Top journalist shares tips on unbiased reporting<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Peter Arnett, an international correspondent of
\nthe Washington-based Cable News Network (CNN) television station,
\nsaid yesterday that even the voice of the \"bad guys\" of the world
\nshould be heard.<\/p>\n
The leading contemporary war correspondent told a luncheon of
\nlegislators, government officials and the press about the
\nimportance of balanced reporting and of understanding conflicting
\ninterests.<\/p>\n
He gave various examples from his own experience.<\/p>\n
Arnett, in town at the invitation of, among others, the RCTI
\nprivate television station, said that his station's efforts to
\nprovide balanced reporting included interviewing those considered
\nto be \"the bad guys\".<\/p>\n
They should be allowed to give their side of the story and
\nreveal the motivations behind their actions, he said.<\/p>\n
He cited former Panama strongman Manuel Noriega and Serbian
\nGeneral Ratco Mladic as examples of leaders that he had
\ninterviewed for the sake of giving both-sides coverage. \"By
\ngiving voice to enemies, we give even more voice to friends,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
During the yesterday's gathering, Arnett told of his
\ninterviews with Yasser Arafat, the leader of the PLO who used to
\nbe called a \"terrorist\", and Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.<\/p>\n
He acknowledged that the medium he works for has been viewed
\nwith suspicion and has been accused of promoting the views of
\nsome groups at the expense of others.<\/p>\n
He said that in Europe, for example, CNN has been called
\n\"imperialistic\" and accused of assisting the American
\ngovernment's objectives.<\/p>\n
\"To some extent it's true\", Arnett said, but added that,
\ninternationally, the station was not biased and covers world
\nevents objectively. \"We cover both sides of an issue.\"<\/p>\n
He said the station is so critical of the U.S. government that
\neven President Bill Clinton \"cries when he watches CNN.\"<\/p>\n
As for himself, Arnett said his tendency to be cynical helps
\nhim maintain his journalistic perspective. \"Ultimately, I am
\nvery cynical of politicians...(and) generals. I don't trust
\ngenerals because of what they can do,\" he said.<\/p>\n
However, \"I do trust ordinary people...and value their
\njudgment and views,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Arnett is widely considered to be one of the world's leading
\nwar correspondents, having spent more than 35 years covering the
\nworld's war zones, from Vietnam to Baghdad.<\/p>\n
Arnett started in the early 1960s as a correspondent for the
\nAssociated Press (AP) wire service and was posted in Jakarta.
\nDuring this two-year stint he wrote many reports about the
\nbeginning of political upheavals which later brought about the
\ndownfall of Indonesia's first president Sukarno.<\/p>\n
Arnett described Sukarno as \"a journalist's dream\" because he
\nwas open to the press, agreeable and friendly. \"He was very
\naccessible, very much available in terms of interviewing.\"<\/p>\n
Arnett, who covered Sukarno's trip to some outer islands in
\nthe Indonesian archipelago, described the first president as a
\nvery charismatic leader and among the most interesting figures he
\nhad covered in his long journalistic career.<\/p>\n
He said President Soeharto is someone who commands great
\nrespect and has a great standing in the United States. \"He
\npresides over a country that is one of the greatest economic
\nsuccess stories in the world,\" Arnett said.<\/p>\n
Soeharto had also shown personal courage by going to Sarajevo,
\nArnett said, referring to Soeharto's trip to the war-ravaged
\ncapital of Bosnia Herzegovina in March.<\/p>\n
\"Indonesia today is the evidence of his presidency,\" Arnett
\nsaid. (swe)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/top-journalist-shares-tips-on-unbiased-reporting-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}