Peace Journalism Prospects and Challenges

1. Peace Journalism
Prospects & Challenges
By
Tahira Anwar
M.S Media Studies II

2. Presentation breakup
• Obstacles Arab Spring
• Lynch, War Like Society Northern Island
• Dr. Galtung PJ in Practice
• Media Economics Future of PJ
• Safety of Journalist Steps for Transitioning to PJ
• Mozambican Press
• Dr. Dov Shinar

3. Obstacles
• Politicized Media
• Traditional Reporting
• Attitude towards PJ
• Sensationalism
• Radical stereotyping
• Reporting vulnerable people

4. Jake Lynch
War Like Society
• Nature and structure of western society prevents PJ to prevail.
it is not surprising that US, western media and other allied countries are tough nuts to crack
when it comes to Peace Journalism.
• US is war oriented
• Affected countries have violent response to conflict which is highlighted by
Media
• Media discussion (Who to bomb when, where, why to bomb)

5. Dr. Galtung
• Connections between media and larger violent society
• Three media groups of US have a arms manufacturer in them.
• War society, games news industry

6. Media Economics
• The New York Times, Disney, Time-Warner & News Corp heavily rely on
advertising.
• CNN’s reporting on Malaysian plane
(Few stories were falsely reported, Exaggerated)

7. Safety of Journalist

8. Safety of Journalist
• PJ is almost impossible in few countries due to safety issues.
“Print media seems to be doing a lot better job at PJ than Electronic Media and Radio as
these two are more “influenced” by the government.”

9. Mozambican Press
• Journalist and trainer Marianne Perez de Fransius lived and worked in
Mozambique, she says that government has blocked the ways for Peace
journalism.
• It is observed that 14% of the whole world enjoys freedom of Press
(Freedom of Press Report, 2015)
• This means that only one is seven people is living where freedom of press is
practiced, safety of journalist is assured and state do not influence media.

10. Dr. Dov Shinar
• Two major obstacles are preventing PJ to be adopted widely in the Middle
East.
1. Conditions in the region(Social, political, religious, ideological & Cultural)
2. Preference of war and violence by media organizations and professionals.

11. Arab Spring

12. Northern Island
• Journalist in this are do not really practice PJ by their won choice.
• Peace process is boring
• A lot of journalist have become war correspondents (Secret meeting, sniffing
for inside news, who is doing what, who is meeting who).

13. Indian Occupied Kashmir
• Professor Shanzana Andrabi states that “anything by the name of “peace” is
the sense of wariness attached to it.
• More liked term is “Conflict-Sensitive Reporting”

14. Pakistan
• Karachi Conflict
• Waziristan
• Military Narrative
• Anti Pakistan Narrative
• Need of PJ

15. Peace Journalism in Practice
• Dr. Galtung says:
• “PJ has expanded enormously, even if you see CNN, you can watch journalist talking
about what underlies the conflict.”

16. PJ in Kashmir
• Discussions are being done to adopt PJ.
• Peace being an inflammatory term.

17. PJ as Solution Journalism
• Dr. Galtung says,
• “Many PJ practitioners are doing great job, but they are not good with providing solutions,
because they do not know how to do it.”

18. PJ in Practice
• According to New York Times, “A study has found that 79% of people
agree that the job of a journalist of to report bad news”.
• Awareness is the issue with not only with the journalist, but also with the
audience.

19. PJ in Practice
• We need to have PJ practice for Karachi & Waziristan conflict.
• Swat operation has been a mystery
• PJ organizations all over the world are praised by Dr. Galtung
• Media Association for Peace in Lebanon.
• PJ in Universities.
• PJ in online media

20. Future of PJ

21. Steps for Transitioning to Peace Journalism
• Ensure Free press
• Ensure safety
• Provide trainings
• Educate students about peace-building, peace media
• Integrate PJ in universities
• Develop an international body about PJ