap my coverage of the conference, sponsored by the East West Center and underwritten by the U.S. Embassy-Islamabad.

 

At a waste sorting facility, Kathmandu

Nepalese PJ project explained; Story topics discussed
(Kathmandu, Nepal)-60 journalists from India and Pakistan attending a cross border reporting workshop heard a fascinating presentation today from Nepalese journalism legend Kunda Dixit about his peace journalism project, which consisted of three books and a documentary film chronicling the Nepalese civil war (1996-2006).

Kunda Dixit

The project was centered around a photo book, “A People War,” that featured most prominently the impact of the war on everyday citizens—a hallmark of peace journalism. Dixit said the book was necessary since “the media has an important role, especially when the State tries to bury the conflict.” He said “A People War,” two additional books, the film, and photo displays around the country were important tools of reconciliation, “bringing people together” while providing a catharsis for the war’s victims. The second book, “Never Again,” chronicled written statements made about the war in a guest book that traveled the country with the photo displays. The most poignant statement in this book, Dixit said, was five simple words: “After the blood comes tears.”

The afternoon session at the workshop featured female Nepalese peacemakers discussing human rights and climate change.

In the morning, I led a session that reviewed peace journalism and guided the journalists to create peace journalism-inspired story topics in four areas: agriculture, environment, business/economy, and health. Their story suggestions are below.

Tomorrow, the journalists will be headed into the field to work on their cross border reporting assignments. Stay tuned for details.

PJ STORY IDEAS—From Indian and Pakistani Journalists

Story on draught, fetching water

Water wells; residents digging own wells because of government inaction

Challenge of getting reliable health information to women and girls in rural areas

Crop rotation as tool to save resources

Single use plastics

Resolution of conflict as driver of economy in Pakistani tribal regions

How Kashmiri lives are being impacted by changes in government policy

Air pollution, and its impact on infertility, and the associated stigma

Water conservation and recycling

Feasibility of health facilities serving those on both sides of the border

How Covid has impacted small and marginalized communities

Women’s self help groups and investing/reinvesting in small businesses

Women led dairy cooperative—can it be emulated in both countries?

Stories on achievements of grassroots female leaders

Collaborations on saving river dolphins

Unsung heroes stories

How small vendors can use solar panels

Rag pickers-how they aid recycling, but are mistaken for thieves

Small women’s co-ops that manufacture hygiene products

 

Cross border workshop launches in Nepal
(Kathmandu, Nepal)—Two fascinating presentations kicked off the Cross Border Reporting Workshop this morning. The workshop brings together 60 Pakistani and Indian journalists to collaboratively study and report on issues of mutual interest.

The first keynoter, Nepalese Journalist Kanak Dixot (pictured, center), made a plea for bolstering tolerance and cooperation in the region. He said that since journalists are “gatekeepers of society…they should have an open mind so that they can open the mind of society.” Dixot’s appeal is for South Asians to develop an identity as South Asians, one that transcends a “super nationalistic mindset” and instead embraces a “shared future.”

Sri Lankan journalist Dilrukshi Handunnetti followed up with a fascinating presentation and workshop centered around issues of disinformation. She began her presentation with a very peace journalism-oriented discussion of story framing, and the tendency to tell stories in the region only through the frame, or lens, of the India-Pakistan conflict. PJ, of course, asks journalists to transcend these frames, and offer counternarratives. She said these frames are often ‘us vs. them’ presentations by media in both countries of threats to national security, of ‘them’ as the enemy or threatening our ideals. Frames centering around Kashmir are also prevalent, Handunnettis noted. She finished by giving the journalists some tools for thinking about disinformation, including focusing on actors, networks, and behaviors of those spreading information.

In the afternoon, the workshop participants met in four subject matter areas (business/econ, health, agriculture, environment) to discuss cross border, collaboratively reported stories they will be producing in the coming months.

The workshop is sponsored by the East-West Center, and underwritten by the U.S. Embassy-Islamabad.

I’ll have more from Nepal later this week.

I'm really outa' here, and going to Kathmandu, Nepal

I think I'm going to Katmandu

I think it's really where I'm going to

If I ever get outa here

That's what I'm gonna do

K-K-K-K-K-K-Katmandu

I think it's really where I'm going to

If I ever get outa here

I'm going to Katmandu

--Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band (1975)

Nepal has always seemed like one of those places that is so exotic that visiting there seems out of the realm of the possible. Yet, here I am on my way to Kathmandu.

