Reporter meets soldier, Afghanistan 2002. Photo: Jewel Samad/AFP

The news media is often an important channel of communication between sides in a conflict. Jesper Strudsholm, Africa correspondent for the leading Danish daily Politiken talks to IMS about the media’s role in reducing or exacerbating conflict

Helle Nordberg, IMS

Few journalists have any training in the theory of conflict, the root causes of conflict and how they end. Most journalists merely report on a conflict as it happens. But in fact, good reporting through conflict sensitive journalism can often help to reduce conflict.

Increased responsibility of journalists

- In the past there was a separation between what was reported on a conflict often taking place in a developing country and the conflict itself, says Jesper Strudsholm from his office in South Africa. 

- But globalization of the media has changed this and the parties and victims of a conflict now have access to almost everything that is written or broadcast about their conflict. This places an extra burden of responsibility on journalists to ensure that their reporting does not exacerbate the conflict, Jesper Strudsholm emphasizes.

Reporting solutions

When Politiken’s Africa correspondent read a copy of IMS’ handbook of Conflict Sensitive Journalism by Ross Howard for the first time six years ago, he instantly knew this was a mindset he could relate to.

- There can be dire consequences tied to what journalists write for the parties involved in a conflict. That is why it’s important that we as journalists consider how our coverage can be interpreted not only in our home country, but also in the warring region, says Jesper Strudsholm.

IMS’ handbook, now part of his teaching curriculum in Risk Reporting at the Danish School of Media and Journalism, provides a set of practical tools to help journalists analyse a conflict and thus better equip them with the skills to present the public with impartial and balanced information. For example, by asking the disputing parties for their solutions instead of repeating their rhetoric of grievances, seeking solutions becomes an inbuilt part of reporting.

Aggravating conflicts with bad conflict journalism

Having spent the last 14 years based in South Africa as Politiken’s correspondent, Jesper Strudsholm has seen a few thought-provoking examples of how journalism has contributed to worsen a conflict.

- When Mugabe seized white-owned commercial farms in Zimbabwe, with the stated aim of benefiting landless black Zimbabweans, Foreign media in general and UK media in particular undoubtedly aggravated the conflict by focusing almost exclusively on the plight of white farmers, explains Jesper Strudsholm.

- A lot less was written about the one million farm workers who were left unemployed as a result of the farm seizures and of the accompanying violations of democracy and human rights. The media’s focus on the plight of the whites made it very easy for Mugabe to dismiss foreign criticism as being part of a colonial and rascist agenda and to fuel racial tensions in a country that historically had known few of these, says Jesper Strudsholm.

- In this day and age, we cannot pretend that what we write and broadcast isn’t read and doesn’t have an impact in the countries and regions of conflict, Jesper Strudsholm concludes.

Click here to go to the IMS handbook of Conflict Sensitive Journalism,  or contact International Media Support, tel. 88 32 70 00.