From Visitor to Customer: Essentials GOODS

[Shishirgano9]

Sometimes. I have students who tell me: "I covered a demonstration. the adrenaline is great. now I want to become a war reporter". What hell! We don't do this job for ourselves. but for others. That doesn't mean that we are in a sacrificial process. I do this job because I love it. because I want to tell the story of these people. because I am touched by these themes. Is it really worth putting yourself in so much danger for the “right to information”? Am I putting myself in that much danger? I've actually been on the front lines two or three times in the past year.


I spend most of my time in countries at war. but not necessarily oman telegram right next to the front lines. There are a lot of stories to tell at the rear. with civilians. Talking about economics. culture. interpersonal relationships: you don't need to be in mortal danger. There's always a little risk. but it's acceptable compared to a real front line. What are your wishes for the press in 2024? Fewer editorialists and more reporters. And less far-right.


In Belgium. we have a sort of cordon sanitaire: far-right representatives are not invited onto the sets. Far-right speech is not speech like any other and should not be treated as such by others. I also hope that we. journalists who cover wars. can remain shocked by the horrors on the ground. The risk is that we end up getting used to these stories. these scenes if we see them almost daily for years. The risk is that our empathy erodes.