In Kathmandu, I’ll be meeting 61 Pakistani and Indian journalists with whom I’ve been working over the last two years on a Cross Border Reporting Project. This project has the journalists teaming up to report about cross border stories of interest like pollution, climate change, mental health, women’s rights, and so on. See the website journalistsforchange.org for more.

The Cross Border Reporting Project is sponsored by the East-West Center in Honolulu. It began with online trainings in peace journalism (taught by yours truly) and in reporting subject matter areas like agriculture, health, business, and climate/environment, taught by subject matter experts from the University of Missouri.

In Nepal, the journalists will review the work they’ve done thus far, and plan for the major cross-border collaborative stories that they’ll be finishing up this fall.

I’ll of course provide updates about the project in this space. Stay tuned.

 Call for Papers-The Peace Journalist

Dear colleagues:

Warm greetings.

The Peace Journalist, a semi-annual magazine produced by the Center for Global Peace Journalism at Park University, is seeking submissions for its October edition.

Submissions should be 600-1600 words, and address peace journalism/peace media research and projects. Please also submit photos, if possible. We do not run articles about general peace projects or processes unless they have a strong media component/angle.

The deadline for submission is Sept. 2. The magazine usually fills up quickly, so the sooner you can get your pieces in, the better. Please submit to steve.youngblood@park.edu.

The previous edition of The Peace Journalist can be found at https://www.park.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/The-PJ-April-2022-web.pdf .

 Thank you,

Steven Youngblood
Editor, The Peace Journalist magazine
Director, Center for Global Peace Journalism
Assoc. Professor, Communications and Peace Studies
Park University, Parkville, Missouri  USA
www.park.edu/peacecenter
@PeaceJourn

Better coverage would frame Ukraine war in terms of peacebuilding
Six weeks after I reported about the lack of reporting about peaceful solutions to the Ukraine war, little has changed. (See blog, May 24)

In May, I asked this: Given the fact that the war must inevitably end with negotiations, have the media responded appropriately by giving the peace talks their rightful place in the public discourse? Has the coverage of peace been proportionate to the blow by blow accounts of the war?

A small, current survey of Google news provides the answer: no.

A Google news search (8/2) of “Ukraine Russia War” came up with 124 million hits. In comparison, there were only a paltry 22.4 million hits for “Ukraine Russia negotiations”—18% of the overall story total. And it goes down from there. There were only 1.4 million hits for “Ukraine Russia peace talks,” 928K hits for “Ukraine Russia peaceful solution,” 629K hits for “Ukraine Russia peace proposals,” and just 159k hits for “Ukraine Russia peace treaty.” 

These findings echo what I said in May: “Anyone who’s been consuming news about the war already knows that the daily coverage of territorial gains, casualties, weaponry, and attacks is crowding out news about peace efforts, negotiations, and cease fires.”

One of the central tenets of peace journalism is to give voice to peacemakers on all sides, and to give societies a chance to consider non-violent responses to conflict. Clearly, this is not happening with Ukraine war coverage. Better coverage would frame the war in terms of peace and peacebuilding.

I’d like to see more media coverage that answers these pressing questions:

-How does adding NATO members, or providing Ukraine advanced weaponry, contribute to, or detract from, peaceful solutions?

-How does escalating the war impact future negotiations/peace talks?

-What is the impact of Russia sanctions on future negotiations/peace talks?

-How can the U.S. and NATO provide an off-ramp for the belligerents in a way that they can save face?

-Even though Russia is clearly the villain here, does vilifying and isolating Russia serve the long term goals of peace?

-What does “winning” look like, and how will a “win” impact long term peace in the region?

-Are there compromises short of a "win" that better serve the cause of lasting peace?

-And, how can the seeds of positive peace be planted now, so that Ukraine and the region can move forward peacefully?

Reporting that answers these question, that frames the Ukraine war in terms of peacebuilding, helps the public in our democratic societies consider non-escalating, non-violent responses to the conflict. Also, answering these questions is just good journalism.

