Reporters should not be embedding

A rather curious position for a journalist to argue, this time by Lindsay Murdoch in Fairfax:

Unless journalists are with the soldiers there will be little independent reporting of the war.

Embedding [Australian] journalists at Tarin Kot would improve the level of respect and trust between Defence and the media, which has deteriorated over years.

Some Australian military officers regard journalists as an enemy. Others just don’t know how to interact with journalists.

Somebody should remind Murdoch that the role of real journalists is to be independent, report critically on wars and not cosy up to the military brass.

Real journalists, anyway.

Text and images ©2024 Antony Loewenstein. All rights reserved.

Site by Common