The Role of Foreign Affair Correspondents in International Diplomacy

Tue, Oct 31, 2017 | By publisher


Speeches

 

 

By Paul Ejime

 

Essentially, the journalist, as a member of the Fourth Estate of the Realm (Media), has the social responsibility to inform, educate and entertain. But this basic responsibility has been expanded to include interpretation/analysis of topical issues and supporting democracy, good governance, respect for human rights, and therefore holding governments or those in positions of authority accountable to the people.

The Foreign Affairs Correspondent, because of his/her unique position as the public watchdog not just in one nation but in a multiplicity of countries, therefore, has the additional duty to communicate effectively in order to foster bilateral/multilateral cooperation/relations. S/he is an “agenda-setter”, a “change-agent,” who impacts policy formulation directly or indirectly. This is particularly true in Africa with a high level of illiteracy and where “news headlines” constitute the primary if not the only source of information for the majority of the population, including policy-makers. In many cases policies follow or are influenced by headlines.

Definitions

  1. Types of Foreign Affairs Correspondents

There are three categories of Foreign Affairs Correspondents/Reporters

One is the correspondent/reporter of a foreign based media organization sent to another country to work. A second category is made up of locally hired correspondents/reporters who work for foreign-based media organizations. The third group comprises local correspondents/reporters who report on foreign affairs for locally based media organizations. The three categories may be serving different audiences; their interests and expectations may also differ, but their journalistic functions are basically similar and in some cases overlap.

  1. Diplomacy: is a derivative from the French word “Diplomatie” or “Diplomat.” Simply put, it is the skill for dealing with people effectively in a positive way including the foreign relations with other countries. The skilled diplomat is said to have the ability to present “Hell” in such an attractive way that the uninitiated will become anxious and glad to undertake the trip!
  2. Communication

There are many definitions of communication, but the definition by American Mass Communication scholar James W. Carey is apposite here. In his 1996 essay on Media and Society (Communication as Culture), he defined Communication as “a symbolic process whereby reality is produced, maintained, repaired, and transformed.”

This definition raises many questions and throws up a lot of challenges not only to the journalist/communicator, but also the audience(s) as well. It hypothesizes that the journalist/communicator (in this case the Foreign Affairs Correspondent), can create, sustain, repair and even transform reality. Opinion may be divided on whether or how this ambitious task can be accomplished but certainly this concept takes the art of communication a notch higher vis-à-vis Harold Lasswell’s theorem on “who says what in which channel, to whom and with what effect.”

The Foreign Correspondent performs his/her complex task through effective communication driven by the R-A-S-S of communication.

The R-A-S-S of Communication

R – Relevance

In a digital age of various shades of journalism, the professional journalist must be set apart

– Accuracy

Facts are sacred, comment is free; straight news reports must be distinguishable from Op-Ed.

 

S –    Speed

Immediacy is fundamental since news is perishable especially in a globalising e-world)

S –    Simplicity

Say it “simple,” don’t leave any room for equivocation

  1. Qualities of an effective Foreign Affairs Correspondent

Journalistic role

  1. The foreign correspondent like any other journalist communicates to inform, educate and entertain, through interpretation, investigation and interrogation. But s/he must not sensationalize, editorialize, panic, scare or alarm the audience.
  2. Accuracy

He/she must double/cross-check facts, and should provide an international angle to stories. If and when in doubt , seek clarification. There is no stupid question.  It is better to look stupid before an interviewee than before the public/audience.

  1. Clarity

He/she must be clear and concise in reportage; must master the language for effective communication. Pitfalls of grammar-deficiency must be avoided.

  1. Objectivity

Some communication scholars argue that the quest for objectivity, leads to subjectivity. Nonetheless, objectivity remains the ultimate aspiration of any effective communicator, and this is even more so for a Foreign Affairs Correspondent.

She/he must show balance/fairness and ensure adequate back grounding of reports.

A careless mistake can cause a diplomatic row/conflict/war.

  1. Avoid the snare of censorship

S/he must promote/build not destroy, and learn to navigate all obstacles including censorship.  Must also avoid self-censorship and remain conversant with the operating media laws.

  1. Pro-activity and competitiveness

The foreign affairs reporter must be pro-active, imaginative and creative. S/he is in competition with other correspondents, and because news/information is perishable; it must be well packaged to attract mass readership/viewership.

  1. Reliable news sources

The Foreign Affairs correspondent must cultivate impeccable news sources.

  1. Identify and avoid propaganda and intrigues of spin doctors

S/he must be trained to recognize and avoid the pitfalls of “systematic propaganda” which Edward Herman and Noam Chomsky exposed in their classic “Manufacturing Consent: The Political Economy of the Mass Media.”