#NoWar2022: Challenging media bias
I’ve had a peacebuilding crush on the organization FAIR for some time, even using their research in my textbook “Peace Journalism Principles and Practices.” You can imagine my delight, then, when I was asked to present on a panel with FAIR's founder at the online conference “No War 2022” sponsored by World Beyond War. 

FAIR is “a national media watch group that has been offering well-documented criticism of media bias and censorship since 1986,” according to its website.

During the panel titled, “How to challenge mainstream media bias and promote peace journalism,” FAIR’s Jeff Cohen talked about the pro-war bias in the media, using a FAIR study of the run up to the Iraq war as evidence. In this study, only 3 of 393 people interviewed pre-war were dissenting, anti-war voices. This is the antithesis of peace journalism since society was never given an opportunity to value non-violent responses to the Iraq-U.S. conflict. While there is no study data yet, Cohen said he believed that the same dynamic is playing out now vis-à-vis the Ukraine war—that news consumers are being fed only narratives that support expanding NATO and providing military hardware to Ukraine. I agree with this assessment.

He believes the pro-war bias has both structural and ideological causes. The structural factors feeding pro-war media bias include corporate ownership and the influence of military contractors. Ideologically, Cohen said the U.S. media universally sells the notion of American exceptionalism, and that the U.S. is a force for good, for peace, and for human rights in the world. 

Dru Jay from The Breach

The second part of the panel talked about solutions to this pro-war bias. I presented peace journalism as one alternative. Then, Dru Jay from The Breach online discussed how his publication seeks to make pro-war institutions “more visible and understandable.” One great article from https://breachmedia.ca/ talked about the corporate beneficiaries of weapons being shipped to Ukraine, as well as the expansion of NATO. He talked about how The Breach is framing stories differently and offering a competing narrative, one that is not black and white or us vs. them. Sounds like pretty solid peace journalism to me.

Conference discusses building trust; reporting about climate
Aside from the terrific keynote from Nobel Peace Prize winner Maria Ressa and our peace journalism sessions (see previous blogs), there were a number of enlightening sessions at the recently concluded East West Center International Media Conference in Honolulu.

For example, an opening panel discussed building trust in newsrooms and on social media. Dr. Joan Donovan from the Schorenstein Center at Harvard University discussed how journalists amplify hate speech by interviewing hate groups, “giving them what they want.” She attributed the drive to tell haters’ stories to competitive patterns which she believes should be transformed into more collaborative media models. H.R. Venkatesh, a fact checker from India, noted that “the truth has shifted elsewhere, away from those who are dedicated to facts.” He advocated what he called media literacy journalism that would combine traditional journalism with “story checks” that detail how the story was done, how facts were checked, etc. 

Building Trust panel, at EWC Intl Media Conf.

There were several interesting panels on reporting about climate change. Dr. Matthew Shapiro from the Illinois Institute of Technology shared some ideas about how media can better communicate about the climate crisis. These include reporting on the impacts, including the cost to individuals; to make climate reporting relevant by making it geographically-specific; and highlighting the costs of climate change-related extreme weather events.

I attended a number of eye opening breakout sessions, including one presented by May Lee, founder of Lotus Media House in Long Beach, CA. She laid out a strong indictment against traditional coverage of Asians in the media, including marginalization and stereotyping (rich, monolith, model minority, hypersexual women, etc.) Lee then discussed how Covid-19 exacerbated a bad situation, thanks in part to language like “Chinese virus” and “kung flu” spread the previous administration. While we didn’t discuss peace journalism in this session, the application of PJ (including telling counternarratives and giving voice to the voiceless) could certainly help address these problems.

On the conference’s final day, Liz Allen, Acting Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy, addressed the crisis of disinformation in the Asia-Pacific region. She said people still want to trust and seek truth, and that the issue is knowing who to trust. Allen said the State Department is dedicated to the maxim that “hard truths must be addressed with honesty…We’re committed to telling the truth even when the truth is hard to face.” She discussed several State initiatives to shape information environments and platforms, including a Digital Communication Network and a Global Engagement Center, both designed to combat disinformation. The Young Southeast Asia Leaders Program also includes trainings on battling disinformation, according to Allen.

