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.
"We need to write about the heroes" .@kshaheen on the refugee crisis #Polis2016
#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
After @jonsnowC4's 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.
"We [the media] tend to compartmentalise issues such as ISIS, #Syria & the #RefugeeCrisis." - @clarissaward at #Polis2016
La Stampa’s @annamasera says need to focus on high explanations (data, context, examination) not just high resolutions (photos) #Polis2016
.@ClarissaWard: 'Good storytelling is good storytelling. It doesn't matter what language is spoken or God is prayed to.' #Polis2016
.@clarissaward calls out journalists' hubris "I'm going to make the world a better place" just keep your head down, do good work #Polis2016
There is a hunger for good neutral nuanced reporting @clarissaward #Polis2016
4) Some other ideas and background to reporting on refugees
@RossalynWarren’s terrific piece using WhatsApp to explain the refugee crisis #Polis2016
A Syrian Refugee Shared His Struggle To Reach Europe In Real-Time On WhatsApp
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 Snow's opening address on whether journalists can win back the public's 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.
'Alienation & Crisis': @jonsnowC4's speech to #Polis2016 made into a fab graphic by @silvia_alba
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