The foreign affairs correspondent must operate above board and effectively navigate the mine-fields often laid by spin-doctors, who manipulate journalists or plant stories which are not of public interest.

  1. Adventure

He/she must be prepared to take reasonable risks in getting to the root of stories and provide relevant follow-ups.

  1. Diplomacy

He/she must be cultured and “diplomatic” not only in character/outlook but also in language so as not to provoke unpleasant diplomatic incidents.

  1. Network, multi-task and self-motivation

The Foreign Affairs Correspondent must learn to network with colleagues both locally and internationally, and remain on top of current international affairs/events. He/she must

Must be effective in multi-tasking, able to think on his/her feet and out of the box

He/she must be a voracious reader with a great insight, highly knowledgeable self-motivated individual, bold, assertive and with excellent skills in interpersonal relations.  He/she must be able to function effectively in a multi-cultural environment.

  1. Acute sensibility and sensitivity

He/she must use politically correct language, be culturally sensitive, respecting the customs, traditions and religion of the people and the environment where s/he lives or reports on, and must be socially effective.

  1. Intelligence (ability to learn and understand – situations, news information)

A high-level of political/diplomatic intelligence, social intelligence; interpersonal intelligence is required for knowledge/information management. The difference between a manager and a messenger lies in the latter’s level of intelligence which enables him/her to assume responsibility and control (KRC).

  1. Dress Code & Mannerism A Diplomatic Reporter must be well-dressed and well-mannered
  2. Impact of modern Technology

Prior to the huge advancement in technology, especially the advent of the Internet, financial constraints limited the number of correspondents/reporters that foreign-based media organizations were able to send to abroad to report news.

(i)     Parachute journalism

But apart from financial consideration, Africa was considered a particularly difficult terrain to report from in terms of logistics and the stricture on press freedom.  Consequently, coverage of the continent in the past was characterized by “parachute journalism” – a system whereby foreign correspondents were “dropped” on a country to report breaking news – which in most cases from Africa, were negative events – famine, flood, military coups, disease outbreaks and a legion of man-induced or natural disasters. While a few media organizations such as the BBC, Reuters, AP and AFP still maintain regional or country offices in some developing countries manned by expatriate staff and with some locally recruited journalists, the editorial and administrative decisions still lie with the Headquarters/Bureau Chiefs, mainly expatriate staff under the editorial guidance of external Headquarters.

The parachute or Kamikaze brand of journalism left so much to be desired especially

in terms of professional standards and ethics. Stories from this enterprise did not only lack depth, objectivity also suffered largely because, the parachuted journalists did not understand the local environment, the socio-cultural and political dynamics. The personal mischief of individual reporter, which is usually a function of negative stereotyping or profiling of Africa by foreign media, and the strict adherence to editorial policy from the Headquarters, or a combination of these and other factors often defined or coloured reports on Africa.

(ii)      Handicaps of local foreign correspondent

The locally recruited foreign affairs correspondent/reporter also faced editorial and operational limitations. Apart from being considered “a spy” by some government officials, s/he is under the direction of the Bureau Chief, who may not be knowledgeable about the local environment, but makes the final editorial decision, on which story is used, how and when.

In some cases, the local foreign affairs reporter’s copy is changed and given a different slant or interpretation to suit the so-called “house style” or the editorial policy of the headquarters. Also, in terms of availability of working tools or resources, the locally hired foreign affairs correspondent is always at a great disadvantage compared to his/her expatriate counterpart. (Liberian civil war coverage) This situation may have changed slightly, given that some former local correspondents now head foreign offices in countries other than their own. But in so far as editorial policy is concerned, the headquarters still have the final say.

(iii)     Invasion of Online publications and Citizen Journalism/Social Media

Online publications have evolved, and foreign-based media organizations can and do reach news sources more rapidly now even before reaching their own correspondents.  But some media organizations which place high premium on dateline reportage still send reporters on the ground as soon as it is convenient for them to do so. But the fact remains that media organizations now take generous advantage of the development in modern technology, which has made the world a global village, with geographical distance reduced to just the push of a computer button.

(iv) Citizen Journalism/Social Media (Bloggers, Facebook and Twitters)

“Citizen Journalism” is also unravelling. This is a brand of journalism practised by people who may not necessarily have journalism training, but who collect and disseminate information through various platforms, including their websites or blogs. Media organizations local and international take account of and sometimes use materials from the citizen journalists, bloggers or twitters.

There are arguments for and against the New Media/Social Media or Citizen Journalism versus the Old/Conventional Media, but the difference is always evident between the work of a professional journalist and that of a pretender or amateur, who usually does not require much skill, other than the ability to handle a digital camera or mobile phone.