The international media conference was a rousing success. The speakers were informed, articulate, and well prepared—not always a given in conferences of this sort. There was a good mix of speakers from different regions, and a variety of current, compelling topics discussed. The conference itself ran like a Swiss watch—reliable and on time. The extensive planning and expertise by the East West Center staff, led by Media Programs Manager Susan Kreifels, was evident.

On a personal note, this was my first post-pandemic conference. It was wonderful getting back out there—great to hand out business cards, meet new people in person, and chat about life during coffee breaks. I can’t wait for my next conference!

Panel reflects on EW Center Cross Border Reporting Project
Five journalists from India and Pakistan and I held a fascinating discussion about a project we’ve been working on together for the last two years.

The discussion was a plenary lunch panel at the East West Center International Media Conference in Honolulu.

First, a bit of background. The East-West Center launched a project titled “Reporting on Cross-Border Issues of Mutual Concern” in 2020 for 80 Indian and Pakistani journalists that has included virtual workshops during the pandemic. This International Media Conference is the first time a handful of the journalists have met their colleagues across the border.

The 80 journalists are divided into four groups focused on economy and trade, agriculture and water management, environment and health -- all important cross-border issues of mutual concern. I have led them in workshops on Peace Journalism, an especially important topic for journalists sharing an often-hostile border.

During the pandemic they collaborated virtually on stories and projects that are featured on the blogsite they developed:  journalistsforchange.org, a global resource for cross-border media collaboration.

Five of these journalists were present for the panel: Safina Nabi, an Independent Journalist (Srinagar, Jammu, and Kashmir, India); Lubna Jerar Naqvi, Pakistan Gender Coordinator & Trainer, International Federation of Journalists (Karachi, Pakistan);Ravinder Singh Robin, Freelance Reporter (Amritsar, India); Khuldune Shahid, Correspondent, The Diplomat (Lahore, Pakistan); and Disha Shetty, Staff Reporter, The Fuller Project (Pune, India).

I began the discussion by asking the panelists about their use of peace journalism. Each journalist in turn said the PJ changed the way they report, and gave them new insights about how to report across borders. One journalist noted, much to my approval, that peace journalists “have a responsibility” to better reporting that builds bridges instead of deepening divides and hatreds. Several noted that peace journalism, and the project as a whole, have reinforced what they already knew about the striking commonalities between Pakistanis and Indians. I think we all agree that the media on the subcontinent can and should do more to highlight these commonalities and connections.

Session: Basics of Peace Journalism
A few hours after the panel, I gave a breakout session on the basics of peace journalism. I went over  the 10 principles of PJ (see below), and fielded a number of insightful questions. One young lady stated

her belief that peace journalists are advocates for peace—something that was just fine with her. I replied that I don’t see PJ as advocacy, and believe PJ can still be objective. In my view, reporting about peace, giving a voice to peacebuilders and the voiceless, and rejecting inflammatory words, images, and framing are all activities that can be done within the confines of traditional, objective journalism.

 Next week: Other highlights from the conference, and a few final observations.

 Peace Journalism Characteristics
1. PJ is proactive, examining the causes of conflict and looking for ways to encourage dialogue before violence occurs. PJ leads dialogue about solutions.
2. PJ acknowledges a common ground between parties, and rejects divisive, polarizing “us vs. them” reporting. PJ builds bridges.
3. Peace reporters reject propaganda from any source. Instead, they seek balanced, factual information from multiple sources (since there are almost always more than just two sides).
4. PJ rejects overly simple portrayals of issues and people (groups as monoliths, stereotypes), and instead seeks to illuminate complexity, nuance, and gray areas.
5. PJ gives voice to the voiceless, instead of just reporting for and about elites and those in power.
6. Peace journalists provide depth and context, rather than just superficial and sensational “blow by blow” accounts of violence and conflict.
7. Peace journalists consider the consequences of their reporting.
8. Peace journalists carefully choose and analyze the words they use, understanding that carelessly selected words are often inflammatory.
9. Peace journalists thoughtfully select the images they use, understanding that they can misrepresent an event, exacerbate an already dire situation, and re-victimize those who have suffered.
10. Peace Journalists offer counternarratives that debunk media created or perpetuated stereotypes, myths, and misperceptions. --Center for Global Peace Journalism

Star struck professor meets Nobel Prize winner
You never know when you’ll run into a Nobel Peace Prize winner.

