By Oleksandra Yaroshenko
What should journalists know? This question has long been a concern for the media community. Is it enough for journalists to have only professional skills, or do they need additional knowledge?
This is the subject of a new study by Israeli researchers from Ben-Gurion University, which they recently presented at the 10th ECREA European Communication Conference in Ljubljana. The philosopher Walter Lippmann argued that journalists with additional knowledge could become a new trend in the industry. But what kind of knowledge is needed? Opinions are divided: academics believe that journalists will need more and more diverse knowledge, while media executives insist that only a journalism degree is enough.
Specialised professionals
The authors of the study explain that in the world of journalism, there is a special category of ‘beat journalism’ – a form of journalism where journalists specialise in a particular topic or area (called a ‘beat’) and systematically cover news and events related to this topic. They are professionals who focus on a specific topic or area – whether it is politics, crime, sports or science. Such a reporter is deeply immersed in their topic, knows all its nuances, has reliable sources of information and can tell you the latest news from this area before it becomes public knowledge. These journalists are true experts in their field, able not only to convey facts but also to explain their context and significance for society. It is thanks to their work that we receive in-depth and informative materials that help us better understand the world around us.
A classic example of such specialised journalism is that of war journalists. This specialisation requires not only the courage to work in hot spots, but also deep knowledge of military affairs. War journalists become experts in weapons, strategy, geopolitics and even the psychology of war. They are able to decipher military jargon, understand complex manoeuvres and explain them in simple language for a wide audience. In addition, these reporters often have unique sources of information among the military, politicians and security experts. Their work is especially important in times of conflict, when society needs verified and balanced information. Hence, war journalism is a complex specialisation that requires constant training and improvement.
Journalism through the eyes of experts
‘War journalism is not just about reporting from the frontline,’ say researchers O. Jackman and Z. Reich. To understand this issue, they decided to take a new approach. Instead of theoretical discussions, they conducted interviews with journalists and experts, focusing on the coverage of important news and critical stories.
The goal was to determine what knowledge could be considered ‘sufficient’ for a journalist.
The researchers did not limit themselves to the opinions of journalists or experts, but invited representatives of different parties to the discussion. Instead of using existing theories, the researchers allowed new ideas to emerge directly from the data.
Over the course of 2022-2023, they conducted a series of interviews with 30 leading Israeli experts, including the former Deputy Chief of Staff, former members of the Prime Minister’s National Security Council, current and former IDF spokespersons, intelligence leaders and staff, retired generals, and military academics. On the journalistic side, they engaged some of the most experienced reporters and commentators who have won awards for their work. The results of this study help to better understand what additional knowledge modern journalists really need to do their job well.
The ideal journalism school
“We asked our experts what the ideal school for war journalists would be,” the authors of the study say. The answers were striking in their diversity: from ballistics to international relations, from engineering to psychology. It turned out that a modern military journalist must be a true ‘universal soldier’ in the world of information. He or she must understand strategy and tactics like a conductor understands a score, but at the same time be able to communicate with ordinary soldiers and their families.
Interestingly, the opinions of experts and journalists often coincided, but there were also significant differences. There was a significant difference in views on the structure of military knowledge and its accumulation. Experts saw knowledge in a more ‘idealistic’ way – as quasi-academic, systematic, and transmitted from the top down from the military leadership. Journalists had a more ‘realistic’ view – knowledge for them is more eclectic, partial, tied to storytelling functions and often comes from the bottom up – from soldiers, parents and civil society.
Why it is impossible to know everything
The knowledge expectations of war journalists are both ‘grandiose and incredibly modest’, as Shudson and Anderson (2009) have noted. On the one hand, journalists are expected to understand the complex processes of military strategy development, tactical moves and interests of superpowers. On the other hand, a certain superficiality of knowledge and corresponding epistemic modesty are inevitable in a field with so many types of forces, units and sub-disciplines.
Military journalism requires an exceptional level of interdisciplinary knowledge. For example, understanding missile propulsion systems and why they land at a certain angle requires knowledge of earth sciences, physics and ballistics.
The researchers emphasise the importance of war journalists practising ‘epistemic modesty’ – the principle that they should recognise the limits of their own knowledge, even if they have deep expertise in a particular area. This is especially true in modern conflicts, where each branch of the military, each type of weapon and each tactical operation has its own unique characteristics. Even the most experienced journalist cannot fully cover all the nuances and aspects of war that are constantly changing. Such modesty not only avoids mistakes due to overconfidence in one’s own competence, but also opens up space for more accurate and responsible journalism.
Recognising that one cannot know everything encourages journalists to consult experts, check facts and approach stories with caution.
This article, “What should a war journalist know? Israeli experts reveal the secrets of the profession” was originally published by the European Journalism Observatory on October 8 2024.