Media outlets must be prepared to invest in preparing their journalists for conflict and war zones assignments, says seasoned war zone journalist Peter Greste.
He said news organisations should provide proper training for their journalists covering hostile environments apart from equipping them with proper protection gear such as bulletproof vests and helmets.
“Journalists must be equipped with sufficient knowledge about the danger of battlegrounds. As an example, they have to know the basics of survival skills and how to raise awareness on different dangers they might face. There is no story worth dying for,” he said at a luncheon talk organised by the National Press Club (NPC) in collaboration with the Australian High Commission in Malaysia at Wisma Bernama today.
News organisations also need to provide their journalists with adequate financial resources as they need to pay high prices for their transportation, translators and protection for front line tasks, he said.
Another important aspect was strong support from the news organisation should any untoward incident occur, Greste said.
During the 2011 Egyptian revolution, Greste, who was attached with Al Jazeera at that time, was among the three journalists detained by the Egyptian authorities, leaving him to be a prisoner for 400 day
He was detained for reporting news allegedly threatening national security and the authorities had also accused him for being part of a terror group.
During his days in prison, he was locked in an eight-feet cell with 16 others, and then was transferred to solidarity confinement.
Along his 25-year career as a war journalist, Greste had lost several of his comrades in the line of duty. Some were shot to death.
“Although there is high risk in covering crises, but at least with proper training, we can mitigate the risk. I was lucky that when I was detained, I was working with Al Jazeera, one of the biggest news organisation in the world. They had backed me during the tough times,” he said.
The award winning journalist also stressed that whatever risks he was exposed to during his line of work, he accepted it as an occupational hazard.
“I am grateful that so far I have been granted a stable mind to cope with my job, but I accept it, as being a journalist is my passion,” he said.
The luncheon was attended by 30 media representatives where Greste shared his experiences in covering conflict and war zones.
Also present were NPC President Datuk Mokhtar Hussain and Bernama Chairman Datuk Seri Azman Ujang.
-- BERNAMA
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