I met Maria Ressa, the 2021 recipient from Rappler media in the Philippines, during a reception at the East West Center InternationalMedia Conference in Honolulu. We chatted for a few  minutes about journalism, and life.

Maria Ressa, in black, and Korean colleagues

We talked first about her joint peace prize recipient Dmitry Muratov, a journalist under siege in Russia. Ressa said she’s in touch with Muratov. His family has left Russia, but he remains, despite the threats. I could tell she’s worried about her colleague. I asked if the peace prize protects her and Muratov, or if it makes them a target. She replied that it’s impact is a little of both. She said it makes her a bigger target (as evidenced by the 7 charges currently filed against her in the Philippines), but that the prize gives her a higher profile and more visible platform.

Ressa’s intellect, insightfulness, and humility that was evident during our chat was on display the next day at her keynote address to the conference.

The keynote’s headline was Ressa’s announcement that Rappler had just received a shut down order from the government. She said Rappler will appeal, noting that the order demonstrates that “the rule of law has been bent to the point that it’s breaking” in the Philippines.

Ressa went on to detail the avalanche of online hate directed at her because of Rappler’s critical reporting of the Duterte regime and because of her elevated profile. At its peak, 90 hate messages per hour were directed at Ressa, including threats of bodily harm. She said, “You don’t want the threat to rule (your) world…Embrace your fear!”

She noted that her online experience is not atypical since 73% of female journalists experience online hate.

So, what can be done to combat what Ressa calls the “toxic sludge” of online hate and misinformation?

She recommends a “whole society” approach to address social media toxicity. This approach involves education, establishing legal frameworks, fact checking, and facilitating collaboration on the topic among media, academic, civil society, religious institutions, and businesses.

Ressa concluded her keynote with the question, “What will you sacrifice for the truth?” It’s a vital question for everyone, but especially for journalists.

Next: More East West Center conference highlights, including my two peace journalism sessions.

 

You can virtually meet a Nobel Peace Prize winner
(and hear a few of my presentations)

It’s not often (ever?) that one gets a chance to meet a Nobel Peace Prize winner. Yet, that’s what awaits me at the East West Center International Media conference next week in Honolulu, Hawaii.*

Maria Ressa won the Nobel Prize for her work with Rappler, a Filipino news outlet that has consistently and bravely challenged the Duterte regime in the Philippines. I’ve heard her speak several times, and know her keynote will be interesting and inspiring.

Soon thereafter, I will be leading a panel consisting of Indian and Pakistani journalists who have participated in an East West Center cross-border reporting project. I’ve been one of the instructors in this project, and have been consistently impressed with the work done under challenging circumstances by these journalists. (You can learn more about this project at journalistsforchange.org).

I’ll also be holding a break out presentation on the basics of Peace Journalism.

My two sessions, Ms. Ressa’s keynote, and a number of other conference sessions will be streamed live. For details on how to register, and for a full conference schedule, see https://www.eastwestcenter.org/professional-development/seminars-journalism-programs/ewc-international-media-conference .

Hope to see you online beginning next Tuesday.

*No eye rolling or snickering, please. OK, I admit, it’s paradise. But real work, real teaching, and real learning will be going on there. After the conference is over, I may just wander down to a beach and/or imbibe in an umbrella drink or three. But it’s strictly business during the conference!

Ukraine-Russia: Media marginalize peace
Several days ago, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said what Prof. Johan Galtung, the father of peace studies and peace journalism, has been saying for weeks. “Regardless of our righteous indignation with Russia aggression,” Galtung wrote on Twitter, “they (Ukraine and Russia) will have to talk or agree on some type of armistice sooner or later.”

Given this immutable fact, have the media responded appropriately by giving the inevitable negotiations their rightful place in the public discourse? Has the coverage of peace been proportionate to the blow by blow accounts of the war?

A small survey of news articles searched through Google (24 May, 2022) provides an unsurprising answer. A search for “Ukraine Russia war” produced 324 million hits. Related terms also had tens of millions of hits, including “Ukraine Russia  attack” (208 million); “Ukraine Russia war crimes” (51.3 million); “Ukraine Russia battle” (40.8 million); “Ukraine Russia victory” (48.1 million); and “Ukraine Russia weapons” (24.3 million).

