Newsreader & Reporter thread

I think we should be greatful that on the whole British television has to remain fairly neutral. Although the press provide interesting opininos, you can not get away from their stance on the war, and as for American TV - mmmmmmmmmmmmm.

I find it somewhat absurd that television stations have reporters in cities such as Baghdad. The report they give when inside Iraqi controlled cities are filtered and therefore biased. As soon reporters can report without restrictions they tell a completely different and more accurate story.

Knowing that their reports will be somewhat tangental when 'monitored' by the Iraqi's, is it wrong for television companies to allow biased reports to go out to the population.

Agreed, RTS. Would you also apply the same restrictions for reports coming from "embedded" journalists, though?

Umm Qasr has been captured 9 times now! Biased and inaccurate or what?

A BBC Camerman has been killed in Iraq after stepping on a landmine

BBC i

Media Guardian

Whats going to happen to the journalists in Baghdad when the forces arrive?

I mean all the broadcasts are monitored by Iraq, Is there a possible high name hostage situation?

Just thought I'd mention this:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/2911419.stm

A BBC cameraman has died, and Teheran correspondent, Jim Muir is injured in a mine explosion in northern Iraq. Terrible news once again - but surely this as well as the other unfortunate deaths highlights to broadcasting bosses that it is not safe to have journalists in such dangerous areas?

But they are not forced to be there, so its really thweir own choice.

SMW

[quote
But they are not forced to be there, so its really thweir own choice.
SMW[/quote]

Err.....not true. Most reporters are TOLD to go and refusal can be very bad for their careers. I know of at least one high profile reporter/presenter who declined to go to the front line and has since been totally sidelined.

Troops are getting damn close to Baghdad now, so expect some interesting embedded reports on your TVs soon. Sky have been dipping into Fox a lot this morning, who have a reporter on the road to Baghdad as the go in.

Not quite accurate - Jim Muir was un-injured - apart from minor cuts. His producer, Stuart Hughes, has suffered leg injuries and is being treated for them.

It is unclear whether Stuart was injured and Kaveh killed by the same landmine, or separate ones. I have read accounts that indicate both scenarios.

However it is terribly sad - a price the journalistic community pay to bring us unbiased news. Makes talk of astons and music seem a bit irrelevant...

Anyone else think Live at Five with Jeremy Thompson has been excellent since the war began?

He seems to adapt very well to any situation.

He was funny during the Golden Jubilee celebrations, when he had an unscheduled close-up of The Queen on an open-top bus!!

Yes, I do. I think Jeremy's been absolutely fantastic - the way he's just come across as being completely relaxed and at times, even quite cheerful despite the difficult circumstances, has made both his live reports, what I've seen of them, and his recorded ones fascinating to watch. I thought that his report about "Chemical Ali" today was great - especially when he was showing the man's notepaper; a tangiable, somehow poignent piece of evidence. I think that, if the war is not over soon, it will be a long time before he's presenting Live At Five back in the studio with Anna.