Beyond reach
| 16:25 UK time, Monday, 9 October 2006
There are 193 countries in the World, not including Taiwan. The 成人论坛 is excluded from just a handful. So the news that the big story of the day is happening beyond our reach is problematic.
The North Koreans dropped a hint about their intentions last week, so the overnight news that they had tested their first nuclear device didn't exactly come as a surprise. That said, when my phone buzzed with the text alert at 0410 this morning, it wasn't the best start to the day. How do you report a story with no pictures, from a place you can't get to?
I suppose we're in a better position than many others. We've had a bureau in South Korea for a number of years. Our correspondent in Seoul, Charles Scanlon, is an acknowledged expert on the region. But for Charles - and my colleagues charged with reporting the story from London - trying to find out just what's happening can be a frustrating business.
Reporting reaction is the easy bit. From the Foreign Office, the Kremlin and the White House, there's been no shortage of comment. Most of the time, we deal with primary sources, someone involved in the story. But with a story like this, we're forced to rely on others' intelligence: information gleaned from charities and other NGOs such as the World Food Programme.
And facts are only part of the problem. Add to that, the fact of the lack of pictures, and you begin to see some of the difficulties in reporting the big story of the day.
Thank goodness for the likes of diplomatic correspondent Bridget Kendall and her colleagues around the world - like Jonathan Beale, State Department correspondent in Washington, Rupert Wingfield Hayes in Beijing and Laura Trevelyan, spending her first day back from maternity leave at the United Nations bashing the phones.
The story is like a giant jigsaw; each of them holds a piece - a different perspective on why it matters. By putting it all together, we hope we can begin to see the whole picture, and show how the story is playing out around the world. And a story like this is also a real test of our ability to be inventive. So tonight science correspondent David Shukman will use the studio to show how North Korea managed to make and test the bomb, and explore how far it is from having a working nuclear weapon.
So a confusing story with no pictures, and no access, and yet a story that really matters. Nobody ever said journalism was easy.
Comments
It's interesting to hear of this kind of thing - you don't normally even consider the difficulties of getting reporting from anywhere around the world nowadays. You almost expect anyone can speak from anywhere at any time - it's like it's not even a novelty any more. Is this why you are starting to see a reduction in the number of pointless "and now we go over live to our correspondent who will repeat exactly what's just been said"-type moments? Or is that just Private Eye's influence?
I suppose the opposite of this must be true too, ie that lots of stories which AREN'T important get lots of attention simply because there ARE easy pictures to be had? An obvious example seems to be anything that happens in the US?
Is this why you never have any stories about women being stoned to death in Iran, for committing adultery.
Never any stories from 'chop chop square' in Saudi?
Total silence on the Human Rights abuses in China?
However, we get saturation coverage of the 1000th execution in America since the death penalty was reintroduced (despite the fact that America only executes the vilest of criminals). Never mind that China executes over 3000 per year, or that Iran has executed 3000 gays since the revolution (plus all those 'questioned to death')
Typical 成人论坛. Why bother, when you can bash America so much more easily.
Like my dear old Granny used to scold:
"Don't tell me what you can't do. Tell me what you CAN do"
No end of stock footage to play over all those reactions.... wait, no, actually, I think I've seen that parade and that shot of shortie about ten thousand times today, and I've only watched the news for about a half an hour! Deary me... can we just show speakers? Is that too much too ask? I know North Korea says it has tested a bomb, pictures of them parading missiles isn't going to help drive the point home.
As a matter of interest, why does the 成人论坛 not count Taiwan in with all the other countries? I know why various other countries don't recognise it (to avoid upsetting the China) but it has most (if not all) of the characteristics of other countries. What process did the 成人论坛 use to come to the decision to treat it differently from other countries?
Now, many more countries are in the same line as that of North Korea and thanks to USA and UK.
I am just wondering why everybody believes that HOAX the North Koreans have sucessfully tested this tiny nuclear bombe.
No pics, no nuclear reactivity just somme wave signals. 550 kT TNT would do it as they had testet it when blowing up a Train full of it somme time ago! They are fooling us! I would not wonder at all.
e.q.
The point that Brian raised above reminds me of a comment made by Craig Oliver on this blog, regarding the justification of including the unpopular sports headlines on the Ten O'Clock News:
"It only takes a few seconds - and even if you are not interested in football, it is just great pictures."
It worries me a little that lack of pictures for a story makes that issue seem 'difficult' in the eyes of the editors. Take a tip from radio reporting - they have to deal with lack of pictures for 24 hours every day and still manage to have far more informative, intelligent and less hysterical reports than TV news. Sometimes you don't need a reporter right there in a war zone to bring across the point that a situation is dangerous.
Very interesting! I don't have camera(i had one which has stopped working), and i feel very irritated when i could not able to post my blog with photos. though i am not journalist, and blog is my own diary, but also i can understand.
And yes, i really loved the entire blog. We, reader are always want to know the stuff of behind the news.
Keep it up.
Well I just feel sorry for Mrs Williams (if there is one) - being woken at 4am by a flipping text message about North Korea!!! Lucky woman.
Well pointed out Matt,The fact that Taiwan a democratic country of 23 million people is constantly denied access to the UN ,WHO and other international organisations therefore denying it's citizens an international voice constantly go's barely reported.
The Chinese goverment should be seen for what they really are part of the AXIS OF EVIL
The sooner people in the west wise up to what the Chinese regime stands for the better.
Am i allowed to say this on the 成人论坛?
You would have thought their Big Cheese would have invited inat least some of the world's press. It's unlikely that the Iranian government will so camera shy when it comes to their turn.
How many countries? 193 or 196? Make your mind up!
Another man keeping it in the family was William "Bill" McNutt Jr, .... and built up the business so it now ships its fruitcake to 196 countries.
This must be a hoax.
A story without a journalist being able to give an on-the-spot report?
On the 12 Oct 2006 I wrote as follows.
鈥淭his must be a hoax. A story without a journalist being able to give an on-the-spot report?鈥
I am afraid that I missed the obvious. They were all doing their usual act outside 10 Downing Street.