The number of articles in our Google news search discussing the inevitable armistice and peace talks pales in comparison. This includes “Ukraine Russia negotiations” (20.2 million); “Ukraine Russia peace talks” (8.6 million); “Ukraine Russia peace proposals” (2.59 million); “Ukraine Russia peaceful solution” (3.4 million); and “Ukraine Russia peace treaty” (2.87 million). Only a paltry 125,000 stories mentioned a cease fire, while just 20,800 mentioned an armistice.

These findings echo what anyone who’s been consuming news about the war already knows: that the daily coverage of territorial gains, casualties, weaponry, and attacks is crowding out news about peace efforts, negotiations, and cease fires.

This is the antithesis of peace journalism, which seeks to make peace initiatives and proposals more visible and viable, regardless of their source. More responsible, more forward looking reporting would more frequently offer detailed, nuanced examinations of the obstacles to a negotiated settlement, and daily analysis of efforts to overcome these obstacles. 

Media consumers should seek out views about peace from a variety of sources, including those critical of both Russia (“Putin’s fate istied to war in Ukraine”) and the U.S. and NATO  (“Washington’s anti-Russia rhetoric is an obstacle to peace”). 

Media must offer as much analysis of the tactics of peace as we do the tactics of warfare. We need much more reporting like “A realistic plan for Ukraine and Russia" (Time magazine). As Dr. Galtung suggests on Twitter, let’s explore the question, “What stands in the way of #peacepolitics?”  

Peace journalism by itself can’t create peace, but it can help keep peace on the political agenda while spotlighting an “off ramp” for leaders on all sides.

Marking 25 fascinating years at Park University
When you’re young, a year seems like an eternity. And 25 years? As a kid, in my insufficiently developed brain, a quarter century was the same as a millennium.

Even though my brain is still insufficiently developed, I have come to realize that 25 years, while not an eternity, is an impressive interval because it represents a big chunk of our life span, and an even longer percentage of our working lives.

It is thus with a bit of awe and a dash of disbelief that I commemorate the end of my 25th year at Park University.

Want ad, KC Star, 1997

My Park odyssey began with answering a job advertisement in the Kansas City Star in 1997 (See picture. Yes, I realize how saving this for 25 years might make me look neurotic.). I thought I was a long shot for the position, but applied anyway. I was shocked and delighted to be hired. Snagging the job at Park College (it became Park University in 2000) was made possible in part through a mistake. My chief competitor for the post flew into KC for the job interview, but someone at Park  forgot to pick him up at the airport. He fumed at KCI for a few hours then turned around and went home.

I gleefully accepted the job, since it was a big step up from teaching high school. I had no idea what I was getting into. My tenure at Park has been challenging, occasionally infuriating, edifying, fascinating, and, on the whole, professionally satisfying in 100 ways that are hard to articulate.

The most positive element during my tenure here has been my colleagues, 97% of whom have made my Park experience terrific. Early on, they nurtured and sometimes even coddled me as I learned how a university faculty member should function. Later, they trusted me with the keys, electing me to leadership positions in the union and faculty senate. Always, my faculty colleagues helped me become a better teacher and a better person.

I’ve also loved the vast majority of my students, who have kept me engaged, energized, and young (or at least, more youthful. The “young” train left the station years ago!) Their curiosity continues to be infectious, and has pushed me to continuously strive to broaden and deepen my own knowledge while improving my teaching.

Another positive element about my time at Park—the thing I always tell younger faculty members—is that the university will give you the space to find your professional love. For me, this was, first, international education, and later, allowing me to launch a Center for Global Peace Journalism at Park. In both cases, I had the right administrators and colleagues at the right time—those that saw the value in these endeavors for both the institution and our students. Allowing me to launch this center, and run it as I see fit, was and is the ultimate vote of confidence. I believe I have justified Park’s trust in me as I have provided, in business terms, a very sound return on the modest resources expended on me and my center.

I am not burned out yet, a fact I attribute to being almost constantly on the move. I have had three semester-long teaching stints (two Fulbrights and one State Dept. Senior Subject Specialist), a one year long USAID project in Uganda, and trips to 27 countries to teach peace journalism. Park deserves a great deal of credit for giving me the flexibility to explore my passions and feed my curiosity.

