“Journalism Under Fire” Event
February 26th, 2019. By David Prim – On a chilly Sunday afternoon, the warmth of the theater at the Peoria Riverfront Museum was welcoming with an eye-opening presentation about journalists with Al Jazeera News. Like so many others, I had never thought of Al Jazeera producing documentaries telling the stories of human struggles and events in dangerous places throughout the world. So many journalists have paid the ultimate price by giving their lives so that the story was told. The film that was presented focused on a couple of photo journalists who died in the line of duty whom have never really been heard of before, but have made a difference in the world and lives of those they wrote and photographed about.
One of the most important assets the discussion panel said that a journalist has is the fixer. This person knows the background of the story and all of the people who will be involved during the interview. One of the key elements the fixer has is knowledge of the area the journalist will be working in. Such as knowing about the local cultures to blend in and being aware of traditions that must be considered when in these different communities. All of these factors will make or break a journalist, and potentially could mean the difference in life or death for other photo journalists like those depicted in the film.