By snoadmin
It’s a familiar story we have all heard of before: one of conflict, tragedy and — in some cases — bloodshed. Egypt’s protests have consumed all forms of media, from television broadcast stations to print stories in newspapers and magazines.
The protests in Egypt erupted when civilians began to voice their condemnation of Hosni Mubarak’s 30-year rule, exclaiming that he has “monopolized power through a mixture of constitutional manipulation, repression and rigged elections,” according to an article from the BBC.
Despite Egypt’s Prime Minister Ahmed Shafiq’s claim that journalists have “full freedom to do what they want,” there have been attacks on both anti- and pro-Mubarak protestors, and even on innocent bystanders, such as CNN’s Anderson Cooper, who was attacked by pro-Mubarak protesters. However, Cooper is far from the only journalist who has been victimized by either civilians or Egyptian officials. According to a Committee to Protect Journalists report Friday, at least 101 attacks on journalists and news facilities have been recorded. According to CPJ, “the anti-press activities include assault, detentions and threats.”
Journalists Souad Mekhennet and Nicholas Kulish were detained Feb. 3 after being stopped at a checkpoint in the outskirts of Cairo. In an article published by CNN, Mekhennet and Kulish delivered their account of their nearly two-day imprisonment, which concluded in their detention under Egypt’s secret police, Mukhabarat.
“The worst part had nothing to do with our treatment,” the article read. “It was seeing and in particular hearing through the walls of this dreadful facility the abuse Egyptians at the hands of their own government.”
Mekhennet and Kulish described their nights in the cold, bare cellar as ones that were eventually always interrupted by the “dull whacks” and “screams of pain by Egyptian people.” They witnessed the brutality of Egypt’s police, constantly being accused of attempting to disparage Egypt’s authority through the press.
Obviously, the current Egyptian government is not very fond of the thought of freedom of speech or its result: democracy.
So, the question is begged: Should journalists continue to be sent to Egypt to cover the protests despite its hazardous condition? We think yes.
Whether we acquire our news from the television, Internet, newspapers or the radio, it is journalists who deliver the information we are receiving. A journalist’s job is to gather the information the readers would otherwise be unable or unsure of how to attain, and distribute these reports to their local or national audience. After obtaining the news, the audience becomes aware of a collection of events taking place worldwide. Of course, news may be largely skewed or biased, but at least the most important part — the facts — is normally accurate. Without news, we would be an ignorant and an unorganized civilization. If we wish to continue being a democracy, we need to uphold our beliefs pertaining to the freedom of speech and press.
Consequently, sending journalists to Egypt is not only beneficial, but it is necessary in order for us to continue being an aware and knowledgeable nation. Many Americans fold once they hear of violent acts against journalists taking place; however, we must remember that just as the press affects some people unfavorably, it also affects other people — maybe even other nations — in a more positive way by allowing the world to share similar views, interests or simply information.
Journalists who cover substantial stories such as that of Egypt are aiding our nation by facilitating our ability to arrive at a consensus on how we should assess the situation.
Journalists are aware of the purpose of their profession and the consequences that may result from it. It is a field of continual dedication, work and risk taking, and most journalists strive to fulfill these demands in order to thoroughly enlighten and educate their audience.
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