My Center for Global Peace Journalism has caught fire (figuratively) during its 10 year life span, and is keeping me increasingly busy lecturing and training around the world. I have gone from soliciting peace journalism projects to fielding unsolicited offers to conduct trainings and workshops and give lectures.

Moving forward, I hope to continue my teaching and work at the Center for Global Peace Journalism at Park University. I won’t make it 50 years at Park, since 25 years from now I’ll be 86. (At 86, my only wishes will be to remain vertical and to possess some marginally functional organs). However long Park will indulge me, I have no doubt that the years ahead will be as engaging and fascinating as the first quarter century.

How you can help Ukraine--and build lasting peace
From the Kansas City Star, Apr. 10, 2022

By Steven Youngblood

Kansas Citians, like many Americans, have united to show their support for Ukraine symbolically (Ukrainian flags, Park University’s iconic Mackay Hall lit up in Ukrainian blue and yellow) and financially.

Hundreds of millions of dollars have been donated to assist Ukrainians. The global philanthropy magazine Alliance reports that $397 million was donated in just the first two weeks after the invasion. 

Kansas Citians are providing financial assistance through local organizations like the Ukrainian Club and Heart to Heart International. (KCUR). Also, the Parkville and Chisinau, Moldova Rotary Clubs have joined forces on a fundraiser to purchase necessities (hygiene products, food staples) for Ukrainian refugees in Moldova. (You can give at this link.)

As admirable as these financial efforts are, they are just stopgap measures designed to address the current crisis. What can we as Kansas Citians, 5,428 miles from Kiev, do to plant the seeds of a sustainable peace for Eastern Europe, and here at home?

It is a common, incorrect assumption that only politicians hold the keys to peace. The evidence proves otherwise. In a recent study, Peace Insight evaluated 70 local, citizen-led peacebuilding initiatives, and found that “they make a significant and essential impact on peace…” 

We as citizens do have the power to build peace--if we choose to exercise it.

Rallies for peace have often pressured warring parties (for example, Liberia in 2003) to sue for peace. Here at home, we can, and have, come together for peace. In K.C., 300 gathered in Mill Creek Park in February to show solidarity with Ukrainians (https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-02-26/hundreds-gather-in-kansas-city-to-protest-russian-invasion-of-ukraine ). But one small rally isn’t enough. Imagine the impact of a peace rally at Union Station the size of the Chiefs’ victory celebration?

This doesn’t mean that we don’t have a responsibility to also engage politically. Peacebuilders must demand that our leaders eschew demagoguery, and instead provide leadership that acknowledges the need to address the broader context of peace, the causes of violent conflict, reconciliation, and inevitably, co-existence.

You can also join a K.C. peacebuilding organization dedicated to building goodwill, understanding, and world peace. For example, become a member of the International Relations Council, which brings fascinating, informative programming about world events and global issues to Kansas City Join the United Nations Association of Greater Kansas City, which supports UN peacebuilding and other peace-sustaining initiatives. Engage with Global Ties KC, which has facilitated citizen diplomacy by hosting international visitors for the last 65 years.

Next, peacebuilders can reach out to their Russian-American friends and neighbors. According to Zipatlas.com, there are 2,110 Russians living in Kansas City, MO and another 311 in Overland Park and Leawood, KS. If we believe in peacebuilding, we can’t lump Russian-Americans into one warmongering monolith. Many Russian-Americans loathe the war, yet have still been blamed for it. We even need to dialogue with those Russian-Americans and others who support the Ukraine war.

Finally, there are “tasks for everyone” in establishing a culture of peace, according to the father of modern peace studies, Dr. Johan Galtung. The first task is “fostering a culture of peace through education.” As parents, why not insist on peace education? Other peace tasks include promoting equality for women and advancing understanding and tolerance (InternationalStudies Review) No, peace education and promoting equality and tolerance won’t help Ukrainians right now, but if applied universally over a number of years, they might help prevent the next war.

While the financial efforts to assist Ukrainians are laudable, we need to remember that we all have a larger responsibility in the service of peace. We have the power to act not only to assist Ukraine, but to help ensure that sustainable peace becomes the norm in our societies and our world.

Steven Youngblood, a 2020-21 Luxembourg Peace Prize laureate, is the director of the Center for Global Peace Journalism at Park University in Parkville, MO, where he is a communications and peace studies professor