(v)      The flaws of technological improvement

Some of the biggest editorial flaws arising from the craze for immediacy in news gathering and transmission processes, flowing from the improvement in modern technology and the birth of citizen or participatory journalism, are the loss of rigor in editing and poor packaging of news reports. Scant attention is paid to core editorial details such as factual reporting, accuracy, balance and even grammar, with every medium chasing the elusive prize for being the first to get out the news. (First to file, but flawed)  But, under a healthy competition, the interconnected and mutually reinforcing fulcrum of journalism — accuracy, speed and simplicity – can and still be respected. Journalism can gain from competition and improved technology

(vi)  The greatest danger posed by social media is anonymity of sources.

  1. Situating the Foreign Correspondent

It must be emphasized that the foreign affairs correspondent functions under similar if not the same environmental constraints faced by other journalists, whether in a developed or developing country.

In January 2007, the African Media Development Initiative (AMDI), which was launched in 2005 to mobilize international support for the development of African media, released the findings of its study which identified a legion of weaknesses in the Africa media sector. The countries surveyed were Angola, Botswana, Cameroon, DR Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique, Nigeria, Senegal, Somalia, South Africa, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The study noted that while there had been “a massive proliferation of media during the last five years” in the 17 sub-Saharan African countries surveyed, the “professional, technical, ethical and management standards” of the sector “remain low.”

In developing or growing journalism profession and the media in developing countries, especially in Africa, the preference could be to build capacity and empower journalists in these countries to report events in their own countries for foreign-based media organizations, given that they should understand the local environment better. But this assumption may not necessarily be true and should therefore not stop the sending of expatriates by foreign media organizations to report from developing countries. In any case quality control or editorial supervision is normally assured from the Headquarters of individual media organizations and any foreign correspondent that fails to measure up to standards is shown the way out.

  1. Training/Capacity building

To get the best out a foreign correspondent whether an expatriate or locally recruited, his/her media organization must invest in training, retraining and strengthening of the capacity, given the unique role they play in international communication and international relations.

  1. Specialization

Apart from ensuring adequate training, there is also the need for foreign affairs reporters to specialize and operate in a professional manner and environment.

Conclusion

While the ultimate decision on who works as a foreign correspondent may lie with individual media organizations since he who pays the piper calls the tune, the foreign affairs correspondent occupies a critical position and should play a key role in international communication, and by extension international relations.

The three major types of foreign affairs reporters identified above may be serving divergent audience(s) or interests, but their editorial functions are inter-related.

Generally, the advance in modern technology has changed the dynamics of international relations thereby imposing additional challenges and responsibilities on foreign affairs reporting and the media at large.

To succeed in the complex and competitive media environment the foreign affairs reporter must therefore acquire a host of appropriate skills and competencies to keep pace with the ever-changing world of communication and international relations. S/he must be deeply knowledgeable and current about international affairs and diplomacy. This requires some fundamental qualities, which when combined with an assertive drive, boldness, courage and determination, an eagle eye and strong nose for news, as well as a result-oriented disposition. Strong inter-personal communications, interview skills, and self-motivation should put the Foreign Affairs Correspondent in a strong position to deliver and make the desired impact on the complex dynamics of international relations.

S/he must always THINK BIG, Prioritize and PUSH – Persist until something happens; do the important first as against the urgent!

To succeed, a Foreign Affairs Correspondent/Communicator must be SMART (Sensitive, Mature, Adaptable, Respect others and be Tactical/Diplomatic). More importantly, s/he must be self-aware and armed with the 5Ps tools kit – Prepare Properly to Prevent Poor Performance.

Thank you for your attention.

References

– J.W. Carey (Communication as Culture – Essays on media and Society) Sources: Notable Selections in Mass Media (Ed Jarice Hanson and David J. Maxcy 1996).

– Edward Herman and Noam Chomsky “Manufacturing Consent: The Political

Economy of the Mass Media” (1992)

– The African Media Development Initiative (AMDI) survey report (2007)

Being a presentation By Paul Ejime on The role of Foreign Affair Correspondents in International Diplomacy at a Workshop on Diplomatic Reporting organised by NUJ/Diplomats Extra Magazine, at the China Chamber of Commerce, Abuja,  25 October, 2017.

Ejime is Nigeria and UK trained journalist and communications Specialist with vast international experience. He has worked as Diplomatic Correspondent, War Reporter, Bureau Chief and Senior Editor of national and international news organizations, including AFP, News Agency of Nigeria and the Pan-African News Agency as well as a Stringer for the BBC and VOA. He has in recent years served as Media and Communications Consultant to International Organisations including WHO and EU/ECOWAS. He is now Senior Adviser Communications & Advocacy to the ECOWAS Network of Electoral Commissions, ECONEC.

– Oct 31, 2017 @ 16:58 GMT |

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